Playbooks
At a Glance
Overview
Wide Slot Right WK is an 11 personnel look out of Shotgun. It puts a wide receiver and a slot receiver to the right side of the formation, with the running back aligned to the weak side of the quarterback and the tight end working as the balancing piece. The key difference from standard Gun Trips or Doubles sets is the wider split of the slot receiver. That spacing stretches flat defenders horizontally before the snap and gives the slot room to work inside or outside leverage. The weak side back alignment also changes the run game. Inside Zone Split, Counter Y and HB Draw all attack with cutback angles and pulling blockers that force linebackers to declare early.
The set is built around motion. Mtn Z In, Mtn Double Pass, Mtn Slot Cross, Mtn Post Curls and Mtn PA X Post all use pre-snap movement to reveal man or zone coverage and shift the defense's leverage. Motion also creates stacks and bunches that defeat press coverage. The Gadget tag and the Mtn RPO QB Draw and Mtn RPO QB Power concepts make this set dangerous with a mobile quarterback. Defenses must account for an extra gap every snap, which thins out the box for the running back.
From a matchup standpoint, the wide slot alignment isolates your best slot receiver on a nickel corner or linebacker with plenty of space to work. A 3DRB is a real receiving threat here through HB Slip Screen, Slant Swing and RPO Glance Bubble, so linebackers get pulled out of the middle. Put a quick SLWR in the slot and a 3DRB in the backfield and the defense has to pick its poison between the flats, the seams and the run game.
Strengths
- Motion plays like Mtn Z In and Mtn Slot Cross reveal man coverage pre-snap: a defender trailing the motion confirms man, and crossers and in-breakers then punish the trailing defender with natural rub traffic.
- RPO Glance Bubble and the Mtn RPO QB Draw and QB Power concepts put conflict defenders in a bind. If the overhang crashes the run, the glance or bubble opens behind him. If he stays wide, the box is light enough to run.
- Strong Flood and Curls are reliable Cover 3 and Cover 4 beaters. The wide slot spacing stretches the flat and curl defenders, creating a high-low read on the sideline and a quick hitch window underneath.
- The run game has real variety for an 11 personnel spread look. Inside Zone Split, Counter Y and HB Draw give you cutback, gap scheme and delayed looks that punish defenses sitting in dime or overplaying the pass.
- A 3DRB becomes a legitimate weapon on HB Slip Screen and Slant Swing. The swing and slip action beats blitz-heavy and Cover 0 looks where linebackers are assigned to rush or spy.
Weaknesses
- With the tight end and running back as the only extra blockers, overloaded blitzes to the weak side can get home before the deeper motion concepts like Mtn PA X Post and PA Deep Choice finish their developing routes.
- A user-controlled middle linebacker or hook defender who reads the RPO mesh can sit in the glance and slant windows, turning quick RPO throws into turnovers if you pre-determine the read.
- Motion plays tip coverage but also cost snap-count timing. Opponents who show man and rotate late to Cover 2 or Cover 3 can bait you into forcing the crosser into robber and hook zones.
- Heavy base or 4-4 personnel with a stacked box can stall Inside Zone Split and Counter Y. You have no fullback and limited extra blockers to handle a plus-one front.
- The QB run concepts (Mtn RPO QB Draw and Mtn RPO QB Power) lose most of their value with a pocket quarterback. That shrinks the playbook and makes the run game easier to predict.
Usage Tips
Run a motion play on first down to diagnose the coverage. If the defender follows across the formation, audible to Mtn Slot Cross or Slant Swing for a man beater. If the defense shifts zone leverage, go to Strong Flood or Curls.
On 3rd and short against off coverage, Mtn RPO QB Power or RPO Glance Bubble gives you two answers on one snap. Read the flat defender post-snap and take the free yards.
Against a heavy blitz look such as Nano, Cover 0 or double A gap pressure, hot route the running back to a block or check to HB Slip Screen. Let the rush run past the 3DRB and get the ball out in space.
After you establish HB Draw and Inside Zone Split in the red zone and on 2nd and medium, call Mtn PA X Post or PA Deep Choice. Safeties biting on the run fake open the post and deep over routes.
Hot route the slot receiver to a streak against Cover 2 on Mtn Post Curls to split the safeties. Leave the outside curl as your checkdown if the middle of the field closes.
