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Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
Mtn Y-Flood out of Shotgun Split Close runs a vertical flood concept to the strong side while a receiver on the backside runs a deep dig style corner cut across the field. The Y (tight end) releases outside and climbs the sideline vertically, another receiver runs an out and up from the flat, and the backside receiver breaks inward on a deep crossing route to occupy the middle of the field, with the HB running a checkdown flat route underneath. This is a classic Cover 3 beater built to flood one side of the field with three levels of routes, forcing the deep third defender to choose between the corner route and the vertical seam while the flat defender gets stretched horizontally.
Defensive Reads
Read the deep safety alignment before the snap, since single high shells are vulnerable to the three level flood on the strong side. Watch the flat defender after the snap, if he sinks deep to cover the corner route the underneath flat route will be wide open. Beware of Cover 3 cloud or Cover 4 looks where the corner sits on the flood side, since that can take away both the vertical and out and up routes. Man coverage with no help over the top gets exposed by the crossing route on the backside, so check for man alignment on the receiver running the deep dig. User controlled linebackers who lurk in the middle of the field can jump the backside crosser, so account for that threat when reading the play post-snap.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion to identify if the defense shifts to man or stays static, since this play has a built in motion tag that can expose man coverage rotations.
Look for single high safety shells before the snap, since the deep flood routes on the strong side are designed to overload one half of the field against Cover 3.
If the corner jumps the flat route, hit the vertical route up the sideline for an explosive gain, especially in second and long or third and long situations.
Pair this with Mtn Y-fork or Dig Y-out in the same set to keep defenders guessing between flood concepts and dig concepts out of the same formation and personnel look.
Use the HB flat route as your emergency checkdown against pressure looks or when the deep routes are covered by a robber or lurking linebacker.
