Playbooks

Post Trail

Shotgun·Spread·10
PostTrailPass PlayCurlFlatHitch
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Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 1 playbook

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Breakdown

Post Trail out of Shotgun Spread 10 personnel is a classic man beater built around a post and trail combo on one side of the field, designed to attack cornerbacks playing with inside leverage or trail technique. The concept typically pairs a receiver running a post to clear the safety with a trailing route underneath or behind it, creating a natural pick or rub that forces a hard choice for man defenders. Protection is a standard 5 man shotgun slide, so the primary read progression starts with the post to see if the safety bites, then works down to the trail route as the leverage and rub develop against man coverage.

Defensive Reads

Look for cornerbacks playing tight man technique or trail position pre-snap, this is exactly the leverage the play is designed to exploit with the rub action. If the defense shows two deep safeties in a Cover 2 or Cover 4 shell, the post window shrinks significantly and the trail route becomes a low value checkdown rather than an explosive gain. Watch for a user controlled safety flying down late to rob the post route, this is the most common way good defenders shut down this concept in competitive play. Identify any linebacker or nickel blitz off the edge, since a well timed blitz can disrupt the timing of the post trail combo before both routes fully develop. If you see Cover 3 with a deep middle defender sitting on the post, expect the throwing window to close fast, in that case the trail route underneath is your better answer against the sinking zone defender.

Usage Tips

Check the safety alignment before the snap, if you see a single high safety shaded toward the post side, expect the corner to get help over the top and the trail route becomes your primary target instead of the post.

Motion your slot receiver pre-snap to identify man versus zone, if the defender follows across the formation you know you have a man beater matchup to exploit with the rub concept.

Hot route your backside receiver into a quick out or slant if you see zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4, since the post trail combo loses value against zone coverage that has underneath help.

Use this play on second and medium or third and short situations where defenses are more likely to play man coverage with a blitz look, since the rub action punishes aggressive man technique.

Sequence this play with Smash Y Post or Y Stick earlier in a drive to condition the defense into expecting quick game, then hit Post Trail when they jump underneath routes and leave the post window open.

Other Plays in Spread