Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Drive Wheel is a route combination from Shotgun Tight Open with 11 personnel that stacks a wheel route on the outside receiver, a deep corner-breaking route from the slot, a drive route crossing underneath at the sticks, and a shallow drag from the backfield receiver aligned wide left. The concept is designed to attack Cover 4 shells by stretching zone defenders vertically on the wheel while the drive route sits down in the void created underneath. Primary progression starts with the drive route crossing the middle for a quick throw, then works to the wheel if the flat defender bites on the underneath crosser, with the deep corner route serving as the vertical shot if the safety cheats down.
Defensive Reads
Watch the corner over the receiver running the wheel route before the snap. If he is playing off with outside leverage in a clear quarters shell, expect the wheel to be live once he flips his hips to run with any vertical stem. Track the flat defender or curl-flat player after the snap. If he sinks with the wheel route immediately, the drive route underneath should be wide open in the void he vacates. Identify single-high versus two-high safety alignment before the snap. Single-high shells with a robber underneath can sit on the drive route and undercut it, so be ready to layer the throw or move to the wheel instead. Look for user-controlled defenders flying downhill on the drive route. If the user jumps the shallow crosser, the wheel route against a zone corner becomes the higher percentage answer. Against man coverage with no safety help over the top, the wheel route can get picked or blanketed since it takes longer to develop, so recognize man alignment pre-snap and lean on the drive route or shallow drag as quicker answers.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or shifts to identify if the defense is playing Cover 4 or Cover 2, since this concept is built specifically as a Cover 4 beater and the wheel route exploits corners who bail into deep quarters coverage.
Key on the flat or curl-flat defender before the snap. If that defender sits underneath, throw the drive route on rhythm for a quick, safe completion that keeps the chains moving.
If the cornerback carries the wheel route with outside leverage and the safety rotates down to help, work back to the drive route or check down instead of forcing the deep shot.
Pair this play with Mtn Curls Out N Up or Mtn Spacing Flat in the same set to keep defenses guessing between quick underneath throws and vertical wheel shots out of the same formation and personnel look.
Best called on second or third and medium when defenses are more likely to sit in zone shells, since the wheel needs time to develop against man coverage and can get jumped by a fast trigger corner.
