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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Slot Shot Y-Swirl is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Trips Flex with 12 personnel that creates a vertical flood to the trips side. The Y-TE runs a deep corner route from an in-line release, the outside trips receiver runs a shallow out, and the innermost trips receiver climbs on a swirl route up the seam behind it, while the backside single receiver runs a comeback breaking outside. The blocking scheme sells run action with play-action to hold the linebackers before the QB works the flood side. Primary read progression starts with the Y-TE corner route as the top read against Cover 3, then works down to the seam swirl route sitting in the hole, and finally checks down to the shallow out if the deep routes are covered.
Defensive Reads
Identify a single high safety pre-snap, this alignment tells you Cover 3 or Cover 1 is likely, both of which the corner and swirl combo is designed to exploit. Watch the flat defender on the trips side after the snap, if he widens with the shallow out route, the seam swirl route behind him will have a throwing lane. Key the middle linebacker depth at the snap, if he bites hard on the play-action fake, the swirl route sitting behind him becomes wide open for an easy completion. This play struggles against two high safety shells like Cover 2 or Cover 4 because the corner route runs directly into the deep half defender, so expect the QB to check down quickly against those shells. Watch for a user-controlled defender sitting in the middle of the field as a lurk threat, since the swirl route crosses through that exact area and is vulnerable to a jumped throw.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs like first or second and short to medium yardage so the play-action fake has run credibility.
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see a single high safety shaded to the trips side, the corner route from the Y-TE has a strong chance to win over the top.
Against Cover 3 defenders sitting on the flat or hook zones, hot route the shallow out receiver to sit down instead of continuing outside to give the QB an easy underneath completion.
Pair this call with Flood Y-Dig or Levels Y Sail from the same set so defenders that key on the flood concept get punished by a play with a different horizontal stretch.
If the defense shows heavy blitz looks pre-snap, consider audibling to HB Slip Screen or Duo from this set to punish aggressive linebacker pressure.
