Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 13 playbooks
Breakdown
Double Slants aligns out of Shotgun Doubles HB Wk with two receivers stacked to each side, sending both outside receivers on quick slants that cross the middle of the field while the two inside receivers work outs to the boundary. The lone backfield route is a shallow drag out of the backfield underneath, giving the quarterback a layered horizontal stretch from the sticks down to the shallow zone. This is a man beater built on natural rub picks from the slant crossers, with the primary read going to the near slant first, then working through the crossing slant and settling to the shallow drag if the middle is jumped.
Defensive Reads
Play user linebackers with eyes on the shallow drag since that is the checkdown quarterbacks lean on once the slants are taken away. Bump and run corners with inside leverage can disrupt the timing of the slant rub concept before receivers cross paths. Watch for Cover 3 sky or Cover 4 shells since zone defenders sitting in the underneath windows can jump both slant routes and force the drag or the out. Key the outside linebackers or slot corners on the drag route crosser, they need to stay square and not bite on the initial slant fake to prevent big yardage after the catch. Blitzing off the edge with a spy on the drag can rush the quarterback into an early throw on the near slant before the crosser clears traffic.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, check for man coverage indicators like tight press alignment on both outside receivers since the slant crossers create natural traffic that beats man leverage.
Hot route the backside outs into hitches or quick sticks against zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4 to give yourself an instant answer if the slants get walled off by underneath defenders.
Use this on 3rd and short to medium since the drag underneath serves as a checkdown that can pick up the sticks if both slants are covered.
Pair this with Double Cross or Slot Wheel from the same set so the defense has to respect the crossing action every snap, then counter with Double Cross when they start jumping the slants.
Snap the ball quickly on the near slant read since the rub concept works fastest against man before linebackers can undercut the throwing lane.
