Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Whip Unders is a five-man route empty concept out of Shotgun Empty Trips Speed that attacks underneath zones and man leverage with a whip route from the inside trips receiver breaking back across the field. The two outside receivers on the trips side and the backside single receiver run vertical stems that clear out into a curl/flat read on each edge, while the whip route sits down in the middle of the field as the primary answer against man coverage and underneath zone drops. With no running back in the backfield to check release, this is a full empty pass concept designed to get the quarterback a quick rhythm throw, and the initial read starts with the whip route working back to the QB before progressing to the outside curl breakers.
Defensive Reads
Presnap check safety depth and cornerback alignment on the trips side since press man or tight bump coverage signals the whip route will have room to break open. Watch for a linebacker or nickel defender sitting directly in the middle of the field since that defender is the primary threat to jump the whip route's break. If the defense shows a two high shell with soft zone drops underneath, expect the outside curl routes to be the more reliable throw over the whip. A disguised blitz with the middle linebacker crashing presnap can void the shallow zone the whip route sits in, so watch for late blitz rotation before the snap. Man coverage with an aggressive lurk defender sitting in the flat area can undercut both the whip route and outside curls if the quarterback stares down one side too long.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify if the defense is showing man or zone by checking if a defender shadows the trips bunch or if linebackers are sitting in short zone windows.
Against man coverage the whip route is your money route since the sharp break back to the quarterback creates natural separation from trail defenders.
Against zone coverage look to the outside curl routes on either side since the whip route can get swallowed by underneath zone defenders sitting in the throwing lane.
Use this play on third and short to third and medium since the whip route timing is designed for a quick underneath conversion rather than a deep shot.
Pair Whip Unders with Deep Cross or Y Corner from the same Empty Trips Speed set to keep the defense guessing between underneath whip breaks and vertical shots off similar presnap alignment.
