Today I thought I’d show a couple of simple offensive plays to help out some of our newer teams and QBs. I’ll include a play diagram, the breakdown of the routes, and the thinking behind the play.

 

Very importantly to remember though, and this applies to all players, is that running your routes correctly is incredibly important! When a play is designed, most receivers are generally not likely to get the ball. In fact, on most plays you generally have a primary receiver and then a secondary and then maybe a dump off option if nothing is open.

 

There’s a better chance that your route is designed to draw away a defender than it is designed for you to get open! So, run your route!

 

3 Deep

 

This first play is a super simple 3 deep play. It is very effective against a 3-2 defense since you’ll have 3 wide receivers going deep against 2 safeties.

 

 

Note that those wide receivers are pushing to the sideline. Using the sideline means that even if your QB misses on the pass 50% of the time it’s going out of bounds and safe, but more importantly you are creating separation between the 3 deep receivers.

 

If the wide receivers don’t hug the sideline and come towards the middle of the field of play then they are bringing the safety covering them closer to the slot receiver running the post, which essentially allows one safety to cover two players.

 

Similarly, the post from the slot needs to run their route to the middle of the field, because if they run it too shallow or cross the field too much, they are now running towards the safety covering the wide receiver and allowing one safety to cover two players. Separation is the goal, and routes run at sideline – middle of the field – sideline is the most separation you can make!

 

If the defense is in 4-1 then those outside locks are going to take away the go routes and the single safety will be all over that post. However, you have a 7-10 hook from your left slot with a straight left drag from the center running underneath that.

 

A quick note on the “straight left” route for the center. Do not take a step forward! This allows you to run in front of the rusher if they are on that side, but it also allows your QB to read the separation between the hook from the slot and your out route. You want separation between the center and the slot and you want it fast, so do not run even 1 yard forward as this is a second longer the QB has to wait to determine if that 4-1 corner is covering the hook or the out.

 

In any case, against 4-1 you have a corner having to choose between that hook and the out from the center, so read that quick and hit the open receiver. That out from the center is often forgotten by defenses who are playing a little too deep!

 

 

Drag Under

 

This next play is all about getting one player open. So, keep in mind that 4 out of 5 receivers are almost definitely not getting the ball on this one. See what I mean by most players are there to run their route and not to get open?

 

The left wide receiver is running a 1-yard drag all the way across the field. Make sure this is 1 yard! Receivers often want to run deeper routes because they don’t feel like they’re getting enough yards with a short route, but again the idea is to create levels of separation between your short, medium, and long routes and if you run your route too deep there is no separation!

 

A very simple concept for new QBs is this: quick, short, easy, high completion percent passes and let your receivers do the work. I promise you, a 45-yard bomb for a TD and a 1-yard pass where your receiver breaks a tackle or two and runs the field for 45 yards, both go down as 45-yard TD passes in the books!

 

Hitting a receiver at full speed running a drag can be deadly as they have speed and separation.

 

Okay, here’s the play:

 

 

Left wide receiver runs under everyone at 1-yard. Left slot is running a 3-yard out. They should just pass over the drag from the wideout. This is a designed rub route and this play is awesome against man defenses. Just be careful to slow down the defender and not run them over!

 

This slot turns it up field when they get to the sideline, but I’ve run this play many times and I’ve yet to throw to that chair route, so unless you feel like you have an amazing mismatch here, don’t focus on it.

 

The center runs a 3-yard out to the left and sits down after a couple of yards. Again, they are taking a receiver away and impeding any defender trying to cross the field with the drag route.

 

The right slot is running a hook. 5-7 yards to push back the corner and create separation for the drag. Importantly, do not run this too deep! If you do then that corner may release you to the safety and then step up to the drag. This slot is essentially boxing out the corner. You want to be covered by them!

 

Finally, the wide right runs a 5-yard then post. Against a 4-1 defense they are taking the lock corner with them leaving the right side of the field empty for that drag route to turn it up field. If the defense is in 3-2 then you may actually want to hit this post the moment they cut over the top of the corner, so between the corner and the safety. This is literally the only read you need to make as a QB as if the corner locks the drag is going to be wide open and if not, you just read how far the corner is backed up. It’s often still worthwhile to hit the drag anyway!

 

Finally, that X on the image is indicating where the pass is going. You are only hitting the drag after the play has developed a little. As the QB, drop back a couple steps after the snap and remember to lead that receiver a lot as they are crossing the field at full speed and if they don’t have to slow down, they can gain a lot of yards when they turn it up field!

 

 

Okay, I hope that might be useful to some of our newer players (and maybe some of our not so new players!) and let me know if you have any questions or thoughts on these plays or if you’d like to see more!