Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 12 playbooks
Breakdown
Slants out of Shotgun Y Trips Wk sends the trips side into a stacked slant combo, with the outside receiver breaking underneath the inner slant runner to create natural rub separation against man coverage. The backside X runs a deep in breaking route across the field as a crossing element, while the TE releases into a shallow out to the flat. This is a man beater by design, using the pick action on the trips side to isolate the slot defender, with the crosser giving you a built in answer if the defense rotates into zone coverage on the trips call.
Defensive Reads
Watch the slot cornerback and nickel defender pre snap, if they are playing tight man technique the slant rub will win immediately once the ball is snapped. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is where this play hurts defenses most since there is no leverage to fight through the stack. Zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 2 with underneath linebackers sitting on the slant window can jump the route, so key linebacker depth before the snap to judge if they are sinking into passing lanes. If the defense shows a corner blitz or nano blitz off the trips side, the quick slant timing can still beat it, but watch for a lurking linebacker sliding over the middle. Robber coverage or a safety cheating down into the box will disrupt the crosser on the backside, so check for two high safeties rotating late as a sign the deep in route will not have a clean window.
Usage Tips
Attack the slant side against man coverage first, the natural rub from the stacked releases forces defenders to fight through traffic and creates an easy throwing window for your inside slant. Use this on early downs or third and short since the routes develop fast and give you a quick rhythm throw before pressure arrives. If you see two high safeties pre snap, prioritize the backside deep in route since it will find soft grass between the corner and safety rotation. Hot route the TE to a quick flat or seam if you diagnose a blitz, this gives you a checkdown outlet that beats nano blitzes off the edge. Pair this with Curls or Curls Combo from the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick slant window throws and deeper curl breaks against the same trips look.
