Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Mtn Slot Shake is a motion-based route concept out of Shotgun Trio Y-Flex that puts a receiver in jet motion pre-snap (Mtn) before working a shake route underneath while three vertical stems clear out the deep zones. On the right side the outside receiver runs a corner-post breaking into a deep out while the TE works a flat-to-corner combo, and on the left the two receivers cross underneath into a switch release before both climbing vertical up the numbers. This is a man beater built around the shake route creating natural rub leverage against man coverage, with the primary read progression starting on the shake/motion man in the shallow zone, then working to the TE flat conversion, and finally up to the deep out or vertical shots if the underneath windows are taken away.
Defensive Reads
Key the linebacker or slot corner responsible for the motion man, if he trails across the formation it confirms man coverage and the shake route should win immediately. Watch the flat defender on the TE side, in zone coverage he will sit and rob the flat conversion route, which tells your quarterback to climb the progression to the deep out. Cover 3 shells with a hard-flowing curl-flat defender can undercut the shake route, so identify single-high safety alignment pre-snap and expect underneath help on that side. Nano blitzes or double A-gap pressure will beat this play before the shake route develops, so recognize overloaded fronts and get rid of the ball on the hot read immediately. Two-high shells that stay static post-snap open up the deep out and vertical routes on the right side, since the corner has to choose between the flat and the corner-breaking route.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap Mtn motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, if the defender follows the motion man across the formation you have a clean man coverage read for the shake route.
Hot route the outside vertical receivers into deeper stems against Cover 3 to stretch the seams if the safeties show a two-high shell that rotates down late.
This play pairs well with Mtn Corner Slot Choice and Mtn Shock Slot Dig in your sequencing since all three use the same Mtn motion action, forcing the defense to respect the shake route before you hit them with a double move off identical pre-snap movement.
Best used on second and medium to third and short where the shake route underneath can pick up a quick conversion against zone drops or blitz packages that leave the flat uncovered.
Against aggressive user blitzers, get the ball out fast on the shake or flat conversion since your protection is only built to hold up for a quick-hitting concept, not a deep-developing shot play.
