Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Sluggo Replace lines up in Shotgun out of Spread Y-Flex personnel and uses a pre-snap mtn (jet) motion across the formation to manipulate the coverage before the snap. Post-snap, the outside receiver runs the sluggo (slant and go) to attack a cornerback jumping the underneath route, the inline TE releases vertically up the numbers on the far side, and the motion man replaces underneath with a flat/replace route while the QB works a play-action rollout look to the boundary. This is a man beater built to punish corners biting on the double move, with the sluggo as the primary read and the replace route as the built-in checkdown against man leverage.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the defense follows the mtn motion across the formation, if a defender walks with the motion man that is a strong man coverage indicator and tells you the sluggo has a favorable matchup. Key the cornerback aligned over the sluggo receiver, if he presses at the snap and jumps the initial slant portion, expect him to get beat over the top on the go unless a deep safety is sitting in a two high shell. Watch the safety rotation post-snap, a single high safety rolling hard to the sluggo side will take away the double move and force the ball to the underneath replace route instead. Zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4 with disciplined corners that sink into their zone drop will not bite on the slant fake, making this play far less effective against pure zone. Respect the blitz threat off the edge on the play-action rollout side, a user-controlled defender crashing the boundary before the fake sells can disrupt the timing of the sluggo before it fully develops.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to confirm man coverage before the snap, if the defender follows the motion man across the formation you have a green light to attack with the sluggo.
Take the sluggo shot on early downs when you are not desperate for a checkdown, the double move needs time to develop so protect the quarterback with a hot route chip if you sense a nano blitz off the edge.
If the corner sinks and does not bite on the slant portion of the sluggo, work the ball down to the replace route underneath as your check down against off man or banjo coverage.
Pair this play with Mtn HB Cross Screen or RPO Alert Screen earlier in a series so the defense respects the quick game and starts jumping underneath routes, setting up the sluggo to hit over the top.
Best called on 2nd and medium or 1st down when you can afford a slower developing shot play, avoid it in short yardage third downs where the sluggo needs more clock than you can spare.
