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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Omaha Fade Under lines up out of Shotgun Empty Base Flex with 11 personnel, spreading five eligible receivers across the formation. The outside receiver at the top runs a fade up the sideline while the inside slot receiver next to him releases on a quick under route that sits low across the middle as an underneath outlet. The two receivers on the far left run an out and a vertical, giving the quarterback a three level stretch to that side while the fade and under combo on the right isolates the corner and flat defender in a classic high low man beater. Primary read starts with the fade for a one on one shot on the boundary corner, then progresses to the under route sitting underneath any bail technique or soft zone drop.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high shells, since a deep half safety erases the fade window and forces the quarterback into the under route as the only real answer. Watch corner alignment on the fade side, soft or off coverage invites an easy under route completion while press alignment tells the offense to expect a jump ball on the fade. Post-snap, key the flat or curl defender's depth, if he sinks too fast to cover the under route he opens a throwing lane, if he sits shallow he can undercut the timing throw. Man beater concepts like this get exposed by combo coverage that rolls a safety late to the fade side, so disguise coverage rotations after the snap to bait an early fade throw. Blitz packages that bring pressure off the edge on the fade side force a quick decision, so a well timed nano blitz or user blitz can beat the pass protection before the fade route fully develops.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a quick glance at safety alignment to confirm single high versus two high before the snap since the fade only wins against man coverage or a rolled up corner without deep help.
If you see press man on the fade receiver with no safety over the top, throw a back shoulder timing throw to the fade immediately after the break.
Hot route the under route into a shallow drag if you diagnose zone coverage so it clears the underneath linebackers instead of sitting in a passing lane.
Pair this play with RPO Q Stick Draw or WR Screen earlier in a series to bait linebackers into cheating up before coming back to the fade shot on second and long.
Best called on third and medium to long or in red zone fade situations where the low under route serves as your checkdown against a hard sell of the deep shot.
