Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Stretch Alert Smoke lines up out of Singleback Wing with 12 personnel and shows an outside zone run action to the offensive line, with the backside TE running a stretch release across the formation on the yellow route line. The alert tag gives you a pre-snap smoke screen option to the flanker on the perimeter, marked by the red arrow going into the boundary, letting you bypass the run entirely if the corner sits soft or crashes down. Primary read is presnap: check the alert smoke to the flanker first, and if the numbers or leverage do not favor the screen, hand it off and let your zone blocking work horizontally on the perimeter run.
Defensive Reads
Watch for corners playing hard outside leverage on the flanker presnap, that alignment invites the smoke screen and you need a flat defender ready to jump it. Key linebacker depth at the snap, if they flow hard to the zone run action they leave the smoke uncovered so a user linebacker must stay disciplined and read run/pass. Man coverage on the backside TE running the stretch release can be exploited if the defender bites on the run fake, so a zone drop underneath takes that route away. Blitz packages that send extra defenders into the box are vulnerable to the smoke alert, so keep a spy or flat defender assigned to the flanker even when bringing pressure. Two high safety shells signal single high run support is compromised, force the offense to declare run or pass by disguising coverage until after the snap.
Usage Tips
Use the alert audible presnap to throw the smoke screen when the corner over the flanker is playing off man or soft zone with no immediate flat defender crashing down.
Check safety depth before the snap, if both safeties are deep in a two high shell the smoke throw is low risk and gets you easy yardage on the perimeter.
If the defense sounds run blitz with linebackers stacked tight to the box, bail into the smoke automatically since the alert tag is designed exactly for that look.
Pair this play with 26 Duo Alert X Smoke and HB Zone Toss in the same series so defenses cannot key on the outside zone action without respecting the perimeter screen threat.
Best used on early downs or short yardage third downs where a blown up run fit still nets a manageable gain through the smoke bailout.
