Playbooks
Breakdown
Levels Out is a trips-based dropback pass out of Shotgun 12 personnel that stacks a classic Levels concept on the trips side with a backside out route for a horizontal stretch. From trips, the inside receiver runs a deep out while the middle slot climbs on an intermediate in route underneath, creating a natural high-low read against zone drops. The backside X runs an isolated vertical/corner breaking route while a flare or check release stays in to help protect, giving the quarterback a two-way go if the trips side is covered down.
Defensive Reads
Read the corner over the trips deep out route first, if he sinks into the flat throw the underneath in route immediately behind him. Check the safety depth pre-snap, if the safety is shaded to the trips side the backside route becomes a favorable one-on-one look. Watch for zone defenders sitting in the intermediate window since this concept is designed to overload that Cover 2 seam, a defender who jumps the in route too early opens up the deep out for a big gain. Man coverage without deep safety help is where the backside route wins, especially against slower linebackers or safeties in man match. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge can collapse the pocket quickly, so check protection and get the quarterback's eyes to the underneath route as a quick answer if the fourth or fifth rusher shows pressure.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing two-high or single-high shells before deciding which side of the field to attack. This play is built as a Cover 2 beater, so look for two deep safeties splitting the field and target the deep out route sitting behind the corner and in front of the safety. If the corner sinks with the out, work the underneath in route on levels for a rhythm throw. Use this on second and medium or third and short to medium when you expect zone coverage and want a high-percentage completion window. Pair this with Dagger Sit or Mtn Stick in your play-calling sequence so the defense has to respect both deep out breaking routes and quick in-cuts, keeping linebackers and corners honest on their leverage. Hot route the backside out route into a quicker breaking route if you see man coverage with no safety help over the top.
