DIAGRAM 5: QB’s Read When The Cover-Down Defender Chases The Swing Route. With a man-coverage look, and after running a few bubble screens, the cover-down defender usually chases the swing route. This opens up the outside receiver running the direct route.
DIAGRAM 6: QB’s Read When The Cover-Down Defender Sits And Walls Off. If the cover down defender sits and walls off the outside receiver, the swing pass to either side of the field is generally open.
Make Red-Zone Match-Ups Tough
Obviously, you can get much more in-depth with each of the three plays detailed in this article. They are also good vs. a zone coverage by only changing the QB reads slightly.
Defensive coordinators like it when an offense tightens down in the red zone. It makes the red-zone situation easier to defend That’s why it’s critical that offenses spread it out, put the opposing defenders on islands and make a tough situation even that much tougher.,By Jeff Hancock, Offensive Coordinator,
Saint Mary College, Leavenworth, Kan.
RECENTLY, OUR STAFF inherited a third-year program and went 5-4 after being picked to lose every game. One of the big reasons for our success was that we ran a spread offense (4 receiver set) — even in the red zone ( 20 yards and in).
A knock against the spread offense has always been that the offense can move the ball up and down the field, but will stall out in the red zone. Our stats say otherwise. Of the 42 red zone opportunities our offense had, we converted 34 into points — an 81 percent scoring efficiency in the red zone.
Most teams play some sort of man coverage and blitz often in the red zone and our opponents were no exception. The following shows three of our better quick-game red-zone plays (“all slants,” “sit and corner” and “direct and swing”) vs. man and man-free looks from the 10 and in.
“All Slants”
The all-slant play works well because a defense generally takes away the fade routes by the outside receivers (sitting at head-up to outside leverage) and you will usually get an outside linebacker or a safety sitting at inside leverage on your slots.
The key to this route — especially in the red zone — is for a receiver to take a path to the outside (stem the defender up), get the defender’s hips turned and break off the slant, coming underneath the defender. Your players must perfect the timing of this in practice so the QB throws the ball as the receiver comes out of his break. For our team, the ball usually went to one of our slot receivers who matched up well vs. cover-down defenders (outside LBs and/or safeties).
The read for the QB is easy. In our quick-game package the QB determines which side he’ll go to before the snap. With the all slant play, the QBs read is the cover-down defender.
,DIAGRAM 1: QB Read When Cover-Down Defender Opens Hips. If the defender was baited into thinking that it was a fade and flies out, the QB hits the slot receiver.
DIAGRAM 2: QB Read When Cover-Down Defender Sits And Walls Off. If the cover down defender sits and walls off, the QB goes to the outside receiver.
“Sit And Corner”
Another great quick-game play vs. man looks is the “sit and corner.” On this play, the outside receivers take a hard push-step upfield and pop back with their hands in the ready position. This action freezes the corner and allows the slot receiver to take 2 hard steps in, then break off to a corner route. ,DIAGRAM 3: QB Read When The Corner Jumps On The Sit Route. The slot receiver has the cover-down defender beat by alignment because he is generally sitting at inside leverage.
The QB takes 3 steps and lets the ball go, dropping it down to the outside shoulder of the slot receiver who’s heading for the back corner of the end zone.
DIAGRAM 4: QB Read When The Corner Drops Out. If the cornerback bails out, the QB hits the outside receiver. The QB’s read on this play is the corner.
“Direct And Swing”
The “direct-and-swing” quick-game play is one that is set up off of the swing route by the slot receiver. Generally with the swing, you take the outside receiver and push the corner then crack the cover-down defender, with the slot receiver swinging out. Many coaches call this play the bubble screen.
The bubble screen can be run anywhere on the field (although it’s better vs. man or cover-3 looks). The direct-and-swing play is great to call after you’ve run the bubble a few times at other spots of the field.
On this play the inside receiver still swings out, but the outside receiver runs a direct route (like a slant only with no hint moves). The QB’s read on this play is the cover-down defender.
