Playbooks
Mtn Spot Dig is a spot concept variant out of Shotgun Tight Flex Offset that combines a quick flat/spot combo on one side with a deep dig route breaking across the middle. This is a man and zone beater that attacks underneath zone defenders while giving the quarterback a horizontal stretch against man coverage. The primary read progression starts with the spot concept flat route to check for a quick throw against blitz or aggressive man coverage, then works to the dig route sitting down in the honey hole against zone drops, with the corner or deep route as the final vertical alert.
Watch for linebacker depth at the snap, since shallow drops signal zone coverage and open passing lanes for the dig route to settle in soft spots. Identify single high safety alignment pre-snap, which usually means Cover 1 or Cover 3 and tells you the dig route will have a defender in the deep middle to avoid overthrowing. Look for user controlled defenders sitting in the lurk area of the dig route, since a smart user player can jump the crossing route and bait an interception if you force the throw. Recognize Cover 2 shells with two deep safeties, since this coverage compresses the dig route window but opens up the flat and spot combo underneath for an easy completion. Key on blitz packages that send extra rushers off the edge, since the spot concept flat route becomes the quick answer to beat pressure before the dig route has time to develop.
Use pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, since a defender following the motion man confirms man coverage and opens up the dig route against a trailing linebacker.
Check the middle of the field pre-snap for single high versus two high safeties, since MOFC (middle of field closed) shells make the dig route a high value throw against Tampa 2 or Cover 3 sinking linebackers.
Hot route the flat or spot route to a quick out or slant if you see a corner blitz or nano blitz look, giving your quarterback an immediate answer before the protection breaks down.
Pair this play with Mtn Choice or Mtn Dagger H-Choice in the same set to keep defenses guessing between quick game and intermediate crossing concepts, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their zone drops.
Best deployed on second and medium to third and long situations where the dig route has enough field to work and the underneath spot concept punishes aggressive blitz calls.