smash question

Coach, consider the following for that situation:1) fade release for #1 - creates smore space right away, 2) read and "turn" for #2 - "if LB flies out, I turn out" (consider using #2 off the LOS for this so he has extra time to see it.

why would you want to run smash vs cover3? the purpose of smash is to high/low the corner and cover 3 effectively takes that away.
I could see if you were trying to throw the hitch which would be open. I veiw smash as a cover 2 or cover 1 type route beater. to me curl/flat is a better route vs cover 3

why do you run smash vs cover 3? I am interested in hearing the rational.

Easy read vs. cover 3

Go ahead and run the smash. When number one drum rolls the feet and comes back, he must look and see if there is a window inside. If so, run to it. If the force/flat player is dropping out hard, he'll run inside of him. Easy read for QB.

If the the ILB is getting to the route, then your spacing is bad. Widen #1 out.

If the ILB (hook/curl player) is cheating out to that side, run the ball off tackle or bubble screen right at him. He'll get drilled by a Olinemen due to his hard pursuit outside.

Hope this helps

Woodman,

I agree with the others that vs Cover 3, there are better routes than smash. My thinking on your question was that if you have called smash and the defense shows Cover 2 and rolls into a 3 on the snap, what would your receivers do? I like the idea of bringing your #1 receiver under the OLB to get in the area he vacates. The screen concepts work good here as has been mentioned. However, my thought is that if you see the OLB/SS type (read defender) flying to the flat, chances are there is an ILB type (danger defender) running the same way. In this case, your #1 receiver is running into people coming at him and you may be setting him up to be de-cleated. Yes that comes with the turf occasionally but if I can avoid putting one of my receivers into that situation, I'd like to do it. The turn out I described by #2 receiver would effectively keep a receiver between the 2 "rolling" cover people you mention. Problem with that could be that the "danger defender" gets under the turn out by the number 2 receiver. To prevent that, I would think a play action fake or 3rd receiver running through the danger defender's original alignment would help slow him up. If you were originally thinking 3 step smash, you may want to use trips. If it was 5 step, use the play action(on 5 step, #2 receiver's turn out is now at 10/12 yards - you're actually accomplishing the curl/flat concept this way). The other thing you might want to consider is having #1 also turn out (6 yards) when he sees the corner bailing to a deep third. Lot's of different ways to get after this but to my liking, the simpler I can do it and practice it, the better. If you make a living by throwing the ball, there's no doubt in my mind that any DC worth his salt will be throwing stuff like this at you all game. The key is to have routes which can fit as many of the d looks you see with as little adjustment as possible.

Coach -

Although I mentioned earlier that I would consider checking out of smash vs. cover 3, I do believe that it can still be an effective pattern against that coverage...particularly if it is a cover 3 man. If in a 2x2 alignment and facing a cover 3, I would deep hitch #1, smash corner route w/ #2...skinny post w/ #2 backside. QB reads corner and will much of the time throw the hitch...#2 receiver is always paying attention to invert..if he bails to cover hitch he will convert to seam and look...if invert hangs, he continues on his corner route. If we see the FS rolling over to cover the corner, we will cue the QB to look backside post. The key to running smash vs. a cover 2, is the inside receivers ability to shake the near safety and bend away. Bottom line...if facing a true Cover 3, we will look to run flat/curl combos or 4 verticals. pdow

The Smash route, while best against Cover 2 or 1, is great route against Cov 3. #1 continues to run his Hitch. If he doesn't receive the ball he should slide to the sideline to distance himself from the flat defender. No matter the coverage, #2 should always make his cut on his 8th step. He should read the Corner Back for his cut. If the Corner is under him, he continues on the smash route. If the the Corner is on top of him, he will run the "Turn" and work him self open. This has changed the smash route to a curl-flat read in a sense, which is one of the best Cov 3 routes available. The replys above are correct the SMASH is a universal route for all coverages.
One of our favorite ways to run the SMASH concept is from the shotgun, into the field. We line up #1 all the way on the bottom of the numbers and #2 one step outside the hash. If the flat defender can cover the hitch that quick, you have to accept the fact that you are playing the fastest high school defender in the country. The QB is sprinting out. The most average arm in HS can make that throw to the HITCH, while running to his receiver. It is important to tell the QB to make his throw on his 5th step. He should have his read by his 3rd step.

most everybody is saying the same things which I think are all good suggestions.

I would definitely prefer the #2 receiver running a seam route in a cover 3 so you can read the ss.

Other alternatives:
#1 can run a whip route which might freeze the ss that is running to the flats, then #1 whips back to the outside with a little leverage hopefully.




