Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Trail Shake is a shake route concept out of Shotgun Trey Open Offset that pairs two vertical clearout routes on the outside with a shallow drag and a trail route working underneath from the slot. The two outside receivers push straight upfield to hold safeties and corners deep, while the trail man crosses the field on a shallow drag and the flat receiver runs a trail route back across the formation, creating a natural rub and pick against man coverage. This is a man beater built off the shake motion in the underneath passing window, with the primary read progression starting on the shallow drag, then working to the trail route crossing behind it, then climbing to the vertical shots if the underneath is jumped.
Defensive Reads
Key the corners at the snap since if they trail the outside verticals in man without safety help, the underneath shake routes will come open almost immediately. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the shallow crossing lane, that is the biggest threat to this concept and will bait a turnover if you force the drag route. Against zone coverage, identify if the linebackers are sinking hard into the underneath windows, since Trail Shake relies on man rub concepts and struggles versus disciplined zone drops that stay square to the crossers. If you see a nano blitz or overload pressure package pre-snap, get the ball out on the quick shallow drag before the protection breaks down. Cover 3 with an active middle linebacker robbing the crossing routes is the biggest counter to this play, so recognize that shell and be ready to climb the pocket or check to the vertical routes instead.
Usage Tips
Look pre-snap for man coverage indicators like corners lined up tight on the outside receivers with no safety help rotating over the top before snapping this play.
Use the shallow drag as your first read on any blitz look since it clears the picture fast and gives you a built in answer against pressure.
If the defense shows two high safeties, hold the ball an extra beat and let the trail route work across the field since zone defenders will often lose sight of the crosser.
Pair this play with Y Cross Flood or Levels Switch in your call sheet so you can attack both man and zone shells with a similar shallow crossing look and keep the defense guessing.
Best used on second and medium or third and short since the quick underneath crossers give you a high floor completion while the verticals stay live for a big shot if the defense bites on the shallow routes.
