Playbooks
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Corner Strike lines up out of Pistol Y Trips 11 personnel with a receiver motioning across the formation before the snap. Off the snap the trips side runs a corner and flat combo (corner route from the outside stack releasing to the boundary, with an out breaking receiver settling underneath) while the backside single receiver runs a deep over route sitting down against zone or working across the field on man coverage. The line shows a five man protection with a clean pocket, making this a play action free dropback pass built as a man beater that attacks the corner route against off coverage while the backside over gives a zone beater window against Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells. Primary read starts with the corner route on the trips side, then works to the backside crossing route if the corner is capped, before checking down to the underneath flat route.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap key the safety alignment, a single high safety signals man or Cover 3 which opens up the corner route, while two deep safeties suggest Cover 4 or Cover 2 where the corner may be capped by the deep half defender. Watch the cornerback over the trips side, if he presses at the line and turns his hips to run with the corner route before the ball is snapped that confirms man coverage and favors the quarterback throwing the corner route on time. Post-snap track the flat defender, if he sinks and widens with the corner route rather than staying low for the underneath route it opens a window for the shallow route. This play struggles against Cover 2 with a hard corner sitting on the flat and a safety rotating over the top to squeeze the corner route, so be ready to check down quickly if you see two deep safeties holding depth. Beware of user controlled defenders lurking in the intermediate middle of the field who can jump the backside over route if the quarterback holds the ball too long.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, if the defender follows the motion man across the formation you are getting man coverage and the corner route becomes a high value shot play. Look for single high safety alignments, this play stresses the deep outside corner of the field and works well against Cover 1 or Cover 3 where the corner defender has to respect both the flat and the corner route. Hot route the backside over into a deeper dig or comeback against Cover 4 to give yourself a more reliable zone beater window over the middle of the field. This play works best on second and long or third and medium situations where you need a chunk gain but still have a checkdown safety valve underneath. Pair this call with Four Verticals and Y Stick from the same Y Trips set to keep the defense guessing between vertical shots, quick game, and this intermediate corner concept without changing your formation tendencies.
