Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Dragon Spacing out of Singleback Wing Tight U is a classic spacing concept designed to attack zone coverage with quick, high percentage throws. The diagram shows a deep dig or crossing route from the backside X breaking hard across the field, while the three receivers to the strong side run a horizontal stretch of hitch, spacing sit route, and corner breaking route to flood the underneath and intermediate zones. The HB releases out of the backfield on a flat route, giving the quarterback a five level stretch from flat to deep dig, making this a zone beater built to punish Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells by putting more receivers in a horizontal plane than defenders can cover.
Defensive Reads
Read the flat defender first since he has to choose between the HB flat route and the underneath sit route, creating a natural conflict in Cover 3. Watch the curl to flat defender's depth at the snap, if he sinks too deep the quick hitch route becomes an automatic completion. Check the deep third or deep quarter safety alignment before the snap, if he cheats toward the boundary the backside dig route has room to sit down in the void. Against Cover 4, key the flat corner and outside linebacker since the corner route stacked behind the sit route forces a vertical conflict. Be alert for user-controlled defenders sitting in the shallow crossing lane, since a disciplined lurker can jump the spacing route and force the quarterback to hold the ball longer.
Usage Tips
Use this play on third and short to third and medium since the spacing route and flat route give the quarterback easy access throws underneath sticks.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is playing zone or man by checking cornerback depth and linebacker spacing near the line of scrimmage.
Against Cover 3, work the deep dig route on the backside since the flat defender and curl defender cannot cover both the sit route and the corner route to that side.
If you see man coverage, hot route the spacing route to a slant or bench it for a play like PA U-Drag Wheel to attack man leverage instead.
Pair this play with HB Dive or HB Inside Zone in your play-calling sequence to keep linebackers honest and prevent them from sitting in underneath zones.
