Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn PA Deep Over is a play-action shot play out of Shotgun Y Off Trio Wk that puts stress on the deep middle and intermediate zones with a shallow crosser underneath. Off the play-action fake, the deep over route rips from the backside across the field to the frontside sideline while the frontside receiver stems vertical up the numbers before breaking back across the field on the deep over path, and the underneath route works flat to the boundary as a checkdown or man beater against trailing linebackers. The primary read starts with the deep over crosser working across the middle, then progresses to the vertical breaking route if the safety jumps the crosser, and finally works down to the underneath flat route for a checkdown against pressure.
Defensive Reads
Check the free safety depth pre-snap since a two-high shell forces the deep over into a longer throwing window across the field. Watch the flow of linebackers after the play-action fake, if they bite hard on the run fake the deep over crosser will have a clean lane. Identify man coverage by tracking if a corner or safety follows the motion across the formation before the snap. Look for a lurking underneath defender sitting in the throwing lane of the deep over route, that defender can jump the crossing route if the quarterback holds it too long. Beware disguised zone blitzes that drop a linebacker deep into the crosser's path while rushing an extra defender off the edge.
Usage Tips
Sell the run fake with the play-action rollout timing so linebackers step up before the deep over crosser gets into their zone drops.
Use pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone by watching if a defender follows the motion man across the formation.
Against single-high safety shells, prioritize the deep over route since the safety cannot cover the width of the field alone.
Hot route the underneath flat runner into a quick option or drag if you diagnose an aggressive blitz pre-snap.
Pair this play with Slot Cross or Double Drags earlier in a series so the defense keys shallow crossers, then hit this deep shot when linebackers sit low.
