Quick Pass Offense
THE QUICK PASSING GAME
THE TERM "QUICK" REFERS TO A PASSING GAME THAT SHORTENS ALL PASS CUTS TO FIVE YARDS. THERE ARE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF STANDARD QUICK PASSES THAT ARE RUN. THEY ARE: QUICK PASS ONE, QUICK PASS TWO, QUICK PASS THREE. THESE ARE STANDARD CALLED PLAYS THAT HAVE THE SAME PATTERN FOR EVERYONE AND MUST BE MEMORIZED.
THE OFFENSIVE LINE WILL USE A SPECIAL PASS BLOCKING FOR THE QUICK PASS SERIES. THIS BLOCKING WILL ALSO BE USED FOR ALL "DUMP" PASSES AS WELL. IT IS CALLED THE "NUT BLOCK." IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE QB TO HAVE THE HANDS OF THE DEFENSIVE LINE DOWN WHEN WE WISH TO EXECUTE THESE PASSES. ONE SURE WAY TO GET THE HANDS OF THE DEFENSE DOWN IS THE NUT BLOCK. WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED, EACH LINEMAN WILL "FIRE OUT" INTO THE DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OVER HIM AND STRIKE FOR THE GROIN AREA. YOU PROBABLY WILL NOT HIT THAT AREA, BECAUSE HE WILL HAVE HIS HANDS DOWN PROTECTING HIMSELF. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
THE QB WILL USE NO MORE THAN A THREE STEP DROP IN THE QUICK PASSING GAME. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE QB TO READ THE DEFENSIVE SECONDARY ON HIS APPROACH TO THE LOS. THE QUICK PASSING GAME PUTS TWO RECEIVERS ON EACH SIDE OF THE OFFENSE. ONE OF THESE RECEIVERS WILL BE OPEN IN THE SHORT ZONE. THE QB IS TO PREDETERMINE WHICH SIDE OF THE OFFENSE HE WILL THROW TO PRIOR TO THE SNAP. HE DOES THIS BY LOCATING THE POSITION OF THE STRONG SAFETY AND THROWING OPPOSITE HIS ALIGNMENT.
WHEN WE USE MOTION IN THE QUICK PASSING GAME, THE QB IS TO READ THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE FS TO MOTION. THE QB IS TO THROW TO THE SIDE OF THE FORMATION OPPOSITE THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE FS. IF THE FS MAKES NO ADJUSTMENT TO MOTION, THE QB IS TO THROW TO THE SIDE OPPOSITE THE ALIGNMENT OF THE SS.
THE QUICK PASSING GAME PUTS OUT FOUR RECEIVERS. IT IS USUALLY CALLED BECAUSE THE DEFENSE HAS GANGED UP ON THE LOS AND IS LEAVING ONE OR MORE SHORT ZONES OPEN. THE CALL FOR THE QUICK PASS USUALLY COMES FROM THE COACH IN THE PRESS BOX WHO IS BETTER ABLE TO SEE AN AREA IN THE SECONDARY THAT CAN BE EXPLOITED.
SINCE THERE ARE FOUR MEN OUT, AND THE LOS IS CROWDED BY THE DEFENSE, THE QB WILL NOT HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF TIME TO THROW THE BALL. THE QB WILL, THEREFORE, THROW TO ONE OF TWO RECEIVERS OR HE WILL COMPLETE A PASS TO HIS GIRL FRIEND IN THE STANDS. THERE IS NO REASON TO TAKE A SACK.
THE QUICK PASSING GAME EXPLOITS THE SHORT PASSING ZONES THAT ARE VACATED DUE TO THE ALIGNMENT OF THE DEFENSE. THE USE OF MOTION CREATES SPECIAL PROBLEMS FOR DEFENSE THAT WANT TO STACK THE LOS VS OUR RUNNING ATTACK. THEY MUST EITHER DROP A MAN OFF THE LOS TO COVER A SHORT ZONE OR GIVE US A WIDE OPEN RECEIVER TO THROW TO IN THE OPEN AREA. IN EITHER CASE, THE SITUATION WORKS TO OUR ADVANTAGE.
