Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA U Corner Flood is a play-action pass out of Shotgun U Off Trips (12 personnel) that floods one side of the field with three vertical stems attacking different levels. The backside receiver runs a deep corner route off play fakes, the middle trips receiver breaks into a corner route as well creating a natural high low with the outside trips receiver running a deep vertical, while the innermost slot receiver works an underneath drag across the field and the running back releases to the flat away from the flood side for an outlet. The play action fake to the running back holds linebackers, and the concept is designed as a Cover 3 beater that floods the deep corner zone and stresses the flat to hole defender, with the primary read progressing from the deep corner routes down to the underneath drag and check to the flat release.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single high safety alignment, this shell is what the corner flood concept is designed to exploit by overloading one deep third with two corner breaking routes. Watch cornerback depth at the snap, if corners bail hard into their zone drops rather than reading run fake, they are anticipating play action and can undercut the corner routes. Post-snap, key the flat to hole defender or linebacker responsible for the underneath drag, if he sits and reads quarterback eyes he can jump the drag route and force the quarterback to hold the ball. User the deep corner defender manually if playing Cover 3, since the flood concept relies on the CPU or zone defender being outnumbered on that side. Watch for Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties, this can shut down the corner route since there is help over the top, forcing the quarterback into the shorter drag or flat check down.
Usage Tips
Look for single high safety shells pre-snap since this concept is labeled a Cover 3 beater and thrives when the deep third defender has to pick between two corner routes stacked on the same side.
Use play action from run-heavy personnel like 12 group to freeze linebackers, then work your first read to the deep corner route breaking away from the single high safety.
If the corner routes are blanketed, come down to the drag route crossing the field underneath, it is your zone beater versus Cover 3 or Cover 4 sink coverage.
Call this on early downs or manageable third downs where defenses expect run out of 12 personnel, since the play action fake plays off run tendencies built from Blast Rt, Inside Zone, or HB Power out of the same set.
Pair this with PA Post Shot or PA TE Out from the same set to keep defenses guessing between deep shots and shorter combination routes off identical run action.
