Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Cross Dig lines up out of Shotgun Spread Y-Slot with 11 personnel and attacks the middle of the field with a deep dig from the boundary receiver crossing the field while the Y-slot clears out underneath with a shallow drag to the opposite flat. The backside outside receiver runs a vertical clear-out to occupy the deep safety, the slot receiver next to the formation runs a quick out/flag breakoff to hold the corner, and the running back releases into a flat route out of the backfield for a checkdown or RPO-style outlet. This is a man beater at heart since the dig and crosser create natural rub and separation against man coverage, but it also stresses zone defenses by working horizontally underneath the deep safety, so the primary read progression starts with the deep dig sitting down against zone or breaking open against man, then works down to the crossing shallow route and finally the flat route from the running back as the checkdown.
Defensive Reads
Identify two-high safety shells pre-snap, this indicates the middle of the field is open for the dig route to settle into soft zone coverage. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if the linebackers sink too fast to cover shallow crossers the dig route behind them becomes wide open in the throwing window. Key the flat defender or user-controlled corner on the running back's release, aggressive flat drops or blitzes on that side open up the shallow crosser instantly. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed by the vertical clear-out route drawing the deep defender away from the dig's break point. Disciplined Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with linebackers staying square in their zones can take away both the dig and the crosser, forcing the quarterback down to the checkdown flat route.
Usage Tips
Look at the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two deep safeties sitting at depth this is a great called shot at the dig route sitting in the soft spot between the hashes.
Against man coverage, trust the dig route timing and throw with anticipation before the receiver fully breaks since the crosser is designed to create natural traffic for defenders in man.
Use the shallow crosser as a hot route target versus blitz-heavy looks, it clears out fast and gives you a quick answer against nano blitzes or extra rushers off the edge.
Pair this play with Y Shallow Cross or Mesh earlier in a series so defenders start jumping the shallow routes, then hit the deep dig once they overcommit to underneath throws.
Best called on second or third and medium situations where the defense is likely sitting in zone shells, since the dig route needs time to develop and space to work into.
