Playbooks
Mtn Dig Under is a man beater built around a deep dig route sitting behind an underneath crosser, with pre-snap motion designed to disrupt run and man fits or trigger a coverage rotation you can exploit. The dig sits down in the mid to deep middle window while the under route occupies linebackers and clears the shallow area, giving you a natural high low read against man coverage and a hole shot against zone if the middle linebacker widens with the motion. Primary progression starts with the motion man's release, then works to the dig as the first read, checking down to the under route if the window is closed by a robber or hook defender.
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high safety alignment, single high shells with a Mike linebacker sitting at depth are the most vulnerable to the dig sitting behind him. Watch the motion man's defender, if he trails in man coverage you can anticipate rubbing the dig route open using traffic from the under route crosser. Post-snap, key the middle linebacker's drop, if he widens to the flat or bites on the under route the dig window opens up immediately for a big throw. This play struggles against Tampa 2 with disciplined safety help over the top and against Cover 3 sky with a hard hitting robber sitting in the dig's landing spot. Be wary of user controlled Mike linebackers or lurking safeties sitting in the middle third, they can undercut the dig if you telegraph the throw, so use ball placement to throw away from the lurk defender's leverage.
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, if a defender follows the motion man across the formation you know you are getting man coverage and the dig will have a clean throwing lane once it breaks. Against zone shells, hold the ball a beat longer and let the dig settle into the void between the linebacker level and the safety, especially versus Tampa 2 or 4 under 3 deep. Hot route the under route to a deeper drag if you are seeing heavy underneath traffic, this keeps your check down alive against zone blitz calls. This play works best on second and medium to third and long when the defense expects a quick game or screen, since the dig takes a full three step drop plus hitch to develop. Pair Mtn Dig Under with Mtn HB Angle or Mtn Dagger Y In in the same set, running the angle route early in a series to bait linebackers into cheating up before coming back with the dig over the middle.