Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Levels Sail out of Shotgun Trio Offset lines up with three receivers stacked to the left and a slot receiver plus a tight end to the right of the formation. The left side runs the classic Levels concept with two receivers working intermediate in-cuts at staggered depths while the third receiver clears out underneath, and the right side runs Sail with the tight end pushing a deep corner route vertically up the sideline while the slot receiver runs an out underneath at a shallower depth. This is a pass play built to attack both man and zone coverage, with the primary read starting on the Levels side reading low to high (underneath in-cut first, then the deeper in-cut) before working to the Sail concept on the backside if the coverage rotates away.
Defensive Reads
Presnap check safety depth and alignment, since two high safeties tip Cover 2 or Cover 4 while a single deep safety tips Cover 3 or man coverage. Key the flat defender on the Sail side after the snap, if he sinks under the corner route the quarterback should come off it and work back to the Levels concept. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the middle of the field lurking over the Levels crossers, since that is the biggest threat to this concept and will jump the deeper in-cut route. Man coverage with underneath help is the toughest matchup since defenders can trail the in-cuts and the flat defender can shadow the corner route, so blitz packages that bring extra pressure and disguise man coverage shut this play down quickest. Zone blitzes that drop a linebacker into the deep half while rushing five can also take away the Sail corner route, so if you see a delayed blitz look, expect the deep sideline shot to be covered.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify if the defense is showing two high safeties or a single high shell, since Levels Sail punishes both Cover 2 and Cover 3 looks differently. Against Cover 2 attack the deep corner route on the Sail side to stretch the flat defender and safety vertically. Against Cover 3 work the Levels side first since the underneath in-cuts settle into the soft spots between the zone defenders. Use hot routes to convert the clear out receiver on the Levels side into a quick option route if you see man coverage with no help over the top. Pair this play with Verticals or PA Post Shot earlier in a series to condition the defense to bite on shorter routes, then come back to Levels Sail to hit the Sail corner route for an explosive gain. On third and medium distance, prioritize the Levels concept for the easy conversion read, but on third and long lean on the Sail corner for a bigger chunk play.
