Matt Kalb, Offensive Coordinator
Aurora University
The Aurora University passing game can be broken down into dropbacks, hitch-naked, pocket play-action, and waggles. The dropback game is then divided into three categories: horizontal stretches, verticals, and shallows. My favorite pattern is a 3 X 1 shallow concept that I got from former Indiana Head Coach Bill Lynch a number of years ago. We had a similar 2 X 2 concept, so it fit right in to what we were doing and it has been one of our more dependable routes.
From any trips open formation (Diagram 1), we use this route to: a) isolate our best receiver (X); b) get the ball down the middle of the field to our tight end (Y) mismatched against a linebacker; or c) hit an athletic receiver coming across the ball with speed (Z).
Diagram 1
The routes: our split end (X) runs what we call a search route which is a 7-step (inside foot up) skinny slant or post route. It is important that the receiver align no tighter than the top of the numbers which will keep his breaking angle well outside the hash (away from the safety). Y runs a hunt route which is basically a middle seam. However, if his path is blocked by the middle safety, he should turn inside and “hunt-up” a window – he is the high route in the middle high-low. The low route will come from our flanker (Z) coming from the wide side of the field. We want him to stay under five yards through the box in order to get a maximum stretch out of the Mike Linebacker. The running back (R) will check his protection responsibility before releasing through the line of scrimmage and into the weak flat. Finally, our slot receiver (W) runs a flag route at 10 yards. His main job is to occupy the field safety but we do look at him occasionally against man coverage.
The read: our entire offense is predicated on taking what the defense is giving us, so the number of safeties will determine where we start and to whom we progress. If 1-high, we tell the QB to bang the search. He will take a 5-step drop (3-step from the Gun), plant and throw. The ball should be caught at roughly 17 yards and is thrown with a 5-iron touch (enough touch to get over the LB, but with very little air). If the Will LB turns and runs to get under the route (we feel that is the only way he will get enough depth to take it away) the QB will progress down to his TB (Diagram 2). If we are playing teams that have two weakside linebackers or protection does not guarantee the Tailback makes it into his route, then the QB should automatically progress from the search to the middle high-low.
Diagram 2
If there are two safeties, I want the QB to recognize where the weakside safety is. Is he outside the hash playing X or is he inside the hash robbing #3? If inside the hash, we will treat this as a middle closed area and expect to bang the search. Even if the safety is outside the hash, the QB is still expected to verify it that he stays there on the first step of his drop. Once off the search, we force the QB to think hunt – we want the shallow, but to get it, we must start high. Understand, the middle of the field should be wide open and if our Y can beat the Mike LB deep, we have a big play. If he can’t, the QB is expected to dump it down to Z flying through the box (Diagram 3).
Diagram 3
As I mentioned earlier, against man coverage we can hit the flag ball or X converting to a go versus press man coverage. Over the past three years, we are hitting about 55% of our passes with an average completion of 18 yards.