Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Salem Z-Shake is a Shotgun Bunch TE Str concept that motions a receiver across the formation before the snap to shift the bunch look and stress zone leverage. Off the snap, the outside receiver from the bunch runs a deep corner route stretching the sideline, the TE runs a shake route (in and out breaker) working the middle of the field against zone drops, and a third receiver runs a deep crossing route from the opposite side that clears underneath and occupies the deep half. The motion man releases into a shallow drag/flat route underneath, giving the quarterback a layered read from deep outside to intermediate middle to underneath flat. This is primarily a zone beater built to attack Cover 3 and Cover 4 shells with the shake route settling in the honey hole while the corner and cross stretch the deep zones vertically and horizontally.
Defensive Reads
Read the motion man at the snap, if a linebacker or defensive back trails him across the formation that confirms man coverage and the offense should attack with the shake route or corner for separation. Watch the deep safeties before the snap, two high safeties suggest Cover 2 or Cover 4 which can be exploited by the corner route working to the sideline behind the cornerback. Track the flat defender's reaction to the underneath drag route, if he sinks too far the quarterback will hit the shake route sitting in the void behind him. Man coverage with no safety help over the top is the biggest vulnerability, since the shake route creates natural separation with its change of direction against a trailing defender. This play struggles against disciplined Cover 3 zones with a deep middle safety, since that safety can rob the shake route if the linebackers get depth quickly, so watch for a robber technique from the middle of the field defender.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify if the defense is playing man or zone, if a defender follows the motion man across the formation it is likely man coverage and you should look to the shake route or corner route for a favorable matchup.
Against zone shells, prioritize the shake route from the TE since it settles into soft spots between linebacker and safety zones, this is your first read on early downs.
Use the deep corner route as a hole shot against Cover 3 when the flat defender bites on the underdrag, especially in second and long or third and long situations where defenses sit in zone.
Pair this play with Mtn Verts Shallow Cross or Mtn PA Cross X-Choice earlier in a series so the defense respects verticals, then come back to Z-Shake to hit the intermediate shake route once safeties start cheating up.
If you see a nano blitz or heavy pressure look pre-snap, get to the underneath drag or flat route quickly as a checkdown since the deep routes take time to develop against man coverage.
