Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Four Verticals out of the Empty Y Slot set sends all five eligible receivers vertical, with the two outside receivers running straight seams up the numbers, the slot receiver climbing a deep post from the middle of the field, the Y off the ball breaking outside on a corner route, and the running back releasing to the flat on a short angle route as a check-down. With no blockers in the backfield, the entire concept is built to stretch the field vertically and attack every level of a two-high or three-deep shell at once. The primary read progression starts with the deep post from the slot, works to the two seams if the safety bites on the post, and comes down to the corner route or flat route if the underneath coverage sinks too deep to cover the shallow zones.
Defensive Reads
This concept is a true Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater because it floods four vertical stems that outnumber two deep safeties or a single deep defender in a three deep shell. Watch for a Tampa 2 look where the middle linebacker drops deep to rob the post route, since that defender can jump the slot receiver's break if you stare him down. A user controlled deep safety who cheats over top of the post is the biggest threat to this play, so be ready to reset to the seam or the outside receiver on that side. Man coverage with no help over the top, especially Cover 0 or Cover 1 without a deep safety, is the easiest shell to exploit since the seams and post will separate against trail technique. If the defense shows a heavy blitz with man coverage underneath, get the ball out quickly to the running back's flat route or throw the seam before the pocket collapses, since there is no protection help with all five receivers running vertical routes.
Usage Tips
Presnap, identify if the safeties are showing a two-high shell or rotating to single-high before the snap, since this concept is built to punish both Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells.
Key the middle of the field safety first: if he widens for the post, hit the seam route on that same side for an explosive gain.
Use the running back flat route as a built-in checkdown against pressure or when the defense drops eight into coverage, since it is the fastest developing route on the play.
Hot route the Y corner route into a deep out or bench route against Cover 2 if you see the cornerback sitting at five yards, giving you a sideline throw the flat defender cannot undercut.
Pair this play with Curl Flats or Stick from the same Empty Y Slot set to keep the defense guessing between shallow combination routes and full field verticals without changing your formation or personnel.
