USC Passing Offense By Norm Chow Offensive Coordinator University of Southern California (2001-200 !

1" Never ad#ust the $B to the system% always ad#ust the system to the $B" 2" &'e(ution is the )ey to su((ess* a" +a)e a (ommitment to it" ," -llow enough .ra(ti(e time to ,e(ome .rofi(ient" (" &'e(ute it ,etter than they (an defend it" / was as)ed to tal) a,out offensive foot,all" -s far as tea(hing the 0uarter,a()1 / have some very sim.le rules" / (o.ied these from some .eo.le a long time ago (Note2 3his refers to 4avell &dwards 5ead 6oot,all Coa(h1 and 7oug S(ovill OC 8 $B Coa(h at B9U ,efore Norm Chow!" 3he 0uarter,a() must always give a (ommand that is understood and must never give a (ommand that will ,e misunderstood" 3his is #ust good (ommon sense right: 9ou (an fool a lot of the .eo.le ,ut you had ,etter not try to fool your 0uarter,a()" 5e needs to )now what is going on all of the time" 3hat is the num,er one rule that / as) of all our young .layers" Never give a (ommand that will ,e misunderstood1 and always give a (ommand that will ,e understood" 3he se(ond rule for the 0uarter,a() is this2 9ou always as) him what he saw on a .lay" ;<hat did you see:; /t is not1 ;/ thought*; /t is not what he ;thought;% it is what did he see" <hat he saw may ,e a((urate or ina((urate it does not matter" <e (an ad#ust to that" /f he saw one thing he should have done this" /f he saw something else1 he should have done that" <e want to )now what the $B saw on the .lay and why he made his de(ision" 3he third rule for the $B is that he is never wrong" / learned this from 7oug S(ovill when he was OC at B9U and / was still wide re(eivers (oa(h" / was very lu()y in my (areer to wor) with some e'(ellent (oa(hes li)e 7oug S(ovill and 4a=ell &dwards" 3he $B would s(rew u. in some games and 7oug would never get on them in front of the team" 5e used to .ut his arm around the $B and tal) to him in a low tone of voi(e" On the other hand1 / was (oa(hing the re(eivers for him" <e would throw a .ass down field that was nearly im.ossi,le to (at(h" 7oug would yell at the re(eiver1 ;Cat(h the damn ,all*; /t finally hit me what he was doing" 5e was showing the foot,all team the $B was the )ey to the team" 5e was treated differently1 and he was handled differently" 5e didn>t get e'tra shoes or anything li)e that1 ,ut he was s.e(ial" 3hin) a,out this" Until the $B says1 ;?o; nothing will ha..en" 3here (an ,e 1001000 .eo.le in the stands ,ut nothing will ha..en until this .layer de(ides the .lay will ,egin" <e always ma)e him feel li)e a million dollars1 ,e(ause he is the man" /f he ma)es mista)es we tal) a,out them in the film room" But as far as the

rest of the team is (on(erned he is never1 ever wrong" 3he fourth rule is this2 -lways throw the foot,all to the re(eiver" 3hrow the ,all straight ahead" 3hin) a,out how easy that is" /f the re(eiver is over there1 then throw the ,all to him" /f he is over there1 then throw the ,all to him" Basi(ally what we are saying is for the $B to move his feet and get the ,ody in .osition so that you are throwing the ,all to the re(eiver" -lways throw the ,all straight ahead" Ste. and throw the ,all to the re(eiver" <ith that ,asi( idea in mind we wor) with our feet1 our hi.s1 and our eyes" Noti(e how / did not say one word a,out the arm" <hen you get most 0uarter,a()s they have ,een throwing the ,all for several years and you are not going to (hange them" 9ou are not going to (hange their delivery" But what you (an wor) on are the feet1 the hi.s1 and eyes" 3hat is what we try to em.hasi@e with our $B>s" Bill <alsh wrote an arti(le a,out develo.ment of the $B" 5e said that the wor) is done in the off season in the gym" 3hat is when you wor) on the feet1 hi.s1 and eyes" 5owever1 when the $B gets on the foot,all field and ta)es a sna.1 