Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn Stick N Nod is a play-action-free dropback pass out of the Near Close Flex set with 21 personnel, built around the classic Stick concept on one side and a vertical clear-out on the other. Off the snap, the outside receiver on the near side runs a deep in cut across the field while the tight end mirrors a stick nod route underneath, sitting down and settling in the void created by the linebacker level. On the far side, the flanker takes a go route straight up the sideline to stretch the safety vertically while the backside receiver runs a deep comeback/dig toward the opposite sideline, and the running back releases into a short flat route to hold underneath defenders. The primary read progression starts with the stick nod against zone drops, moves to the deep comeback breaking away from coverage, and works to the flat as the checkdown against a hard blitz.
Defensive Reads
Identify single high safety alignment pre-snap since that tells you the deep comeback route has a soft spot to work against Cover 3 or Cover 1 Watch the flat defender post-snap, if he sinks with the stick nod route, the flat route to the running back opens up as a quick answer Key the boundary corner's depth at the snap, a corner playing off coverage signals zone drops that the deep comeback can exploit with a hard break User linebackers sitting in the intermediate window can jump the stick nod route, so be ready to climb the vertical clear-out route if the sit route is taken away Man coverage on the outside receivers, especially press-man on the vertical route, is the toughest look for this play since it removes the clear-out benefit and forces the quarterback into tighter throwing windows
Usage Tips
Check pre-snap for two deep safeties versus single high before deciding whether to attack the stick nod or push the ball to the vertical clear-out route
Against Cover 3 or Cover 4, prioritize the stick nod since the underneath defender has to choose between the flat and the sit route, creating a natural window
Hot route the running back to a check release if you see a nano blitz look, since the flat route is your answer against pressure and buys time for the deeper routes to develop
Use this play on second or third and medium situations where the defense is likely to sit in zone, since the deep comeback and stick nod both punish zone drops that widen with depth
Pair this with Mtn Stick or Curl Flat earlier in a series to condition the defense to jump the stick concept, then hit the deep comeback for an explosive gain once safeties start creeping up
