Playbooks
Depth-chart slots are shown as they line up in the base package for this set.
| Player | Side | Route |
|---|---|---|
| HB1 | Left | Slip Screen |
| WR3 | Right | Wheel |
| WR1 | Left | Deep Cross |
| WR2 | Right | Streak |
| TE1 | Right | Pass Block |
Mtn HB Slip Screen is a running back screen out of the Shotgun Wing Trips WK set designed to punish aggressive pass rushers and blitz-heavy defenses. The offensive line sells pass protection for a beat before slipping out to wall off defenders in front of the running back, who leaks out of the backfield to the flat. This is a screen play, not a man or zone beater in the traditional route sense, and the primary read is simply patience: let the rush get upfield, then hit the HB in space and read the blocking wall to decide whether to bounce outside or cut up inside the leverage of the widest blocker.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is in an obvious blitz look with extra rushers or walked-up safeties, since this play thrives against man pressure and Cover 0 or Cover 1 blitz packages. Watch defensive tackle and end get-off, if the interior line is crashing hard upfield without discipline, the screen wall will be easy to set and the throw becomes low risk. Post-snap, user any linebacker or safety with clean eyes on the backfield, since a disciplined defender who reads screen immediately can sit in the throwing lane or trigger the sack before blockers release. This play is most vulnerable to teams that spy the running back with a linebacker or that run a zone scheme with defensive ends staying home on contain, since those defenders can read run action, sit, and jump the screen. Check for a nickel or dime defender flying downhill unblocked off the edge, since a fast diagnosis from the slot corner or overhang defender can blow up the timing before the HB turns upfield.
Call this against defenses showing pressure indicators pre-snap, such as overload fronts, walked-up linebackers, or defensive ends cheating their splits wide off the edge.
Use it on early downs or after you have shown the same personnel running Inside Zone Split or Mtn Inside Zone Split so the defense is already keying run and getting aggressive with linebacker fills.
Do not throw it immediately into a zone drop shell like Cover 3 or Cover 4 with disciplined defensive ends, since contain players sitting at home will blow this up before the blockers get set.
Pair it in a sequence with Power Read or PA Inverted Veer from the same set to condition the defense to attack downhill, then hit this screen once you see linebackers flying to the mesh point.
Hold the ball just long enough for your linemen to release, since throwing this too early results in your blockers still engaged and no lane for the HB to work.