you do not want him to ,e thin)ing a,out his feet1 hi.s1 and eyes" 9ou want him to ,e thin)ing a,out this2 ;/ ta)e the sna.1 and if the re(eiver is o.en over there / am going to throw the ,all to him"; 3hat is the differen(e in a tea(hing and a (oa(hing situation" 9ou do not want him thin)ing a,out all the me(hani(s when he gets on the field" 5e wants to ,e thin)ing1 ;if the safety goes over there1 / am going to throw the ,all over here;" 3hat is the way you want him to thin)" 3hat is our .hiloso.hy here on (oa(hing the $B" <e (an tal) a,out stan(e and delivery and all of the other me(hani(al as.e(ts if you want" <e are all different on ta)ing the foot,all from under the (enter" Some (oa(hes want the $B to ta)e the ,all with the feet straight1 some want the feet staggered" 3here are a lot of right ways to do things" -s far as .utting the .assing game together here at USC we have a (ou.le of rules" 6irst is .ass .rote(tion" <e are going to .rote(t the $B1 otherwise nothing wor)s" 3his is the reason we s.end hours and hours as (oa(hes in meeting rooms tal)ing a,out s(hemes" 9ou may ,eat us ,e(ause your .layers are ,etter than ours" But as far as the s(heme goes1 we are going to .rote(t the $B" Before we even ,egin to tal) a,out .ass routes we tal) a,out .ass .rote(tion" <e try to ma)e it easy for the $B" <e tell him to loo) u." /f he sees two safeties ,a() in (overage1 we do not worry as mu(h a,out .rote(tion at the line of s(rimmage" <e have seven ,lo()ers and we (an handle the defense" <e do not tea(h the $B as mu(h a,out the fronts in this situation" 5e is (on(erned a,out throwing the foot,all" 5e has enough to worry a,out" -ll he has to do is loo) for the two safeties" /f they have two safeties ,a() you assume they have two (orners and that means only seven .ossi,le rushers" <e have seven .rote(tors"

/f we are in one ,a() sets the num,ers of (ourse (hange" Now1 that seventh .rote(tor ,e(omes his res.onsi,ility to read" 5ere is how we do it" <e all .oint to the seventh man that we (an not ,lo()" 3hat is the man whom the $B must )ey for the rush" /f that seventh man (omes on the rush1 the $B must get rid of the ,all 0ui()ly" /f the un,lo()ed man ,a()s off1 the $B )ee.s the ,all and loo)s to ma)e a .lay" <e (all this the movement )ey" 5e wat(hes the (overage" /f there are only seven rushers then he reads his .rogression - one1 two1 and three" /f we only have si' man .rote(tion the offensive line .oints to the one man we (an not ,lo()" 3hat is the man the $B must )ey" <e do not (are if everyone )nows that the $B is )eying the seventh man" Now the read )ey ,e(omes the ,lit@" 3he $B (he()s the ,lit@ and goes through his .rogressions - one1 two1 three" 3hat is how sim.le we try to )ee. it" 3he se(ond rule as far as .utting the .assing game together is this2 <e are going to try to (ontrol the foot,all with the forward .ass" 3his is of (ourse a ,it of a (ontradi(tion" Statisti(s are what you want to ma)e of them" But there are two statisti(s we ,elieve in" One is the time of .ossession" <e feel we need to win this ,attle" 3he other statisti( we want to win is the turnover ,attle" <e do not want to turn the ,all over" 3hose two .oints are very im.ortant to us" /f you (an a((om.lish those two things you will (ontrol the foot,all" But we are trying to (ontrol the foot,all with the forward .ass" <hat does this mean in our terms: Che() downs* 3he $B loo)s for the num,er one re(eiver1 then the num,er two re(eiver1 and if they are not o.en he loo)s for the three-yard .ass" Bam* /f the first two re(eivers are not o.en1 the ta)es the A or yard .ass" 5e throws for the short gain and we ho.e we (an ,rea) a ta()le and ma)e another four yards or so" <hen / was (oa(hing under 7oug S(ovill at B9U / would see the $B loo) at the .ost re(eiver and then throw the ,all