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Breakdown
U Drive Check out of Singleback Wing Slot 12 personnel shows a five man route concept built around the Drive combo. The two outside receivers stacked on the left run vertical stem routes that break upfield to clear the top of the defense, while the inside TE runs a drive route underneath breaking flat across the field at a shallow depth. The slot TE runs a deep dig across the middle at intermediate depth, and the wing back release out of the backfield on a short angle route to the flat as a checkdown. This is a play action or straight drop back pass concept (Cover 4 Beater tag) designed to attack four safety coverage shells, with the primary read starting on the dig crossing over the middle and working down to the drive/flat combo underneath if the window is closed.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap identify two high safeties, this alignment confirms the quarters or Cover 4 shell that this play is designed to exploit through the middle dig Watch the flow of the middle linebacker after the snap, if he sinks with the dig route instead of stepping up on the drive route underneath you have a clean throwing lane Man coverage with press corners can bracket the crossing dig route, so if you see man alignment pre-snap consider going to the checkdown flat route instead of forcing the middle read Cover 3 with a single high safety rolling over the top can close the window on the dig quickly, so identify single high looks pre-snap and be ready to check the play down to the flat or drive route Watch for blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge, since the drive route underneath and the wing flat route serve as quick outlets against pressure looks
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs when you expect a Cover 4 or quarters shell since it is specifically tagged as a Cover 4 Beater
Read the safeties pre-snap, if they are sitting deep at 10 to 12 yards with two high alignment the dig route will have a natural window to settle into
Hot route the backside vertical into a comeback or post if you see the corner playing off man to create an extra explosive shot play option
Pair this with PA Y-poco or PA Y Corner in your play calling sequence to keep the defense guessing between the intermediate crosser and a vertical shot off similar formation and personnel
Use the wing back flat route as your check down against blitz looks, especially versus nano blitzes where the underneath defenders are pulled away from the box
