Playbooks
Mtn Fk Toss Verticals
Breakdown
Mtn Fk Toss Verticals is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun Bunch Str Offset that sells a toss run to the flat before pushing four vertical routes downfield. Pre-snap motion and the fake toss action hold the linebackers and safeties for a beat while the bunch releases into a four verts concept, with the outside receiver and both bunch receivers stemming into vertical stems and one inside receiver breaking outward on a deep crossing route. The blocking is toss action to the flat which turns into a check release, and the primary read progression works outside in: start with the boundary vertical for a Cover 2 seam shot, then work to the crossing route versus Cover 3 rotation, and come back to the field-side verticals if the middle of the field opens up.
Defensive Reads
Read the safety depth before the snap, since two deep safeties sitting at ten to twelve yards signals Cover 2 and tells you to attack the seams rather than throw into the deep middle. Watch the linebackers at the snap to see if they bite on the fake toss, because a full linebacker crash toward the run action opens up easy throwing lanes on the vertical stems behind them. Identify any defender who mirrors the pre-snap motion receiver, which confirms man coverage and means the deep crossing route should win versus a trailing defender. Look for a single high safety rotating late, which signals Cover 3 and means the sideline verticals will be more contested while the deep crosser or the opposite hash vertical becomes the better target. This play is vulnerable to a user-controlled robber or lurk defender sitting in the intermediate middle of the field, so avoid staring down the crossing route if you see a user drop into that throwing window, and be wary of overload blitzes that beat the toss fake and get home before the verticals develop.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion across the formation to identify if the defense is playing man or zone before the snap, since a defender running with the motion man confirms man coverage and tells you to hunt the deep crosser as your man beater. Sell the play action toss hard by holding the right stick or manually pump toward the flat to freeze linebackers and second level defenders before releasing into your vertical progression. Against Cover 2 shells target the seams between the corner and safety, since the four verts stems are designed to split the deep half defenders and stress the safeties. Pair this play with Mtn Lead Toss and Fk Toss Slide earlier in a drive to condition the defense to respect the run action, then dial up Mtn Fk Toss Verticals on second or third and medium to catch linebackers stepping up. Use this on shot plays in two minute drill situations or when you need an explosive gain, since it is designed to attack both Cover 2 and Cover 3 shells over the top rather than sustain a long drive with short completions.
