Playbooks

Mtn Same Side Zone

Shotgun·Y Off Trio Close·11

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 4 playbooks

Jaguars OffenseOffensePanthers OffenseOffenseNFL Live Jaguars OffenseOffenseNFL Live Panthers OffenseOffense

Breakdown

Mtn Same Side Zone is an inside zone run out of the Y Off Trio Close set in Shotgun, sending the offensive line and both the fullback-style H-back and TE (bunched to the same side in the Mtn alignment) flowing together to seal one edge of the front. The blocking scheme creates a natural double team at the point of attack while the backside blockers cut off pursuit, giving the running back a clean track to press the hole and read the play side. The primary read progression is the running back identifying the first down lineman past the play side double team, then bending or bouncing based on how the linebackers flow to the bunch look.

Defensive Reads

Watch the play side linebacker depth before the snap, if he is sitting shallow expecting run to the bunch he can be the free hitter on the cutback so key his first step Identify whether the defense is running a 4-3 under or over front, since shaded nose tackles can blow up the play side double team and force an immediate bounce read Look for user-controlled defenders flying downhill from depth, aggressive user linebackers crashing the mesh point open up cutback lanes if the running back presses correctly Check safety alignment pre-snap, a single high safety cheating toward the bunch side signals the defense expects flow that way and the backside cutback becomes the higher value lane This run struggles against gap exchange stunts and A-gap blitzes, if you see a linebacker or safety showing early pressure in the box audible out to a quick pass concept in the set

Usage Tips

Run this when the defense shows an odd front or shifts linebackers away from the bunch, since the same side zone concept exploits gap displacement created by the Mtn formation shift

Use pre-snap motion or the formation shift itself to bait linebackers into flowing wrong, then hit the cutback lane if they overcommit to the bunch side

Pair this with Mtn Inside Zone and Bounce Inside Zone in the same set so the defense cannot key run direction based on formation alone

Call this on early downs (first and second) to keep defenses honest against the RPO Zone Peek and Mtn RPO Alert Swing from the same set

If the defense is stacking the box with an extra defender in the alley, check to HB Mtn Angle Flood or Mtn Mesh Rail as a play action counter to punish overaggressive run fits

Other Plays in Y Off Trio Close