In this blog post we will discuss playaction route combinations in the flexbone offense and when and why to use them.  I want to start of by saying these route concepts are what we call them. You may have the same concepts but have different names for them.  The first concept we will discuss is a Pop pass off playaction.

The Pop concept is utilized when you get squeeze/scrape or an active downhill playside linebacker on an option play.  . The PSA wants to work quickly into the window the linebacker vacated. We often tell the PSA to utilize his load steps to clear the playside linebacker and make it look like load to the defense.  As soon as he clears the linebacker the PSA needs to get his head around quickly because we want the ball thrown fast into that window. The QB will not get a complete drop and often will throw this route on the first steps of the option fake.

The next concept we use against this type of 8 man front is what we call Snag.  The PSA will utilize his load steps to work up to linebacker depth as if he is blocking and he will then roll over his outside foot and work a deeper out right to the sideline, attacking the grass/window the pitch player has vacated.  We use this route concept when we get a safety that isn’t spinning hard into the alley and is hanging back. The QB on this concept should get a full drop off his option fake and his eyes are reading #2 in the count on his drop.

As we start to get different fronts and coverages we change how we attack in the passing game.  "Sideline" is a route combination we use against any and all coverage structures.  I have it drawn up against an 8 man front but we probably get better results when we see a two high cover 2 coverage concept.  The QB will get his eyes on the outside linebacker vs. an eight man front for his read and attacks the grass/window the OLB vacated.  Against Cover 2 looks the QB will get his eyes on the corner for his read. We have also half rolled to this route concept off IV.

Seam concepts are a staple in most option offenses.  In this concept, we are trying to use the option responsibilities/aggressiveness of the defense against themselves.  The premise of this playaction concept is to make the defense think we are base blocking the perimeter with the WR blocking the corner and the PSA blocking the near safety.  Both players need to sell the perimeter blocking techniques and convert to pass routes. The seam route by the PSA is more likely to be open vs. 1 high coverage concepts and the outside vertical route by the WR is more likely to be open vs. 2 high coverage concepts.  This isn’t always the case in every circumstance just rules of thumb. In either case, the QB will read the near safety and the safeties reaction to playaction, to decide which route to throw.

Switch concepts are a staple in most option offenses.  In this concept, we are trying to use the option responsibilities/aggressiveness of the defense against themselves.  The premise of this playaction concept is to make the defense think we are switch blocking the perimeter with the WR blocking the safety and the PSA blocking the corner.  Both players need to sell the perimeter blocking techniques and convert to pass routes. The tube route by the WR is more likely to be open vs. 1 high coverage concepts and the outside wheel route by the WR is more likely to be open vs. 2 high coverage concepts.  This isn’t always the case in every circumstance just rules of thumb. In either case, the QB will read the near safety and the safeties reaction to playaction, to decide which route to throw.

The Post concept we use off of playaction is always a backside throw.  Typically the coaching staff or sometimes the QB, have seen an over rotation with the safety or safeties and the backside WR is left one on one with the corner.  In this instance we work away from playside route combinations. One coaching point you want to make for the backside WR is to not cross the hash in his route unless the ball thrown takes him there.  We have found that we can manipulate the frontside route combinations to take advantage of how the secondary is handling their option responsibilities. I have it drawn against a switch combination but  you could use a couple of different combinations to help open that backside route and give the WR more grass to work with.

The final concept we will discuss is the Hitch/Seam. Both WR will run 5 yard hitch routes and the playside A back will run a seam route.  We teach the QB to read the safety vs. 1 high safety coverages.  We are trying to throw the seam route and work off the safety's MOF technique.  We teach the QB to read the playside corner vs. all 2 high safety coverages. 

Our next blog post will continue with Passing Game Schemes with an emphasis on Sprint Out "Go" concepts and as always feel free to discuss blog posts or ask questions on our forum page located here: http://flexbonenation.proboards.com/  If you have any questions please feel free to contact me on twitter @runthetriple or my email address lafayettefootball1@gmail.com