Playbooks

Breakdown

Mtn PA Y Corner is a play-action shot play out of Pistol Strong 21 personnel that uses jet motion across the formation to sell run action before the quarterback pulls and rolls into a play fake. Off the fake, the Y (tight end) releases vertically from the backfield area and breaks into a deep corner route towards the sideline, while the motion man stems into a deep vertical route on the opposite side and a shorter receiver runs an intermediate crossing route underneath from the boundary. The blocking is play-action protection with the offensive line selling run fits before sliding into pass pro, making this a man beater designed to attack single high or man coverage on the corner route with the deep vertical serving as a window shade to hold the safety. Primary read progression starts with the Y corner route working the flat to deep defender, then works back to the crossing route underneath if the corner is squeezed, with the vertical shot as a big play checkdown if the safety bites on run action.

Defensive Reads

Check the safety alignment before the snap, a single high safety cheating towards the strong side is a green light since the corner route can work behind him. Watch the cornerback over the Y at the snap, if he stays over the top in a deep third or deep half shell this becomes a tougher throw and you should progress to the crosser. Key the linebackers immediately after the play fake, aggressive downhill linebacker flow towards the run action confirms they bit and the underneath crosser will be wide open. Look for a user controlled defender sitting in a lurk position near the sideline flat, this is the primary threat to jump the corner route and bait a pick six. Cover 3 with a hard flat defender and Cover 4 quarters shells are the toughest defenses against this play since they keep numbers deep on both the corner and vertical routes.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion to confirm man versus zone before the snap, since defenders following the jet motion man across the formation is a clear man coverage tell.

Call this on early downs like first or second and short to medium yardage when defenses are more willing to bite on the run action and vacate the deep corner zone.

Hot route the underdneath crosser into a quick out if you see a linebacker sitting in the shallow zone to give yourself an outlet against zone drops.

Pair this play with HB Power, HB Off Tackle, or Mtn HB Zone earlier in a series so the play fake actually holds linebackers and the strong safety, opening up the Y corner route.

If the defense shows heavy blitz looks pre-snap, check into a quicker breaking play like Slants or Z Spot since the play-action rollout protection needs time to develop the corner route.