Playbooks
Fake Punt W Release is a trick play out of the Punt formation designed to catch a defense sleeping on personnel and gain a free first down deep in your own territory or at midfield. The W Release sends a gunner or slot man on a quick outside release before breaking to the flat or up the sideline, while the punter takes the direct snap and looks to get the ball out fast off a shortened drop. This is a man beater at its core since it attacks defenses that put a single corner or safety in man coverage on the release man without disguising extra help over the top, and the primary read progression starts with the W release man on the quick out or seam before the punter checks down to any leaking blocker if the defense sniffs it out.
Watch the defensive alignment over the gunner or slot release man immediately after the snap, if they are pressing and running with him step for step the fake is likely dead. Identify whether the return team has a safety cheating up near the line of scrimmage, since an extra body in the box signals they respect the fake and will jump the release route. Key the outside rusher on the release man's side, if he crashes hard upfield toward the punter without honoring the release he can blow up the entire concept before it starts. Look for a lurking linebacker or slot defender sitting in a shallow zone drop, this is the biggest threat to sitting on the shorter W release route and jumping the throw. If the return team shows any pre-snap rotation or safety rotation toward the release man's side, treat that as a sign they have scouted the fake and consider aborting to a standard punt look instead.
Only call this when the punt return unit shows a spread punt safe look with no extra rushers crashing off the edge, since a hard crash negates the release before it develops.
Check the corner or safety aligned over the release man before the snap, if they are backpedaling into deep coverage instead of playing tight man you have an easy completion window.
Hot route the release man into a shorter out or hitch if you see the defense playing a soft zone shell, since the longer developing route can get sat on by a lurking safety.
Sequence this play after running Punt 2 a few times in the same drive so the return team relaxes and stops respecting the fake, then hit them with this when they are on their heels.
Save this for third or fourth and short punt situations, or for any time the opposing punt return unit has been careless with their rush lanes, since a blown fake with no completion window is a costly turnover on downs.