QUICK PASS 1
THE MAJOR PURPOSE OF THIS PATTERN IS TO EXPLOIT THE OPEN SHORT ZONE LEFT OPEN BY A DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENT. THIS DEFENSE IS SHORT HANDED IN THE LEFT FLAT AREA. THE QB SEES THE SS LOCATED IN THE RIGHT FLAT AND PREDETERMINES TO GO TO THE LEFT PRIOR TO THE SNAP. THE WB RELEASES OFF THE BALL HARD, DRIVING THE DEFENSIVE CB DEEP. THE WB CUTS AT FIVE YARDS. THE BALL WILL BE ON ITS WAY. GET YOUR HEAD ON THE BALL ASAP. IF FOR SOME REASON THE CB SHOULD COME UP AND PLAY THE WB TOUGH (POSSIBLE MAN COVERAGE) THE QB CAN "CHECK-OFF" IMMEDIATELY TO THE TE IN THE FLAT.
AGAINST A COVER 2 DEFENSIVE ALIGNMENT, THE PLAY WOULD LOOK LIKE THIS.
QUICK PASS 2
QUICK PASS TWO IS A PLAY TO GET THE BALL IN THE HANDS OF THE RECEIVER NEAR THE PERIMETER OF THE DEFENSE AT A MINIMAL DEPTH SO THAT HE MIGHT MAKE A MOVE TO THE OUTSIDE AND GAIN YARDS. IT IS A GOOD PLAY WHEN THE DEFENSE CROWDS THE LOS BECAUSE OF THE RUNNING GAME. IT CAN BE RUN FROM ANY FORMATION - WITH OR WITHOUT MOTION. WHETHER YOU USE MOTION OR NOT DEPENDS ON THE DEFENSE. MOTION REALLY PUTS PRESSURE ON THE DEFENSE. SIINCE NOT TOO MANY HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS USE MUCH MOTION, PEOPLE ARE NOT USED TO SEEING IT. IN ADDITION, MANY PEOPLE WHO USE MOTION REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHY THEY ARE USING IT. THEY JUST THINKS IT LOOKS GOOD. THEY SAW IT ON TV. THE REAL PURPOSE OF MOTION IS TO GET THE DEFENSE OUT OF POSITION IN ORDER TO EXPLOIT THAT MISTAKE. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET AS MANY AS SIX DEFENDERS TO MOVE WITH MOTION. WITH THAT MANY DEFENDERS MOVING, AND TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THE MOVE IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE, MISTAKES ARE MADE.
QUICK PASS 3
THE IDEA OF QUICK PASS THREE IS TO HIT THE MAN OPEN IN THE SEAM/CREASE OF THE ZONE AT EIGHT YARDS IN FULL STRIDE TO THE GOAL LINE. THE RECEIVERS ARE TO "SPLIT" THE COVERAGE AREA OF THE SECONDARY. THE TB AND SE ARE TO RUN A STREAK-STOP ROUTE WITH A CUT AT FIVE YARDS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HB. THE TE IS TO RUN A STREAK INSIDE THE SS AND BETWEEN THE SS AND THE FS. THE TB IS TO SPLIT THE SEAM BETWEEN THE CB AND THE FREE SAFETY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE SE AND THE HB ALIGN FAIRLY WIDE IN THE PRO SET TO STRETCH THE DEFENSIVE ZONES OF THE SECONDARY.
QUICK PASS 4
QUICK PASS 4 IS DESIGNED TO GET THE BALL TO THE WIDE RECEIVER IN THE SEAM AND LET HIM SPLIT THE DEFENDERS WHILE RACING TO THE GOAL LINE. THE PATTERN IS OPPOSITE THAT OF QUICK PASS 2 IN THAT THE RECEIVER RUNS A LOOP-IN ROUTE AND BENDS INTO THE SEAM. THE LOOP-IN TECHNIQUE IS NOT OFTEN USED IN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AND THE DEFENDERS ARE USUALLY FROZEN AND OUT OF POSITION WHEN THEY SEE IT. IT REALLY FAKES THEM OUT.
