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Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
HB Smash Alert X Smoke is a Cover 2 beater out of Singleback Y Trips that pairs a classic smash concept (hitch and corner combo) to the trips side with an alert audible check to X Smoke, a quick screen to the flanker on the backside. This is a pass play designed to attack the flat and deep quarter areas simultaneously, forcing the deep half safety to choose between the corner route and the underneath hitch. The primary read progression starts with the pre-snap alert check to X Smoke against blitz or man press, then moves to the smash combo, working the corner route first against Cover 2 or Cover 4 and dropping down to the hitch if the safety jumps the corner.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the safety alignment on the trips side, two high shells invite the smash combo while single high shells make the corner route riskier against a robber defender. Watch cornerback depth and press indicators on X, tight press man coverage triggers the alert to the screen for a quick and safe gain. Post-snap, key the flat defender in Cover 2, if he sinks with the hitch the corner route window opens behind him. Beware of user-controlled safeties sitting in the deep half lurking for the corner throw, a good user will bait the quarterback into an interception if the corner is thrown late. Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells with disciplined deep defenders can shut this down since they take away both the corner and the screen lanes, forcing a check down to the hitch or a scramble.
Usage Tips
Check the numbers on the X Smoke side before the snap and throw the alert immediately if you see man press or an overloaded blitz look, since the screen gets outside leverage and neutralizes edge pressure.
Against two high safeties, work the trips side smash combo and read the deep safety to the corner route, if he stays over the top drop it to the hitch underneath for an easy completion.
This play shines on early downs and third and short because the underneath hitch and the screen both give safe checkdown options if the corner window is not there.
Pair this call with Kc Smash or Curls Combo later in a series to keep defenses guessing between smash concepts and quicker curl breaks out of the same Y Trips look.
Use HB Slip Screen or Bubble Screen from this same set on the next snap to condition the defense to expect quick throws, then come back to the corner route shot off the same formation for an explosive play.
