Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn RPO Buck Alert lines up in Shotgun Wing Slot Wk with 12 personnel, using pre-snap motion to bring a receiver across the formation before the snap. The diagram shows the offensive line executing a Buck Sweep run scheme to the play side while the QB reads a bubble/flat route out of the backfield as the RPO alert, giving him a run key versus a quick flat throw. This is a run-first RPO built to attack overpursuing linebackers and light boxes, with the primary read being the flat defender: if he crashes down on the run action, pull and throw the bubble; if he sits, hand off the sweep.
Defensive Reads
Watch the flat and overhang defender pre-snap; if he is sitting inside the box with no eyes on the motion man, he is likely responsible for both run fits and the bubble, making him the key post-snap defender to attack. Man coverage shells that chase the motion man across the formation open up easy access to the flat throw since the defense loses a body in the run fit. Aggressive fire zone blitzes that crash the edge can blow up the sweep, so if you see linebackers stacked tight to the line pre-snap, lean toward the RPO throw instead of the hand off. Two-high safety shells with disciplined linebackers who stay square to the run action are the toughest matchup for this play since they take away both the sweep lane and the flat throw simultaneously. Post-snap, if the flat defender widens with the motion man instead of squeezing down on the run fit, hand it off immediately since the perimeter is now outnumbered in your favor.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, since a defender following the motion man declares man coverage and tells you the flat route will be open against a blitz.
Key on the second level flat defender or overhang immediately after the snap since he is your true alert read for pulling the ball versus handing it off.
Call this on early downs in run-heavy personnel packages to keep defenses honest, then sequence into RPO Peek Slant or RPO Glance Post from the same set to punish defenders who start jumping the sweep.
Against light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the box, favor the sweep hand off and let your blocking scheme win on the perimeter.
Pair this with Mtn Buck Sweep as a pure run look later in the drive so the defense cannot key the RPO alert without respecting the standalone run action.
