Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Z Spot is a five man route concept out of Shotgun Spread Y-Flex that attacks underneath zone voids with a true Spot combo on the right side. The Z runs a corner route to clear space, the slot receiver runs the classic spot (pivot/hitch) route underneath, and the inside receiver on that side releases to the flat, while the backside features a deep crosser and a flat route to hold linebackers and stretch the field horizontally. This is a Cover 3 beater built around the Spot concept, so the primary read progression starts with the spot route sitting down in the hole, then works to the flat, and finally to the corner route if the cornerback bites on the underneath stuff.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check the depth of the cornerback over the Z receiver, since a soft corner alignment usually signals Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone drops that this concept is designed to exploit. Watch the flat defender after the snap, since Z Spot lives and dies on whether that defender widens with the flat route or sits inside on the spot route. If the defense shows two high safeties pre-snap, expect Cover 2 or Cover 4 match concepts, which can bracket the spot route and force you to work the backside crosser instead. User controlled defenders sitting in the shallow hook zone will jump the spot route quickly, so be ready to climb your progression to the flat or corner route if you see the user lurking underneath. Blitz packages that bring five or six rushers can be a problem since the spot route needs a full read window, so identify overload blitz looks pre-snap and consider hot routing the running back into a check release or quick outlet.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or third and short since the spot route settles into the void almost immediately after the snap.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing single high or two high safeties, since Cover 3 shells with a curl-flat defender sitting on the numbers are exactly what the spot route is designed to beat.
If you see man coverage instead, hot route the corner route on the Z into a quicker slant or speed out to create instant separation rather than waiting for the corner to develop.
Pair this play with Four Verticals or Corner Strike from the same set so defenses cannot sit on the spot concept once they start jumping the underneath throws.
Against zone heavy defenses, rush your first read to the spot route immediately at the snap since a delayed throw lets the flat defender or linebacker close the passing window.
