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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Trail Speed Out lines up out of Pistol Strong Y Off Close with 21 personnel and shows a route concept built to attack the flat and boundary. The backside receiver runs a deep in that breaks across the field, while the trips side stacks a deep crosser, a speed out at the sticks, and an underneath flat route that climbs vertically up the sideline, creating a natural high low read on that side. The lone running back releases into the shallow flat off the line, giving the quarterback a checkdown outlet if the outside routes are covered. This is a man beater at its core, using the speed out and flat combination to stress corners in press or trail technique, but the two deep crossers give it enough zone answers to work versus zone shells as well. The primary read starts with the speed out, then works to the flat route working up the numbers, and finally to the shallow crosser away from the boundary.
Defensive Reads
Watch the corner alignment on the speed out receiver before the snap, tight man coverage or trail technique tells you this route is live immediately off the break. Key the flat defender's depth at the snap, if he sinks too deep or widens too far outside, the speed out window opens up underneath him. Identify the middle linebacker or nickel defender assigned to the shallow crosser, a delayed drop or blitz look opens up that route as a quick answer against pressure. Look for two deep safeties pre-snap, which signals a Cover 2 or Cover 4 shell that forces you to rely on the flat route sitting in the soft spot rather than the speed out. Post-snap, track any user-controlled defender lurking in the shallow zone, since a jumped speed out or undercut crosser is the biggest risk to this concept.
Usage Tips
Check the pre-snap alignment of the corner over your speed out receiver, if he is in trail or press man technique this route wins immediately on the break.
Use the flat route climbing up the sideline as your zone beater versus Cover 2 or Cover 3, since it settles into the void behind the corner and in front of the safety.
Hot route the running back to a check release or a swing if you diagnose a blitz, since he is your emergency valve when the outside routes are taken away.
Pair this play with HB Zone or HB Dive out of the same set to keep defenses honest, then come back to Trail Speed Out on second or third down once the defense starts cheating linebackers into the box.
Best used on second and short to second and medium, since the speed out timing is designed to convert quickly without needing a deep developing shot play.
