Playbooks
Mtn PA Power Pop is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun 11 personnel that sells the power run action to the play side before releasing the Y off the fake for a pop pass over the middle. The line executes a power blocking scheme with a pulling guard to freeze the linebackers and force run fits, while the outside receivers push vertical to hold the safeties deep and clear the intermediate window. The primary read progression starts with the Y on the pop route working the vacated middle of the field, then works to the vertical shots on the outside if the safety bites on the play fake and the middle is not there.
Check the linebacker depth at the snap. If they step up hard to fill run gaps on the fake, the Y should be wide open in the vacated middle for an easy pop completion. Identify single high versus two high safety shells pre-snap. Single high (Cover 3 or Cover 1) is where this play hits hardest since the fake occupies the underneath defenders and one deep safety cannot cover the entire field. Watch for a user controlled lurk defender sitting in the middle of the field who ignores the run fake. That defender can jump the pop route and turn it into a house call the other way, so be ready to check down or throw it away. Against Cover 4 or Cover 2 with disciplined linebackers who do not bite on the fake, the middle window closes quickly, so the vertical outlets become the better answer. Look for an overload blitz or nano blitz off the edge. Since the offensive line is selling power blocking, a fast edge rusher can beat the pull action and force a quick, inaccurate throw.
Run this out of run-heavy personnel counts and down and distance where the defense expects Mtn Inside Zone or Mtn Lead Outside Zone so linebackers step up on the play fake.
Watch the strong safety pre-snap. If he is stacked in the box or creeping down near the line of scrimmage that is your green light since he has to respect the run action.
Pair this with Mtn Inside Zone earlier in a series so the defense keys run fits and bites on the play fake, then punish that same look with Power Pop.
If the defense shows two high safeties pre-snap and rotates down late, hot route the Y to sit down quicker in the throwing lane instead of running the full pop concept into a shrinking window.
Use this on early downs (first or second and short to medium) rather than clear passing downs since defenses sit back in zone on third and long and the play fake loses its teeth.