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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Dig Slot Out out of Shotgun Split Close 20 personnel gives you a four man route concept built to attack zone coverage with horizontal stretch and a deep shot off the backside. The slot receiver runs a hard out to the flat, the outside receiver on that side clears vertically then breaks into a deep crossing dig behind the linebackers, and the backside receiver runs a shallow out while the running back releases into a wheel route up the sideline for a man beater vs linebackers. Your primary read progression starts with the dig working across the middle since it settles into the void behind underneath zone defenders, then works down to the slot out for the quick horizontal answer, and finally to the HB wheel if the defense sells out on the shorter routes.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and leverage because two high safeties who stay deep leave the dig route open in the intermediate zone. Watch linebacker alignment and depth at the snap since shallow linebackers who sit in short zones will struggle to cover the dig once it crosses the field. Key on any defender spying or matched up on the running back out of the backfield, since a linebacker sprinting to the flat to cover the wheel is your signal that man coverage is in play. Post-snap, look for a user controlled defender sitting in the deep middle or lurking underneath the dig route, which signals a robber or Tampa 2 style shell designed to take away the primary read. This play struggles against aggressive Cover 3 sink drops or a linebacker spy who zones off the dig and wheel simultaneously, so be ready to check down to the slot out if those reads look clogged.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second and medium or third and medium when you have room to work the dig route without needing a home run shot every snap. Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high shells because the dig sits in the soft spot of Cover 2 and Cover 4 and becomes a layup vs those shells. If you see man coverage with a linebacker matched on the running back, hot route the wheel route earlier or key it as your first read since it is a built in man beater. Combine this play with Dig Y-out or Pivot Dig from the same set to keep the defense guessing on which route is the dig and which is the quick breaking route, forcing linebackers to freeze on their zone drops. Against aggressive user blitzers, get the ball out quickly to the slot out since the route breaks fast and punishes overcommitted pass rush.
