Playbooks
Mtn PA X Over is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun Trio Close WK that sells the run fake before working the X receiver on a deep over route across the field. The blocking scheme mimics the outside zone or duo action from this personnel set to hold linebackers and freeze the second level, buying time for the quarterback to work the deep crosser. The primary read progression starts with the X over route attacking the middle of the field, then works down to the underneath flat or drag option if the deep shot is not there, making this a solid man beater against aggressive linebacker flow and a chunk-play answer versus single high looks.
Read the middle linebacker depth and flow at the snap, if he steps up hard on the run fake the window for the X over route opens up against man coverage. Identify single high safety pre-snap, since Cover 1 and Cover 3 shells with aggressive run fits get exploited by the deep crossing route splitting the zone. Watch for a user controlled lurk defender sitting in the middle of the field, this is the primary threat that can jump the over route and bait a turnover. Against Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells with safeties staying deep, expect the play-action hold to be less effective since the defense is not biting on the run fake, so be ready to check down. Diagnose blitz packages pre-snap by checking linebacker depth and edge alignment, since a hot blitz with man coverage behind it can beat the protection before the over route clears the traffic in the middle.
Call this on early downs like first or second and medium when defenses are more willing to bite on run action from Trio Close WK personnel.
Check for single high safety shells pre-snap since the play-action hold works best against defenses selling run support with the strong safety or free safety creeping toward the box.
Use hot routes to convert the underneath route into a shallow drag or flat if you diagnose zone coverage sitting deep, giving you a quick outlet against soft zone drops.
Pair this with Mtn Inside Zone Split and HB Power O earlier in a series so the defense keys run action from this same look, making the X over play-action hit even harder later.
Avoid calling this into confirmed heavy blitz packages since the play-action fake delays your protection and can get the quarterback hit before the over route develops downfield.