Playbooks
Breakdown
94 Will Alert X Lookie is a play-action shot play out of Weak I with the Z Close tag, using 21 personnel to sell the run fake before attacking downfield. The lone route visible on the diagram is an Out And Up from the X receiver split wide, breaking hard to the flat before stemming vertically up the sideline for a double move on the corner, while the HB releases on a shallow angle route underneath from the backfield. The primary read is the X receiver's Out And Up first, since the play action fake occupies the linebackers and this route is designed to bait aggressive corners before they get beat over the top, with the HB angle route serving as the checkdown if the top is not there.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the corner over the X is playing off man or aggressive press man, since press corners are the most vulnerable to the double move. Watch safety depth on the numbers side, because a single high safety rotating late can still get over the top if the quarterback does not sell the fake convincingly. Post-snap, key the flat defender or curl-flat zone defender, since a Cover 3 sky or Cover 4 look with a squatting flat defender can jump the initial break and undercut the route. Man coverage with no deep help, especially Cover 1 or Cover 0 blitz packages, is the biggest weakness this play exploits because the corner is isolated with no safety over the top. Zone coverages with two deep safeties like Cover 2 or Cover 4 shut this down by keeping a defender over the top of the vertical stem, forcing the checkdown to the HB angle route instead.
Usage Tips
Use this from under center on early downs like 1st or 2nd and medium to keep the play action fake believable off run tendencies in Weak I. Look for aggressive man corners or Cover 3 sky corners pre-snap since they are the defenders most likely to bite on the flat portion of the Out And Up. Hold the play fake as long as possible to let the double move breathe before resetting your eyes to the X receiver's vertical stem. If the corner sits deep and does not bite, check down immediately to the HB angle route for a safe underlying gain. Pair this shot play with FB Power and HB Gut from the same Z Close set to establish the run fake's credibility before dialing up this deep shot.
