Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Empty Y-Choice Under is an empty backfield pass concept out of Shotgun U Off Stack with 12 personnel, spreading five eligible receivers across the field with no running back help in protection. The stacked receivers to the left run a deep out breaking away from the formation and a corner route sitting underneath at the sticks, while the inside receiver runs the Y-Choice option route that can settle, sit, or break based on the leverage of the defender covering it. On the right side the outside receiver runs a vertical seam up the numbers while the flanker runs a wide flat/comeback route underneath, giving the quarterback a full field stretch. This is an empty formation man beater built around the choice route creating a rub and natural pick against man coverage, with the primary read starting on the Y-Choice route before working to the flat/seam combo on the opposite side if the choice route is covered.
Defensive Reads
Watch the alignment of the defender over the stacked receivers pre-snap since tight man coverage there signals the Y-Choice route will win immediately off the natural pick. Key the deep safety depth and width before the snap, if both safeties sit at 10 yards or deeper it usually means a two high zone shell that favors the flat and seam combo over the choice route. Post-snap watch for a user controlled lurk defender sitting in the shallow middle since this play has no true checkdown option underneath and can be vulnerable to a spy jumping the choice route. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 with underneath zone defenders sinking hard, look for the flat route to sit in the void created if the linebacker or slot corner bites on the vertical seam route. Blitz packages that bring five or more rushers exploit this play quickly since there is no running back to check release or chip, so identify pressure indicators like walked up linebackers or safety rotation into the box before the snap.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap identify whether the defense is showing man or zone by checking if defenders align tight to the stack receivers or bail into soft zone drops.
Against man coverage throw the Y-Choice route first since the natural rub from the stack alignment creates instant separation, especially versus press man or Cover 1.
If the defense shows a two high shell with soft corners, work the seam and flat combo on the right side since zone defenders will have to choose between the vertical and the flat threat.
Use this play on third and medium to third and long since the choice route gives the quarterback a built in answer against both man and zone without needing a hot route adjustment.
Pair this with Empty Slot Under and RPO Alert Out from the same set to keep the defense guessing between empty formation passing concepts and quick game answers, forcing linebackers to respect multiple route combinations from the same personnel look.
