Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Levels Y Corner is a trips based concept out of Shotgun Trey Y-Flex that stacks two levels routes with a corner route from the Y attacking the deep outside. The three receivers to the trips side run in and out breakers at different depths (a shallow drag, an in-cut sitting at the sticks, and a square-in from the flex TE) while that same flex TE breaks off into the corner route once he clears the numbers, and the backside X runs a shallow drive to the flat. There is no run action shown, this is a straight dropback pass concept built as a Cover 2 beater, and the primary read progression starts at the corner route against the deep half safety, works down to the levels in-cut, then checks the shallow drag underneath.
Defensive Reads
Read the deep half safety to the trips side first, if he sinks late or cheats toward the levels in-cut the corner route window opens immediately behind him. Watch the flat defender and outside cornerback leverage, if they squeeze down on the underneath in-cut and drag they leave the corner route wide open against Cover 2 or Cover 4 with soft outside technique. Key the middle linebacker or nickel defender assigned to the shallow drag, a fast trigger downhill on that route can be baited to open the levels in-cut behind him. This concept struggles against a true Cover 3 or Cover 4 with a hard flat defender jumping the corner route, so if you see a defender sitting at the numbers pre-snap look to check down to the drag or backside X instead. Man coverage with a robber or lurk defender sitting in the middle of the field can undercut the levels in-cut, so track user controlled defenders crashing down before committing to that throw.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing a two high shell or rolling to single high, since this concept is purpose built to attack the seam vacated by a Cover 2 safety on the corner route.
If you see the corner get banked hard outside or the safety cheat to that side, work the levels in-cut and shallow drag underneath instead of forcing the deep shot.
Hot route the backside X into a deeper comeback or streak against man coverage to give yourself a true one on one shot if the defense shows man pre-snap.
Pair this call with Levels Out or Levels Out KO on the following snap so the defense has to respect both the corner shot and the quick out breakers from the same personnel and formation look.
Use this on second and medium or third and long when a Cover 2 shell is likely, since the corner route punishes any late rotation or lazy deep half positioning.
