Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Spacing Switch out of Shotgun Deuce Close (12 personnel) is a horizontal stretch passing concept built to attack zone coverage. The backside receiver runs a deep drag/spot route to the far flat, the inline TE to that side sits down in the shallow hook zone, and the front side runs a switch release with one man clearing vertically up the numbers while the other TE releases outside on a corner/flat route, with the RB checking release out of the backfield on an angle route to the flat. This is a zone beater designed to flood one side horizontally while the switch concept confuses man defenders, and the primary read progression starts with the flat/angle route from the RB, then works to the shallow hook sit, and finally to the switch release corner route if the safety bites underneath.
Defensive Reads
Presnap, check safety depth and corner alignment, two deep safeties with off corners signals Cover 4 and the switch release corner route should be your first target against a hard flat squeeze. Watch the flat defender post snap, if he widens to take away the RB angle route the shallow TE sit route sits in the vacated zone for an easy completion. Look for user linebackers dropping into the shallow hook, a lurking user defender here can jump the TE sit route and bait a turnover, so be ready to move to the switch release instead. Against man coverage, the switch release at the top of the screen is the key indicator, if the defenders do not communicate the natural rub the deep man should come open working back to the ball. Beware of Cover 2 corners squatting on the outside routes, this coverage compresses the switch concept and forces you to rely on the RB flat route and shallow sit as your primary options.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or third and short to medium against defenses sitting in Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells since the horizontal spacing stresses the flat and hook defenders simultaneously.
Presnap, identify if the corner over the switch release is playing off man or bailing into zone, if he crashes down on the shallow route the switch concept behind him should come open against man coverage.
Hot route the RB angle route into a wheel if you see man coverage and a blitz look, this turns a checkdown into a big play against a linebacker in man.
Pair this play with Mtn Zone Split or Mtn Stick from the same set to keep the defense guessing between horizontal spacing and vertical stick concepts without changing your formation tendencies.
Against Cover 3, key the flat defender, if he widens with the RB the shallow TE sit route will be wide open in the void behind him.
