Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Mtn Toss is a Singleback 12 personnel toss run out of the U Off set, featuring pre-snap man motion from the slot receiver across the formation before the snap. The offensive line and TEs execute a lateral toss blocking scheme, working to seal the edge and create a running lane for the HB as he takes the pitch and attacks the perimeter. This is a run play with no route concept to read, so the primary progression is simply hitting the toss and reading the edge blocks to decide whether to bounce outside or cut it up inside off the wall.
Defensive Reads
Watch the play side outside linebacker or defensive end pre-snap to see if they widen out to string the toss to the sideline or crash down to blow it up immediately. Check safety depth before the snap, since a safety cheating down into the box signals run support and a tougher lane to bounce outside. Post-snap, key the pulling linemen and TE blockers on the edge, if they get a clean kick out and seal, the HB should bounce it outside for a big gain. User-controlled defenders flowing hard downhill off the snap are the biggest threat to this play, since a good user read can blow up the toss before the blocks set up. This play struggles against fast-flow defenses and outside contain schemes that keep a defender unblocked on the edge, so avoid calling it into stacked boxes or heavy blitz packages designed to attack the perimeter.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify if the defense shifts a linebacker or defensive back to follow, which reveals man coverage or a run blitz keying the motion man.
Call this out of 12 personnel on early downs (1st and 10 or 2nd and short) to keep the defense honest against your play-action shots from the same set.
Pair HB Mtn Toss with PA Boot Slide or PA Flood since they share the same formation and personnel, forcing linebackers to respect the edge run before selling out on pass drops.
If the defense stacks the box with extra run defenders pre-snap, hot route the motion man into a quick out or flat route to create a bail option instead of forcing the toss into a loaded front.
Against aggressive edge defenders who crash hard on toss action, mix in HB Dive or Inside Zone Split to keep interior gaps honest and punish overpursuit.
