Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Z Cross Out is a five man route concept out of Shotgun Doubles Z Close that stresses the underneath zones and man defenders with a heavy crosser action. The outside receiver to the boundary runs a deep corner route while the inside slot fires a deep crosser into a wheel look up the opposite sideline, and the two receivers to the strong side run a shallow drag and a flat out combo underneath. The running back releases into a check release flat route behind the line, giving the quarterback a layered progression from the deep out breaking corner route down to the underneath crossers and finally the checkdown flat route to the back.
Defensive Reads
Read the cornerback depth at the snap, since press man alignment on the outside receiver signals the corner route can be undercut by an aggressive jump. Watch the flat defender and the shallow zone linebacker, because if they sink too deep on the crossers, the quarterback will find the out route sitting in the void. Identify user controlled lurk defenders sitting in the intermediate zone, as they can jump the crosser route if the quarterback holds it too long. Check linebacker depth pre-snap, since shallow linebackers who crash down on the run action open passing lanes for the drag route working underneath. This concept struggles against disciplined zone drops with deep half safeties who can rob the corner route, so be ready to check down to the flat route against two high shells with sound underneath zone spacing.
Usage Tips
Look at the safety alignment before the snap to identify if you are facing a two high shell or single high look, since the deep corner route wins against single high man coverage.
Use this play on second and medium to second and long when defenses are more likely to sit in zone coverage, letting the shallow drag and out combo pick apart the underneath voids.
Hot route the running back to a quick screen or check release if you see a heavy blitz look, since the naked back can be a free hitter against overloaded fronts.
Pair this play with Mesh Spot or Double Slant Spot in the same set to keep the defense guessing between shallow crossing concepts and the deeper out and corner combo.
Against man coverage, key on the crosser working across the field since it creates natural rub and pick opportunities against man defenders trailing underneath.
