Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
PA Power O out of Singleback Y Trips sells the Power O run action with the offensive line stepping right and the fake handoff to the HB before the QB pulls it out for a play-action pass. Off that run fake the play sends a deep dig from the outside trips receiver on the yellow route, a corner-post breaking route from the middle trips receiver on the red route, and a shallow drag or flat route on the blue route from the inline TE or third trips receiver, while the backside X runs a deep vertical clear on the far left yellow route. The primary read progression starts with the corner-post (red) as the shot play, works down to the deep dig if the safety jumps the post, and checks down to the flat/drag route (blue) as the underneath outlet against a hard blitz, making this both a man beater on the post-dig combo and a zone beater on the drag versus underneath zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Read the strong safety depth and width before the snap since a safety cheating down into the box signals man coverage or a run blitz look that opens up the post and dig routes behind him. Watch for a robber or lurk defender sitting in the shallow middle who can jump the drag route or undercut the dig if the QB stares it down too long. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells by checking corner depth on the outside trips receiver, since soft corners sitting off will allow the deep dig to sit down in the void. Against Cover 2 or Cover 4 the corner post has to beat the deep half defender with timing, so watch if the safety stays home over the top and be ready to reset to the dig or checkdown. Key the play side linebacker reaction to the run fake since a linebacker who bites hard on Power O action opens a clean throwing lane for the flat and drag combo underneath.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs like 1st or 2nd and medium to keep the run fake honest and bait linebackers up into the box.
Check the safety alignment pre snap: if you see two high safeties sitting deep, hot route the drag into a deeper crosser or take the checkdown quickly since the post window will be tight.
Against a single high safety look immediately to the corner post for the big play since the deep half is more vulnerable to the vertical break.
Pair this with HB Power O and HB Counter from the same set to keep defenders honest on the run fake before dialing up this shot play once the defense starts crashing the edge.
If the defense shows blitz pre snap, hot route the flat/drag route to sit down quicker as your blitz beater outlet and get the ball out before the play fake fully develops.
