Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn HB Stretch is an outside zone run out of Singleback Wing Flex Close with 12 personnel, using pre-snap motion to shift the numbers before the snap. The diagram shows the offensive line flowing laterally toward the play side with zone-blocking angles, while the H-back or wing motions across the formation to add a lead blocker or influence the edge defender. The HB takes a stretch path aiming to bounce outside off the double team or cut upfield behind the reach block, so the primary read progression starts with the playside edge (bounce or bang) before working back to the cutback lane if the backside pursuit overruns.
Defensive Reads
Watch the edge defender assigned to the motion man, if he widens or crashes hard playside it tells you whether the bounce or the cutback lane will be open. Key the play side linebacker depth before the snap, a linebacker sitting too far inside opens the cutback lane once the zone blocks flow. Check for a nickel or slot defender flying downhill off the motion, which signals man coverage or a scrape exchange designed to stop the stretch. User the backside defensive end or linebacker to spy the cutback lane since AI pursuit often overruns the stretch path. This run struggles against gap-sound fronts with disciplined defensive ends who stay home, so heavy odd fronts or contain-based defensive playcalls can shut down both the bounce and cutback options.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify if the defense is playing man or zone based on whether a defender follows the motion man across the formation.
Call this on early downs or short yardage runs where the defense is likely to show a base front, since the stretch scheme punishes overaggressive defensive ends and linebackers who crash inside.
If the safety rotates down into the box pre-snap, hot route the motion tight end into a lead block adjustment or check into a cutback design like Inside Zone Split.
Pair this play with HB Toss Weak and HB Zone Wk in the same set so the defense cannot key on the direction of your zone runs based on formation alone.
Against heavy blitz looks, consider audibling to HB Dive for a quicker downhill answer since the stretch path takes longer to develop and can get blown up by fast flow to the edge.
