Playbooks
Breakdown
Spot Smash out of Shotgun Doubles gives you a smash concept to the left (corner route stacked over a flat/hitch) and a spot concept to the right (corner route over a spot/hook with a flat route underneath from the backfield). The two outside receivers push vertical up the numbers while the inside receiver on the right runs a quick hitch to the flat area and the backfield player runs a flat route underneath the corner. This is a zone beater built to attack Cover 2 and Cover 3 by stacking a corner route over a shorter underneath route, forcing a high low conflict on the flat defender or deep half safety. Primary read starts with the right side spot concept: peek the flat route first, then work up to the corner if the cornerback sinks with the flat man, and if the right side is capped come back to the left smash concept for the same corner over hitch high low read.
Defensive Reads
Watch the cornerback depth pre-snap, if he is playing soft with outside leverage he is likely sinking into a deep zone drop which opens the underneath flat and hitch routes. Key the flat defender after the snap, if he sits and does not widen with the flat route the quarterback should immediately go over the top to the corner route. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is the biggest threat to this concept since both corner routes can be closed down quickly by trailing defenders with no zone conflict created. Watch for a user controlled safety sitting in a lurk position on the spot concept side, that defender can jump the corner route and turn it into a live ball for the defense. A hard blitz with man coverage behind it beats this concept fast since there is no built in hot route protection beyond checking the backfield release, so recognize pressure before the snap and be ready to throw off timing or take the checkdown.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap identify whether you are facing a two high or one high shell, since this concept is built to punish Cover 2 and Cover 3 defenders who have to choose between the flat and the corner route.
If the cornerback jumps the underneath flat or hitch route, live throw to the corner route sitting behind him for an explosive gain.
Use this on second and medium to third and medium situations where defenses often sit in zone shells expecting a conservative throw, then punish them with the corner route shot.
Hot route the backfield flat man into a check release if you see a blitz look, giving your quarterback an extra blocker and a simpler two man read.
Pair this play with Spot N Go or Curl Flats earlier in a drive so the defense starts jumping the underneath routes, then come back to Spot Smash to hit the corner route over the top once they bite.
