Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Quick Unders is a timing based zone beater out of Shotgun Box Y Off, built around a trio of short and intermediate in-breaking routes designed to settle into the underneath voids of a zone defense. The concept works with the TE and slot receivers crossing into the middle of the field while the backside route holds the flat, giving the quarterback a horizontal stretch read against Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells. Protection is a standard five man slide, and the primary read progression starts with the shallow crosser working underneath, then moves to the intermediate curl or dig sitting behind it, before checking down to the flat or checkdown option if the middle is jumped.
Defensive Reads
Read the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sits shallow and jumps the crosser immediately, work your eyes to the curl or dig sitting behind him for the void. Watch for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow zone, since this play's underneath crossers are vulnerable to a spot dropper sitting in the throwing lane. Identify Cover 3 sky or cloud rotations pre-snap, as the flat defender rolling down late can jump the checkdown route if you stare it down too long. Against Cover 2, target the seam between the underneath linebackers and the deep half safeties, since the crossing routes naturally settle into that soft area. Beware of a disguised blitz where the defense drops a safety into the box, this can clog the shallow crossing lanes and force a quick checkdown or scramble read.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second or third and short to medium, since the quick game timing rewards you for staying ahead of the sticks without needing a deep shot.
Diagnose the coverage shell pre-snap by checking safety depth, if you see two high safeties sitting deep this play attacks the soft spots underneath Cover 2 or Cover 4 zones efficiently.
Hot route the outside receiver into a quick out or slant if you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, since Quick Unders is primarily a zone beater and loses some effectiveness against Cover 1 or Cover 3 man variants.
Pair this call with Y Trail or Quick Fork Zig in the same set to keep defenders guessing between crossing patterns and option routes, forcing linebackers to widen their zone drops.
Sequence Quick Unders after running Inside Zone or Mid Zone to bait linebackers into stepping up, then hit the shallow cross for an easy conversion once run fits get overcommitted.
