Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 15 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Shock Slot Dig runs out of Shotgun Trio Y-Flex with a pre-snap motion man rerouting from the backfield before the ball is snapped. The outside receiver runs a deep vertical bender up the sideline before breaking hard toward the middle to occupy the deep half, the slot receiver runs the namesake dig, pushing vertical then cutting flat across the field over the middle, and the flexed TE releases outside then hooks upfield, while the backfield man runs a short flat/angle route to the opposite side as a checkdown outlet. This is a man beater built to attack off-man leverage with the dig sitting down in the window created by the vertical clearing space, with the flat route serving as your safety valve against a blitz. Primary progression is dig first, working to the vertical breaking route if the dig window is taken away, and checking down to the flat route against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high safety alignment, since this concept is built to punish single high man and zone coverage with the dig sitting behind linebackers and in front of the deep safety. Watch the flat defender and the underneath linebacker responsible for the hook zone, if he widens with the flat route or the motion man, the dig window opens up immediately for the quarterback. If you see press man on the outside receiver with a deep half safety rotated over the top, expect the quarterback to look dig first, so as the defense you want to user a linebacker or nickel defender straight into that crossing lane to jump the route. Man coverage teams should have a linebacker or safety with lurk instincts sit in the shallow to intermediate middle of the field, since that is exactly where the dig route sits down. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge or through the A gap can beat this play before the dig fully develops, since the route takes time to break, so time your blitz to hit before the route concept matures.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, if the defender follows the motion man across the formation you know you are getting man coverage and can lean on the dig with confidence.
This play excels on second and medium to second and long when defenses sit in single high shells, since the dig sits right in the void behind underneath zone defenders and in front of the deep safety.
Hot route the backfield flat route into a quick out if you are facing a heavy blitz look, this gives you a faster release valve than the angle route drawn up.
Pair this with Mtn Corner Slot Choice or Mtn Corner Y-drag earlier in a drive so the defense respects the vertical shots, then come back to this dig concept once the safety starts cheating up to take away underneath completions.
Against zone heavy defenses, key the flat defender and hi lo him with the flat route and dig, if he sits on the flat you have an easy throwing lane to the dig behind him.
