Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Stick out of Singleback Trips lines up three receivers to the strong side with the TE running a quick stick route to the flat, the outside receiver sitting down on a stick/hitch, and the slot receiver clearing vertically up the seam to hold off deep defenders. The backside X runs a shallow drag across the field while the HB releases up the seam as a checkdown or vertical outlet. This is a classic man and zone beater built on quick, high percentage throws, and the primary read progression starts with the flat/stick combination to the trips side before working back to the backside drag if the underneath defenders jump the stick routes.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he sits on the TE's stick route the outside receiver's hitch becomes wide open in the void behind him. Key the underneath linebackers in Cover 3 or Cover 4, they are the primary threat to jump the stick concept and undercut the quick throw. If the defense shows man coverage with a corner shaded outside on the trips receivers, look immediately to the backside drag route since it will beat man leverage on the crossing pattern. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge get exposed by the quick stick timing, so a fast defender staying home in the flat, sometimes called a user lurk, is the biggest deterrent to this concept. Deep half safeties rotating late can bait the quarterback into throwing the seam clearing route, so if the safety stays high and does not bite, avoid forcing that vertical read and check down to the flat or drag instead.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify whether the defense is showing zone or man by checking if the trips corners are pressed up or sitting off, since Stick punishes zone defenses that leave the flat and stick window open.
Use this on third and short to medium since the stick route to the flat and TE settle route both give you a high percentage completion against Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells.
Hot route the backside X into a deeper comeback or speed out if you are facing man coverage to create separation, and consider motioning the HB out of the backfield to diagnose man versus zone before the snap.
Pair this play with HB Dive or HB Zone Wk in the same set to keep defenders honest against the run, then come back to Stick once the linebackers start creeping up in run support.
Combine with Curl Combo or Corner Double In later in a series so defenders who key on the flat and stick concept get baited into deeper zone beaters on subsequent plays.
