Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn PA Switch Flood is a play-action flood concept out of Shotgun U Off Stack with 12 personnel that puts three defenders in a vertical stretch to one side of the field. Off the play-action fake, the outside receiver runs a deep vertical clear-out, the slot runs an out and up (switch) into the flag, and the flexed TE or RB releases to the flat, while the backside receiver runs an over route across the field as a late-progressing outlet. This is a classic Cover 3 beater built to flood one third of the field, with the primary read progressing low to high: flat first, then the switch route breaking to the flag, then the deep clear-out route if the corner bites on the shorter routes.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single high safety alignment since this play is built to exploit Cover 3 zone drops. Watch the flat defender after the snap, if he sinks with the flag route instead of stepping up, the flat route will be wide open for an easy pitch and catch. Key the deep third defender on the vertical clear-out route, if he stays flat footed reading the play-action fake, the switch route into the flag will have a natural window behind him. Look for user-controlled lurk defenders sitting in the intermediate flag zone, a good lurk defender can jump the switch route and bait a turnover if the fake does not sell the linebackers up. Against Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with two deep safeties, this play loses its main advantage since the deep clear-out route will not stretch the coverage the same way, so expect the flat and switch routes to be your only realistic options in those shells.
Usage Tips
Use this play against defenses showing single high safety looks pre-snap since it is designed to overload Cover 3 and other single high shells. Motion the flat receiver before the snap to help identify if the defense is playing man or zone based on how the defender reacts to the motion. If the corner sits deep on the vertical clear-out, hot route the flat route into a quick option or bench it and rely on the switch route sitting down in the flag zone. On third and medium, prioritize the flat route as a safety valve if the play-action fake does not fully hold the linebackers. Pair this play with Mtn PA Y-Leak and Mtn PA Crossers in the same set to keep defenses guessing between flood concepts and crossing routes off similar play-action shells. Use Mtn Read Option or Inside Zone earlier in a series to set up run fits and make the play-action fake on this concept hold longer.
