Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Quick Unders is a trips-based quick game concept out of Shotgun Y Off Trio Wk that attacks underneath zones with a fast timing rhythm. The trips side runs a shallow drag from the outside receiver that sits underneath while the slot receiver breaks off a deep out cutting toward the sideline, and the inline TE from the trips bunch pushes vertical up the seam. On the backside, the lone receiver runs a quick out that flattens toward the sideline, while the HB releases out of the backfield on a swinging wheel route up the boundary as a checkdown or man beater against a linebacker in coverage. The primary read starts with the shallow drag underneath, progresses to the backside out route for a quick access throw, and works up to the seam and wheel routes if the underneath zones flood.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and corner alignment on the trips side, since soft corners playing off coverage signal zone drops that this play is designed to exploit underneath. Watch the flat defender on the backside, if he widens with the out route too aggressively it opens a throwing lane behind him for the drag route crossing the field. Post-snap, identify any user controlled defender sitting in the shallow zone or lurking in the drag window, since a smart user can jump the underneath route and bait a turnover. Key the linebacker assigned to the HB out of the backfield, if he carries the wheel route vertically in man coverage it confirms man beater potential, if he sinks into a zone drop instead it signals a zone shell that favors the shallow drag and out routes. Against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells, the deep out from the slot receiver is the most vulnerable route since it sits right in the flat defender's zone drop, so expect this to be the first route taken away by disciplined zone defenses.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs or third and short when you need a high percentage completion against soft zone shells.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing Cover 2 or Cover 3, since the deep out from the slot and the flat route on the backside both sit in the classic zone beater windows underneath a two deep or three deep shell.
If the defense shows man coverage with a linebacker matched on the HB, immediately key the wheel route since it creates a natural pick off the trips concept and wins over the top.
Hot route the backside receiver into a quick slant if you see press man on that side to speed up the timing and beat the jam.
Pair this play with Slants or Stick from the same formation to keep the defense honest on quick game reads, then mix in Deep In or PA Post Dig Shot as a change up once the defense starts jumping the short routes.
