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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Smash X-Dig out of Shotgun 4WR Trips Strong (10 personnel) shows a five man route concept with no visible run blocking, confirming this as a straight drop back pass play. To the trips side the outside receiver runs a corner route stretching the deep third, the slot receiver runs a shallow flat/smash route sitting underneath, and the inner slot pushes vertically before breaking into a deep dig across the middle of the field. The backside X receiver runs a deep dig from the opposite side while the running back releases outside into the flat as a checkdown or man beater against outside linebackers. This is a classic Cover 2 beater built on the smash concept (corner over flat) combined with a dig crossing the field to attack the void between the two deep safeties, with the primary read starting on the smash side corner/flat combo before working to the backside dig.
Defensive Reads
As the defense, key the trips side corner route the instant the ball is snapped since that is the first window the smash concept attacks in Cover 2. Spy the shallow flat route out of the slot with your underneath zone defender or nickel corner, this route is designed to hold that defender and open the corner throw behind him. Get a user controlled defender into a lurk position on the deep in/dig crossing route, since both digs from the X and inner slot are the true chain movers this play is designed to hit. Watch for late rotating safeties, if the defense disguises Cover 1 or Cover 3 pre-snap and rotates late, the quarterback can be baited into throwing the low percentage corner route into a closing cornerback. Bring pressure off the edge or with a nano blitz to disrupt the timing needed for the dig routes to fully break, since this concept relies on a clean pocket for the deeper crossing routes to hit in rhythm.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify two high safeties before the snap since this play is specifically designed to attack Cover 2 and Cover 4 shells where the corner route can climb over the cornerback into the deep quarter or half.
If the defense shows single high safety look to hot route the flat runner into a deeper route or peek the backside dig immediately since the corner route becomes low percentage against Cover 3 or Cover 1.
Use the backside dig as your primary answer versus man coverage since it crosses the field away from trail technique defenders and creates natural separation off the break.
Pair this call with Four Verticals and Curls from the same set to keep the defense honest on deep safety rotation, then come back to Smash X-Dig once you see them cheating toward shorter zone drops.
Best used on second and medium to second and long where you have room to let the dig fully develop and the corner route has time to climb the sideline.
