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Breakdown
Zona Fade is a trips based man beater built around isolating the backside receiver on a one on one fade route while the trips side occupies the defense with a vertical clear out. Out of Shotgun 10 personnel, the play uses a max protect or slide protection scheme to give the quarterback time to let the fade develop downfield. The primary read progression starts backside with the isolated receiver on the fade, then works to the trips side option routes or check down if the corner has outside leverage or safety help rolls over the top.
Defensive Reads
Check the backside cornerback's alignment pre-snap, press man or off man with no deep safety rotation is a green light for the fade Identify single high shells like Cover 3 or Cover 1 since the fade thrives when there is only one deep defender to worry about Watch for a safety rotating over the top into Cover 2 or Cover 4 look, this shuts down the fade and forces you to work the trips side routes instead Read linebacker depth on the trips side, if they sink into zone drops the quick option routes on that side become the better outlet Beware of a user controlled safety sitting in a lurk position over the fade route, this is the most common way defenders bait quarterbacks into a pick six on Zona Fade
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion from the trips side to confirm man coverage before locking onto the backside fade route
Throw a back shoulder fade if the corner is playing off man with no safety help showing over the top
Attack the boundary corner in one on one situations especially on a smaller cornerback or a scheme fit mismatch
Pair this call with Close Zona Fade or Zona Slot Out earlier in a drive so the defense respects the trips concepts before you hit the isolated fade
Best used on third and short to medium or in red zone fade situations where the end zone limits the corner's deep help
