Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Double Dig out of I Form Y Off Close shows a true dropback pass concept with two dig routes crossing the middle at different depths, a receiver from the slot pushing vertical up the seam before breaking outside, and the fullback releasing on a flare route out of the backfield to the flat. The backside X runs an out and up, giving a vertical stretch on that edge while the offense floods the middle of the field with the dig combo. This is a man beater at its core because the dig routes create natural separation against trailing defenders, but the staggered depth also punishes zone defenders who sit too shallow. Primary read progression starts with the deeper dig, works down to the shorter dig underneath, and checks down to the fullback flare as the last resort against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Key the middle linebacker at the snap, if he sinks deep into the throwing lane on the dig routes he is likely spying or playing zone drop and you should look outside to the out and up. Watch the slot defender's depth, if he opens his hips to run with the seam-to-out breaking route before the break, he is in man and susceptible to getting picked off on the crossing dig. User the underneath defender over the shallow dig in man coverage matchups to jump the route early, since the ball is thrown with anticipation on this concept. Against Cover 3, the flat defender is your indicator, if he widens with the fullback flare it opens a throwing lane for the shorter dig behind him. Blitz-heavy defenses can disrupt this play by bringing pressure off the edge before the digs develop, so a user spy or extra hot route on the fullback flare can neutralize the design if you're on defense.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and medium to second and long when the defense is likely to sit in man coverage across the formation.
Check the middle of the field pre-snap: if you see one high safety, expect man underneath and trust the deeper dig to win against linebackers.
If the defense shows two high safeties, work the shorter dig first since it settles in the void between the underneath zone and the deep half.
Hot route the fullback flare to a wheel route against teams that key on the checkdown, this creates an explosive play if a linebacker jumps the flare.
Pair this with HB Iso or HB Zone Toss earlier in a series to get linebackers cheating up on run action, then come back to Double Dig to hit the digs behind them.
