Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Slot Drive out of Shotgun Trey Open Offset is a Cover 4 beater built around a drive concept on the backside paired with a deep dig and flat combo on the front side. The backside slot runs a drive route breaking underneath while the outside receiver clears vertically on a corner route, and the front side stacks a deep dig crossing over the middle with a short flat route from the tight end. The lone back releases into a check release swing route, giving the quarterback a five man progression that starts with the dig, works to the drive, and checks down to the flat or swing if the middle is clogged.
Defensive Reads
Watch for two deep safeties pre-snap, that Cover 4 or Cover 2 shell is exactly what this concept is designed to attack with the dig sitting between the deep zones. If the middle linebacker sinks into a deep hole zone drop, the drive route underneath him becomes wide open, take that throw quickly before a underneath defender can react. Man coverage with a single high safety is more dangerous here since the drive and dig can both get picked off by a rover or lurking linebacker sitting in the throwing lane. Look for a nano blitz or overload pressure package pre-snap, if the offensive line is outnumbered on one side get to the check release swing route immediately as your hot read. Corner blitzes from the slot defender will disrupt the drive route timing, if you see the slot defender crash downhill at the snap expect that route to be taken away and progress to the dig or flat instead.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs against two high safety shells since it is labeled a Cover 4 beater and the deep dig sits right in the honey hole between the safeties.
Key the middle linebacker before the snap, if he shows deep zone drop responsibility peek the drive route underneath since he will be occupied by the crosser.
Use the check release swing as your answer against pressure looks, it gives you a built in escape valve if the interior blitzers get home before your first read clears.
Pair this play with Y Corner or Y Cross Flood from the same set to keep the defense guessing between deep outside shots and the intermediate crossing game.
On third and medium, hot route the flat route to a quick out if you see man coverage on the tight end to create an easy conversion throw underneath the sticks.
