Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Y Screen out of Shotgun Trey Offset sends three receivers vertical off the trips side to clear out underneath defenders and hold the deep zones, while the H-back or TE motions across the formation before releasing to the flat for the screen. The offensive line sets up a screen block in front of the throw, giving the running back and screen receiver a lane once the perimeter blockers get in position. This is a zone beater designed to punish teams sitting in soft zone or dropping their linebackers into intermediate throwing lanes, with the primary read being the Y screen receiver in the flat as soon as he clears the trips release.
Defensive Reads
Watch pre-snap safety alignment, since a two high shell with soft linebacker depth is a green light for this screen to hit big. Post-snap, key on the linebackers, if they sink into zone drops instead of attacking downhill, the screen lane will be wide open. This play struggles against man coverage with a defender assigned to shadow the motion man, since that defender can sit on the screen and blow it up. Watch for a user-controlled linebacker spying the backfield or sitting in a lurk zone underneath, since that is the biggest threat to this concept. Aggressive blitz packages can actually help the offense here if the offensive line picks up the rush and the screen blocker gets a numbers advantage outside.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion to identify if the defense is in man or zone by watching if a defender follows the H-back across the formation.
This play punishes zone defenses that drop linebackers deep, so call it when you see Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with linebackers sinking into their zones.
Best used on early downs or after establishing the run, since it plays off run action tendencies and catches aggressive linebackers flowing to the play side.
Pair this call with Mtn Swing Screen or RPO Alert Screen in your play sequencing so the defense cannot key on the same screen action every snap.
Let the screen fully develop before throwing, since the blockers need time to set the wall and the vertical routes need to occupy the deep defenders.
