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AFM Magazine


3-Step Passing Game

Assistant Coach, Troy State
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A three-step passing game has become a vital part of most offenses. At Troy State, we utilize quick passes to enhance our running attack. Our players refer to the three-step game as "long handoffs."

The reason we believe the quick passing game is such an important aspect to the running game is the advent of eight- and nine-man fronts being employed by defenses. These fronts have made running the football a huge challenge. By including the three-step passing game with our running game, we are trying to put the pressure back on the defense. These quick throws can take advantage of any mistake made by the secondary with a lot of open field to work with. It also has enabled us to still control the ball and the clock when the running game isn't working well.

We teach the three-step passing game as a mirror image of our running game. We believe you must be physical and tough to execute an effective three-step passing game. By teaching this way, our offensive unit feels it is being aggressive - just as if we were running an isolation play.

We have developed our three-step passing game to be simple and very easy to learn. All of our routes are taught as combinations. A combination is where two receivers are told what to do with one term. We use terms to describe the combinations we want to run. For example, "hitch." (see diagram one)

Diagram 1.


One term indicates which route combination for the outside and inside receivers to run. We combine two terms to tell each receiver what to do. The first term called in the huddle tells the right side of the formation which combination to run. The second term is for the left side. For example, "hitch - slant." (see diagram two)

Diagram 2.


We do not ask our receivers to make any route adjustments. Once they learn the combination, they are done with it. Our receivers can instead spend time on technique and execution. Pre- and post-snap recognition are things of the past for us.

In order to allow this to happen, our combinations are designed to defeat specific coverages. The "hitch" combination is developed to defeat a cover-3 shell. The slant combination defeats a cover-2 shell. We mix and match these combinations to take advantage of the defense. The quarterback is taught to pick the side of the formation that defeats the coverage he is seeing. If we call "hitch-slant" and the defense is in a cover-3 shell, he will work the hitch side of the formation. If the defense is in a cover-2 shell, the quarterback will work the slant side. (see diagrams three and four)

Diagram 3.


Diagram 4.


We have developed route combinations to defeat the coverages we may see and usually more than one combination for each coverage. The quarterback only has to learn how to use a combination for each coverage. This makes it very easy to teach and to execute. In addition to identifying the proper coverage shell he sees, it is equally paramount for the quarterback to decide which is the proper receiver to which to throw.

The Hitch

The hitch route is a six-yard stop route by the outside receiver and a five-yard stop route by the inside receiver. The inside receiver will attack the outside shoulder of the strong safety until he gets to his five-yard depth. The angle of his route is not important. The outside receiver will push straight up field to the proper depth. The quarterback reads the strong safety for the inside or outside throw.

We put an imaginary line down the middle of the strong safety and watch him through our second step of the three-step drop. It doesn't matter where he aligns on the field. If the strong safety doesn't get width on the quarterback's second step, we will look to throw to the outside receiver. Conversely, if he does move outside, we'll look for the inside receiver. It's important to note that once the read is made, the quarterback does not change his mind and go back to another receiver. We want quick throws and, of course, no interceptions. Once the quarterback hits his third step, he must be able to make the completion. If he sees any different-colored jerseys between he and the receiver, he must throw the ball away. We do not scramble in our three-step game and we never want to take a sack.

There is an exception to the strong safety read rule: if the strong safety is closer than five yards from the offensive tackle, we will not read him and will look to the outside receiver right away. (See diagrams five and six)

Diagram 5.


Diagram 6.


The Slant

The slant route is a three-step slant by the outside receiver, angling 10 yards deep to the near hash. The inside receiver runs a three-step slant, angling 10 yards deep to the far hash. Once the receivers can see the quarterback, they will open their downfield shoulders. This makes for a bigger target at which to throw. The receivers will not slow down as they open up their shoulders. We have found that this helps keep the receiver from gaining too much ground as he is crossing the field.

We ask the quarterback to "progression read" this combination instead of reading a particular defender. The quarterback will look to the inside receiver through his second step and make the throw on his third step if the receiver is open. But if the receiver is covered, he will look to the outside receiver and throw it to him on his third step. If the outside guy is also covered, he will throw the ball away. (see diagrams seven and eight)

Diagram 7.


Diagram 8.


We believe it is important to teach our quarterbacks where to place the ball on short throws. We have developed a system for throwing the ball when the receiver's route is six yards or less. There are two levels for the quarterback to choose from. If we are throwing to a receiver who is working toward the sideline on an out, we throw at hip level. If the receiver is working an in toward the quarterback, we throw at chest level.

We teach the quarterback that his aiming points can be an imaginary one-arm length away from the body into the torso of his receiver. If the receiver is moving toward the sideline, the throw will be aimed one arm length in front of the receiver at hip level. If the receiver is moving in toward the quarterback, it will be aimed one arm length in front of the receiver at chest level. We equate this to shooting free throws in basketball: good free throw shooters don't aim for the entire backboard, they aim for the front of the rim. (see diagrams nine and 10)
Diagram 9.


Diagram 10.


3 Steps to Making Plays

The three-step passing game is a vital part of our offense at Troy State. We view it as another way to run the football. Defenses are always coming up with ways to make offensive coaches' lives miserable. We believe that getting the ball out of the quarterback's hand and into the hands of a playmaker can change the game for the better. If we can stretch those eight- and nine-man fronts across the field, we can create some big plays of our own.

Hitch


Slant


Arrow


Quick Out


Diagram 3
QB will work the HITCH side vs. cover 3
He will not work the slant side.


Diagram 4
QB will work the SLANT side vs. cover 2
He will not work the hitch side.


Diagram 5
Hitch: (SS) steps outside imaginary line on the QB's 2nd step,
the QB will look to the inside receiver.


Diagram 6
Hitch: (SS) Does not move outside imaginary line on the QB's 2nd step,
the QB will look to the outside receiver.


Diagram 7
Clear view to inside receiver on 2nd step,
throw on 3rd step.


Diagram 8
Unclear view to inside receiver on 2nd step,
Look to the outside receiver.

Diagram 9
Chest level: Receiver moving (in) toward QB
Hip level: Receiver moving to the sideline away from the QB (out)


RouteLevelAiming Point
1. HitchChest LevelAiming for the downfield shoulder of the receiver
2. SlantChest LevelAiming one arm length in front of receiver
3. ArrowHip LevelAiming for the downfield hip. We do not lead the arrow route because the receiver is working away from the line of scrimmage. How many times have seen the arrow route caught for 2 yards, because the receiver is pulled back to the line of scrimmage by the ball that is put too far in front of him.
4. OutHip LevelAiming one arm length in front of receiver. When the receiver is moving flat and away the Quarterback needs to lead him to avoid the behind throw. The difference between the arrow and Out is the angle from the Quarterback.





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