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Breakdown
Levels out of Shotgun Trips is a classic horizontal stretch concept designed to attack zone coverage, particularly Cover 2 and Cover 3. The trips side stacks a deep dig that breaks across the middle with an under route settling in behind it, creating a two level read against the same defender, while the backside single receiver runs a deep comeback away from the flow to hold the far safety and corner. The primary read progression starts with the deep dig off the trips side, working down to the shallow crossing route underneath if the linebacker or safety sinks to take away the first read, with the backside comeback as a late escape valve if the defense rolls coverage away from the flood.
Defensive Reads
Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he sinks hard to the dig route immediately look to the shallow crosser sitting behind him for the easy pitch and catch. Watch the strong safety in Cover 2 looks, if he cheats down to rob the underneath crosser the deep dig window opens up behind him for a bigger gain. Against Cover 3, track the flat defender on the trips side, if he widens with the under route it creates a natural throwing lane for the dig sitting behind him at the second level. User linebackers who spy or lurk in the shallow middle zone are the biggest threat to this concept, since they can jump the crossing route and create a pick six opportunity if the quarterback stares it down too long. Man coverage with press corners and a single high safety shuts this down quickly, since there is no natural pick or rub to separate the levels routes and the backside comeback becomes the only real answer.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two deep safeties or a single high shell before the snap since this concept thrives against Cover 2 and Cover 3 zone drops.
If the defense shows man coverage with no safety help over the top, consider hot routing the shallow crosser into a speed out or checking to a quicker man beater since Levels takes time to develop against tight coverage.
Use the backside comeback as your answer against Cover 3 Cloud or Cover 4 looks where the corner sits on the outside receiver, since the deep dig will get squeezed by the flat defender rolling over.
Pair this play with Slot Corner or 60 Go from the same formation to condition the defense into thinking every trips concept is a vertical shot, then hit them with the horizontal levels read once safeties start jumping routes.
Best used on second and long or third and medium situations where you need a defined sit-down window underneath while still threatening the intermediate middle of the field.