to the ,a() (oming out of the ,a()field" 7oug would go over to the $B and tell him it was a ni(e #o," / was thin)ing what the hell is going on: /t loo)ed to me as if the wide re(eiver on the .ost route was o.en for a tou(hdown and the $B dro.s the ,all off to the swing man" 6inally / reali@ed what he was doing" 3hat is the hardest thing a $B has to learn to do" 5e has to learn to ,e a,le to throw the (he() down" 3he third as.e(t of the .assing game is this2 <e want to )iss it" <e all )now what that means" Bee. /t Sim.le Stu.id" / thin) the ,iggest mista)e that (oa(hes ma)e is that we try to ,e too smart" 9ou (ome to a (lini( li)e this and we get an idea from (oa(h 5er, +eyer" 3hen you try to in(or.orate it into what you are doing" 9ou need to develo. a .hiloso.hy" <hen you develo. that .hiloso.hy you need to stay with it" 3here are lots of ways to move the foot,all" 9ou need to develo. your own .hiloso.hy and you need to )ee. it sim.le" / (an not overstate that .oint" Be(ause of the nature of our ,usiness1 we get to sit in an offi(e and s.end time

drawing u. .lays on the (hal),oard" - lot of .lays may loo) good in a .lay,oo)1 ,ut is it going to hel. our team: <ith that in mind at USC on the dro.,a() .assing game we will only have nine .asses" <e (all it our C0 Series" <e have a .ass for ea(h of the C0 num,ers" <e may (all the .lay CD for e'am.le" 3his means the lineman )now it is ,asi( C0 (u. .rote(tion" 3he D is the .ass .attern for that .lay" &veryone has to remem,er the individual .ass routes that ma)e u. that .attern" <e have nine ,asi( .ass .atterns" <e tea(h four in one day and five the ne't day at the start of (am." 3hat is all we have" / feel very strongly a,out this" <e are going to )ee. it as sim.le as .ossi,le so out )ids (an go out on the field (onfident that we are going to ma)e the .lay and we are going to )now what we are doing" 3he mista)e that (oa(hes ma)e is to ma)e it too (om.li(ated" /t is a foot,all game and not a .hysi(s (lass" /f we (oa(hes were that smart we would not ,e sitting here not ma)ing a lot of money" /n the s(o.e of setting u. the .assing game we feel there are a (ou.le of things we need to in(lude - the three ste. dro.1 the five ste. dro.1 and the .lay a(tion .assing game" <e want to ,e a,le to esta,lish the run to some e'tent" -lso we need the a,ility to s.rint out at times" 3he reason you need the a,ility to s.rint out is this2 /f you (an>t handle the defense on the inside you (an ta)e the ,all outside% if we get ,eat on the outside1 we (an ste. u. in the .o()et% if they (ome u. the middle then get to the outside" 3he last thing in our .assing game is that we will use a lot of s(reens to hel. (ontrol the ,lit@" 3here are so many things ha..ening with fire @ones1 and @one ,lit@es today and there is so mu(h suffo(ation with the various (overages1 and disguises1 that we feel the ,est way to mitigate the ,lit@ is with the s(reen .ass" <e run a lot of s(reens where we #ust throw the ,all outside to the re(eiver" <hen those s(reens get ,lown u. or )no()ed down1 / do not thin) you should ,e that u.set a,out it" /t is no ,ig deal" /t tells the defensive line they (an not ,e in too ,ig a hurry to get u. the field ,e(ause we may throw the s(reen .ass" /t is all done with out ,lit@ (ontrol .a()age" <ith regard to the ,lit@ and our running game we>ll sometimes run the tra. draw" -ll we are trying to do is tra. the outside rush man" 3his is the man that gets his ,utt u. the field" / was fortunate to (oa(h against 6lorida State for a (ou.le of games" 3he have defensive ends that are C> ; and 2D0 .ounds" -ll they do is get their ,utt u. in the air and loo) for the sna. of the ,all" <hen that ,all is sna..ed1 they (ome a(ross the line very hard" 3hey do not )now where the $B is" 3hey are great u.field rushers" <e don>t run the E ste. dro. game when we (an not .rote(t the .asser" <e run the foot,all" <e throw the ,all on timed routes1 we throw the s(reen and draws1 and we are going to run some gimmi() .lays #ust to slow the game down a ,it" 3his is our game .lan every wee)" <hen you formulate your offense and de(ide you are going to throw the ,all1 these are things you should (onsider" 4et me show you how we go a,out doing that"

