Playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn Fade Smash aligns out of Shotgun U Off Trips Wk with 12 personnel, showing a backside two man read side and a trips mountain concept away from it. The backside receiver runs a corner route up top while the backside TE releases into a flat/hook area underneath, creating a two level smash read on that side. On the trips side the outside receiver runs a fade to the boundary, the middle receiver breaks off a deep out that works back toward the sideline, and the inside slot man runs a shallow drag underneath the box, while the RB releases into a flat route as the checkdown. This is a man beater built off vertical stress and pick style spacing that also holds up against Cover 2 by isolating the corner on the fade and stacking the smash concept behind it, with the primary read starting at the backside corner/flat smash before working to the trips side fade and drag underneath.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap check the safety alignment: two high safeties tip Cover 2 or Cover 4, which the smash concept on the backside is designed to attack by forcing the flat defender to choose between the corner route and the underneath route. Watch the corner on the backside receiver; if he is playing off and soft, the corner route wins over the top, but if he presses and trails, look immediately to the flat/hook underneath. On the trips side, key the slot defenders and any underneath zone droppers, since a defender sitting in the shallow drag lane can jump the underneath route and bait a throw to the fade instead. If you see man coverage across the board with no safety help over the top of the fade route, take the shot deep before the defense can disguise a late safety rotation. Beware a nickel or slot blitz off the trips side, since it removes an underneath defender but also creates a lurk threat that can jump the drag route if you stare it down.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap identify if the corner over the backside receiver is playing tight man or sitting off in a soft shell, since that dictates whether the corner route or the underneath flat is open first. If you see two deep safeties, work the smash side first because the corner/flat combo is a classic Cover 2 beater that isolates the flat defender. If the defense shows single high or press man on the outside, target the trips side fade with a one on one shot before the safety can rotate over. Use the RB flat route and drag as built in checkdowns against zone blitz or heavy pressure looks when your deep options are covered. Pair this play with Mtn Verticals or Mtn Stick earlier in a drive so defenders start jumping the mountain concept, then come back to Mtn Fade Smash to hit the smash side or backside corner for an explosive gain. Best called on second and medium to second and long or first down shots when you want to test both a Cover 2 shell and man coverage with the same play call.
