Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Z Dig from Shotgun Normal Flex Wing sends the Z receiver on a deep dig across the middle of the field while the slot runs a vertical seam up the numbers, giving you a two level crosser stack on the same side of the field. The X receiver on the far side runs a deep comeback to hold the boundary corner and safety, and the TE releases into a shallow drag underneath to serve as a checkdown and man beater versus trailing linebackers. Blocking is a standard five man protection with the back releasing into the flat as a low outlet, and the primary read starts at the Z dig, works to the TE drag underneath, and finishes on the deep comeback if the defense rolls coverage away from the dig window.
Defensive Reads
Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, since a shallow drop from him signals he is sitting on the dig and you should bail to the comeback or drag. Watch for a robber or lurk defender sitting in the intermediate middle zone, as this play struggles against Cover 3 sky or Cover 1 with a rat in the hole. If the corner over the Z receiver presses at the line, that usually means man coverage underneath, which favors the dig winning on the break against off leverage. Check for a blitz off the edge before the snap, since the five man protection can get overloaded against a six man pressure look, forcing a quick throw to the TE drag or back in the flat. This concept is most vulnerable to a two high shell with underneath zone defenders sinking into the dig lane, so if you see Cover 2 or Cover 4 with linebackers reading the quarterback's eyes, expect the window to close fast.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and long or third and medium when you need a defined intermediate window that also has a checkdown built in.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high safeties or a single high shell, since the dig window opens up much faster against single high man coverage.
If you see Cover 3 or Cover 4 with deep zone drops, hot route the seam runner to a deeper vertical to stretch the safety and open the dig behind him.
Combine this with PA Dig out of the same set to keep linebackers honest on run fits before hitting them with the identical dig concept off play action.
Pair this with Slot Cross or Slants earlier in a series to condition defenders to jump underneath routes, then hit the deeper dig once they start sitting on shallow crossers.
