Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Shot Slot Poco lines up out of Shotgun Y Off Trips with a trips receiver bunch to the right and an isolated X to the left. The X runs a vertical clear-out up the sideline while the trips side features a post corner combo: the inside slot receiver breaks outside on a corner route to attack the flat and sideline, and the receiver stacked behind him crosses underneath into a post to attack the middle of the field vacated by the corner route. The backfield/underneath receiver runs a short out to the flat to hold linebackers, giving the quarterback a high low read against Cover 2 with the post corner combo as the primary progression and the flat route as the underneath checkdown.
Defensive Reads
Watch the deep safeties before the snap, since two high alignment tells the quarterback the post corner combo has a clean high low read on the cornerback. Post snap, key the flat defender or curl to flat linebacker, if he sinks with the corner route the post window opens up big for the quarterback. This play beats Cover 2 and Cover 3 zone shells because the post attacks the seam vacated by the corner route runner pulling the deep defender wide. Man coverage with a robber or lurking linebacker in the middle of the field can undercut the post route, so watch for a defender sitting in that throwing lane. Cover 4 quarters coverage with disciplined safeties can squeeze both the corner and post routes, so be ready to check down to the flat route if the deep windows are tight.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second and long or third and medium when you need to stress a two deep safety shell with a true post corner combo.
Presnap, identify if the safeties are showing Cover 2 or Cover 4, since the corner route is designed to sit in the void between the flat defender and the deep half safety.
If you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, hot route the post to continue vertically as a skinny post to beat a trailing defender instead of settling.
Pair this call with Deep Stick Out or Return Curls from the same set so the defense has to respect both flood concepts and post corner shots out of an identical formation look.
Take the flat route as a quick answer against soft zone drops or when the pass rush win rate off the edge is high, since it gets the ball out fast without needing the corner or post to fully develop.
