Playbooks
Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.
| Player | Side | Route |
|---|---|---|
| HB1 | Right | Swing |
| SLWR | Left | Streak |
| WR1 | Left | Speed Out |
| WR2 | Right | Drag |
| TE1 | Right | Hitch |
Mtn Salem Drag is a quick-hitting man beater out of Shotgun Doubles Stack Clamp, built around a drag route crossing the field underneath deep clear-out routes from the stacked receivers. The drag serves as the primary read, sitting down in the shallow zone or working across the face of man defenders to create instant separation off the stack release, while the vertical routes from the stack occupy the safeties and clear space for the drag and any secondary in-cut. Blocking is standard pass protection with the back available as a check down or late leak release if the drag gets taken away.
Key the stack cornerbacks at the snap, if they trail in man across the drag's path you have a green light to hit the drag in stride for a chunk gain. Watch the middle linebacker depth before the snap, a linebacker sitting shallow in a hook zone can jump the drag route and force you to your check down. Identify if the defense shows a two high safety shell, since that usually softens underneath coverage and opens a bigger throwing window for the drag. Be alert for a user controlled defender flashing down into the shallow zone as a lurk threat, that is the number one way this play gets shut down. If the defense blitzes off the edge, the drag concept still gets the quarterback to a quick throw so use it as your answer against pressure looks, but watch for a spy or delayed blitzer sitting in the drag's lane.
Use this on early downs or third and short when you need a high percentage completion against man coverage looks. Check the stack alignment pre snap, if the corners are pressed on the stack receivers that is a strong indicator of man coverage and the drag will have room to work once it clears the trash. Hot route the drag deeper if you are facing off man to buy extra separation, and consider clicking the check down back as a hot route flat option to beat blitz looks. Pair this call with Mtn Fk Rub or Mtn Rub Smash on the following snap so defenses cannot sit on the drag concept after seeing it once. Best used on first or second down to keep the offense ahead of schedule, and avoid it on obvious shot plays since the concept is designed for a quick, safe gain rather than an explosive one.