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Breakdown
Curl Y-Option out of Shotgun Tight Open (11 personnel) sends both outside receivers on deep breaking routes, with the left receiver running a corner-post style cut upfield and the slot receiver on that side clearing out on a deep in. The Y (TE) runs the option route working underneath from the middle of the field, sitting down or continuing based on the leverage of the linebacker, while the near receiver runs a quick out to the flat and one back stays in to help protect. This is a man beater built around the Y-Option route to attack linebackers in coverage, with the deep routes on the backside occupying safeties. Primary read starts with the Y-Option route in the middle, then works to the flat route if the linebacker sits on the option.
Defensive Reads
Key the middle linebacker or Sam defender aligned over the TE presnap, if he is playing tight man coverage with no help underneath, the Y-Option route will win quickly on the sit or continue break. Watch for a robber or lurk defender sitting in the shallow zone with eyes on the QB, this defender can jump the option route if the quarterback stares it down too long. If the defense shows two high safeties presnap, expect zone underneath from the linebackers, which means the option route will likely get sat on and the flat route becomes the better answer. Blitz packages that send extra rushers up the middle will remove the linebacker responsible for the option route, so if you see a nano blitz or interior pressure look, get the ball out immediately to the flat or hot route the protection. Cornerback positioning on the backside deep routes matters less for this play design, but if a corner sits in press and jumps outside, expect the safety to rotate down and potentially double the option route out of the slot.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing man or zone by checking linebacker depth over the TE, since the Y-Option route is designed to exploit man coverage from a linebacker who cannot mirror the break.
If you see a single high safety with man coverage underneath, throw the Y-Option quickly once the TE sits down against the backer, this is your bread and butter conversion route on third and short to third and medium.
Use the flat route as a checkdown against zone drops when the option route gets sat on by a zone defender, since the flat route will be open underneath against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells.
Pair this play with Curl Y-Option out of Bench or Mesh Spot from the same Tight Open set to keep the defense guessing between quick underneath throws and deeper crossing concepts.
Save this for third and short to third and medium situations where the option route conversion sits comfortably ahead of the sticks, and avoid calling it into heavy blitz looks unless you have hot routed the outlet back to check down quickly.
