Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Spot Dig out of Singleback Bunch is a classic Cover 3 beater built around the traditional Spot concept combined with a dig from the backside. From the bunch alignment, the outside receiver runs a corner route stretching the deep third, the middle bunch receiver runs the flat/spot route to hold the underneath defender, and the inside bunch receiver runs a hitch or hook route to sit in the void. The backside X receiver breaks off a deep dig across the middle, giving the quarterback a horizontal stretch read against zone and a crossing man beater option. The RB stays in to help protect while the offensive line executes a standard drop back pass protection, making the primary read progression flow from the dig to the spot underneath, then out to the corner route if the defense rotates away from the deep third.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap identify if the defense is playing a two high safety shell or single high, since Cover 3 with a sunk middle linebacker is the primary beater target for this concept. Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he sinks too deep chasing the corner route the underneath spot route becomes an easy completion. Key on the middle linebacker or nickel defender assigned to the dig route, if he flows with the pass or gets caught in traffic from the bunch rub the dig will be open for a big gain. User the deep third defender to the corner route side if you suspect the quarterback will throw off the initial spot read, since a delayed jump on that route can bait an interception. Beware of Cover 1 or Cover 0 blitz packages with a spy since the bunch alignment can create natural rubs but also clog passing lanes, making it easier for a spy or blitzer to disrupt the dig throwing window.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second and medium to third and long when you expect zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4 since the Spot concept is designed to exploit the flat to curl to corner triangle read.
Check the middle linebacker depth pre-snap, if he is sitting shallow in a Cover 3 zone drop the dig route will have a natural throwing lane behind him.
Hot route the flat runner into a quick out if you see a corner blitz or nano blitz coming off the edge to give your quarterback a fast, safe outlet.
Pair this play with Z Spot or Y Trail from the same bunch set to keep the defense guessing between spot concepts and dig or crossing concepts, forcing linebackers to widen their zone drops.
Against man coverage look immediately to the dig route since the natural rub from the bunch alignment creates immediate separation against tight man defenders.
