Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Z Spot is a Cover 3 beater out of Pistol Trips Open that combines a classic spot concept on the trips side with a backside outlet route. The trips side runs the spot combo: the inside receiver runs a quick corner route to the flat, the middle receiver sits down on a hitch/spot right at the sticks, and the outside receiver runs a shallow drag underneath crossing the formation. On the backside, the lone receiver runs a comeback route to the sideline. The primary read progression starts with the spot (hitch) sitting in the hole against zone, then works to the shallow drag if a linebacker widens with the flat route, and finishes on the backside comeback if the defense rolls coverage away from trips.
Defensive Reads
Key the flat defender first: if he widens to take the corner route, the spot sitting underneath will be wide open for an easy completion. Watch for a curl-flat linebacker sinking into the spot zone, which forces the shallow drag to become the primary answer instead. Identify single high safety alignment pre-snap to confirm Cover 3, since this concept is designed to exploit the flat-curl conflict in that shell. Against man coverage, look for a user-controlled defender jumping the shallow drag route early, which opens the backside comeback for a big gain. Beware of a Cover 3 sky or buzz call with an extra underneath defender, since that can clog both the spot and drag routes and force the backside comeback as the only clean look.
Usage Tips
Use this on third and short to third and medium since the spot route settles in right at the sticks against zone drops.
Check the middle of the field pre-snap: if you see a single high safety, expect Cover 3 and trust the spot and corner combo to attack the flat defender's zone conflict.
Hot route the backside comeback into a slant if you diagnose man coverage pre-snap, since the shallow drag and slant combo becomes a strong man beater.
Pair this call with Levels or 61 X Choice from the same set so defenses cannot sit on the shallow drag concept after seeing Z Spot on early downs.
Use play-action shot plays like PA Deep In afterward once the defense starts jumping the underneath spot route routes.
