Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Divide Y Hitch aligns out of Shotgun Y Trips Wk with three receivers to the trips side and a single receiver isolated backside. The lone backside X runs a deep vertical to stretch the corner and safety, the trips side stacks a shallow drag underneath from the inside slot, a quick hitch from the outside receiver at the sticks, and the Y (TE) working a vertical seam up the middle, while the running back releases into a checkdown flare out of the backfield. This is a zone beater built to attack soft spots underneath and behind linebackers, with the primary read starting on the Y seam if the safety bites on the flare or hitch, then working down to the trips hitch and drag as the checkdown valve.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and spacing, if both safeties are shaded to the trips side the backside vertical is your window against single high or man coverage. Key the middle linebacker at the snap, if he sits in the seam and does not widen with the Y route the throwing lane closes and you should reset to the trips hitch or drag. Watch for a user controlled defender dropping into a lurk spot in the shallow zone, that is designed to jump the drag route so have the hitch or flare ready as the outlet. Look for corner press alignment on the backside X, aggressive press man with no safety help is where this play gets exposed for a big vertical shot. Recognize zone blitz disguises where a linebacker drops into the seam vacated by a rushing defensive back, this eliminates the Y read and forces the quick game underneath to the hitch and flare.
Usage Tips
Use this on second and medium or third and short since the hitch and drag give you built in conversion routes underneath zone drops.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high safeties, this play thrives against zone shells since the hitch and drag settle into soft spots created by linebacker drops.
If you see man coverage with no safety help over the top, hot route the backside vertical into a slant or option route to give your X a quicker separation win against a trailing corner.
Combine this with Curls X Go or Fl Dig from the same set to keep the defense guessing between vertical shots and underdrag concepts, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their zone drops.
Watch the flare control on the running back, if the defense sends a nano blitz off the edge the flare becomes an instant answer against overload pressure looks.
