Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Levels Divide is a Cover 2 beater out of Shotgun Spread Y-Slot with 11 personnel. The outside WR runs a deep vertical up the left sideline while the inside receiver on that side runs an out breaking route into the flat, and the slot receiver stacks a deep in behind it, creating the classic Levels stack on the left side with a divide route from the right side X breaking outside off the numbers and the running back releasing to the flat off a check release out of the backfield. Read the diagram progression from the underneath out route to the deep in route on the levels side, then work to the divide breaking route on the backside if the levels concept is capped.
Defensive Reads
Identify two high safeties pre snap, that shell tells you the offense is hunting the soft spot between the cornerback and safety on the levels stack. Watch the flat defender and the underneath linebacker, if they widen with the out route it opens the deep in behind them for an easy completion. Key on the strong side linebacker or nickel defender dropping to the levels side, a slow read there gets exposed by the stacked routes working the same landmark. User the deep safety over the levels concept to take away the in route and force the quarterback to check down to the flat or work the backside divide route. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender and a rerouting corner can disrupt the timing of the underneath out route, forcing the quarterback to hold the ball longer than the levels concept wants.
Usage Tips
Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep this play is built to attack the seams underneath them with the levels stack. Hot route the running back to a check release so he can help pick up any blitz before working to the flat as a checkdown. Use this on second and medium to second and long when defenses sit in zone shells expecting a quick throw, since the levels concept takes time to develop underneath the intermediate zones. Pair this with 45 Quick Base or Curls earlier in a series to condition the defense to expect quick game, then hit them with the deeper levels crossers off the same formation look. If the defense shows man coverage pre snap, consider switching to Y Cross or Mesh from the same set since Levels Divide is optimized for zone shells rather than tight man coverage.
