Playbooks

Mtn Spot HB Choice

Shotgun·Split Slot Open·20
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Quick Reference

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Breakdown

Mtn Spot HB Choice is a Spot concept out of Shotgun Split Slot Open that pairs the classic curl-flat-spot combo with a choice route out of the backfield, giving you both a man beater and zone beater in one call. The HB reads the leverage of the nearest linebacker on his choice route, sitting or breaking outside depending on coverage, while the underneath spot route from the slot occupies the flat defender and the corner route clears the deep third. Primary progression starts with the corner or deep out working the sideline, then works down to the spot sitting in the hole, and finishes with the HB choice as your built-in check down against blitz or man coverage.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing two high safeties or a single high shell since Cover 3 and Cover 4 will funnel your read to the spot route while Cover 2 opens up the corner route behind the flat defender. Watch the alignment of the linebacker over the HB, if he is walked up tight expect man coverage or a blitz look which makes the choice route the immediate answer. Post-snap, track the flat defender's drop, if he sinks too deep chasing the corner route the spot route will sit wide open in the void underneath. Beware disguised Cover 1 or Cover 0 blitzes with a lurking linebacker sitting in the HB's choice route lane, this is the primary defender that can jump the route and blow up your check down. This concept struggles against aggressive man press blitzes that take away the HB's clean release, so check protection or motion the HB to adjust his release angle if you see a nano blitz look pre-snap.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap motion or a slide protection check if you see extra defenders stacked near the line since this concept relies on the HB releasing clean for his choice route.

Against man coverage, key on the HB matchup: if a linebacker or slower defender is on him, prioritize the choice route immediately since it wins on speed and separation underneath.

Against zone coverage, especially Cover 3 or Cover 2, work the high to low progression starting at the corner route to hold the deep defender before coming down to the spot sitting underneath the flat defender.

This is a strong third and medium or third and short call since the spot and choice routes give you two reliable answers versus both zone drops and blitz pressure.

Pair this with Mtn Flood or Mtn HB Mid Screen earlier in a series to condition the defense to bite on flood concepts or screens, then hit them with the choice route out of the backfield when they overplay speed.

Other Plays in Split Slot Open