---
slug: "dig-route"
title: Dig Route
depth_tier: entry
side: OFFENSE
category: Pass Game
source_id: "OFF-0052"
created: 2026-04-12
updated: 2026-04-19
canonical: https://learningfootball.xyz/terms/dig-route
---
# Dig Route

## Short Definition

An inside break at 90 degrees at 12 to 15 yards depth—targeting the void between linebacker drops and the deep safety coverage layer.

## Definition

The dig route runs vertically off the line to a depth of 12-15 yards then breaks sharply inside at 90 degrees, crossing from the sideline toward the middle of the field. It is the inside mirror of the out route—same vertical stem, same 90-degree break, opposite direction.

The dig attacks the intermediate middle between the flat zones and the deep safeties—the space that linebackers can't fully own in man and that zone defenses have difficulty closing on crossing routes. A receiver running the dig at 12-15 yards is above most linebacker drops and below deep safety coverage.

Against man coverage, the inside break creates crossing traffic when paired with routes from the other side of the formation. Defenders have to fight through each other's paths. Against zone, the dig settles in the void between two defenders' zone boundaries and gives the quarterback a precise timing window once the receiver's break is complete.

The dig requires a sharp break at the top—a decisive plant and pivot rather than a rounded turn, which gives the defender time to close. The throw is typically placed at the receiver's front shoulder as he crosses the formation, away from the trailing corner.

## Example

"Receiver drives to 14 yards—corner is in trail. At the break, the receiver snaps inside sharply. The corner can't redirect in time. The quarterback puts it on the front shoulder, receiver catches in stride. That's the dig working against trail man coverage."

## Common Confusion

Dig and crossing route are used interchangeably, but not every crossing route is a dig. A dig specifically breaks at 90 degrees from a vertical stem at 12-15 yards depth. A shallow cross or drag runs at 1-5 yards—entirely different timing and coverage target. The dig is a specific deeper pattern within the broader category of routes that cross the formation.

## Related

- out-route
- y-cross-air-raid
- shallow-air-raid
- mesh-air-raid
- drag-route
- separation

---
Source: https://learningfootball.xyz/terms/dig-route