Playbooks
Breakdown
Post Dig out of Shotgun Cluster HB Str is a five man route concept that stacks two vertical stems on the play side against a deep post and an intermediate dig sitting underneath. The bunched receivers to the left run a corner route up top and a pivot back across the field, giving you a natural pick element versus man coverage, while the backside single receiver clears out on the post and the middle route settles into the dig at intermediate depth. This is a man beater first and foremost thanks to the rub concepts in the bunch, but the dig also sits in soft spots versus zone drops from linebackers, making it a solid answer to both coverage families. Primary read starts with the post shot on the backside if the safety bites on the underneath crossers, then works to the dig as the intermediate window, and finally checks down to the pivot route coming back to the boundary.
Defensive Reads
Check the free safety depth pre-snap, a single high safety cheating toward the bunch side is an invitation to attack the backside post. Watch cornerback alignment on the bunch receivers, soft or off coverage signals zone drops that will collapse on the dig, so be ready to climb to the post instead. Post snap, identify any user controlled defender sitting in the middle of the field as a potential lurk threat to the dig route, and hold the ball an extra beat if he bites on run action or checks the flat. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells, the post has to split the safety and corner leverage, so look for the corner route from the bunch to occupy the flat defender and create a throwing lane underneath. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge will speed up your progression, so key the dig route as your quick answer versus five and six man pressure looks.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a hard count to bait the safety into showing single high versus two high before deciding whether to hunt the post or settle for the dig.
Against man coverage, trust the rub from the bunch receivers to spring the corner and pivot routes open on the left side, especially versus press man alignments.
Call this on second and long or third and medium situations where the dig route sits comfortably in the sticks and the post keeps safeties honest.
Pair this with Mesh Post or Mtn Cross Switch from the same set to give defenders conflicting crossing looks off similar formation and personnel, then hit Post Dig when they start jumping underneath routes.
If the user drops into the deep half or the flat, hot route the pivot into a flat route or check to the dig early to avoid throwing into a sinking zone defender.
