Nub TE Trips Stress Route for Cover 3 Coverage

The '17 Raiders are in 12 personnel trips with a nub TE weak following the motion.

The concept is a 4 strong load route distribution. The coverage in the example is a 4 under 3 deep zone drop cover 3. There are two C-F droppers and two Hook droppers.

With the Will LB dropping to the weak C-F drop the Corner should be able to get depth to deny the Y on the cross to the weak side. The issue is the release of the U. The Corner is threatened by the initial width vertical release. The Corner cannot allow the U to attack vertically and outside in his 1/3. By gaining width to keep leverage on the route the Corner is taken further from the Y's route. 

The stress falls on the weak hook dropping ILB to handle the Y running across. Many spot drop zone cover 3 concepts don't ask the hook dropper to carry 3. The expectation is the Corner will be deep in the 1/3 waiting for the route to arrive from the strong side and the Post Safety will be in the MOF, the Hook dropper's help carrying vertical routes isn't needed. The U's release/route make the Corner's ability to cover the route in his 1/3 more difficult.

For the teams that want to play a flood cover 3 concept using man principles on the weak side to allow the coverage to flood the strong side there are still issues.

For some flood concept teams they would have the Will handle 4/1st crosser. With 4 (RB) releasing strong the LB can look up the crosser and roll back with the Y.

For other flood teams using the Mike as a 3 up is 3 player, they won't push him off his roll back with the Y. In this case the Will works strong with 4's release and replaces the Mike.

In either case the coverage is better vs. the Y's route. There isn't the same expectation of the Corner being deep in the zone requiring a low player to roll back with the route. 

The issue for flood coverage is still the U's route. The Corner is isolated on the U. It is easy to say the Corner has to be able to man cover a TE. Where the challenge is created is the space. The Corner is again attempting to leverage the U into a huge amount of vertical and horizontal space. The Corner has to position to deny the vertical and outside breaks off the initial release of the U because there is no coverage help in those areas. The Corner's position works against him when the U works back in to all the open space created inside by the low defenders flooding the coverage strong. The Corner is the better athlete but is forced into a disadvantaged position. 

The route is nice concept to stress common Cover 3 variants and a good design from the Raiders. This is route to work on in pre-season when coaching up stress routes vs. Cover 3 family coverages.