Designing your first football play can feel overwhelming — but with the right tool and a simple process, you'll be drawing plays in minutes. Football Playbook+ is built for coaches at every level. Here's how to design your first play step by step.
In the Football Playbook+ app, tap Draw a Play from the home screen. You'll see three options: Offense, Defense, and Special Teams. For your first play, start with Offense — it's the most intuitive and where most coaches begin.
Select the type of play you want to design: Run, Pass, or Play Action. A simple pass play is a great first choice — you'll add routes to receivers and see how the play comes together.
Choose from formations like Singleback, Shotgun, I-Formation, Pro Set, Empty Backfield, Wishbone, or Goal Line. For a first pass play, try Shotgun or Singleback — both give you clear receiver alignments. Want full control? Use Draw from Scratch to start with a blank field and place every player yourself.
Once you're on the canvas, tap a receiver to select them. A route panel appears with preset routes: FLAT, SLANT, COMEBACK, CURL, OUT, DIG, CORNER, POST, and GO. Tap a route to add it — the app draws the route on the field. You can also tap on the field to create custom route points. Drag players to adjust their position if needed.
When your play looks right, save it with a name (e.g., "Slant-Flat Pass") and add it to a playbook. You can organize plays by formation, situation, or any system that works for your team. Free accounts can create up to 5 plays — upgrade to Premium when you're ready for unlimited plays, exports, and sharing.
Ready to start? Download Football Playbook+ and create your first play today.