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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Return Curls out of Shotgun Y Off Trips lines up trips to the right with a single receiver isolated left, then motions that isolated receiver across the formation before the snap. Post snap the outside receiver runs a vertical curl at the numbers, the TE breaks off his release into a curl in the middle of the field, and the trips receiver at the top runs a deep vertical stem to hold the safety while a shallow drag crosses underneath from the trips side. This is a zone beater built to sit routes down in the soft spots of a curl-flat or 2-3 zone shell, with the primary read starting on the TE curl in the middle of the field before working to the outside curl and checking down to the underneath drag against a hard closing zone.
Defensive Reads
Watch the deep safety alignment before the snap, a single high safety often signals Cover 3 or Cover 1, both of which struggle to cover the TE curl sitting underneath the deep zone drop. Track the motion defender closely, if he mirrors the receiver across the formation you are facing man coverage and the curls will get squeezed, so be ready to check into a man beater instead. Key the underneath linebackers immediately after the snap, a hard curl-to-flat zone drop can jump the outside curl route, opening the shallow drag or the TE curl behind him. Beware disguised zone blitzes that show two high safeties then rotate one down, since the extra underneath rusher can shrink the throwing window on the TE curl before it fully develops. Cover 2 shells with aggressive corners jumping short routes are the toughest matchup for this concept, in that look prioritize the vertical stem draw on the trips receiver to open the deep half instead of forcing the curls.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone, if the defender follows the motion man across the formation you know you are getting man coverage and should look elsewhere in this set for a true man beater like Deep Stick or Slants.
Against zone shells, let your quarterback go through the timing progression, hit the TE curl first since it sits down right in the linebacker's throwing lane before the safety can rotate over.
This play shines on second and medium to third and short since the curls settle at a distance that consistently converts, do not force it on third and long when defenses sit deeper zones.
Pair Return Curls with Four Verticals or PA Y Flood out of the same Y Off Trips look so that the vertical stem from the trips receiver on this play sells the same shell and keeps the safety honest on later calls.
If the user drops a defender into the shallow drag lane, reset your eyes to the outside curl for a quick, safe completion rather than forcing the ball into a covered window.
