Playbooks
Mtn HB Zone Wk is the outside zone weak run concept out of Singleback Y Trips Close Wing, sending the offensive line and fullback-less blocking scheme flowing weak side behind zone steps from the tackles and center. The HB reads his blocking combos from the play side guard and tackle, looking to bounce, bang, or bend based on how the defensive front flows. This is a base run play, not a play-action look, so the trips closed formation is mainly used to manipulate box counts and force the defense to declare numbers before the snap. Primary read progression is backside cutback lane first, then playside bounce if the edge is sealed.
Watch for a linebacker cheating weak side pre-snap, this signals the defense is keying the zone run and will fill the cutback lane fast Identify if the defense is in a 1 high shell with the trips side safety rotated down, that leaves fewer bodies to react to the backside cut Look for a 3 technique or 4i alignment on the play side since a heavy shade there clogs the zone read and forces an immediate bounce User controlled defenders flowing hard to the trips side pre-snap often abandon the weak side gap, exploit that with a decisive one cut Blitzing linebackers off the edge weak side can blow this play up quickly, if you see a walk up defender there consider checking to a different concept before the snap
Check the box count before the snap since Y Trips Close Wing often pulls a safety or linebacker out wide to cover the trips side, creating light boxes for this weak zone run
Use motion or a hard count to bait linebackers into showing blitz or crash, this tells you whether to hit the cutback or trust the zone flow
Pair this with Mtn PA Boot Rt or Mtn X-Go Dig from the same set so defenses cannot sit on run tendencies out of this personnel and formation
Best called on early downs or in short yardage when you need a low risk gain and want to set up play-action off the same look later in the series
If the defense stacks the box with an extra linebacker or safety, kill this play at the line and check to a quick game pass instead of forcing a bad matchup run