<hen we de(ide to im.lement the .assing atta()1 whi(h is not new to what is going on today1 there were a (ou.le of things we had to do" /n designing the .assing atta()1 the (on(e.ts remain the same" <e have (urls1 flats1 man routes1 o.tion routes1 (rossing routes versus man (overage1 and the four verti(al routes" 3he last thing we have is what we (all triangles" 3hat is what the .assing game amounts to" / do not thin) these (on(e.ts will ever (hange" 3his is true if you run the run and shoot or a dro. ,a() style atta()" / am going to tal) a,out ,uilding triangles" / (ould go through the entire .assing atta() for USC ,e(ause it is that sim.le" But instead / will fo(us in on ,uilding triangles in our .assing game" 3his is what we do against teams that .lay @one (overage against us" <e (all these .asses o,li0ue .asses" &veryone )nows the hori@ontal and verti(al stret(h .assing game" <e say that we li)e to use the o,li0ue .assing game" /n essen(e against the @one (overage we try to (reate o,li0ue stret(hes to for(e the defense to (over the entire foot,all field" <e (all it movement )eys and re(eiver .rogression" +ovement )eys sim.ly means the (overage" 3he defense (an ,e 0uite (onfusing when they .ut seven or eight men in the ,o' and show one thing and .lay another" /t is hard to figure out what the (overages are when that ha..ens" 3hey move around so fast you (an>t tell what they are always doing" <hen we get to that .oint we are going to atta() with triangles" 6or our ,asi( .assing game we have a strongside verti(al1 and we have a middle verti(al1 and a wea)side verti(al" <e have a (ou.le of hori@ontal stret(hes and we have a (ou.le of man routes" <e have a few one-man routes" <e have a route to atta() Cover 21 and we have the four verti(als game" 3hat is our ,asi( .assing game" 3here / have told you everything we do and / did it in two minutes" -gain"""we have one strongside verti(al route1 one middle verti(al route1 one middle verti(al and one wea)side verti(al" <e have two hori@ontal stret(h routes1 a man route1 four verti(als and a Cover 2 ,eater" 3hat is all we ,asi(ally do" <e atta() everyone we .lay with these ,asi( .lays" Our )ids )now these .lays the se(ond day of .ra(ti(e" / am assuming everyone )nows how to ,rea) down the .assing @ones" <e figure that there are eight defensive @ones on the foot,all field" /f the defense rushes three men1 then they (an defend with eight men against the .ass" /t is sim.le" /f you rush three you (an defend the eight @ones" /f the defense ele(ts to (over all eight @ones well we are going to run the foot,all" /f the defense rushes four and (overs seven of the @ones it is our res.onsi,ility to find the @one that is not (overed and that is where we are going to atta()" /f you only (over seven @ones we will eventually find it and that is where we are going to throw the foot,all" 5ere is an e'am.le" <ith a strong side verti(al we send the F (flan)er! on the go route or whatever you want to (all it" <e tell the s.lit end to go to the middle

