Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn Fk Screen Wheel out of Shotgun Spread Y-Flex is a play-action screen concept with a wheel route attached to punish overaggressive pass rush and man coverage. Two vertical routes stem up the left side to clear out underneath defenders and hold the deep safeties, while on the right side the flanker fakes a screen block then releases upfield on a wheel route after a shallow motion man clears the flat underneath him. The primary read is the wheel route out of the screen action first, since it exploits linebackers and slot corners who bite on the screen fake, then progress to the two vertical routes on the left if the wheel is covered or the defense sniffs out the screen.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is in man coverage with a corner or safety aligned tight on the flanker, since that alignment is the biggest indicator the wheel route will win. Watch linebacker depth and flow, if they crash hard toward the screen action side post-snap, they are opening a passing lane for the wheel to climb vertically untouched. User a linebacker or slot defender and spy the flanker's release instead of biting on the screen fake, this is the single best way to shut down the wheel. Zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4 with disciplined deep defenders sitting on verticals will take away both the wheel and the two left side routes, forcing a checkdown. Look for a lurking safety over the top on the wheel side, if he stays deep and does not bite on run or screen action, the quarterback's first read is dead and the play collapses into a low percentage throw.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or third and short when the defense expects run or a quick screen, since the play-action fake and screen disguise sell hardest with run tendencies established. Pre-snap, check for man coverage or a defender shaded low on the flanker, that is your green light for the wheel to hit big. If the defense shows a heavy blitz look with linebackers crashing downhill, the wheel route naturally beats the vacated coverage behind them. Hot route the two left side verticals into comebacks or sit routes against zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4 to give your quarterback an easier underneath completion if the wheel is capped. Pair this call with Mtn FL Screen and Mtn HB Cross Screen earlier in a series so defenders start keying screen action and box down, setting up the wheel to break wide open on this exact rep.
