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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Mtn Stick N Nod comes out of Singleback Doubles Y Open with a pre-snap motion tag that shifts the backfield look before the snap. To the closed side, the outside receiver runs a vertical stem that breaks into a corner route while the inside slot works a quick stick, sitting down for a stick beater against zone or working outside against man leverage. The backside is a two-man mirrored vertical package with both receivers pushing straight up the field to hold the safeties and cornerbacks deep, clearing underneath grass. Blocking is a standard 5-man protection with the line sliding to account for the motion, keeping this a straight dropback pass rather than play-action or an RPO. The primary read starts with the stick route in the flat, then progresses to the corner breaking route, and finally to the backside verticals if the coverage rotates away from the frontside stick concept.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if a linebacker or safety follows the motion man, that confirms man coverage and tells you to expect the flat defender to chase the stick route immediately. Watch the cornerback depth on the frontside corner route, if he plays tight to the line of scrimmage in press man you have a clean win over the top once the receiver stems vertical before breaking. Post-snap, key the flat or curl defender's first two steps, if he sinks under the corner route the stick sit is open immediately for an easy completion and first down conversion. Look for two-high safeties rotating down to the trips or stick side after the snap, that rotation opens up the backside verticals for a one-on-one shot against a single deep defender. This concept struggles against a hard robber or lurk defender sitting in the stick window, so if you see a linebacker cheating into that throwing lane pre-snap, be ready to reset your read to the backside verticals instead.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap, if a defender follows the motion man across the formation you know you are getting man coverage and can key the stick route as an easy completion.
Against zone shells like Cover 3 or Cover 4, work the stick to corner progression quickly since the flat defender and deep zone defender have to choose who to cover, creating a natural throwing window on the stick sit route.
Save the backside verticals for situations where you diagnose two-high safety shells rotating hard to the stick side, since that leaves single coverage on the backside receivers running straight up the numbers.
Pair this play with Mtn Y Stick and Slants in your call sheet to keep the defense guessing on stick concepts while varying the number of routes attacking the same underneath zones.
Best used on third and short to third and medium since the stick route sits at the sticks and the corner route provides a chunk play answer if the underneath defenders jump the stick.
