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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Quick Short Post is a trips-based quick passing concept run from Shotgun Trips X Nasty Off Wk with 11 personnel. From the trips side, the inside slot receiver runs a short post to attack the middle of the field, the outside slot receiver runs a quick out/flat breaking route, and the boundary X receiver runs a deep vertical/comeback to clear space and hold the corner. On the backside, the lone receiver runs a deep in-breaking route across the field, giving the quarterback a low-to-high read from the post to the backside crosser. This is a quick game man beater designed to get the ball out fast against tight man coverage, with the post exploiting any inside leverage or rub created by the bunched trips alignment.
Defensive Reads
Watch the slot cornerback's press alignment before the snap, since tight man coverage with no safety help over the top is where the post wins immediately. Post-snap, key the middle linebacker's drop depth, because a linebacker who sinks too deep opens the post window while one who stays shallow can jump the route. Cover 3 and Cover 1 with aggressive underneath linebackers are the biggest threats to this play, since a lurking defender can undercut the post before it develops. Blitz packages that bring pressure off the edge are neutralized by the quick out and post timing, but interior blitzes with a spy can disrupt the quarterback's rhythm before the post clears. If the safety rotates down pre-snap into the box, expect single-high coverage on the post, which favors the route unless the corner sits at depth and reads the quarterback's eyes.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing man or zone by checking safety depth and corner alignment on the trips side, since a tight press corner over the slot is a green light for the post.
If the defense shows two-high shell, key the middle linebacker's drop to see if the post window stays open or if a robber is sitting underneath.
Use the short post as your first read on quick game downs like third and short or third and medium, since the timing beats blitzes before they arrive.
Motion or shift the trips alignment pre-snap to force the defense to declare man or zone, then hot route the flat route to a quick out if you see a corner blitz coming off the edge.
Pair this play with Quick Unders or Quick Fork Zig in the same set to keep defenses guessing between short post concepts and other quick game answers, forcing linebackers to respect multiple route combos out of the same formation.
