Playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn In N Up lines up out of Shotgun Spread Y-Slot Wk with 11 personnel and uses pre-snap motion into the backfield or across formation before the snap. The outside receiver to the left runs a deep vertical up the seam, the receiver next to him breaks off a deep in route crossing the middle of the field, and the near receiver runs a shallow in route under those two, giving the quarterback a high low crossing combo on that side. On the right side the receiver runs a deep out that breaks upfield into a corner style route, stretching the defense vertically and horizontally, while the line slides to protect against interior pressure. This is a man beater built off natural picks from the crossing routes, with the primary read starting on the shallow in route underneath before working up to the deep in and vertical if a linebacker or safety opens a window.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and count defenders in the box, since a two high shell favors the deep in route sitting in the seam while a single high shell opens up the corner route on the right. Watch the flow of the motion defender, if a linebacker or defensive back runs with the motion man it signals man coverage and you should attack with the crossing routes. Post-snap, key the underneath linebackers, if they sink too fast into the deep in route the shallow in route will be wide open for an easy completion. This play struggles against a well timed nano blitz up the middle since the shallow in route needs time to develop, so be ready to check the protection or get the ball out early if you see a hot blitz alignment. Cover 2 shells with active flat defenders can jump the shallow in route, so key the cornerback depth at the snap and be ready to progress immediately to the deep in or vertical route if he sits low.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify if the defense is playing man or zone based on whether a defender follows the motion man across the formation.
Against man coverage, trust the crossing routes to create natural rub picks and look for the shallow in route to come open first against trailing defenders.
Against zone coverage, look to the deep in route sitting down in the middle void between the linebackers and the safeties, especially versus Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells.
Take the deep out to corner route on the right side when you see single high safety looks or when the corner bites hard on an underneath route.
Pair this play with quick hitting concepts like Quick Slants or RPO Peek Slant earlier in a drive so the defense respects the short game before you hit them with the deeper in and up combo.
