Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn Cross Choice is a man beating crosser concept out of Shotgun 11 personnel that uses pre-snap motion to help identify man versus zone before the ball is even snapped. The core design pairs a choice/option route with a deep crosser working the middle of the field, giving the quarterback a horizontal stretch read against linebackers and safeties. Primary progression starts with the choice route receiver reading his defender's leverage, then works to the crosser sitting behind linebackers or splitting zone windows underneath, and finally checks down if both are covered.
Defensive Reads
Watch the linebacker assigned to the motion man pre-snap, if he mirrors across the formation you are facing man coverage and the choice route should win on a quick out or slant conversion. Identify single high versus two high safety shells before the snap, single high often means Cover 3 or man with a robber which favors sitting the crosser under the deep defenders. Post-snap, key any user controlled linebacker or safety sitting in a lurk position over the crosser route, this is the primary defender trying to jump the throw. If you see Cover 2 or Tampa 2 zone drops with linebackers retreating quickly, expect the crosser window to shrink fast and lean on the choice route sideline conversion instead. Blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge will often leave the crosser wide open against man coverage underneath, so climb the pocket and deliver on time before the rush closes.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to bait linebackers into showing man coverage, if the defender follows across the formation you have a green light to attack the choice route immediately.
Hot route the crosser to sit down against zone heavy defenses like Tampa 2 or Cover 3, since a soft settle in the honey hole punishes zone drops.
This play shines on second and medium to third and short because the choice route conversion gives the quarterback a safe underneath option if the crosser is taken away.
Pair this call with Mtn PA Cross Choice and Mtn Smash in your play sequence, running the play action version once the defense starts jumping the crosser to keep linebackers honest.
Against aggressive blitz teams, get the ball out on rhythm to the choice route since the option receiver can convert his route based on leverage without needing a big protection window.
