Playbooks
Likely unavailable in the playbook builder
Breakdown
Bunch Verts is a four vertical route concept run out of a tight Bunch alignment in Shotgun 11 personnel, designed to stress deep zone coverage shells and isolate man defenders on crossing releases. All three bunch receivers push vertical seams while the backside X runs a fourth vertical or clear-out, creating a four man vertical stretch that overloads deep zone defenders and forces safeties to declare. This is a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater at its core, with the primary read progression starting on the inside seam route that splits the two deep safeties in Cover 2 or attacks the deep middle void left by the single high safety in Cover 3, then working outside to the widest vertical if the middle window closes.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and width, if both safeties sit at 10 to 12 yards with equal spacing you are likely seeing Cover 2 or Cover 4, if one safety cheats to the middle of the field you are facing Cover 3 or Cover 1. Post-snap, key the deep safety rotation, if the safety bites hard on the inside seam that opens the outside vertical for a bigger explosive gain. Watch for user controlled defenders dropping into a deep middle lurk technique, since a smart Cover 3 or Cover 4 defender can sit in the passing lane and jump the inside seam route if you stare it down too long. This play struggles against disguised Cover 1 or Cover 0 man pressure with no deep safety help, since the bunch release can get jammed at the line and the verticals lose their timing against tight man coverage with a blitz arriving quickly. Look for nano blitzes or overload pressure off the edge, since a hot route adjustment to a quick out or slant from the bunch can serve as your answer if the pass rush wins before your verticals develop.
Usage Tips
Identify the safety shell pre-snap before the snap to confirm whether you are facing two high or one high coverage, since this play punishes both differently.
Against Cover 2, target the seam route between the corner and safety before the safety can rotate over the top, this is your first read and often your quickest throw window.
Against Cover 3, work the deep middle route that splits the two deep thirds since the single high safety cannot cover the entire width of the field.
Use hot routes to convert one of the outside verticals into a comeback or hitch if you diagnose zone coverage with soft corners playing off, giving you a built in sit read against Cover 4 shells.
Pair this play with Bunch Sail or Bunch Trail in your play-calling sequence to keep the defense guessing between vertical stretch and horizontal stretch concepts out of the same bunch look, forcing linebackers and safeties to hesitate on their run reads and coverage drops.
