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Breakdown
Inside Smash out of Trips Left Open in Pistol runs a classic smash concept on the boundary side while the trips receivers to the left work option routes underneath. The backside X (isolated to the right) runs a corner route stretching vertically toward the sideline, while the outside trips receiver runs a corner route from the numbers and the two inside trips receivers run short option/hitch breaks that sit down against underneath coverage. This is a man and zone beater built to attack Cover 2 specifically, using the high low stretch on the corner to the flat/hitch combo. Primary read progression starts with the isolated corner route on the single receiver side, then works to the trips side corner/flat combo if the single side is taken away.
Defensive Reads
Check safety alignment before the snap, two safeties deep signals Cover 2 or Cover 4 which this play is designed to beat with the corner route stretch. Watch the flat defender post snap, if he sinks with the corner route instead of staying low you have a wide window underneath for the option routes. Cornerback depth at the snap tells you a lot, a cornerback playing soft outside leverage is vulnerable to the corner route breaking over the top. This concept struggles against Cover 3 with a hard flat defender jumping the option routes and a deep third defender sitting on the corner route, so be ready to check into a different concept if you see three deep shells. Watch for user controlled defenders lurking underneath the trips side, since a smart user will sit in the flat and take away the easy option route completion, forcing you to the tighter window corner throw.
Usage Tips
Pre snap identify whether the defense is showing a two high safety shell, since this play is specifically designed to attack Cover 2 with the corner route stretching the cornerback vertically while the flat route occupies the underneath defender.
If you see man coverage instead, hot route the option routes on the trips side into speed outs or slants to create quick separation against man beaters.
Use this on early downs or third and short to medium since the option routes give you a safe underneath completion if the corner route is not open.
Pair this with Four Verticals or PA Verticals in your play calling sequence to punish defenses that start cheating a safety down after seeing the corner route hit a few times.
Look to throw the backside isolated corner route first since it is the primary read, and only work back to the trips side combo if the cornerback jumps that route.
