Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Bears Dig out of Shotgun Split Offset is a five man protection dropback pass built around a deep dig from the backside X receiver crossing the field into the void vacated by underneath defenders. The playside slot runs a wheel route out of the backfield area up the sideline while the outside receiver on that side runs a deep out breaking away from the dig, creating a natural high low read against zone drops. The backside receiver clears out on a deep in cut going away while the running back releases on a flat route underneath, giving the quarterback a checkdown if the dig and wheel are covered. This is a zone beater first, designed to attack the middle of the field void created by cover 3 or cover 2 rotations, with the primary read progression starting on the dig, then working to the wheel route for the explosive shot play, and finishing with the flat route as the safety valve.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap identify two high safety shells versus one high, since single high cover 3 leaves the middle dig window wide open for the quarterback to exploit. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they sink into the passing lanes quickly the dig throw will be a tough window, so bait them with pump fakes or eye manipulation before committing. User the deep middle safety if playing defense to jump the dig route since it is the first and most dangerous read in the progression. Man coverage with underneath help can shut this down if the defender covering the dig has inside leverage and a linebacker sits in the passing lane, forcing the quarterback to the flat or wheel late. Watch for a corner blitz or nano blitz off the edge, since the five man protection can struggle picking up extra rushers and forces a quick checkdown to the flat route.
Usage Tips
Call this on second and long or third and medium when you expect zone coverage since the dig sits down in the soft spot behind linebackers and in front of safeties.
Key the middle linebacker before the snap, if he is sitting at a shallow depth in a zone shell the dig window will be tight so consider hot routing him to a shallow drag instead.
The wheel route is your explosive play answer versus cover 3 if the corner bites on the underneath out route, so if you see man match or a corner cheating up pre snap, target the wheel immediately off the snap.
Use this play after running Y Shallow Cross or Slants Middle earlier in the drive so linebackers start sitting shallower, which opens up the dig window even more on this call.
Against blitz heavy defenses pair this with Mesh or Slot Cross to keep the quick game available and use Bears Dig as a change up once the defense commits extra rushers.
