Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Mtn Dig X-Corner comes out of Shotgun Tight Slots HB Wk with 11 personnel and shows a pre-snap motion piece that resets the formation before the snap. Off the diagram, the outside receiver runs a deep corner route stemming toward the sideline (yellow), a tight end or slot receiver breaks on a deep dig across the middle (red), and the backside receiver runs a shallow crossing route with a stutter release, working underneath into the flat area (light blue), while the running back releases into a check release flat route (dark blue). This is a man beater built around the dig and corner combo creating a natural high low stretch on one side, with the primary read progressing from the deep dig to the corner route and then down to the underneath crossers if the defense drops into zone.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap, check safety depth and alignment, since a single high safety tips man coverage underneath and tells you the corner route has a shot to win over the top. Watch for cornerbacks shadowing the motion man across the formation, as this confirms man coverage and signals that the dig route will have a favorable matchup against a trailing defender. Post snap, key the flow of the linebackers, since aggressive linebacker drops into the shallow crossing routes can bait a user into abandoning the deep middle and opening the dig route. This concept struggles against a sound two high zone shell with disciplined safeties sitting on the dig, since the dig has to fit into a tighter window if the safety does not bite on the corner route or motion action. Look for user controlled lurk defenders sitting in the dig lane, since a heads up linebacker or nickel defender can undercut the route and turn a high value throw into a turnover if the quarterback does not recognize the sit down defender in time.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the ball is snapped, since a defender following the motion man across the formation confirms man coverage and opens up the dig route against a single defender.
Attack this play on second and long or third and medium situations where the dig route sits down in the void between linebackers and safeties.
If you see a two high safety shell, key the dig route first since it will settle into the soft spot between the hashes before the safety can rotate over the top of the corner route.
Hot route the running back's flat route into a check release against tougher pass rush looks so you keep a extra blocker in against exotic pressure and nano blitz packages.
Pair this play with X Dig or Mtn Mesh Traffic from the same set so the defense sees similar route stems out of Tight Slots HB Wk, forcing linebackers and safeties to hesitate on their run fits or coverage drops.
