How A Dangerous Receiver Opens Up The Passing Game

A dangerous wide receiver, a difference maker, can be the difference between an unstoppable offense, with a balanced attack of multiple weapons, and a good passing offense that can be stopped if the defense plays disciplined, assignment-based football. Jeff Fuller, who had 50 receptions for 630 yds and a school-record 9 TDs last season, has the potential to become that type of difference maker at wide receiver.

A dangerous wide receiver opens up the passing game for all potential receivers in several ways, but I'm only going to look at one way a difference maker can open up the passing game today. We'll start by looking at the formation and reading the secondary.

In Diagram 1, I have Fuller represented by the Z receiver. I have only shown the center, right guard, and right tackle on the offensive line, because it isn't necessary for our purposes to show more. There is a slot receiver split out, a Sam (strongside) linebacker on defense, a cornerback (C) pressed up on the Z receiver, and a free safety (F) and strong safety ($) showing a Cover 2 zone look. The Cover 2 zone allows the strong safety to keep the slot receiver in front of him, while also protecting deep.

Now in Diagram 3, we have added the post route Z will run to exploit the open deep middle of the secondary. Z takes an inside release off of the cornerback's press coverage, and gains depth to the strong safety, where he cuts inside to the middle of the field.

In Diagram 4, we see how Z draws the cornerback deep, and the strong safety moves with him. A dangerous receiver will cause the strong safety to bail and protect the deep middle, because the cornerback can be beaten deep. The strong safety bailing obviously leaves no one on the slot receiver, which means he becomes Sam's responsibility in coverage.

Diagram 5

In Diagram 5, we have the slot receiver taking advantage of the vacated space left by the cornerback and strong safety, running a simple crossing route outside. Sam can get over to cover the slot receiver, but the slot will have the advantage with his outside release, will beat Sam to the ball, and can then get upfield. The strong safety and cornerback now need to get across the field and make the tackle on the slot receiver moving downfield.

Diagram 6

In Diagram 6, I have added the QB and TB to the formation, to show how we add the TB to the passing game. Z is running the same post route, but the slot receiver is now running a simple shallow cross route, drawing Sam into coverage and away from the TB. The TB is now uncovered, and is free to run a shoot route, and then head outside and downfield. The reason we have the slot run a shallow cross is because if we had him run a crossing route, like in Diagram 5, he will lead Sam right into the area we want the TB to attack. This puts the receiver in the position of having to block Sam on the play, which, while possible, is not preferable to having him chase the slot receiver in coverage across the formation, as he has to in the shallow cross. This play also offers the QB a quick checkdown on the coverage, deep middle (Z), short middle (slot), dump off to the outside (TB).

Now, for this play to work, we need a dangerous threat at Z, someone who will scare opposing defenses if he is running down the deep middle with only a cornerback in one-on-one coverage, someone who can beat cornerbacks deep. At 6'4, 215 lbs, with 4.5 speed, Fuller has the size and speed to be that deep threat, that dangerous receiver who requires double-coverage from a safety and cornerback if he goes downfield. It is just up to Fuller to reach that potential this season, and for our coaches to develop and exploit it in playcalling.

 Now, we are only looking at one coverage and how one route from one receiver can open up the field to other players on offense. As we move forward this off-season, we'll look at more combination routes, and other ways to exploit secondary coverages.