Playbooks
Mtn Inside Zone Split is a heavy personnel run play out of Shotgun that uses pre-snap motion to shift numbers at the point of attack before the snap. The offensive line and fullback (23 personnel) execute a zone blocking scheme, sealing double team combo blocks at the point of attack and climbing to the second level to wall off linebackers. This is a run play, not a play-action or RPO, and the primary read progression is backside to frontside: the ball carrier presses the mesh point, reads the play side double team and combo blocks, then decides to bang it inside, bend it to the cutback lane, or bounce it outside based on how the second level flows.
Watch the alignment of the defensive line pre-snap, if you see a shaded nose or 3 technique overloading the play side the double team may not seal cleanly, so be ready to cut back Track linebacker depth before the snap, stacked or downhill linebackers signal run blitz intent and you should be ready to bend the run away from that flow Identify the safety rotation after motion, if a safety creeps into the box you are likely facing man coverage or a run blitz look, if safeties stay deep and level you are seeing a zone shell that should respect the cutback lane Post-snap, key the play side defensive end and linebacker fits, if they get washed down by the zone combo blocks the cutback lane opens for a explosive gain This play struggles against disciplined zone defenses that stay square and read the mesh point, and it can get stuffed by a well timed A gap blitz that beats the center to the point of attack before the double team locks on
Use the motion to identify man versus zone coverage before the snap, if the defender assigned to the motion man follows across the formation you are facing man coverage and can expect fewer extra bodies in the box
Call this out of 23 personnel on early downs like first and ten or second and short to keep defenses honest and force base personnel to stay on the field
If the defense shows a heavy box with linebackers crashing downhill, hot route the fullback or slot to a quick flare or seal block to counter overpursuit
Pair this with Mtn HB Dive and Mtn Counter in the same drive to keep the front guessing between inside zone, dive, and counter action, all from the same personnel and formation look
Against aggressive edge defenders who key the zone flow fast, mix in Mtn PA Slide off this same look to hit play-action shots when the safeties bite on the run fake