Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Hi Lo Dig is a trips-based passing concept out of Shotgun Y Off Trips Wk that stacks two dig routes at different depths on the backside while the trips side works a corner route to the flat and a deep vertical from the slot. The lone receiver to the closed side runs a deep comeback to hold the corner, and the RB releases into a shallow drag underneath the formation for a checkdown outlet. This is primarily a man beater since the dig-over-dig combo creates natural separation against man leverage, but it also stresses zone defenses that sit their backers in the intermediate hook areas. The primary read progression starts with the high dig from the slot, works down to the low dig underneath, and finishes with the RB drag as the safety valve.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check the depth of the safeties, a two high shell with soft corners is a green light for the high dig since the middle of the field is open. Watch the middle linebacker's alignment, if he is stacked over the ball he can wall off both digs, so look to the RB drag or the comeback route on the backside instead. Post-snap, key any user-controlled defender flowing to the shallow drag, that usually signals a lurk designed to jump the low dig, which means the high dig window stays open longer. Cover 3 with a hard-flowing curl to flat defender can undercut the low dig, so read the depth of that defender before committing to the throw. Against blitz looks, especially nano blitzes off the edge, get the ball out fast on the low dig or RB drag since the high dig takes too long to develop for a five step drop under pressure.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing single high or two high safeties since Hi Lo Dig thrives against single high man coverage where the digs can cross the field with clean picks. If you see press man on the trips side, hot route the outside vertical into a slant to speed up the throw and beat the jam. Use this on second and medium to second and long where the intermediate digs have room to sit down before the sticks. Pair this call with Dig Cross or Bounce Slot Cross earlier in a series to condition the defense to jump the shallow crossers, then hit the high dig behind them once linebackers start cheating up. Against zone shells, key the middle linebacker's drop, if he widens with the low dig, throw the high dig immediately behind him for a big chunk gain.
