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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Shallow Mills is a Cover 4 beater out of Shotgun Wing Slot Offset that stacks a deep mills concept on the backside with a shallow drag underneath. The two receivers to the boundary run vertical stems that break outward at the top, creating a high low read on the safety while a third receiver crosses the field on a shallow drag to give the quarterback a quick outlet against pressure. The lone running back stays in to check release and works a swing or leak route into the flat, giving the offense a built in hot route against blitz looks. This is a pure dropback pass concept, not play action or an RPO, and the primary read progresses from the deep mills breaks on the perimeter down to the shallow drag before checking the running back release.
Defensive Reads
Key the safety alignment before the snap. Two deep safeties with soft corner leverage tells you Cover 4 or Cover 2, which is exactly what the mills breaks on the perimeter are designed to exploit. Watch the flat defender and underneath linebackers after the snap. If they carry the shallow drag across the field, that opens the window for the mills route to break open behind them. Diagnose blitz packages immediately by watching the running back's block read. If the back releases into the swing without needing to check a blitzer, the offense has a clean hot throw available. Beware of Cover 3 sky or buzz looks with a robber defender sitting underneath. A user controlled lurk defender sitting in the shallow drag window can jump the crossing route and create a turnover if the quarterback stares it down. Man coverage with inside leverage on the outside receivers is the toughest matchup for this play, since it removes the natural pick and rub advantage of the crossing action and forces the deep mills routes to win purely on separation.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and medium to long or third and medium when you need a chunk play but still want a checkdown safety valve built in.
Pre snap, identify two high versus one high shells. Against two high safeties the mills concept on the outside is designed to hold the safety before the corner route breaks over the top, so trust that window if you see Cover 4 or Cover 2 shell.
If the defense shows Cover 3 or heavy zone with a single high safety, work the shallow drag immediately since it will sit in the void between underneath zone defenders.
Hot route the running back to a quick swing if you see all out pressure or a nano blitz look, since the built in check release gives you a hot throw before the shallow crosser fully develops.
Pair this play with Double Cross or Mesh Spot in your play calling sequence so the defense has to respect both shallow crossing concepts and deep mills breaks, making it harder for a defense to sit on any one route combination.
