Get Naked! – Effectively using the Hitch-Naked passing game forces a defense to defend the entire field.

The Hitch-Naked passing game provides our offense with a safe and efficient way to move the ball with high percentage throws while at the same time allowing us to effectively target our playmakers. Any time we can get the ball to our receivers in a position where they can attack a defender in a 10-yard box, we have successfully created an opportunity for a big play. This is exactly what the Hitch-Naked series has provided our offense.

When we installed the series in 2009, we had no idea what it would give us. We were looking to trim the offense but still be versatile. Because we are a big horizontal stretch team, we realized that we weren’t running a lot of our 3-step routes. By adding the Hitch-Naked concepts, we could not only eliminate our quick game, but could also cut out the majority of our sprint out plays as well due to the naked aspect of the package.

We found that another benefit of the concept is the ability to control who your quarterback is targeting. A big reason why we didn’t like our mirrored quick game was that we could rarely get the QB to pre-snap read the correct side and/or receiver. Many incompletions would have had a higher chance of success had the QB simply gone the other way. Now I can control where he starts and the read is simple – is he open or not? If he is, throw it to him; if not, waggle out. And, unlike the quick game where it is strictly forbidden to progress from one side to the other, both sides are in play with the Hitch-Naked. This forces the defense to defend the entire field. It’s worked better than expected.

Our high point was 2010 where we completed 26 of 30 passes for 280 yards. And in 2011 we were 12 of 16 when throwing out of a 2 x 2 formation for 91 yards (we were only 1 of 6 out of the 3 x 1 sets, primarily due to a change in protection). As our run game improved in 2012, I found that I had only called it 15 times (completing 10). Looking back, the increased focus on running play-action waggles replaced what would have been Hitch-Naked calls (34 waggles in 2012 compared to 16 in 2011) which is something I hope to remedy next year by maintaining balance between the two throws.

Protecting the QB is obviously a priority with this package. First, we incorporate a full slide protection, requiring our O-Line to protect the QB for the hitch throw only. Therefore, we will always aggressively slide in the direction of the hitch (Diagram 1).

Diagram 1.

The running back is the sole protector for the naked drop, and is responsible for anything immediately off the backside tackle or tight end’s hip.  His aiming point is a yard wider than the end man on the line of scrimmage. The clear path to the QB should entice the DE or LB to take a direct approach. Once the QB pumps and begins to waggle out, the RB will be in a position to pin the defender in, allowing the QB to get to the perimeter. We emphasize the QB rolling over the stride leg as he pumps and turns his back to the line of scrimmage because it gets him the depth needed to waggle out, aiding the RB’s block in the process.

In 2011, we adjusted our protection when waggling back to the tight end side. Diagram 2 shows this adjustment which has the TE stretching the 9-tech instead of slamming down on the 5. Although this keeps the running back’s job the same as waggling to the split side, it created an unforeseen problem that caused us to take a couple of sacks or to throw the ball away under pressure. The problem was that even though the RB was setting the edge on the DE, the TE could not uncover cleanly, which forced tough throws and did not create a clean edge.

Diagram 2.

The original protection (which we went back to this year – Diagram 3) allows the TE to slam down on the inside defender while keeping the RB on the defender coming off the edge. The TE’s release should coincide with the QB’s pump. If the 5-tech reacts to the QB, he will have to work through the RB’s block if the 9-tech rushes. If the 9-tech doesn’t rush, the RB will pick up the DE after the TE releases. If the defense blitzes a LB from depth off the edge (an OLB aligned over #2, for example), the QB will be responsible for him.

Diagram 3.

We run our Hitch-Naked out of both 2 x 2 and 3 x 1 formations (Diagrams 4-6). The only pre-snap decision the QB makes is if the CB is pressed with inside leverage over the hitch. He will automatically convert this to a vertical route. Every other decision the QB makes is made once he has the ball in his hands. I term the drop from shotgun as “Catch, Grip, Rip.”  We do not worry about finding the laces and spend time every day executing the throw in our Individual period.

Diagram 4.

Diagram 5.

Diagram 6.

Once the ball is received from the center, the QB begins his throwing motion and decides if the hitch is open. If open, the ball must come out on time or the edge defender will get to the QB off the back side. The only time our QB has ever been touched by the edge defender when throwing the hitch is when the QB decides to either hold the ball or take a drop from the shotgun. If it isn’t open, it is imperative that the QB continue with the pump. We go so far as even taking the off-hand off the ball to sell it to the underneath coverage. All of our initial struggles in 2009 (our first year running it) came in response to one of three QB issues: 1) not pumping at all; 2) not pumping properly; or 3) not reversing out after the pump. This last issue may not get your QB in trouble the first couple of times he does it, but before long he will find that he cannot generate enough depth to escape the edge rusher or get his shoulders around to throw an effective pass. In four years, we have only been sacked three times – once for not pumping, once for not reversing out and once due to a bad snap.

