Playbooks
Mtn X-Dig Slot Corner is a man beating route concept out of the Y Off Trio Close WK set in Shotgun with 11 personnel. The X receiver runs a dig across the middle to sit between the linebacker level and the deep zone while the slot receiver works a corner route to attack the void outside the numbers, creating a natural high low stretch on any defender trying to cover both the middle and the sideline. Blocking is standard pass protection with the back available for a checkdown, and the primary read progression starts with the slot corner route against man coverage before working back inside to the dig against zone drops.
Identify the coverage shell before the snap by counting safeties, one high safety usually means Cover 3 or Cover 1 which opens up the dig route in the honey hole. Watch the slot cornerback at the snap, if he opens his hips to run with the corner route in man coverage that confirms man beater potential and you should trust the corner route win. Key the flow of the middle linebacker after the snap, if he sinks hard into the deep middle zone that signals Cover 3 and the dig will have to sit down shorter than expected. Watch for a user controlled lurk defender crashing down on the dig route from depth, this is the most common way good competitive players shut this concept down so be ready to reset your eyes to the corner route or checkdown. Be alert for a nano blitz off the slot side pre-snap, since if the defense brings extra rushers from that alignment both routes can get disrupted by contact at the line before they develop.
Check the pre-snap alignment of the slot cornerback and safety before the snap, if the corner is playing tight man with no safety help over the top the corner route from the slot has a great chance to win deep. Use this play on second and medium to second and long when defenses are more willing to sit in zone shells, since the dig sits down perfectly in the soft spot of Cover 3 and Cover 4. If you see two high safeties pre-snap, prioritize the dig route read since the corner route will likely have a safety rotating over. Pair this play with Mtn Fork Dagger or Mtn Y-Corner Z-Choice in your play calling sequence to keep the defense guessing between deep in-cuts and vertical breaking routes off similar formations. Hot route the underneath checkdown to a quick out if you diagnose a blitz, since the dig and corner routes take time to develop and you need an outlet against pressure.