The basic idea of the Mills Concept is baiting the 2-high Safety into overplaying the Dig route to open up the middle of the field for the Post. To help set up Mills some coaches also run the Post route with a “Dino” stem, where the WR breaks to the corner before breaking back to the post.

“Mills” tests the eyes, discipline, and awareness of the circled 2-high Safety with the Dig route. If the Safety gets caught flat footed or driving downhill toward the Dig, the middle of the field is completely exposed. Note here when Manning releases the ball, the Safety has barely committed to the Dig, but it is still too late:

Mills can be run against a 1-high Safety look and may incorporate Play Action. Protection is the key, and play action helps the O-line. If the Defense is caught in Cover 4 quarters to the Mills side of the formation, it is a definite big play/Touchdown opportunity. The Mills Concept is also a great way to use an elite Wide Receiver as a decoy. Below, the 2014 Falcons run Mills with play action against the Bears, who have just rotated from a 2-deep Safety look to 1-high Cover 3:

Take specific note of the two circled defenders, the Mike Linebacker and the 1-high Safety. Julio Jones is lined up on the outside running the Post route. The deep safety is wholly aware of this and makes sure to play the Post to avoid a touchdown. This means the Linebacker must get depth in his drop to play the Dig route. However, the play action holds the Mike Linebacker, creating a void behind him and in front of the Safety:

If the 1-high Safety had his eyes in the backfield or tried to replace the void left by the biting Mike Linebacker, the ball would have likely gone over his head for a Touchdown to Julio Jones.

Mills can also take advantage of elite receivers as decoys from a 2-high look. Below, the  Colts run Mills against the Chiefs, who are in a 2-high Cover 4 look. Speedy Wideout T.Y. Hilton is in the slot running the Dig route:

As the play progresses, the circled 2-high Safety drives downhill with his eyes on T.Y. Hilton. The Safety is Man-keying on Hilton with his eyes the entire time. Note that multiple defenders key in on Hilton’s dig route and have it completely blanketed:

However, this leaves the middle of the field wide open for the Post route:

Finally, below is a look at the Mills Concept against a 1-high Safety look where the Linebackers do not bite on the play action. Julio Jones is able to create separation, but the concept is relatively well covered and requires a near perfect throw to complete:

Overall, Mills is a great way to attack Cover 4 and test a Safety’s eye discipline and awareness. Mills can also be successful against 1-high looks and be run with play action to draw up a Linebacker or Safety to create a zone void. Mills is a concept that can take advantage of a great wideout as a decoy to open up the field for other players.

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The focus throughout the play should be on the defenders circled in red: the Safety, Linebacker, and Nickelback. The Coverage is a unique pattern read coverage called 2-Blue Solo. I had originally though ‘Bama was playing Cover-5, but after further analysis of the Safeties, there is no doubt ‘Bama was in 2-Blue Solo. This coverage is somewhat like Cover 5 defense, which means 2 Safeties covering a “deep-half” of the field, and all underneath defenders playing man-to-man. The exceptions in 2-blue solo are subtle, but intricate: the two circled underneath defenders will “Pattern-Read.” This means they will play man to man, but will trade off men on certain route combinations. Here, #21 (the nickelback) will take any out-breaking routes, with the Linebacker taking anything inside. Based on Ole Miss’ route combo, the Nickelback should stay outside and the Linebacker should stay inside. Meanwhile the Safeties will play deep and mostly make it look like Cover 5 deep (1/2), but the Trips side (Strong Side) Safety will play “3-2”, meaning he will play a vertical route from the middle (#2) Receiver, while the 1 Receiver side Safety (Weak Side) Safety will play deep to wall off any vertical or deep cross from the inside, or #3 Wide Receiver. Below are the distinctions between basic Cover 5 and 2-blue solo:

Basic Cover 5

2-Blue Solo Intricacies

In 2-Blue Solo, the Strong Side (trips) Safety is playing deep with his eyes on the inside and middle Receivers, or “3-2” (Black lines). Meanwhile, the weak side Safety (1 WR side) is playing deep but walling off deep vertical routes in the space between the safeties from Trips side.

As you’ll see below, when the Ole Miss Wide Receivers run their Pivot/Dig combination, the ‘Bama defenders trade on the pattern read, with the Nickelback (#21) matching outside, and the Linebacker matching inside:

The problem for Alabama occurs when the Linebacker doesn’t peel off his pattern-read quickly enough and sink under the dig, making himself out of position too far to the outside. From the position he is in, the dig will come wide open. The inside WR on the trips side (pivot route) has done his job by drawing the Linebacker towards him and opening the window behind. This causes the Deep-Half safety from the Trips side to peek the dig and take a half step up towards it:

This half step towards the dig route proves fatal: The Deep Safety is caught out of position and gives the QB a throwing lane for the post over the top.  The Safety drives toward the dig as he is and is driving aggressively on routes from either the second or third WR.

This means the Man-to-Man Cornerback at the bottom of the screen will not have help over the top. In the end, the play comes down to a 1-on-1 matchup: Left completely on an island, he gets beat badly for a Touchdown on a Post, where the Wide Receiver gives a beautiful in-out-in move:

Here is the play with slow motion first, then standard speed, to see how the play unfolds with the Linebacker too far outside, the Safety cheating up, and the Cornerback getting beat:

While Alabama made mistakes on the play, give credit to Ole Miss: Great play design and selection by the coaching staff, and perfect execution by the Wide Receivers and a perfect throw by Bo Wallace. This play is another example of how Wide Receivers can affect plays without making the catch: The inside WR running the pivot route attracts the Linebacker toward him, opening the rest of the play. Finally, the play shows just how dangerous it can be to leave Cornerbacks on an island.

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