U Drive Check

Pre-snap, identify whether the safeties are showing two high shells since this concept is built specifically to punish Cover 4 with the deep outside vertical stress. Watch the flat defender at the snap because if he sinks with the drive route instead of staying on the flat route, the underneath crosser becomes an easy user pick for a linebacker sitting in a hook zone. Key the slot cornerback or nickel defender on the drive route crossing pattern since aggressive man match technique will get beat by the natural rub created from the stacked vertical routes. Against man coverage, watch for a user controlled linebacker or safety lurking underneath the drive route trying to jump the crosser, which can bait the quarterback into a costly turnover. This play struggles against a disciplined Cover 2 or Cover 3 sink because the deep corner route runs directly into the safety help, so if you see a single high safety rotate late or a defender sink into that deep quarter, check down to the flat route immediately.