Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Y Trail out of Shotgun Box Y Off features a three level stretch to the play side with both outside receivers pushing vertical or deep out and the TE working a shallow drag underneath into a delayed trail route that crosses the field. The backside X runs a deep post to hold the safety while the two play side receivers clear out with a corner route and a deep out, leaving the trail route as the primary answer against man coverage since it uses natural rub traffic to shake defenders. This is a man beater first and foremost, with the progression starting on the Y trail route underneath, then working to the deep out, and finally the post if the defense rotates into zone.
Defensive Reads
Check the depth of the linebackers at the snap, since a linebacker sitting low in the box signals man coverage on the TE, which is exactly what the trail route is designed to exploit. Watch for a single high safety alignment, which usually means man underneath and opens up both the trail and the deep out route on the play side. Two deep safeties pre-snap indicate a zone shell like Cover 2 or Cover 4, which will clog the sideline and reward the post route working behind the linebackers instead. Man under blitz packages with a lurking linebacker in the shallow zone can jump the trail route, so be ready to reset your eyes to the deep out or post if you see a defender sitting in that window. If the corner over the trail receiver presses hard at the line, expect the rub to work, but if he plays off the line, hitch the route or slide the read to the post instead.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a hard count to bait linebackers into showing man coverage before the snap, since the trail route lives off man traffic. If you see Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with deep safeties splitting the field, prioritize the deep out route on the play side sideline instead of forcing the trail. Hot route the backside X into a shorter option like a curl if you are facing heavy zone drops that flood the underneath middle. Pair this play with HB Slip Screen to punish teams that are keying on the TE trail route and sending pressure off the edge. Run this on second and medium or third and short so the trail route has room to work against man and the deep shots are still live threats.
