Playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Flood H-Wheel is a Cover 3 beater out of Shotgun Spread Dbl Flex that stacks a three level flood concept to the boundary side while running a wheel route from the backfield to the sideline. The single receiver runs a deep dig across the field while the two receivers on the strong side clear out with a corner route and a deep out, and the H-back releases from the backfield on a wheel that climbs vertically up the sideline once he clears the underneath traffic. There is no visible run blocking action shown, this is a straight drop back pass concept, and the primary read progression starts with the wheel route against man coverage leakage before working back to the deep out and dig against zone drops.
Defensive Reads
Key the flat defender or slot cornerback at the snap, if they widen with the H-back on the wheel that confirms man coverage and the wheel is live. Watch the deep safety rotation, a true Cover 3 shell with one deep defender leaves the flood side vulnerable to the deep out and corner combo. Diagnose linebacker depth before the snap, shallow linebackers who spy the backfield can jump the wheel route and undercut it for a turnover. Look for a user controlled defender sitting in the flat as a lurk threat, that player can rob the deep out route or trail the wheel if the AI does not carry it. Cover 2 with two deep safeties can squeeze the corner route and flood window, forcing the quarterback to check down to the dig or eat the pressure.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second and long or third and medium when you expect single high zone coverage rather than press man across the board.
Check pre-snap for a Cover 3 shell with the deep safety centered, that alignment opens up the flood side because the corner has to choose between the out and the corner route.
If the defense shows man coverage with the flat defender crashing down on the wheel route, throw it early before the linebacker can carry the wheel up the sideline.
Pair this with Mtn DBL Slants Wheel or Mtn Fk Swing Wheel in the same drive to condition the defense to bite on shallow routes, then hit the wheel for explosive yardage.
Motion the H-back before the snap to get a clean pre-snap read on whether the defense is playing man or matching in zone.
