Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Slot 2 Buc is a play-action flood concept out of Shotgun Y Off Trips with 11 personnel. Off the play fake, the backside X runs a deep out while the trips side stacks a corner route, a deep go, and an underneath curl from the slot, creating a high low stretch on the boundary corner and flooding one side of the field vertically and horizontally. The primary read progression starts with the deep corner route against Cover 3 or Cover 4, works down to the curl sitting in the void, and checks the backside out as a shorter option if the safety rotates over the top.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap, identify the safety alignment: two high shells invite the corner route since the deep defender has help underneath and shouldn't be alone against the flood. Check the flat and curl defender depth before the snap, a linebacker sitting too shallow leaves the curl route wide open in the intermediate zone. Post snap, key the play side corner's reaction to the go route, if he bails deep the curl and out combo will be uncontested underneath. Watch for a user lurk defender sitting in the passing lane between the corner and curl routes, that is the biggest post snap threat to this concept. This play struggles against aggressive Cover 3 sky with a fast rotating safety jumping the flood side, and it gets shut down by blitzes that beat the play fake before routes develop.
Usage Tips
Use this play on 2nd or 3rd and medium when you need a explosive shot play but still want a checkdown built in.
Look for single high safety looks pre snap since the corner and go combo overloads Cover 3 zones and single deep defenders.
If the corner has outside leverage pre snap, hot route the go route to a slant or hitch to create an instant man beater against press.
Pair this with Curls or Stick from the same set so the defense cannot sit on the flood concept, then hit them with the vertical shot once they start jumping the underneath routes.
Take the play action fake seriously with the stick and rip technique on defenders crashing down, since a blown fake against edge pressure kills the deep routes before they develop.