dee. area" 3he tight end goes to the area where the dee. and the underneath areas meet" 3he ,a() (he()s the rush and runs an arrow route" 3he ,a() side ,a() runs a little (he() down as well" 3hat is a ,asi( e'am.le of how we design our .assing game" 3hat is an e'am.le of a strongside verti(al route for us" /f the defense is .laying three dee. (Cover A! with four men underneath then we have a de(ent (han(e with this .ass" 3his is our CD .ass" /n terms of .rogression the dee. man on this .lay is num,er one" <e always loo) for that long ,all first" <e have learned the 0uarter,a() (an throw the dee. .ass if (an throw it in five ste.s" /f he hits five and it is o.en he should throw the .ass" /f he hits that fifth ste. and has to insert a hit(h ste. to ma)e the throw we tell him not to throw it" <hy: 3hose (orner,a()s are good enough today that even if you have them ,eat and hesitate on the .lay they (an rea(t fast enough to still ma)e the .lay" 9ou (an not hesitate" /f the $B (an throw on the fifth ste. that is fine" But anything after that and we do not want him to throw the long ,all" 3he num,er two man in terms of .rogression is the tight end down in the area ,etween the dee. and the underneath @one" <e want him to sit down and loo) for the $B" <e (all this our sail route" <e find the dead s.ot in the @one and we sit there" 3he end has an easy release" 5e (omes out and sits inside" +ost teams run this .lay with an out route for the tight end" 3hey want to get a one1 two1 three verti(al loo)" <e do not want to do that" <e want a one and a two and a three loo)1 so it loo)s li)e our triangle we tal)ed a,out" /t ma)es it tougher to (over for the defense" /f the $B has an o.en window on the outside he will throw the foot,all" /f he has an o.en window inside with the tight end he will throw it" 3he tight end wants to get into .osition where he (an shield the defender from getting the ,all if it (omes to him" /t is #ust li)e .laying ,as)et,all" /f the ,all is over his head he (an still ma)e the ad#ustment and ma)e the (at(h" /n our .lay,oo) the s.lit end is also num,er two in terms of .rogression" <e draw it u. for the $B with ,oth re(eivers ,eing num,er two" /f the $B dro.s five ste.s and does not see the wide re(eiver o.en on the (alled side he loo)s inside to the tight end" 3hen he sees a flash of light (oming over to (over the tight end" /t is the free safety" 3he 0uarter,a() now loo)s u. to the s.lit end who is running the dee. route down the middle" <hen the free safety (omes over to (over the tight end it leaves the s.lit end o.en" Now the $B (an throw the dee. ,all down the middle" /f we (annot get the ,all to the first three re(eivers we loo) to the ,a()s" /t is a sim.le four or five yard throw" <e tell the right half ,a() to run a five yard to si' yard arrow route" On(e we get the ,all outside to him he (an run the ,all u.field" Now if the defense ta)es the arrow route away from us we still have a (han(e to go to the ,a()side on the dum. to other running ,a()" <e loo) at the three dee.er routes first and then go from there" 3his is a strong side verti(al

.attern" <e (an also add a ;tag; to the .attern to ma)e it a little more so.histi(ated" By tag / mean we (an sim.ly alter one of the individual routes within the .attern" Say for instan(e the defense has ta)en away all the dee. .atterns away" <e (an (ome ,a() with the same .lay and tag it with CD 6--ngle" -s the onside half,a() sees the strong line,a()er leave to (over the tight end on the (url route he (uts ,a() inside on the angle route" Now we have an o.en s.ot in the defense" 3his all (omes from slightly altering the one ,asi( route" /f we fa(e some ty.e of man (overage and our tight end sees the strong safety (ome u. to sto. the inside route we want the tight end to ma)e a move at the to. of the route and .ush the outside" /t is man (overage and he (an get to the outside and get o.en" Now it is one1 two1 three .rogression" 3his is how we design out .ass offense" /t is very1 very sim.le" 3he other way is the same idea" <e are going to run the .lay to the wea)side" 3he wea)side verti(al is the same idea" <e send the s.lit end on the u. or go