Playbooks
Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.
| Player | Side | Route |
|---|---|---|
| HB1 | Middle | Block and Release Hook |
| WR3 | Right | Corner |
| WR1 | Left | Speed In |
| WR2 | Right | Smash |
| TE1 | Right | Streak |
Smash out of Singleback Y Trips Close Wing is a classic corner-and-hitch combo designed to attack the flat to deep quarter area on the trips side while giving the QB a high-low read against man or zone coverage. The trips receivers run a hitch and corner combination that stretches the cornerback vertically and horizontally, forcing him to choose between the underneath flat route and the corner breaking behind him, while the backside and TE tend to work short/intermediate zone beater routes for a check down option. This is a pure dropback passing concept (no play-action or RPO tag) with the primary read starting on the trips side smash combo (hitch to corner) before working back to the backside or check down if the smash concept is covered.
Presnap, check safety depth and alignment on the trips side, since a rotated safety cheating toward the trips numbers signals Cover 3 or Cover 4 rotation that the corner route can exploit over the top of the flat defender. Watch cornerback press alignment on the outside trips receiver, since press man coverage with no safety help over the top is a green light to attack the corner route immediately off the snap. Post snap, key the flat or curl/flat defender's depth and leverage, if he sinks with the corner route the hitch is open underneath, if he jumps the hitch the corner is open behind him. Look for a user controlled defender lurking in the intermediate zone, since a smart human defender may jump the corner route route stem, which should push your eyes to the checkdown or backside quickly. Beware of Cover 2 Man or a hard robber safety sitting in the smash window, both of these disguises take away both levels of the concept and force you to move off script to the backside route or dump it down.
Presnap, identify whether the defense is showing a two high shell or single high look, since smash concepts thrive against single high man or Cover 3 where the corner cannot get depth quickly enough to beat the corner route.
If you see Cover 2 with a hard flat defender sitting on the hitch route, hot route the corner route runner to a deep out or work the backside progression instead of forcing the throw.
Use play action shot plays or HB Dive/HB Stretch from this same set on early downs to get defenders to bite on run fits, then come back to Smash on second or third down when the defense starts creeping linebackers into the box.
Against man coverage, user the corner route receiver initially to sell the vertical stem, then trust the route to separate on the break rather than staring down the throw prematurely.
Pair Smash with Mesh or Shallow X-Dig in your play calling script since both stress underneath zones and man coverage differently, keeping defenders guessing between shallow crossers and vertical stretches.