Playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Smash Y-Shake lines up out of Shotgun Tight with 11 personnel and shows a smash concept paired with a shake route from the Y. To the boundary, the outside receiver runs a deep corner while the inside slot player runs an out breaking route underneath, forming the classic high low smash combo. On the backside, the Y runs a shake route that breaks outside then works back across the formation, and the checkdown option releases from the backfield on a shallow out into the flat. This is primarily a Cover 2 beater given the smash combo on one side and the crossing shake route stressing zone defenders over the middle, and the primary read starts with the smash side corner and flat defender before working back to the Y shake as the secondary and the checkdown as the outlet.
Defensive Reads
Key the flat defender and corner to the smash side since a hard flat drop with the corner staying deep opens a throwing lane for the corner route over the top Watch the safety alignment before the snap because two deep safeties confirm Cover 2 or Cover 4, which this play is designed to attack with the vertical corner route Track the middle linebacker or hook defender after the snap since the Y shake route is designed to shake free from underneath zone coverage as it crosses the field Diagnose man versus zone by reading the slot defender's technique, since a defender opening his hips and running with the underneath out route signals man coverage and favors the shake route Watch for a lurking underneath defender sitting in the shake route's window since a disciplined zone drop from a linebacker can bait a turnover on the crossing route
Usage Tips
Pre-snap identify whether the corner to the smash side is playing press or off since the corner route only wins versus off coverage with a deep half safety
Look for two deep safeties before the snap because this play is built to attack Cover 2 and Cover 4 zone drops with the high low smash read
If the defense shows man coverage, prioritize the Y shake route since the change of direction creates natural separation against man defenders trailing from depth
Use the checkdown in the flat as a built in hot route answer versus blitz looks when the offensive line cannot hold up long enough for deeper routes to develop
Pair this play with Mtn Slant Whip In or Bench Spray from the same set to keep the defense guessing between smash concepts and quick game answers on early downs
