How many routes in your passing games?

Very much like the great Florida St teams over the years, & the BYU (Edwards) era - we have 3 Three Step Drop passes, & 5 Five Step Drop passes. NOW - off all of these - simple "TAGS" can be used (up to 5 per pass - but USUALLY only one at a time) WITHOUT changing anyone's assignments except for the receiver being "tagged". For example: Let's say you call "ALL CURL" - a "TAG" might be "ALL CURL/Z POST". Only Z (out of 11 men) changes what everyone does on "ALL CURL". We don't go overboard on this - game plan ONLY what you need, BUT - as you can see the possinilities are almost unlimited.

5 - 3 step drop passes - 3 tags *
4 - 5 step drop passes - 5 tags *

* = number of tags used consistently, innumberable tags possible

J.C.Easton

2 quicks
8 5 step
4 7 step

2 screens

1 qb draw

Just off the top of my head..........

1/3 step - 9
5/7 step - 15
screens - 3

We will also make some tags ie: 22 and up, 88 corner, etc.

I know this goes against a lot of successful and well-respected coaches but. . .we have 10 passes from a 2-back, 1 TE set (80's). Ten passes from the quick passing game from a one-back set (90's). Eight passes to our twins side (200's). Five play-action passes. Five screens I got from Miami (Ohio) that a lot of people run. (We already run bubble screen and the inside wr screen [jailbreak]). And I've probably missed a few. We've put in the 80's, 200's, and play-action this week. The 80's and 200's are closely related and the learning is minimal. We just need to rep them. We have a sr. qb and sr. wrs that have run them for three years. We'll put the 90's and screens in next week. I also want to have three or four sprint out passes. Have I forgotten anything. lol!!

HosHos,

We are a passing team. The pass plays we run are all variations of basic read concepts for the QB. We only run maybe 3 formations, (doubles, open trips, and the occasional empty). So, during the spring and summer, the kids are learning the passing tree, basic reads off their DB and running the routes properly within the offense (post snap adjustments, etc). Add that to the 25 or so passing league games we play in each summer.

"I have seen teams recently win state championships with 5 total passes"

Yes, we are the complete opposite. We only have 5 run plays. The funny thing is though, our running game is very effective in this offense. Our RB last year had over 1,000 yards rushing. (Not bad for a pass happy team).

Coach W,

We are also a spread team and I was wondering what were your five running plays?

ADDED THOUGHT

My answer above pertains to my spread. We are a team that runs and throws out of some 20+ formations, and out of anything but the spread we run as much as anyone who strives for balance. But, when the game is on the line, I like Red's philosophy of "balance heck, pass!

J.C.Easton

I am switching to a one back offense with a variety of balanced formations such as Spread; Double Wing lined up just outside the tackle with a split to each side; Double Tight with a Flanker to each side; Double Tight both flexed and a wing in the gap between the TE and T.

Any suggestions on how to call the passing game. I like the idea of mirror routes since the formations are balanced. Or is it better to have a set of routes to one side for one coverage and another set of routes on the other side for a different coverage? Also, is it best to just package each pass play and have the receivers know their assignments or are numbered routes the way to go.

Any suggestions and help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!!

Thanks for the input. I kind of prefer the number system, because if a player understands how the number system works, you can put any player in any position and they should know what route to run. Also, it allows you to make changes to a play if a situation arises in a game.

With that being said though, how many numbers is too much and is it ok to include a tag call?

For example in a spread set, have the numbers go from left to right. The farthest receiver to the left is the first number and so on moving left to right. Is four number too much to remember?, ex. Spread 2 1 0 Fade
(ignore the periods, it is so this comes out when i post)

The X to the left would run a 2 route; the Z to the left would run a 1 route; the Z on the right would run a 0 route and the X to the left would run a Fade route.

X......................T.G.C.G.T......................X
..........Z..................Q.................Z

..............................H


Hope you can understand what I am trying to say, it may be a little confusing. Basically, I was wondering if four numbers in a play call may be too much.

Thanks

As someone said above - if you limit your passing game CONCEPTS - then you can have many passes as long as they fit into your conceptual structure. For example - one thing I learned from visiting the GREAT Sid Gillman was to operate in only one half of the field (determined by pre or post snap reads) in two fashions. #1 = Inside/Out Horiziontal stretch, and #2 = Outside/In Horizontal Stretch. And finally, to operate in one third of the field - Long-Intermediate-Short in the Vertical Stretch passing game. All our passes fit into these three concepts, and thusly, so do the progression reads.

Here is what we actually give our QB's - SID GILLMAN teaching (NOTE: diagram of field chart didn't come through - there are 6 zones underneath - Hook/Curl/Flat to both sides of the ball, & deep 1/3's drawn.

CONCEPTS OF HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL STRETCH PASSES


#1 HORIZONTAL STRETCH: HORIZONTALLY DIVIDE THE FIELD INTO 6 DISTINCT AREAS (NOTE: THE UNDERNEATH ZONES EXTEND UP TO 12 YDS DEEP)

FLAT CURL HOOK HOOK CURL FLAT

X 0 0 C 0 0 Y
H Q Z

R

FIELD BALANCE IS OBTAINED BY EQUALLY DISTRIBUTING 5 ELIGIBLE RECEIVERS ACROSS THE FIELD WITHIN 5 OF THESE 6 ZONES. WE WILL HOPEFULLY GET 3 RECEIVERS OUT CALLSIDE, AND 2 RECEIVERS OUT BACKSIDE. THIS SHOULD OPEN SOME "SEAMS", "GAPS", "VOID SPACES", "WINDOWS" IN THE UNDERCOVERAGE — WHICH IS TRYING TO COVER 54 YDS HORIZONTALLY (OFTEN WITH ONLY 4 PEOPLE).
NOTE: CAN HORIZONTALLY STRETCH THE 2 OR 3 DEEP ZONES AS WELL.


