Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Dagger Sit is a trips-based dropback concept out of Shotgun Trey Y-Flex Str that stacks a deep dig with an underneath sit route to attack the middle of the field. From the trips side, the outside receiver runs a vertical seam to clear the deep third or hole the safety, the middle slot runs the dagger dig across the field at roughly 12-15 yards, and the inside slot sits down in the shallow zone as a checkdown against underneath coverage. On the backside, the single receiver runs a vertical route to hold the corner and safety, giving the quarterback a two-level read away from the trips concept if the defense rotates coverage that way. This is a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater, with the primary read progression going vertical clear-out first to bait the deep defender, then to the dig as the main throw, and finally down to the sit route as the safety valve.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and spacing since two deep safeties usually signal Cover 2 or Cover 4, while a single high safety indicates Cover 3 or Cover 1, both of which this concept is designed to exploit. Watch the flat defender and outside linebacker on the trips side, because if they widen with the sit route or bite on the underneath route, the window for the dig opens up immediately. Key the middle linebacker or deep hook defender post-snap, since a user-controlled lurker sitting in that intermediate zone can jump the dig route and turn it into a pick six if the quarterback stares it down. Man coverage with press alignment on the outside receivers is the toughest look for this play, since it eliminates the natural picks created by the vertical clear-out and forces the dig into tighter man coverage. If the defense shows a heavy blitz look with man coverage behind it, expect the quarterback to need a quick decision, so be ready to check down to the sit route as the blitz beater option.
Usage Tips
Use Dagger Sit on second and long or third and medium when you need a explosive intermediate gain over the middle of the field. Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two deep safeties or a single high safety, since the dig route is designed to sit right in the void behind underneath defenders in both Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells. If you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, hot route the vertical clear-out receiver to keep pushing deep to occupy the corner and create more room for the dig to break open. Against Cover 2, trust the dig to settle in the window between the flat defender and the deep half safety, then rip it before the safety can close. Pair this play with Mtn Verticals or PA Verts earlier in a series to condition the defense to respect the deep ball, which opens up the intermediate dig on Dagger Sit later in the drive.
