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Breakdown
China N Go out of Shotgun Trey 4WR shows a five man route concept built to attack deep zones and isolate man coverage on the boundary. The backside X runs a shallow out that breaks away from the formation, while the three receiver side stacks a deep go up the sideline, a skinny post crossing underneath from the slot, and a shallow drag from the inside slot that clears the middle. The lone back check releases into a flat route to the opposite side, giving you a five step full field progression. Primary read starts with the post to go combo on the trips side (look for the safety rotation), then works to the drag underneath if the middle is clogged, with the backside out and flat as late checkdowns against blitz.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high safeties or single high, since this route combo is designed to exploit the vacated deep third or deep half when the safety bites on shorter routes. Watch the flow of the middle linebacker after the snap, if he sinks under the post to go concept he opens up the drag route as an easy completion, if he sits shallow he leaves the post window open for a big gain. Corners playing outside leverage in man coverage get beat by the skinny post breaking inside, so watch for press or bail technique on the trips side corner before the snap. User controlled defenders sitting in a deep third lurk to jump the go route, if you see a user drop deep on the trips side, work the underneath drag or backside out instead. Zone blitzes with a corner or safety dropping into the flat can take away the checkdown flat route, so recognize the disguised blitz by watching for late rotation from the slot defender before the snap.
Usage Tips
Presnap, check for single high safety look before the snap since the go route on the trips side is a direct shot at Cover 1 or Cover 3 corners playing outside leverage.
If the safety cheats over the top of the go route, work the post to go window underneath, that skinny post is your man beater against tight outside technique corners.
Use the drag route as your zone beater versus Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells, it sits in the soft spot behind the linebackers and in front of the deep half safeties.
Pair this play with Four Verticals or Switch Verts in your call sheet to keep defenses honest on deep shells, then come back to China N Go when you see safeties creeping up to take away the vertical stuff.
Best used on 2nd or 3rd and long when you need a explosive vertical shot but still want checkdown options against a blitz, since the flat and out routes cover you against pressure looks.