Our hitches are run at five yards, which we get to by taking five steps with the inside foot up. Although we prefer the QB to put the ball on the outside shoulder, we stress that the receiver step back to the QB to make the catch and not wait for it. If the WR has to take more than one step back to the ball, the QB is late with the throw and it will not result in any yards. The reason we prefer the ball to be put on the outside shoulder is to increase our YAC chances. The outside turn will place the WR one on one with the CB. We work the 10-yard Open Field Tackling Drill twice a week to prepare our receivers for this opportunity, and drive home the belief that the CB is a missed tackle away from giving up a big play. In the past three years, more than 50% of our hitches have gone for 10 yards or more.

We will throw the hitch versus any coverage or any corner technique. We obviously prefer the soft corner, but we have thrown the hitch numerous times against a cover 2 CB with great success. We will not convert the hitch to a vertical against cover 2 as we would against man coverage. Instead, we will have the receiver attack straight through the corner’s inside shoulder, forcing the corner to sink (Diagram 7).

Diagram 7.

Most defenses that play cover 2 are pattern reading these days and sinking as the receiver runs vertical. This leaves enough separation for the receiver to catch the hitch and then split the defenders. We do not always convert our hitches to verticals against man coverage either. If a defense likes to play games with their corners – mixing their depth during the cadence – we will leave all hitches on and read it after the snap (Diagram 8).

Diagram 8.

The naked side for us is always some form of flood concept: a player deep, a player in the flat, and another in-between. The receiver in the flat is your most important one because he is your “hot” throw if under pressure from an outside blitz. In a 3 x 1, the tight end occupies the flat after slam-releasing off the C-gap defender (Diagram 4 ); in a 2 x 2, the flat is occupied by either a fullback or a slot receiver. The slot runs a whip route by attacking inside until he sees the pump by the QB, and then reverses back to the outside (Diagram 5). The fullback chips any outside pass rush and then gets into his route (Diagram 6). Behind the hitch, the flat throw has received the second-most throws in the Hitch-Naked package. They are often wide open versus a blitz beginning from their side of the formation, so long as the QB pumps to hold any inside linebackers from jumping outside too quickly.

In a 2 x 2 formation, the intermediate route is run by the tight end. It is conceivable to run this back to the tight end side and bring the slot receiver over the formation on a climb route, but we typically put the tight end into the boundary out of our Pro Doubles formations. The tight end will outside release a C-gap defender and inside release a D-gap defender (but stabbing him first to keep his hands down). The TE should go over the top of the nearest ILB who should be stepping toward him with the QB’s pump, so it is important that the TE stay vertical until over the top of the LB. The TE then arcs across the field to a depth between 15 and 20 yards, trying to stay just ahead of the QB.

The intermediate route in a 3 x 1 formation is run by our slot receiver. He runs a deep out at 18 yards (Diagram 4). With both the deep out and the outside vertical route, it is vital that neither receiver simply take off down the field and expect the QB to be able to hit him when open. The deep route will be too far downfield to be any kind of an option, and the deep out will be sitting on the sideline well before the QB is ready to throw. So both routes need to be either stutter moves or double moves if the receivers have a free release down the field. We have our outside receivers either run an out-and-up or a hitch-and-go to get the timing right. If the outside receiver is facing cover 2, we mandate an outside release, and by doing so, the receiver is effectively delaying long enough to get the proper timing and spacing needed to complete the flood. In both flood concepts, the QB progresses from high to low unless under pressure.

We use our Hitch-Naked game on any down and distance, on any part of the field, and in every situation. It is a no-brainer for normal downs, but we will also use it on third and long when we are in four down territory. We use it in the red zone as well as in our coming-out offense. We also love it as a major part of the two-minute drill to complete quick throws to the sideline or by waggling back to the field where every route is either moving to the boundary or deeper than the sticks. We’ve also used it in a four-minute situation when we don’t want to stop the clock. It gives us nice, safe throws to a stationary target. And if the receiver isn’t open, we instruct our QB to waggle out with the intention of keeping the ball and running the clock. It is the one series in our offense that every year I tell myself that I must use it more.
 
About the Author: Matt Kalb recently completed his third season on the Aurora University staff, serving as both Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach. He previously coached for eight seasons at Loras College. Kalb was also Head Coach at Joliet Junior College in 1998 and 1999. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Kentucky and his Master’s from Valparaiso.

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More articles on this subject:

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater: The Three-Step Naked Package – November, 2008

The Match-Up Zone vs. The Drop Back Passing Game – December, 2007

The Triple Shoot Offense – February, 2000