Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Empty Mtn HB Swing is an empty backfield concept out of the Spread Dbl Flex Wk set that sends the outside receiver on a corner route and the slot receiver on a deep dig up the seam, while the HB releases from the backfield into a swing route underneath to the flat. There is no protection stay home, so it plays as a five wide progression read with the swing as the built in outlet against pressure or aggressive underneath coverage. It functions as a zone beater on the underside and a man beater on the two vertical breaking routes outside, with the primary read progression going swing first to hold linebackers, then working up to the dig, then the deep corner as the shot play.
Defensive Reads
Key the flat defender first: if a linebacker or slot corner sinks with the swing route immediately, the underneath option is covered and you should progress to the dig. Watch the middle linebacker depth at the snap, since a shallow drop signals zone coverage that opens a throwing lane for the dig route behind him. Identify the deep safety shell before the snap: a two high shell suggests the corner route will have help over the top, while a single high look opens the boundary for the corner against man coverage. Look for a slot blitz or nano pressure off the empty formation, since the HB swing serves as the answer against fast interior pressure when there is no back to chip. If the cornerback on the corner route sits at a hard outside shade with no safety help behind him, that route can be taken away, so bail to the swing or dig rather than forcing a contested throw.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs or third and short when defenses expect run or a quick throw, since the HB swing gives you a safe checkdown against blitz looks.
Check the middle of the field pre-snap: if you see a single high safety rotate late, the dig route sitting behind linebackers becomes your primary target.
Against man coverage, hot route the swing into a wheel if the defense shows Cover 0 or man blitz, since the HB can win big versus a linebacker in space.
Pair this play with Empty Mtn Y Cross or Mtn Cross Choice in the same set to keep the defense guessing between quick underneath routes and intermediate crossers out of the identical empty look.
If the defense sits soft in zone underneath, take the swing immediately for a controlled gain and live to play another down rather than forcing the corner route into a deep half safety.
