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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Mills Double Out lines up in Shotgun 5WR Tight with 00 personnel and stacks two out routes to the left side while running a classic Mills concept on the right, a deep post from the outside receiver clearing space for a dig underneath from the slot. The backside is empty protection with all five receivers releasing, giving the quarterback a full route tree read against zone or man coverage. This is a pass-heavy, Cover 4 beater play that attacks quarters coverage by forcing the safety to choose between the post and the dig, with the double outs on the boundary serving as the secondary progression against zone drops. Primary read progression starts with the post/dig Mills combo on the right, then works to the two outs on the left if the safety squeezes the post.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check the depth of the safeties, since two-high shells with soft corners are exactly what this Mills concept is designed to attack. Watch for a robber or lurk defender sitting in the middle of the field, since that defender can jump the dig route if the quarterback stares it down too long. Man coverage with press corners on the double outs can jam the release and disrupt timing, so blitz packages that combine press man with a delayed pressure package can force a quick, inaccurate throw. Post-snap, key the flow of the linebackers to the trips or double out side, since heavy zone rotation that direction opens a throwing lane for the post on a busted coverage rotation. Cover 2 with aggressive corners jumping the outs can bait the quarterback into an early throw, so user the underneath defender to the flat to disrupt the double out timing.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second or third and medium to long, since the Mills concept needs time to develop against quarters and the double outs give you a quick outlet if the rush closes fast.
Pre-snap, identify if the safety over the post side is playing deep half or robbing the middle, since that dictates whether you throw the post or bail to the dig underneath.
Hot route the double out receivers to hitches or quick outs if you see man coverage press at the line, since the outs alone are not built to separate against tight man.
Combine this with Slot Dig Wide Corner or Smash Dagger from the same set to keep the defense guessing between deep shots and underneath sit routes, since both share similar initial releases.
Against Cover 4, trust the Mills combo to hold the safety and throw the dig on time, but check down to the shallow out on the left if the middle linebacker sinks into the throwing lane.
