Playbooks

Mtn RPO Read Bubble

Shotgun·Doubles Off Close Wk·11
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Quick Reference

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Breakdown

Mtn RPO Read Bubble is a run pass option built off the Mountain (Mtn) inside run action out of Shotgun Doubles Off Close Wk, giving the quarterback a true give or throw decision at the mesh point. The backside bubble screen serves as the pass alert while the frontside run action stresses the box, so the QB is reading the second level defender (usually a linebacker or slot defender flowing to the alley) to decide between handing off or pulling and firing the bubble. This is a zone beater at its core since it punishes light boxes and soft flowed linebackers, though it can still work against man coverage if the slot defender bites hard on the run fake.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high shells, since a two high shell often means lighter boxes and favors pulling for the bubble against soft flowed defenders. Look at the slot cornerback or nickel defender's alignment, if he is playing deep outside leverage with no underneath help, the bubble throw has a bigger window. Post-snap, watch for a linebacker or safety sitting flat footed reading the mesh point, that hesitation is the green light to throw since he is not fast enough to close on the bubble. This concept struggles against fast flow defenses with disciplined edge defenders who stay home on the perimeter, since they can squeeze both the run lane and the bubble throw simultaneously. Beware of user controlled defenders spying the mesh point or sim blitzes with an overhang defender crashing the bubble, that alignment kills the pass option and forces you into the run fit.

Usage Tips

Check the box count before the snap and if the defense shows six or more in the box, lean toward pulling and throwing the bubble immediately instead of testing the run fit.

Key the flow of the second level defender closest to the bubble side, if he crashes down on the run action, get the ball out on the bubble before he can redirect.

Use this play early in a series on first or second and short to medium yardage to keep the defense honest and set up the Mtn RPO Peek Slant or Mtn RPO Alert Bubble as complementary calls later in the drive.

Against aggressive user blitzers who key the mesh point, consider hot routing the bubble receiver into a quick out to counter defenders who jump the screen route.

Pair this call with Mtn Buck Sweep or Inside Zone in your play-calling sequence so the defense cannot sit on the RPO read and is forced to respect true gap runs as well.

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