route" <e ta)e the tight end five to seven yards dee. and then a(ross the middle at 1D to 1E yards dee." <e ,ring the wide re(eiver down the middle on the s.lit" 3he onside half,a() runs the flat" 3he other ,a() runs the (he() down" <e have the same .lay as ,efore" <e have the same ,asi( triangles as we had ,efore" 3his is #ust the wea)side verti(al .lay variation" <e (an do different things with the ,a()side half,a()" <e (an ,ring him down inside" 3his is what it loo)s li)e with the s.lit end1 tight end1 and onside half,a() in the triangle" Prote(tion wise we are going to ,lo() ,ig on ,ig" <e ,lo() ,a()s on the line,a()ers" /f the defense is ,etter than we are1 we will have to )ee. the ,a()s in to (he() the rush" /f the defender gets ,y the line1 we will have the ,a() ,lo() him if the line,a()ers are not (oming" 3hat is the wea)side verti(al" Now we tag this route as well" /t is .ro,a,ly our favorite .lay" <e (all it a CG wea)" <e tag it with a get-a-way route for the half,a()" /t is an o.tion route" /t is a free release for the half,a()" 5e is not going to ,lo() the wea)side line,a()er" /t is our CG 5 o.tion .lay" -s / said we ,lo() ,ig on ,ig" Our ,a()s ,lo() line,a()ers" 3he half,a() has the <4B and the full,a() has the S4B" 3he front five have the four down lineman and the +4B" /f we s.lit the half,a() out of if we are not going to ,lo() the <4B and we still want to throw the dro.,a() .ass we (all the .lay CG <ill" <e (an not ,lo() the <4B" 3he <4B (ould ,e in a different area and we (an not ,lo() him" /f the <4B (omes on the ,lit@ then the half,a() is the hot read" -s the <4B (omes a(ross the line of s(rimmage1 the half,a() must turn and loo) for the ,all" <e dum. the ,all to the half,a()"

/f we want to free the full,a() on the other side we (all it CG Sam" 3he Sam (all tag tells us we (an not ,lo() the S4B" &veryone )nows who is assigned to ,lo() the S4B" /f he (omes on the ,lit@ we throw the ,all to the full,a() on the hot read" <e (all the .lay CG 5alf,a() O.tion - <ill" <e .layed +i(higan years ago when / was still at B9U" <e ran this single .lay 1E times that game" 6or some reason they were trying to defend the half,a() with the +4B" <e try for a free release on the half,a()" /f the <4B (omes on a ,lit@ then we throw it hot" /f the defense is .laying in some ty.e of @one defense the ,a() #ust (omes u. to the line and finds a hole and sits in the hole" /t is li)e you do on the .layground" 5e sits at the hole on the line and the $B finds him and throws the ,all to him" -s the $B (omes ,a() on the .rogression read he eyes the ,a()" <hen he gets o.en the $B throws the ,all to him" /f the defense is in man (overage the rule is this that the <4B has the half,a() and he reinfor(es the defender>s .osition" /f the defender is outside we .ush him outside and then (ut ,a() to the inside" /f the <4B is on the inside on some ty.e of )no()down (overage we ,ring the half,a() down inside and toward the <4B and then we ,rea) outside" Now / have the (hal) so to s.ea) and the offense should win this ,attle" <e tell our re(eivers the defender (annot ,e right" /f he is on the outside we run inside" /f he is on the inside we run outside" /f he s.lits the differen(e with another defender then we want to run in the middle of the two defenders" /f the defense ta)es the +4B and s0uee@es the .lay and dos not allow you to throw the ,all to the half,a() we loo) for the tight end" /f the +4B goes over to hel. the <4B it leaves a lane o.en for the tight end" 3his is where the $B should throw the ,all" <hen we run our normal CG the loo) is long and then short in terms of reads" /t is the triangle we tal)ed a,out" <hen we tag on the 5 o.tion the loo) is short to long or reversed" /t is down and then ,a() u. to the to." <e have now (overed the strong side verti(al