Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
TE Swirl out of Shotgun Trips TE features a five man route flood to the trips side with play-action elements built in. The outside receiver runs a go route to clear the top of the coverage, the middle trips receiver runs a deep out, and the inside slot receiver runs a corner route, creating a high low stretch on the boundary corner and safety. The TE releases up the seam while the HB swirls out to the flat after chip blocking, giving the QB a easy checkdown if the deep routes are covered. This is primarily a zone beater that floods one side of the field with four verticals threats and layers a flat route underneath, with the seam and flat as the first read against off coverage or split safety shells.
Defensive Reads
Watch the free safety depth pre-snap, if he rotates to the trips side before the snap this concept can get squeezed since the corner route loses its natural window. Key the flat defender or curl to flat linebacker, if he widens too fast to the HB swirl route the seam and corner routes will have space to work. Beware of user controlled safeties sitting deep over the top on the go route, since that same defender can often break down on the corner route if the QB pump fakes or hesitates. Cover 3 with a hard corner squatting on the flat can jump the swirl route, so be ready to move to the deep out or seam route as the next read if that happens. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge can be an issue since the play uses a five man protection with a late releasing HB, so check the edge presnap and be ready to throw hot to the seam or corner route quickly.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing two high safeties or a single high shell, since this concept thrives against split safety zone looks where the corner route can sit in the void behind the flat defender.
Read the flat defender first, if he widens with the HB swirl route the corner route from the slot will be wide open behind him.
Use this play on second and medium or third and long situations where the defense is more likely to play zone coverage and respect the deep threats.
Hot route the backside single receiver into a slant or drag if you need a quick answer against pressure looks, since the play design already accounts for a five man protection with the HB releasing late.
Pair TE Swirl with Curl Flat or All Curl from the same set to keep the defense honest on route depth, then come back to TE Swirl once the defense starts sitting on shorter zone drops.
