Playbooks

H Mtn Mesh Wheel

Shotgun·Trey Open HB Str·11

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 3 playbooks

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Breakdown

H Mtn Mesh Wheel is a man beater built off the classic mesh concept out of the Trey Open HB Str set in Shotgun. The two underneath receivers cross tight to create natural rubs against man coverage while the H back or attached receiver works a wheel route up the sideline for a big play shot against linebackers or safeties who bite on the mesh traffic. The primary read progression starts with the wheel route on early downs versus man leverage, then works down to the mesh crossers underneath if the wheel is capped, using the mesh as a built in checkdown against zone drops.

Defensive Reads

Identify if the linebackers are playing tight man coverage on the mesh runners, since this indicates they will get picked and the wheel route should come open against a trailing defender. Watch for a single high safety rotating late, which signals man coverage underneath and makes the wheel route the priority read against a linebacker in trail technique. Key on the flat defender or curl to flat zone player in Cover 3 or Cover 4 looks, since this defender determines whether the wheel route has a window or gets undercut. Look for a user controlled defender lurking in the shallow crossing zone, as this is the biggest threat to the mesh concept and will bait quarterbacks into a costly interception. Recognize corner blitzes or nano blitz packages off the edge, which can disrupt the wheel route release before it stems upfield and forces a quick check to the mesh underneath.

Usage Tips

Check pre-snap for man coverage indicators like tight press corners or a single high safety before locking onto the wheel route as your first read.

If the defense shows Cover 3 or Cover 4 with deep zone drops, work through the mesh crossers underneath since the wheel route will be capped by the flat defender or deep third defender.

Use hot routes to adjust the wheel route runner into a flat route if you see a defender sitting directly on the sideline in a match zone concept.

Pair this play with H Mtn Mesh or H Mtn Mesh Post earlier in a drive to condition the defense to expect the standard mesh crossers, then hit them with the wheel route for an explosive play when they jump the shallow routes.

Best used on first or second down in medium to long yardage situations where defenses are more likely to play man coverage or aggressive zone drops that create natural picks for the mesh.

Other Plays in Trey Open HB Str