Playbooks
22 Sluggo Verts
Quick Reference
Breakdown
22 Sluggo Verts is a trips-based vertical shot play out of Shotgun Y Off Trips Wk. The backside X runs a sluggo (slant and go) up the boundary while the two outside trips receivers push vertical seams and the boundary flat receiver runs a shallow drag underneath to hold linebackers. The primary read starts with the sluggo against man coverage for the big play, then progresses to the trips-side vertical seams if the safety jumps the outside route, making this a true man and Cover 3 beater designed to stretch the field on all three levels.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the safety over the sluggo side is shaded outside or has depth to help over the top, that tells you if the go route is live. Watch for a single high safety rotating late, this signals Cover 3 and opens up both the sluggo and the trips seams simultaneously. Key the flat defender on the trips side, if he sinks with the seam routes instead of widening, the shallow drag becomes wide open in the void. Beware disguised Cover 2 shells where the corner sits on the sluggo's break and the safety stays deep, this can bait a pick if you force the throw. Look for user-controlled defenders lurking in the middle of the field, they can undercut the drag route or jump an inside seam if the quarterback stares it down too long.
Usage Tips
Check the cornerback depth on the backside X before the snap, if he is playing tight man with no safety help over the top the sluggo will win outright.
Use motion or a hard count to identify single high versus two high shells, this play is deadly against single high Cover 3 and Cover 1 looks.
Hot route the shallow drag into a hook if you see zone drop linebackers sitting underneath, this keeps him alive as a checkdown against soft coverage.
Pair this with Bounce Slot Cross or Quick Unders earlier in a series so the defense respects the short game, then hit the sluggo when they jump the underneath routes.
Best called on second and long or third and long when defenses are more likely to sit in Cover 3 zone drops, giving the vertical seams room to work against slower linebacker drops.
