Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 11 playbooks
Breakdown
Quick Unders is a trips-based quick game concept out of Shotgun Trips X Nasty designed to attack underneath zones and get the ball out fast against pressure. The backside X runs a deep corner/flag to hold the single-high safety, while the two inside trips receivers run mirrored square-ins that settle over the middle at different depths, creating a natural high-low read against linebackers and zone drops. The HB releases out of the backfield on a wheel route up the boundary as a checkdown or man-beater against linebackers who bite on the underneath crossers. Primary progression starts with the shallow crosser working from the trips side back to the frontside underneath breaking route, then works to the HB wheel if the defense rolls coverage to the field.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and leverage; a single-high safety cheating toward the trips side signals the corner route is drawing extra attention and the underneath crossers will have more room to work. Watch linebacker depth at the snap; if they sink too deep in zone drops, the shallow crosser will have an easy completion in front of them for a quick gain. Key the flow of the middle linebacker; if he widens with the crossing routes, look for a user-controlled defender to lurk in the throwing lane and jump the frontside underneath route. Man coverage on the slot receivers is vulnerable to natural rub/pick action from the crossing routes, so an aggressive man defender chasing across the field can be baited into a step slow reaction. Cover 2 with hard-flowing corners to the trips side can take away both crossers if they sit and squat, forcing the quarterback to check down to the HB wheel late in the progression.
Usage Tips
Use this play on third-and-short or third-and-medium when you need a quick, high-percentage completion against zone coverage or a hot route outlet against blitz looks.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing Cover 3 or Cover 2 zone; the underneath crossers sit in the soft spots of these shells and give you an easy rhythm throw.
If the defense shows man coverage with linebackers matched up on the crossers, take advantage of the natural pick action created by the two inside routes crossing near the same depth.
Check the HB wheel route as a home run outlet against defenses that widen out to take away the underneath crossers, especially versus Cover 1 or man-heavy blitz packages.
Pair this play with Hi Lo Cross or Hi Lo Dig from the same set to keep the defense guessing between different crossing depths, then mix in Quick Short Post to punish defenders who sit too shallow after seeing Quick Unders on tape.
