Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Pitt Choice Zig lines up out of Shotgun Trips HB Wk with a 10 personnel grouping, showing three receivers to the right and the HB releasing to the left. The trips side runs a zig from the inside slot receiver, a corner route from the outside slot, and a deep post from the outside receiver, while the single receiver to the left runs a vertical seam and the HB releases out of the backfield on an option route to the flat. This is a man beater built off the deep post and corner combo to stress the outside cornerback, with the zig serving as the primary option route read against zone coverage underneath. Progression starts with the zig option route, then works to the corner and post combo on the trips side if the middle of the field is congested.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap identify if the defense is in a two high shell or single high, since a two high shell means the corner route has help over the top and the option route becomes your priority throw. Watch the slot corner alignment on the inside trips receiver running the zig, tight press alignment signals man coverage and favors the option route breaking away from the defender. Post-snap read the flat defender to the trips side, if he sinks with the zig route the QB should look immediately to the post working behind him. This play struggles against a hard zone blitz that brings extra rushers off the strong side edge since it removes the HB option as an outlet and speeds up the throw. Cover 3 with a sky safety rotating over the top can take away the deep post, so identify late safety rotation and be ready to check down to the zig or option route underneath.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second or third and medium when you need a chain-moving option route with a big play shot attached. Check the pre-snap alignment of the slot corner over the zig route, if he is playing tight man you can trust the option route to break outside for separation. Against zone shells, key the flat defender and hi-low the corner and post combo since the safety cannot cover both verticals on the trips side. Hot route the HB option to a flat or curl if the defense shows blitz off the edge, since the HB is your check valve against pressure. Pair this play with Pitt Z Streak or Pitt X Drag in the same set to keep defenses guessing on which route the trips concept will stress, since the formation and initial releases look similar.
