Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
SFT Outs Y-Post is a five-man route concept out of Empty Chips Tight that combines a deep Post from the middle slot (Y) with a pair of mirrored Outs on both boundaries and an underneath Out from the chip protector. Pre-snap motion adjusts the backside receiver on a shallow drag to the flat, giving the quarterback a horizontal stretch beneath the vertical Post. With five receivers out and no running back to protect, this is a full-field passing concept designed to isolate the Y-Post against single high safeties and to give the quarterback outlet Out routes underneath if the middle of the field is closed.
Defensive Reads
Read the free safety pre-snap, if he is aligned deep middle in a single high shell, the Y-Post has a tougher window and the quarterback will likely check down to the Outs. Watch the linebacker depth at the snap, shallow drops signal zone coverage and open passing lanes for the boundary Out routes. If a defender mirrors the pre-snap motion man to man, this indicates man coverage and the Y-Post becomes the primary answer against a natural leverage advantage. Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties are vulnerable to the seam window the Y-Post creates between the hash marks. Watch for a user-controlled defender sitting in the middle of the field or lurking near the Y-Post's route stem, as this indicates a robber technique designed to jump the throw. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge weaken the underneath Out routes since the quarterback can get the ball out quickly to the flat before pressure arrives.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, if the defender follows across the formation you have a clean man beater with the Post.
Key on the middle safety, if he sits in the deep middle in Cover 3 or Cover 1, work the field-side Out first before coming back to the Post.
Against Cover 2 shells, the Y-Post should split the safeties and become your first read since the underneath Outs will get squeezed by the corners.
Pair this play with Sft Salem Z-swirl or Sft Salem X-swirl on early downs to set up the defense expecting quick game, then hit the Y-Post concept on 2nd or 3rd and medium when defenders sit on shorter routes.
This play works best on 2nd and 6 or longer, or 3rd and 5 to 8, where the defense is more likely to play zone coverage that the Post can exploit vertically.
