Playbooks
Mtn HB Toss is a perimeter run play out of Shotgun Split Pro Near that tosses the ball to the halfback and asks him to get outside the tackle box before the edge defenders can squeeze the play. The offensive line and fullback pull and climb to lead block, with the primary read being the edge defender and the flowing linebacker: if the edge sets hard, the back plants and cuts up inside the lead blocker's path, and if the edge crashes down, the back bounces it outside for the alley. This is a base run concept, not a play-action or RPO, designed to attack light boxes and outrun overpursuing defenses.
Watch the play side defensive end pre-snap: if he is lined up wide or crashing down hard on early downs, expect the toss to bounce outside him. Key the flowing linebacker's pursuit angle post-snap, since overaggressive linebackers who flow too fast to the sideline open up the cutback lane inside the lead blocker. User the strong safety or nickel defender down into the alley immediately after the snap to close the edge before the fullback can climb, this is the single biggest counter to toss concepts. Beware of scrape exchange or edge defenders who sit and wait for the pull, since disciplined edge players can blow this play up by staying home instead of crashing. If the defense shows a stacked box with extra defenders inside 5 yards, abandon the read and check to a play like Inside Zone or Read Option that punishes light edges instead.
Check the box count before the snap and only call this against six or fewer defenders in the box since toss concepts die against stacked fronts.
Look for defenses that widen their defensive ends or play aggressive 3-4 fronts, since the extra lead blocker can turn the corner before the edge sets.
Use the right stick to manually steer your fullback into the first threat off the edge instead of trusting the CPU block, especially against quick-flowing linebackers.
Pair this with Mtn Counter and Mtn PA Fk Toss from the same set so the defense has to respect both the true toss action and the counter misdirection off the same jersey motion.
Best called on early downs (1st and 10, 2nd and short) when defenses are still base and have not started keying toss action out of this personnel.
If the defense has shown heavy blitz or edge pressure tendencies, hold off since the ball carrier needs time to develop width and a free rusher kills this concept immediately.