Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Choice Shallow Dig is a five-man pass concept out of the Bunch Wide Nasty set in Shotgun, built to attack both man and zone coverage with a horizontal stretch. From the bunch alignment, the outside receiver runs a deep vertical to clear space, the inside bunch receiver breaks off a choice route into the middle of the field with an option to sit or continue, and the flat receiver runs a shallow cross underneath everything to the opposite side of the field. On the backside, the single receiver runs a dig route across the middle at intermediate depth, giving the quarterback a high-low read against linebackers dropping into zone. The primary read progression starts with the shallow cross underneath, works to the choice route in the middle for a sitting throw against zone or a continuation against man, then climbs to the backside dig if the underneath options are covered.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high safety alignment, since a two high shell often signals zone coverage that struggles to cover the shallow cross to dig combination. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they sink hard to take away the dig, the choice route sitting behind them becomes the easy answer. Man coverage with press corners on the bunch is vulnerable to the natural rub created by the vertical route, so expect the shallow cross to break open quickly. Beware of a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow zone or spying the underneath crossers, as this can bait a risky throw into a jump. This concept struggles against disciplined match zone or a robber safety sitting in the middle of the field, since that defender can take away both the choice route and the dig simultaneously.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a hot route check to confirm if the defense is showing man or zone before the snap, since the choice route reacts differently to each shell.
Against zone coverage look to hit the shallow cross first if linebackers sink under the dig, then progress to the choice route sitting in the void.
Against man coverage the vertical route from the bunch can clear out a cornerback and open a rub for the shallow cross, so trust that route early in the down.
This play works best on second or third and medium since it takes a full progression read to develop and needs time in the pocket.
Pair this with Jet Shallow Swirl or Mesh Drive from the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick underneath throws and this deeper option route concept, then mix in Corner Out Dig to attack any defenders who start jumping the shallow routes.