#2 VERTICAL STRETCH: TO STRETCH THE FIELD VERTICALLY YOU NEED 3 RECEIVERS VS. THE 2 LEVELS OF DEFENDERS. ONE RECEIVER, USUALLY A WIDE RECEIVER, IS SENT AS DEEP AND AS FAST AS HE CAN POSSIBLY GET DEEP. ANOTHER RECEIVER HITS THE MIDDLE OF THE WIDEST AREA CREATED BY THE ONE DEEP RECEIVER DEEP AND THE ONE RECEIVER SHORT (THIS IS CALLED THE "ALLEY" OR "CREASE" IN THE DEFENSE). ANOTHER RECEIVER IS KEPT CLOSE TO THE LOS. THESE 3 MEN ARE DISTRIBUTED VERTICALLY IN ONE THIRD OF THE FIELD.

DEEP DEEP DEEP

ALLEY ALLEY ALLEY

SHORT SHORT SHORT

X 0 0 C 0 0 Y
H Q Z

R

QUARTERBACKS VITAL INFO

I. DIRECTIONAL READ (ELIMINATE ½ OF FIELD)

A) PRE-SNAP LOOK (PREFERABLY) OR,

B) POST-SNAP "TRIGGER" (BY 2nd STEP) (ON "50's" ONLY — NOT "60's")

NOTE: IF THE DEFENSE IS BALANCED & YOU CAN'T DETERMINE BEST SIDE TO THROW TO, STAY CALLSIDE BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE MORE RECEIVERS OUT TO THE CALLSIDE.


II. PROGRESSION OF RECEIVERS READ (TO ½ OF FIELD CHOSEN - AFTER
GOING THRU STEP I.)

A) INSIDE-OUT (HORIZONTAL STRETCH) = 62-63, 60 UP-61 UP, 50-51, 56-57.

*WE PROGRESS INSIDE-OUT IF THE WR RUNS AN INBREAKING ROUTE!

B) OUTSIDE-IN (HORIZONTAL STRETCH) = 60-61, 54-55.

*WE PROGRESS OUTSIDE-IN IF THE WR RUNS AN OUTBREAKING ROUTE.

C) LONG-INTERMEDIATE-SHORT (VERTICAL STRETCH) = 52-53, 58-59.


III. OBJECT RECEIVER READ (LOOKING FIRST FOR A PARTICULAR
RECEIVER OTHER THAN NORMAL PROGRESSION). COULD BE A "TAG"
(57 H FLAT & UP) WHERE YOU LOOK FIRST FOR THE RECEIVER
"TAGGED", OR COACH SENDS IN OBJECT RECEIVER FROM SIDELINE
("56 — "LOOK FOR Z"). IF OBJECT RECEIVER ISN'T OPEN — GO BACK TO
WHAT IS LEFT OF PROGRESSION (GIVE OBJECT RECEIVER AS MUCH
TIME AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE COACHES "SEE SOMETHING"!).

Sid taught that there were 6 underneath zones - HOOK-CURL-FLAT to EACH side of the ball. That's why teams that play 5 under have to give SOMEONE 2 zones (MLB both hooks, OR A OLB Hook to Curl). The CB's of course have the flats!

On Horizontal Stretch passes in which you read OUTSIDE-IN, a good example is a 12 yd out. You must progress Outside/In or the WR would run out of bounds if you progressed Inside/Out (could NEVER get timing right on it).

BASIC RULE ON HORIZONTAL STRETCH: IF OUTSIDE RECEIVER RUNS AN OUTBREAKING ROUTE - PROGRESS OUTSIDE/IN. IF OUTSIDE RECEIVER RUNS AN INBREAKING ROUTE - PROGRESS INSIDE OUT (GOOD EXAMPLE = CURL).

ON 3 LEVEL VERTICAL STRETCHES - PROGRESS LONG-INTERMEDIATE-SHOR, BECAUSE THE HUMAN EYE CAN REFOCUS FROM LONG TO SHORT MUCH BETTER THAN IT CAN FROM SHORT TO LONG.

SOMEONE ELSE WHO USED THE ABOVE THINKING WAS BART STARR, WHEN HE PLAYED FROM LOMBARDI!

GILLMAN ate people up on the old ALL CURL (Y CURL/Z CURL/FB FLAT) by reading HOOK ZONE TO CURL ZONE TO FLAT ZONE (Inside/Out Horizontal Stertch). Reason that was THE WAY TO GO was if MIKE LB took strong hook (in the old Cover 3 Sky/Cloud) - then it "TRIGGERED" QB to work opposite (To X Curl or RB Flat) where you had 2 vs 1 on WILL LB. If MIKE LB took weak hook - then he had them 3 on 2 strong (Y-Z-F vs. Sam & S/S). This was the BIRTH of Horizontal Stretch passing, & we use it still!