HB Stretch Alert X Lookie is an outside zone run play out of Singleback Y Trips with an alert audible built in for the X receiver. The diagram shows the outside receiver breaking vertically then cutting hard outside on a lookie route while the HB takes the handoff and presses the stretch aiming point behind zone blocking flowing to the play side. This is primarily a run play, but the X Lookie tag gives you a built in answer against overplayed run fits or aggressive edge defenders keying the backfield. Primary read progression starts with the HB reading the stretch flow of the offensive line, pressing the edge and cutting off the first color that shows, with the alert tag ready if the defense shows a look that dictates a quick throw instead.

Defensive Reads

Watch the play side defensive end and outside linebacker pre-snap, if they are crashing hard down the line the stretch cutback lane opens up Key the strong safety and see if he is cheating into the box, since an extra run defender near the line signals a potential run blitz or eight man front Post-snap, track whether the corner over the X receiver squats on the lookie route, which tells you the defense is sitting on the alert throw Zone defenses that flow hard to the play side without maintaining backside contain get gashed on the cutback, so read backside pursuit angles Man coverage on the X receiver with no safety help over the top is a green light to throw the lookie instead of handing the ball off

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or a quick glance at the defensive front to confirm whether the edge is set light or heavy before snapping the ball

If the defense shows a hard crash off the edge or a nano blitz look, lean on the X Lookie alert to get the ball out quickly instead of forcing the run

Run this out of early down and distance situations, especially first and second down, where defenses are more likely to sit in base run fronts

Pair this with HB Mid Zone and HB Power O from the same set to keep defenders guessing on zone versus gap run schemes

Use HB Stretch as a play-action fake setup later in the game once you have shown this look, since it primes defenders to bite on backfield flow

HB Stretch Alert X Lookie

Quick Reference

In 3 playbooks

Receiver routes

Read progression

Breakdown

Defensive Reads

Usage Tips

Other Plays in Y Trips