Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn HB Seam is a bunch formation seam concept run from Shotgun Bunch Str Nasty, using a jet motion sweep across the backfield to help identify man versus zone coverage before the snap. The bunch releases into a deep seam route up the middle from the inside receiver, flanked by two corner routes breaking outside from the two outer bunch receivers, while the running back runs a shallow drag underneath from the backfield after the fake handoff look. This is a man beater built to attack single high safeties, with the primary read progression starting on the seam route through the middle of the field, working to the corner routes on either side if the safety rotates over the top, and checking down to the HB drag as the outlet against tight coverage or a fast blitz.
Defensive Reads
Check the safety alignment before the snap, a single high safety who bites on the jet motion opens up the seam route for an explosive gain over the middle. Watch for cornerback press versus off alignment on the bunch, tight press man on the outside receivers signals the corner routes will win quickly against grabby coverage. Post snap, track linebacker depth in the middle of the field, shallow linebackers who sink into the seam lane will force a checkdown to the HB drag. This concept struggles against two high safety shells like Cover 2 or Cover 4 since the seam route has no room to work between the safeties and underneath zone defenders. Look for a user-controlled lurk defender sitting in the middle of the field, if he stays home on the seam route immediately progress to the corner routes on either side.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap jet motion to bait linebackers and safeties into showing their run fits, which reveals man or zone coverage before the ball is even snapped.
This play works best on second and medium to third and long since the seam route needs a few extra beats to develop against off coverage or split safeties.
If you see a single high safety cheat toward the seam route, hot route one of the corner routes into a quick out to beat man coverage on the boundary defender.
Pair this play with Mtn Curls or Mtn Trail Fork in your play-calling sequence to keep linebackers honest on seam versus shorter combo routes out of the same bunch look.
Against aggressive user blitzes, get the ball out fast to the HB drag since the seam and corner routes take too long to develop against a hot rush.
