Playbooks
Empty Slot Under
Breakdown
Empty Slot Under is an Empty formation flood concept built off the U Off Stack set out of Shotgun 12 personnel. Off the diagram, the two stacked receivers to the left run a corner and a go route to clear vertically while the underneath receiver drags across the field on a shallow crosser. On the right side one receiver runs a deep dig that sits behind the drag while the flexed slot receiver runs a flat curl underneath, creating a natural flood read on that side with three levels stacked from flat to curl to dig. This is a zone beater first (Cover 3 and Cover 2 tags confirm it), attacking hook and curl zones with the drag and curl while the dig and corner stress deep zone defenders, and the primary read progression starts with the flood side curl to flat, then works to the dig, and comes back to the drag as the checkdown against man coverage.
Defensive Reads
Read the safety depth before the snap, two deep safeties at 10 plus yards signals Cover 2 or Cover 4, which the flood concept on the right side is built to exploit. Watch the flat defender on the right, if he widens with the curl route it opens a throwing lane for the dig behind him, if he sits the dig becomes tighter and you should look flat to drag instead. Key the middle linebacker's drop, a hard drop to the drag route indicates zone match coverage and tells you to work the curl or dig instead of forcing the shallow crosser. Man coverage with no safety help over the top gets exposed by the corner and go routes on the left stack, since those receivers can create vertical separation before the corner route breaks. Watch for a user lurking underneath in the flat or curl zone, since that user defender can jump the curl or drag route and bait a turnover if the quarterback stares down the short stuff too long.
Usage Tips
Presnap identify whether the defense shows two deep safeties or one high, since the flood concept on the right side is designed to punish Cover 2 corners who sink under the curl while the dig sits behind them.
Against Cover 3 shells, work the deep dig route first since it settles in the void between the deep third defender and the underneath zone defenders.
Use motion prior to the snap to confirm man versus zone, if a defender follows the motion man across the formation you know you are getting man coverage and should lean on the drag route as your rhythm throw.
This play pairs well with Empty Hitch N Go and Empty Y-Choice Under in the same set, since all three attack similar spacing but with different vertical stems, keeping defenders guessing on whether to sit on curls or bail on verticals.
Best called on second and medium to long or third and medium, since the drag and curl give you an easy completion while the dig and corner stay live as explosive shot plays if the defense sells out on the shallow stuff.
