Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 15 playbooks
Breakdown
Z Spot Smash is run from Shotgun Empty Bunch Wide with a trips look to the right and a two man stack to the left. To the bunch side the diagram shows a corner route stemming vertical and outside, a short spot route settling underneath in the flat area, and a shallow drag crossing the field, forming the classic smash concept high low read on that side. To the left the two receivers run a deep corner and a flat route, giving a secondary smash combo away from the trips. This is a pass play with no run action or screen elements shown, and the design attacks both Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells by stretching the flat defender and deep corner defender vertically and horizontally at the same time. The primary read starts with the smash side corner route against the deep half defender, working down to the spot route sitting in the void underneath the corner if the safety jumps the deep throw.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap check safety depth and alignment over the bunch side, a rotated single high safety tips Cover 3 and tells the corner route runner he has one on one leverage on the deep third defender. Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he widens hard to the corner route the spot route will sit wide open underneath in the throwing lane. Against Cover 2 the cornerback on the bunch side has to decide between sinking with the corner route or staying low on the flat, forcing a natural conflict that the quarterback should exploit based on which way the corner leans. Look for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow middle since a rover in that spot can jump the drag route and bait a turnover if the quarterback stares down the crosser too long. Man coverage with a slot blitz off the bunch side can disrupt the timing on the corner route, so identify overload pressure looks pre snap and be ready to get the ball out quick to the flat or drag route.
Usage Tips
Pre snap identify whether the defense is showing two deep safeties or a single high safety because this concept punishes Cover 2 hard corner rotations and Cover 3 sky safeties who have to choose between the corner and the spot route. If you see man coverage with no help over the top on the bunch side, hot route the corner route into a quicker out or speed out to beat press man before the route develops fully. Use the shallow drag as a checkdown against blitz looks since it clears underneath and gives the quarterback a quick answer versus pressure. This play works best on second and medium to second and long or third and short situations where the defense is likely to sit in zone shells rather than bring exotic pressure. Pair this call with Z Spot N Go later in the drive since the corner route look sets up the double move for a big play once the defense starts jumping the spot route.
