Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Corner Strike is a play-action pass out of the Bunch Str Offset set in Shotgun with 11 personnel. Off the bunch, the outside receiver runs a deep corner route while the inside bunch pieces work a flat route underneath and a deep crosser cuts all the way across the field, and the backside receiver runs a comeback breaking toward the sideline. The route distribution attacks all three levels at once, making this a zone beater designed to stress hole defenders and split safeties, with the corner route as the primary read against single-high shells and the deep cross as the answer versus two-deep looks.
Defensive Reads
Read the cornerback over the bunch pre-snap, if he is playing outside leverage the corner route has an easier release to the sideline. Watch the safety depth, a single-high safety cheating toward the boundary signals man coverage and opens up the deep cross behind him. Key the flat defender post-snap, if he sinks with the underneath route the flat throw is there for an easy completion. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells by the corner's depth at the snap, these shells struggle to cover both the corner and the deep cross simultaneously. Watch for a lurking linebacker sitting in the middle of the field, a user-controlled defender parked there can jump the deep cross and turn it into a turnover.
Usage Tips
Check the safety alignment before the snap to decide between the corner and the deep cross as your first read.
Against single-high safety looks, target the corner route since the flat defender and deep half player have to choose one or the other.
Against two-high shells, work the deep crosser since it clears the intermediate zone and gives you a big chunk play across the field.
Use the flat route as a checkdown versus aggressive underneath zone drops or when the pass rush closes the pocket quickly.
Pair this play with Mtn Slot Post or Verts Dig from the same set so defenses cannot sit on the corner route tendency out of this bunch look.
