Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
X Spot out of Shotgun Bunch Open is a classic Spot concept run from a three man bunch to the left with a single receiver split right. The bunch generates a corner route up top, a quick spot/hitch settling underneath at the sticks, and a shallow drag/wheel combo underneath with the red route showing the initial receiver breaking up into the throwing lane behind the settle route. The single receiver right runs a deep comeback to hold that side of the field, giving the quarterback a two level stretch on the bunch side. This is a classic Cover 3 beater built to attack the flat defender and hole defender by stacking three routes into one throwing window, with the primary read progressing from the underneath spot route to the corner and finally to the backside comeback if the bunch side is jumped.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat or curl defender on the bunch side immediately after the snap, if he widens to the corner route the spot sit route underneath is your green light throw. Check the middle linebacker depth pre-snap, a shallow drop signals a possible Cover 3 sink that this concept is designed to shred. If the defense shows man coverage with the corner blitzing off the edge, expect pressure quickly, so be ready to hit the spot route as a quick outlet before the rush arrives. Watch for a lurking defender sitting in the shallow crossing lane, a smart user controlled linebacker can jump the underneath spot route and bait a turnover if the quarterback stares it down too long. Against Cover 4 or two high shells, the backside comeback route from the single receiver becomes the primary answer since the numbers on the bunch side get evened out by extra defenders.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing a three deep shell or a single high safety since this concept is designed specifically to punish Cover 3 zone drops.
Key the flat defender on the bunch side, if he sinks with the corner route the spot route sits wide open underneath for an easy completion.
Use motion or a hard count to bait linebackers into revealing man versus zone before the snap so you know whether to trust the spot sit route or work the corner route against a blitzing defense.
This play is best called on third and short to third and medium distances where the sticks route and spot route give you a high percentage completion versus zone drops.
Pair this play in sequence with Bunch Levels or Spacing from the same set so the defense cannot key on the bunch alignment, then punish an overplayed underneath defense with the corner route or the backside comeback route.
