Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 13 playbooks
Breakdown
Spot Y Middle out of Shotgun Tight Y Off Wk is a classic Spot concept run from 11 personnel with the flanker to the boundary running a quick out and up to the corner, the Y tight end running a drive/spot route sitting in the hook zone, and the outside receiver to the field running a vertical stem into a corner route. The backside HB releases out of the backfield on a swing/flat route to the flat, giving you a built in checkdown against pressure. This is a Cover 3 beater by design, attacking the flat-to-curl void with the primary read progression going flat (HB) to spot (Y) to corner route based on how the flat defender and curl-to-flat player react.
Defensive Reads
Key the flat defender first since his reaction to the HB swing route tells you whether the spot window behind him will be open. If the corner to the boundary sits low and squats on the flat, throw the corner route breaking behind him for a explosive gain. Watch for a linebacker walking up into the A or B gap presnap since that signals a possible blitz, which means you should get the ball out quickly to the HB flat route as your hot read. Against Cover 3, the curl-to-flat defender is stretched horizontally and vertically by this concept, so identify if he stays on the corner route or sinks under Y, and throw off his positioning. Man coverage with underneath linebackers matched on Y and the HB is the toughest look for this play since it clogs both short routes, so be ready to hot route or check to a different concept if you see man leverage presnap.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify whether you are facing zone or man by checking corner depth and linebacker leverage over the Y tight end. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone shells, work the HB flat route first since it forces the flat defender to widen and opens the spot route for Y behind him. Against man coverage, hot route the Y tight end to a quick option or slant since the spot route loses value when a linebacker or safety is locked on him in man. Use this play on second and medium or third and short to medium since the spot concept develops quickly and gives multiple layered reads at different depths. Pair this play in your call sheet with Smash Dagger or Z Dagger from the same set so you can attack the same Cover 3 shell with a deeper vertical shot if the defense starts jumping the shallow flat and spot routes. Sequence this with PA Corner later in a series once the defense starts sitting on the quick game to hit them over the top.
