Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn HB Stretch is an outside zone run out of Singleback Wing Tight U with a pre-snap man motion tag that brings a receiver in jet motion across the formation before the snap. The offensive line executes a zone blocking scheme, all flowing horizontally toward the play side to seal the edge and create a running lane for the HB to bounce outside or cut back based on leverage. This is a zone run play designed to stress edge defenders and force linebackers to flow hard, opening cutback lanes if the defense overpursues.
Defensive Reads
Watch defensive end and outside linebacker leverage before the snap, if they are lined up wide with outside contain responsibility this stretch is designed to hook or seal them for an outside cutback lane. Key the middle linebacker depth and flow, if he reads run and flows hard playside without hesitation, expect the HB to cut back against the grain. User the strong side defensive end or outside linebacker to set a hard edge and force the runner back inside into pursuit. Watch for a linebacker blitz off the edge on the play side, as unblocked blitzers can blow up the zone scheme before the stretch can develop. Cover 1 or Cover 3 with aggressive safety run support tends to shut this down quickly since it adds a fast-flowing defender to the edge without sacrificing coverage integrity.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone coverage, if the defender follows the motion man across the formation you are facing man coverage and can expect more favorable box numbers for the run.
Snap the ball right as the motion man clears the backfield to keep the defense from adjusting their run fits in time.
This play hits best on early downs like first and 10 or second and medium when defenses are not selling out against the run.
Pair this with HB Power O and HB Counter Str from the same set so defenders cannot key on zone flow alone, forcing linebackers to respect multiple gap schemes.
If the defense stacks the box with extra run defenders, check into PA Sprint HB Flat or PA Dive from this set to attack the vacated coverage behind the blitz.