THE QUICK PASS OFFENSE MAY BE RUN FROM ANY OFFENSIVE SET. ALTHOUGH IT ULTIMATELY IS DESIGNED WITH 4 RECEIVERS IN MIND STRETCHING THE DEFENSE ACROSS THE FIELD, THE SAME RESULTS CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE USE OF MOTION. FOR EXAMPLE: IN RIGHT, FLY, QUICK PASS 2 OR 3 AGAINST A COVER 2, THE MOTION OF THE WB STRETCHES THE CB WIDE AND OPENS THE SEAM FOR THE SE TO BE OPEN IN THE SEAM. IF THE QB "PRESENTS" THE BALL TO THE FB (NOT A FULL BALL FAKE BUT STEPS TO THE FB AND POINTS THE BALL AT HIM) THE LB'ER WILL BITE AND FURTHER OPEN THE SE'S PASS ROUTE.
RECEIVING COACHING POINT: GETTING THE HANDS INTO POSITION TO RECEIVE THE BALL IS VERY IMPORTANT. TO BE A TRULY GOOD RECEIVER THE PLAYER MUST RECEIVE (CATCH) THE BALL IN HIS FINGERTIPS OUT IN FRONT OF HIS BODY AND BRING THE BALL TO HIM AND TUCK IT AWAY. A GOOD RECEIVER "RECEIVES" THE BALL OUT IN FRONT OF HIM JUST LIKE AN INFIELDER CATCHES THE BASEBALL OUT IN FRONT OF HIM "BRINGS IT TO HIM" AND "SMOTHERS" THE BALL TO MAKE SURE OF THE CATCH. SO TOO THE RECEIVER ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD MUST RECEIVE THE BALL OUT IN FRONT, BRING IT TO HIM, SMOTHER IT, AND TUCK IT AWAY. THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF "RECEIVING" THE BALL IS DIFFERENT THAN CATCHING THE BALL. KEN GRIFFEY, JR. RUNS DOWN A FLY BALL AND CATCHES IT. JERRY RICE RECEIVES THE BALL THAT HAS BEEN SENT HIS WAY BY STEVE YOUNG. IN THE CATCHING SITUATION THE GUY ON THE OTHER END IS NOT TRYING TO CONNECT WITH THE FIELDER. IN RECEIVING, BOTH THE THROWER AND RECEIVER HAVE THE SAME RESULT IN MIND.
COACHING POINTS FOR QUICK PASS 2: FOR QUICK CURL ROUTES WE WANT THE RECEIVER TO PLANT, FACE THE QB AND GET HANDS READY TO RECEIVE THE BALL. THE RECEIVER NEEDS TO "TURN AWAY FROM THE SECONDARY DEFENDER COVERING HIM." EVERYONE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE QB CAN THROW THE BALL AND COMPLETE IT FASTER THAN THE DEFENSE CAN REACT TO IT, ESPECIALLY ON SHORT PASS ROUTES.
IN ADDITION: WHEN THE SECONDARY JUMPS THE SE/WB, A POST PASS TO THE TE OPENS AND IS A BIG GAINER. THIS PLAY IS USUALLY CALLED FROM THE "EYES IN THE SKY" PRESS BOX PEOPLE. WE DO SEE AT TIMES, A LOT OF STRAIGHT 3-DEEP COVER WHILE THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR PUTS 8 PEOPLE ON OR NEAR THE LOS. WHENEVER THE FS VACATES DEEP MIDDLE ON MOTION, IT IS A TIP-OFF THAT THE TE CAN GET HIS DEFENDER ON HIS BACK, RUN A POST ROUTE AND GET A BIG GAIN.
ANOTHER VARIATION WOULD BE QUICK PASS 3, Y THROWBACK, WHEN THE EYES IN THE SKY SEE THE SECONDARY PLAYING OFF OR IGNORING THE TE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO RUN A GOOD LOOP-OUT PATTERN ON THIS PASS AT A DEPTH OF 7-8 YARDS. IT IS NOT A DEEP PASS ROUTE, NOR IS IT A FAST ONE. GIVE THE DEFENSIVE SECONDARY TIME TO REACT TO THE MOTION, THE FAKE, THE PASS ROUTE OF THE SE. RECEIVE THE BALL KNOWING THAT THE QB WILL DELIVER THE BALL TO THE SIDELINE SHOULDER, TUCK THE BALL AWAY AND BEND UP THE SIDELINE
THE QB "PRESENTS" THE BALL TO THE FB, SETS, LOOKS ONCE TO THE SE. ONLY THEN DOES HE RE-SET TO DELIVER THE BALL TO THE TE.
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