Also, #1 can run the fade route which will clear the corner out. The smash should then be open underneath all of this but behind the ss

Pdow, you mentioned Cover 3 Man.

I am curious whether you see this often, and the types of teams that run it and from what front schemes they run it. Also, the types of personnel it requires.

My reason for asking is that recently a college Def Coordinator discouraged using this coverage - almost made it seem unsound. I would like to hear other opinions.

How do you guys run the smash against quarters or combo coverage?? What are the coaching points for the recievers?

you're killin me,

What are the QB reads and coaching points for the seam/out combo you described??

thanks

Coaches,

What depths do you run both the Curl/Flat and the Smash routes?

Tks in advance!

Coaches,

It has been about a year since I have posted, so forgive me if I ramble. I was a walk-on at UF in the early 90's. This is what we were taught, and is why Florida routinely racks up 50 even when the third string is in...or used to rack up 50.

Let's not call the combo curl/flat, or smash...we'll call it Gator.

#1 runs a hitch unless he is pressed, then he runs a whip route. (If you want to know how to teach the whip route correctly, then get Coverdale's Bunch book...in fact, even if you don't care how to run a whip correctly, buy Coverdale's bunch and quick passing series.) We actually just tag the route "twilly" if we want an auto whip by #1.

#2 runs a read route. Here are his rules: If you have a safety over your head, get head up, nod to post, and break to corner at 13-15 aiming for 24 yards on the sideline. If you are covered man for man, release, stem vertical, pin man inside, and break to corner at 13-15 yards. So, for cover 4,2, or man, you get a smash. Now, if there is no safety over your head, and you aren't being covered man for man, then curl at 13 back to 11. This way, vs cover 3 you get curl flat. Th receiver can also peek outside to see the deep 3rd corner out there if he is uncertain...he instantly knows that he isn't going to tun a corner route into the deep cornerback.

So it's simple: if you are head up on a sefety or man for man, run a corner.....otherwise curl.


That is our Gator route. Now, here's the kicker. If we call Gator Switch, then #1 and #2 switch route assignments. How is this possible?


#2 has the flat responsibility now, so he must shoot to the flats from the hashes. Again, he can be tagged to run a whip auto if you want, but it is a quicker whip from the inside.

#1 has the read route...but how does he do that from out so wide. Well, we stemmed for our first four steps. That means that we drove hard to the inside at a 45 degree angle for the first four strides, then pushed vertical and did our read. If a safety is over your head or you are being covered in man: run a corner. If you don't have a safety over your head (and a deep corner has outside leverage), run the curl.

Again, you end up with smash vs. 2,4,man (corner is a superior route vs. man)
and, you get curl/flat vs cover 3

Why do you think Steve can't shut off his offense, but sometimes can't get it started? Why do you think he grimaces so on the sidelines? Because, most every route allows the offense the advantage if every player is on the same page.

The conversion route sound a bit complex, but it takes about 15 minutes to teach if you explain why they are doing it that way, and let them rep it vs. air about 20 times. And that's with HS kids.

Now, you have 1 pattern to call: Gators and Gators Switch.

Vs 3: you are right.
Vs. 2: you are right
vs 4: you are right.
vs man: you are right.

wow...sounds like Steve, huh?

Now, motion your fastest receiver into the slot, and you have him head up on a poor safety instead of a corner.

BTW- the QB's read when he gets smash is the cornerback. If he sits, throw it on a line to the corner. If he is dropping at all, throw the hitch right now. Oh, and if it is man, you work from the twilly route to the corner route depending on yardage needed.


Curl/Flat is simply a line of sight read, and shuld be simple. It should be practiced about 50% of the time if you are a quick passing team, because the read is exactly the same for curl/flat, slant/flat, hitch/seam, etc.

By the way, want another gem from a Steve disciple. Try this vs. a cov3 team, or a team you have forced into 3 by motion or formation:

#1 and #2 align in some form of a widened twins, with #2 lined up 5 yards from #1 (this is important).
#1 runs a deep slant....not a post, but a 5 step slant instead of a 3 step.
#2 aligns within 5 yards, takes 3 steps off the line, and pops back for a mini-hitch showing his hands.

Try it and see if the SS/OLB doesn't jump the hitch, and the slant opens up wide......wide....wide. Trust me on this....get some Florida tape...break it down. You'll see this route, and you'll see we never ran curl/flat vs 2 or smash vs 3....because we were reading.

Good luck coaches.

A Friend,

Coach H
silverback1125@hotmail.com