Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 12 playbooks
Breakdown
China Y Post out of Shotgun Trips TE lines up three receivers to the left with the Y (TE) running a deep post from the middle of the trips bunch, while the outermost trips receiver runs a corner-breaking go route up the sideline and the two inside receivers run shallow drags across the field at the same depth. The backside X receiver runs a deep comeback breaking back toward the sideline, and the HB stays in to chip before releasing on a check release flat route. This is a man beater built around the Y post splitting safeties and the drag combo creating natural rub picks against man coverage, with the primary read progression starting on the Y post, then working to the drag crossers underneath if the post is capped, and finally the backside comeback as a hot outlet against soft coverage or blitz.
Defensive Reads
Key the middle linebacker and see if he sinks with the Y post or stays flat footed, since a slow drop opens a big throwing window over the middle. Watch for a robber or lurk defender sitting in the shallow zone between the drags and the post, which signals a defense selling out to take away this exact concept. Cover 3 with a hard sitting middle linebacker can shut down the post read, so be ready to check down to the drag or comeback route instead of forcing it. Man coverage with no safety help over the top of the Y is the green light to trust the post all the way, especially against Cover 1 or Cover 0 blitz looks. If you see the corner over the backside X jumping the comeback route, expect a blitz combined with man coverage and get the ball out quickly to the drag routes.
Usage Tips
Look for single high safety shells pre-snap since the Y post has room to work behind linebackers and in front of the deep safety in that structure.
Use motion or a quick glance at the corner over the trips side to confirm if it is man coverage before locking onto the Y post read.
If the defense shows two high safeties, work the drag combo underneath quickly since the post will be capped by the deep half defender.
Pair this play with Verticals or PA Boot Shot in the same set to keep defenses honest on play-action shots after they start cheating up to stop the drags.
Best called on second or third and medium situations where the drag routes can pick up a first down if the post is not open, giving you a built in checkdown.
