Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Dig Curl Read is a five wide route concept out of Shotgun Empty Base that stretches the field with two vertical breaking routes on the right and a shallow cross with a pin route on the left. The backside features a drag underneath crossing under a corner route, while the strong side runs a dig into an out cushioned by a short curl and a vertical breaking flag route. This is a zone beater designed to attack the intermediate middle voids created by hook and curl droppers, with the dig as the primary read against off man or zone coverage and the drag/curl combo underneath as the checkdown against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Read the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sits shallow the dig route window will be tight and the quarterback should work the curl instead Watch for a user controlled defender flashing into the dig lane, this is the most common lurk spot defenders sit in against this concept Check safety rotation post snap, a single high safety rolling to the strong side will take away the vertical flag route and force the ball underneath Cover 3 with a hard flat defender will jump the curl route, so the quarterback needs to reset to the dig or backside drag Man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play gets exploited hardest through the backside crossing route
Usage Tips
Presnap identify if the defense is showing two high or single high, since the dig will sit down in the soft spot behind hook defenders in a two high shell
Use this on second and medium to long third down when you need to move the sticks with the dig route
If the corner is playing off on the vertical route to the flat, hot route it into a quick out to beat a soft zone drop underneath
Pair this with Y Cross or Four Verticals in the same set to keep the defense guessing between horizontal stretch and vertical shot plays
Against man coverage look immediately to the crossing drag route on the backside since it creates natural separation off the pin action
