Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn PA Slide is a play-action pass out of Shotgun Ace 12 personnel that shows a fake handoff at the mesh point before the QB works a three level stretch to one side. Post snap, the flanker runs a deep corner/go route up the sideline, the TE breaks off a deep dig that settles across the middle, and the HB slides into the flat off play-action for a checkdown outlet, all while the line and remaining TE hold up protection. The read progression starts with the corner shot up top, works down to the dig sitting behind linebackers, and finishes with the HB slide as the safety valve, making this a zone beater designed to attack cover 3 and cover 4 shells that vacate the intermediate middle.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and alignment since two deep safeties shaded to the play side signal the corner route will be doubled and you should sit on the dig instead. Watch linebacker depth at the snap, because if they bite hard on the play-action fake the underneath dig and HB slide both open up immediately behind them. Post-snap, key any user-controlled defender dropping into a deep third or hook zone, as that player determines whether the dig sits in a soft spot or gets jumped. Identify blitz packages that send extra rushers off the edge, since the HB slide becomes the immediate answer against pressure looks that leave the flat uncovered. This concept struggles against disciplined cover 3 sky or cover 4 quarters shells where the corner route gets bracketed and the dig has a robber defender sitting underneath.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion to identify if the defense is playing man or zone before the snap, since the HB slide route will get picked up quickly by man defenders but sits wide open in zone coverage voids. Look for two high safeties rotating hard to one side, which tells you the corner route on the go is likely single covered and worth trusting on early downs. This play hits best on 2nd and medium to 3rd and long when defenses drop into zone shells expecting a longer developing play-action concept. Hot route the dig to a deeper crosser if you see cover 2 sinking underneath, since the natural window can get clogged by a hard flat defender. Pair this with Mtn RPO Alert Y Flat or Inside Zone earlier in a series so the play-action fake actually holds linebackers, then come back to Mtn PA Slide once they start cheating up on run action.
