Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Sprint HB Flat is a play-action sprint out concept run from Singleback Wing Tight U with 13 personnel. Off the fake handoff, the QB rolls right while the HB releases to the flat as the checkdown, the TE from the wing runs a deep crossing route into a corner route up the sideline, and the outside receiver runs a skinny post that clears the middle of the field. The primary read progression starts with the HB flat route as the built-in checkdown, then works to the crossing route settling in the intermediate zone, and finally the deep corner route as the home run shot if the safety bites on the run fake. This is a play-action shot play designed to attack aggressive run defense and single high coverage shells.
Defensive Reads
Man coverage with an aggressive underneath linebacker crashing the run fake leaves the HB flat wide open, take it immediately if the flat defender bites. Single high safety shells are the biggest weakness for this play, the corner route can take the top off the defense if the safety commits downhill on the play action. Watch for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow zone near the flat, that user can jump the HB route and turn it into a pick six if you stare it down too long. Zone defenses with a hard flat defender and a deep half safety over the corner route can shut this down, in that case work the crossing route settling between the levels. Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties take away the big play on the corner route, forcing you to live with the underneath completions instead.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs like first and second and short to medium yardage when the defense is keying run based on personnel or hash alignment.
Check the safety depth before the snap, if you see one high safety or a defender creeping up expecting run, this play has a great chance to hit the corner route deep.
Sprint the QB fully to the flat side to sell the play-action, delaying your reads even slightly can get the HB flat route wide open against defenses that bite on the fake.
Combine this with HB Dive or HB Power O out of the same Wing Tight U set to condition the defense into keying run before dialing this shot play up.
If you see two deep safeties pre-snap, be ready to check down early to the HB flat route or the crosser rather than forcing the corner route into a split safety look.
