Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn Verticals is a four verticals concept out of Shotgun U Off Trips Wk with 12 personnel. The backside X runs a straight vertical up the numbers while the trips side shows a seam sit dig from the inline TE, a corner-breaking vertical from the slot TE that bends outside near the numbers, and the outside trips WR clearing on a deep vertical stem before working across the field on a deep crosser. The HB runs a swing/flat route out of the backfield as a checkdown and outlet against blitz. This is a pass play built as a Cover 2 and Cover 3 beater, attacking the deep middle void and the seams. Primary progression starts backside on the isolated X vertical against single coverage, then works to the seam route breaking over the middle, with the HB flat as the final outlet.
Defensive Reads
As a defender, identify trips formations pre-snap and get your safeties aligned to shade the trips side without abandoning the backside X vertical. Cover 2 shells are vulnerable to the seam routes splitting the safeties, so a user-controlled safety needs to stay disciplined and not bite on the underneath crosser. Cover 3 is exposed if the single deep safety commits to the trips side seam, leaving the backside X one on one deep, so spot drop the flat zone defender under the vertical stem to slow the release. Watch for Mike linebacker blitzes since the HB swing route becomes the quick answer, so a user blitz off the edge must be timed to disrupt the throw before the HB gets outside. Man coverage with no help over the top gets beat easily by the deep crosser working away from trailing defenders, so pattern match or match coverage schemes with a rat in the middle are the best answer to shut this down.
Usage Tips
Take a pre-snap look at the deep safeties before the snap. Two high safeties who stay split at the snap confirm Cover 2 and tell you to attack the seams before they can squeeze down. One deep safety in the middle of the field signals Cover 3, which means the backside isolated vertical on the X becomes your first read against a single deep defender. Use motion if available to identify man versus zone by watching if a defender follows the receiver across the formation. Hot route the HB to a hook or stick route if you are facing heavy zone drops underneath and need a shorter option versus a blitz look. This play pairs well with Mtn Stick and Smash from the same set since those concepts hold underneath defenders and linebackers, opening up the vertical shots on early downs. Best called on first or second down when you have play-action or run tendencies established so linebackers bite on shorter routes and vacate the deep middle.
