Playbooks
Quick Fork Zig is a quick pass concept out of Shotgun Trips X Nasty Offset WK designed to get the ball out fast against man and zone coverage alike. The trips side runs a fork combination with a quick out and a slot option working underneath, while the backside runs a zig breaking route that gives you a crossing answer if the trips side is jumped. Blocking is standard pass protection with the offset back available for a check down or chip on an edge rusher, and the primary read starts with the fork concept on the trips side before working back to the zig if the underneath defenders sit on the shorter routes.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, a two high shell tells you the underneath fork routes will be there quickly since defenders will be playing off to protect the deep middle. Watch the slot cornerback's press technique, if he is playing outside leverage the zig route across the middle becomes the higher percentage read. Identify Cover 3 or Cover 4 zone drops post-snap, if the underneath linebackers sink too deep the fork combination settles into the void for a quick pitch and catch. Recognize man coverage by watching defenders mirror receiver motion at the snap, in this situation the fork's out breaking route creates immediate separation against trail technique. Beware disguised blitzes from the offset side, if the linebacker crashes downhill immediately get the ball out on the shortest route in the fork concept before the pocket collapses.
Fire this play off quickly on early downs to keep the offense ahead of schedule and avoid predictable third and long situations.
Read the flow of the linebackers at the snap, if they widen with the fork routes the zig will settle into a soft spot for an easy completion.
Use the hot route menu to convert the offset back into a flat release if you diagnose a blitz look pre-snap, this gives you a built in answer against pressure.
Pair this play with Quick Under or Quick Short Post from the same set to keep defenses guessing between quick game concepts that all hit within two seconds.
Against man coverage, key on the slot defender's leverage before the snap, if he is playing inside shade the fork out route wins outside almost every time.