Playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Stick Wheel comes out of Shotgun Trips X Nasty with 11 personnel, motioning the outside trips receiver across the formation before the snap. Post-motion, the concept features a wheel route out of the backfield/motion man that climbs the sideline, a stick concept from the two remaining trips receivers with one sitting at the sticks and the other running a corner breaking route, plus a deep dig from the backside X receiver crossing the field. This is a man beater built to exploit motion confusion and rub off coverage, with the primary read progressing from the stick sitter (hot route vs blitz) to the wheel man leaking open against man coverage that fails to pass off the motion, and finally the deep backside dig if the underside is jumped.
Defensive Reads
Watch how the defense reacts to the pre-snap motion, since a linebacker or nickel corner sprinting across the formation to match the motion man confirms man coverage and tells you the wheel route is live. If the flat defender or cornerback stays home and passes off the motion man to a deeper defender, that signals zone coverage and the stick and dig routes become the better answers underneath. Check safety depth before the snap, since two deep safeties sitting at 10 to 12 yards usually means a zone shell that will squeeze the wheel route down the sideline. Post-snap, track the underneath linebackers for a lurk threat sitting in the stick window, since a linebacker who stays put in that zone can jump the stick route and bait an interception. Look for blitz packages that bring extra rushers off the edge, since the stick concept's hot route is designed to beat pressure quickly before the wheel or dig routes have time to develop.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to bait linebackers and safeties into showing man coverage, since a defender following the motion man across the formation confirms man and opens up the wheel route down the sideline.
Key the stick route first on quick throws since it settles into the void underneath and is an easy answer against a soft cushion or zone drop, especially on third and short.
If the defense shows two high safeties before the snap, expect zone drops underneath and prioritize the backside dig crossing route over the wheel since zone defenders will wall off the sideline.
Pair this play with Mtn Slot Stick Nod or Mtn Triple Slants earlier in a series so the defense grows accustomed to quick game out of trips, then hit the wheel for an explosive shot when a linebacker bites on the stick fake.
Snap the ball with rhythm and avoid holding the ball too long since the wheel route takes extra time to develop up the sideline and interior pressure can disrupt the timing.