and the wea)side verti(al" Now we (an add on the middle verti(al" /t is the same idea" Now we want to stret(h it down the middle of the field" <e send the tight end 10 yards dee. and drag him straight a(ross" 3he 6lan)er runs a .ost (ross route at 1H yards de.th" <e run the S.lit &nd on a s.lit route" <e ta)e the full,a() and (he() him down to the flat" 3he half,a() (he()s down at three yards inside" Now we are stret(hing the defense down the middle" /f the safety stays high we (ome off the s.lit end" /f we move the (overage underneath we have a shot at the 6lan)er" /f we do not get movement underneath we loo) for the tight end at 10 yards dee. a(ross the middle" /f that is (overed we loo) for the half,a() on the (he() down inside" <e throw the ,all at three yards and ho.e he gets four more yards out of the .lay"

9ou had ,etter (over the dee. routes of the two outside re(eivers" 3he defense must (over everyone for us to get to the (he() down" /f they (over everyone we get the ,all underneath and get u. the field and see what we (an do" <ith all of this in mind all of this gives us a (han(e to run what we li)e to run" /f we want to run CA and .ut the 6lan)er on the .ost (orner route we (all it F Corner" /f we want to .ut it on the I route we (all it CA I Corner" <e (an .ut the 9 end on the (orner" 3he .lay stays CA" /t loo)s li)e we are running a,out si' different .atterns" /t is the same route run over and over again" 3his system allows us to run lots of different loo)s with the same ,asi( .attern" /t is one ,asi( .attern" 3hat is ,asi(ally the way we .ut our offense together" <e have one strongside1 middle1 and wea)side verti(al .lay" <e have a (ou.le of hori@ontal stret(h .lays to go along with this" 3his is as ,asi( as we get with our .assing game" One of our favorite routes is the hori@ontal stret(h route" / have showed you the three verti(al routes" Now1 / am tal)ing a,out the hori@ontal stret(h route" <e run 1 yard (url routes with the wide re(eivers" 3he full,a() runs a four to si' yard arrow route" 3he tight end runs H to 10 yards dee. in the middle" <e start with movement )eys" 4et me show you what we do against the ,asi( Cover A with a ,asi( -A defense" On the first ste. the $B ta)es he is reading the +4B" 3he +4B will give the $B dire(tion" /f the +4B goes wea)side it means the <4B has ta)en the flat away" /f the +4B has ta)en the (url route away the read now ,e(omes inside-out to the defenders on that side" <e have three underneath re(eivers and the defense has only two defenders on that side" /f the strong safety hangs on the (url and runs to the flat we throw the ,all to (url inside" /f the S4B ta)es away the (url ,y the tight end and the strong side safety ta)es the (url ,y the 6lan)er the $B throws the ,all to the flat" /f the S4B goes to the middle and the strong safety goes to the flat we throw the (url with the 6lan)er" 9ou have four defenders underneath in this (overage" <e have five re(eivers underneath" 3he $B sim.ly has to find the o.en re(eiver" <e do not run this .lay against Cover 2 as there are five underneath defenders and two dee. in (overage as the mat(h u. is less favora,le" /f the +4B goes strong or goes straight ,a() we res.ond a((ordingly" /f +4B goes straight ,a() he ta)es away the (url to the tight end" /f they ta)e away the strong side they only have the <4B underneath on the short side" /f the <4B hangs to (over the (url we throw it to the flat" /f the <4B goes to the flat we throw to the (url" 3his is how we atta() the defense" -gain1 the defense has four underneath and we have five hori@ontal" 3he area the defense va(ates we are going to hit" /f the defense is in Cover 2 and we (he() out of it" <e do not have a very good .lay" <e tell the re(eivers then if they see .ressure on the five under two dee.

