Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Speed Dig Out is dealt from Empty Bunch Y Flex out of Shotgun, spreading five receivers with no running back in the backfield. The bunch side runs a vertical seam, a corner route, and a quick flat/out combo from the stack, while the backside X runs a deep dig that crosses the field underneath the seam and the lone flexed receiver runs a shallow out breaking to the sideline. This is a man beater built on the speed dig clearing the middle for the flat/out combo and the vertical seam holding safeties, with five out means no blocking help and the primary read progression going flat/out first, then the dig on a hitch of the drop, and the corner/seam as the deep shot if the defense bites underneath.
Defensive Reads
Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sinks too deep on the dig read he opens up the flat/out combo underneath for an easy completion. Watch for a nano blitz or A gap pressure since empty backfield sets have zero protection and the quarterback has to get the ball out on time against exotic fronts. Identify man coverage by corner alignment on the bunch, tight leverage signals man match and the speed dig should win versus a trailing defender. If the defense shows Cover 3 sky or a hard flat zone defender jumping the out route, look for the seam sitting behind him for a big chunk gain. User lurk defenders sitting in the shallow zone can bait the flat throw, so if you see a defender crash from the second level get ready to reset to the dig or corner instead.
Usage Tips
Use this against man coverage or single high shells since the deep dig punishes late-breaking linebackers and safeties who cannot stay on top.
Check pre-snap for a single deep safety versus two high, if you see two high consider hot routing the corner route on the bunch side into a deeper post to attack the void.
Throw the flat/out combo immediately versus blitz looks since empty formations leave no protection and the quick out is your built in answer to pressure.
Progress to the speed dig on a one count if the underneath defenders sink into zone drops, it is your main answer versus zone beaters like Cover 3 sky.
Pair this call with Dagger or Z Spot from the same set so the defense has to respect both the deep dig and short combo route concepts, keeping linebackers honest on early downs.
