By Gene Suhr, Retired Coach
I would like to introduce you to a pass route that I had great success running in both high school and college. I started running the route late in my high school coaching career and found it to be a very successful with a high completion percentage rate. I continued to run the route while an offensive coordinator at a Division II college and it became a go to route on first down and third and medium (4-6 yards). The reads for the quarterback were fast and simple. I used multiple formations and motion to stretch the defense horizontally and give different looks and run this route anywhere on the field including at the goal line. This route gave the receiver a landmark and a defender or defenders to work on. The quarterback took a three step firm drop and read inside/out vs. open coverage and outside/in vs. closed coverage.
On this play, the inside receiver #3 will release outside coming just behind #2 and work to his landmark of seven to eight yards deep and reads the flat defender, working opposite of him. If the defender drops to the flat to cover the outside receiver, #3 will sit down and look for the ball. If the defender stays on him, he will work toward a landmark and stick inside breaking outside and away of the defender.
This will open the window for #2. The #2 will inside release and work to a landmark of seven to eight yards, reading the playside LB. If the LB drops inside or above, #2 will sit down and look for the ball. If the LB tries to wall off #2, he will work to a landmark, make an inside move and spring back outside into an open window. As the receivers learn the landmarks and work to open areas showing their numbers to the quarterback, we will add a LB and a flat defender to work off of. It’s important that the quarterback gets set up quickly and is ready to throw to the open receiver. I would run this drill every day early in season, for five to ten minutes, to help the inside receivers understand how to get into the open window (Diagram 1).
Diagram 1
The outside receiver will work seven to eight yards upfield to one yard inside the sideline, stretching the defense. He reads the corner. If the corner is up tight, he will convert the route to a vertical. If the corner is off, he will set down one yard inside the sideline at seven to eight yards. The QB will read inside to out for the open receiver. The QB will adjust his feet according to his read. Verses a closed coverage, the QB will read outside/in. If we run into man coverage, the receiver will work his reads inside and break it out at seven to eight yards. The outside receiver will convert his route to a vertical, with man coverage (Diagram 2).
Diagram 2
One route we run very well is the six-yard out. We will have the receiver to the single side run a speed out at six yards. If we see one-on-one coverage, the quarterback will go to the single side with his pass. The receiver on the single side will run a six-yard speed out unless the corner is in press coverage, or doesn’t give any ground on the receivers’ release. If these things happen, the receiver will convert the route to a vertical (Diagram 3).
Diagram 3
Using motion can be used as a different look for the defense. Everything stays the same (Diagram 4).
Diagram 4
If the defense overloads the trips side, we will go to the opposite side. This diagram shows an empty formation and everything remains the same with the exception of the vertical route by the outside receiver away from trips (Diagram 5).
Diagram 5
Closed coverage is shown in diagram 6.
Diagram 6
Motion vs. one deep open coverage is shown in diagram 7. The outside receivers must outside release vertical. This should open up a window on the inside. The QB will check the corner on the trips side. If he drops and runs with the outside receiver, he will come down to an inside/out read. If the corner sits to the flat, the QB will hit the outside receiver in the open window. If the corner jams and hangs, the QB will go to the inside/out read.
Diagram 7
This has been a very productive route that will help you move the sticks. I have some routes that will complement this route in my book First Downs & Touchdowns, which will balance up your offense and make it difficult on the defense. If you have any questions, you can contact me at gsuhr1221@hotmail.com. The book sells for $20.00 and will be sent PDF or CD to your address.