(overage to atta() the defense on a high low route" /f we (an get the ,all to the o.en man we will" /f we (an>t we go ,a() and (all another .lay" <e have to ,e smart" /f the defense (overs with five underneath it means they only have two dee. men to (over" 3hat is why we go high low" 3hat is the way we atta() (over two" 3he ne't .lay is our CC .lay" <e (an (all CC 9 ,en(h" Some .eo.le (all this .lay 5an)" /t is CC to us" /t is the same route over and over" -ll we are going to do is tag one man and everyone else is ad#usting to the tag" <e ho.e it loo)s to you li)e we are running a lot of different .lays" <hen we (all CC 9 Ben(h we have re(ogni@ed that something is going on" 3he defense is giving us something that allows us to stay strong" Now1 we are not reading the middle line,a()er" <e are staying on the strongside" Now we go with the 9 end toward the ,en(h" <e read the routes1 one1 two1 three" 3his gives us a (han(e to ta)e advantage of what the defense is giving us" 3his is a good route for us against the ,lit@" <e (all it CC 9 Ben(h" /t is a delay route for us with the full,a()" <e have a ,asi( (rossing .attern against man (overage" <e tell our $B that when we .ut a game .lan together we list all of the different situations" On the ,ottom of the .lan we .ut the audi,le (he()s in" -gainst man (overage we allow two ,asi( (alls" -gainst Cover A it is two ,asi( (alls" -gainst Cover 2 it is two ,asi( (alls" 3he $B )nows he has only two ,asi( (alls against the defense" /f he (omes u. to the line and sees the defense is in something that will give us a .ro,lem with the .lay (alled in the huddle1 he has two .lays he (an (he() to" <e do not have a (om.li(ated list" Ne't this is the route we use against man (overage" /t is our (rossing route" <e tell the tight end (9! that he is res.onsi,le for the de.th of the route" <e tell the I re(eiver that he is res.onsi,le for the mesh of the route" 3he I re(eiver (omes underneath the 9 end" /f 9 goes si' yards dee. then I has to go five yards dee." 3hey are going full s.eed" /t is not a .i() route" /t is sim.ly a (rossing route" 3he $B wat(hes the mesh o((ur with the (rossing routes" 3he $B turns his shoulders to the re(eiver that (omes and throws the ,all to him" /f we ma)e a mista)e and the defense is not running man (overage and they are .laying @one and we are running (rossing routes then this is what the $B should do" 5e should loo) at the ,a() of the two re(eiver side whi(h is the tight end side and he should turn his shoulder and throw the ,all to the ,a() in the flat" <e want to throw the ,all three yards and get three more on the run" Now1 we have a se(ond and four situation" <e have to ,e a,le to loo) for the (rossing re(eivers and if they are (overed we go to the ,a()s" / heard 9- 3ittle say this a,out .laying $B in the N64" ;/f you are going to ,e an

N64 0uarter,a() you have to )now where the num,er three re(eiver is going to ,e;" / thin) it is our #o, to as (oa(hes to ma)e sure our 0uarter,a() understands where num,er three is going to ,e" /t is not that hard if you wor) at it" 3eams used to man ,lit@ against us in the red @one" <hen teams .layed the man ,lit@ we had a variety of things we (ould do" <e run our C2 F Pa( route" /t stands for .ost or (orner route" 3he 6lan)er runs the (orner or .ost" 9ou (ould line u. in a s.lit loo) with two ,a()s s.lit wide with the I re(eiver" 9ou (ould line u. in a sta() loo) with two ,a()s sta()ed ,ehind the s.lit end" 9ou (an do anything that is different" But ,asi(ally it is the same route over and over" <e have I and 9 (ross1 F runs a (orner and the ,a()s run out" / do not mean to minimi@e this ,ut it is li)e a ,as)et,all game" <e tell our re(eivers they have to get five yards dee." <e tell the there is a hole on their side and they need to find the hole" /f they understand the (on(e.ts of the routes we have taught them they should )now where to run" <e tell them we are not tea(hing ro,ots" <e are tea(hing young men1 .eriod" <e tea(h them to .lay foot,all and that is all" 9ou (an ,e as (om.li(ated as you want with the .assing game" But if your .layers do not understand what you are doing it will not matter" <e feel our .layers (an understand what we are doing and they are (omforta,le with what we are doing" -s we get older we do not remem,er who our (hemistry tea(her was" <e do remem,er who our (oa(hes were" / (an remem,er Coa(h -ne li)e it was yesterday" / was in the ninth grade and on the third string J= team" 3he season was over and he was ta)ing some of the J= .layers u. to the =arsity" 5e (alled the names out and he (alled my name out" / will never forget that" 3he .oint / am trying to ma)e and / want you to remem,er is that we are in the ,est .rofession in the world" <e (an go to wor) in shorts and tennis shoes" 7on>t forget to tea(h )ids te(hni0ue" 3ea(h )ids values and (hara(ter" /f we (an do that we will all ,e su((essful" / a..re(iate you listening to my le(ture"