Playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Corner Under is a bunch based pass concept out of Shotgun Bunch X Nasty that stresses the deep outside third with a corner route while providing an underneath crosser to attack zone drops. Off the bunch alignment, the outside receiver runs a deep corner up the sideline, an inner receiver clears out on a deep dig style crosser working across the middle, and the third bunch receiver runs a flat/under route toward the boundary while the backside X releases vertically up the seam. This is a zone beater at heart since the corner and under combo attacks the flat/curl defender's conflict, but it also holds up against man coverage if the deep crosser can create separation off the bunch traffic. Primary read progression starts with the corner route to the flat defender's leverage, then works to the underneath crosser sitting in the void, with the backside vertical as a hot outlet against single high looks.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense is showing a two high or single high safety shell since a single high look tells you the corner route will have a defender rotating over the top late. Watch the flat and curl defenders in zone coverage, if they widen too far to take away the corner, the underneath crosser will sit wide open in the void behind them. Against man coverage, key the cornerback aligned over the bunch, if he is playing outside leverage the corner route can beat him up the sideline on a double move feel. Look for lurk defenders sitting in the middle of the field who can undercut the crossing route, this is the primary threat that shuts down the underneath option. This concept struggles against a well timed Cover 4 or press man with safety help over the top, since the corner route loses its window and the crosser has no room to operate.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second and long or third and medium when you need a defined high low read against zone coverage. Check the flat defender before the snap, if he is sitting at the line expecting to jump underneath routes, the corner route behind him becomes an easy pitch and catch. Hot route the backside X to a slant or drag if you diagnose man coverage pre-snap so you have a quick answer against blitz looks. Pair this play with Mtn Mesh Cross or Mtn China Cross in the same set to keep the defense guessing between deep outside shots and quick underneath answers out of the same bunch look. Against Cover 3, trust the corner route since the deep third defender has to respect the vertical release before turning to cover the sideline.
