8 Route Instructional

8 ROUTE: CREASE
10-11:
M: Run through 2d short Lunge, Drumroll
defender’s far shoulder “Feel the Clean Air” redirect back to sideline at
•Cross under LB once past as you break: 45º
•Cut throttle & “spot up,” expecting•Stay as THIN as you can while
ball quickly if defender blitzes or still inside #1.. 8-9: Outlet
Speed Break
C flies out AND you’re not being
chased. 4-6 yd to Corner
2 1

V ‘Q’ V V Keep
“FEEL
the WINDOW” coming
back until
O O ball is
thrown!
I I M
3 steps Stare 2 short defender onto “Spot,” give
nd
Cmbk if
(3 big & hold f/ gun) ball to Spot NOW if defender leaves… 1st short I: 3 steps @ 1st short defender’s inside leg:
defender •Speed break back inside if he’s widening
“98” Shown Reset feet, hit Crease on rhythm on the move
‘squeezes’ • Hard NOD BREAK if he sits there or v. man
through open lane between defenders
BS OUTS: QUICK POST. Split middle #s, feel the window between 7-9 yards, stay thin. Same technique as BS of 99-199
BS INS: LOOKIE POST. Break at 7-8, wall off near safety, make ‘Lookie’ adjustment & straighten if he crosses face (same as 99).
FS INS/MID: “CHASE & REPLACE”. Play is built to beat 1st two short defenders inside the CB…we get the 2nd short defender to
“Chase” the Drag route by M, & “Replace” him with a Crease route by I, who beats 1st short defender by faking to the Flat.
FS MID: GLANCING DRAG. Run right through the 2d short defender, drag underneath him at 4 yds once you pass him. The exception is,
if you’re not being chased & the LB either bails deep or blitzes, glance back at the QB and “SPOT” up.
FS INS: CREASE. Attack 1st short defender’s inside leg, speed break on 3d step (5th if from backfield), angle into the void, look for the
ball halfway between the 1st and 2nd defenders. If 1st defender sits or keeps inside leverage, use 2 extra steps with a hard head &
shoulder nod to get him to turn his hips, but never lose SPEED to do so!
FS OUTS: MINI-COMEBACK. Split top of #s (Hash). Release to outside eye, Speed break to Corner at 8. After 2 steps, Lunge &
Burst & execute a Drumroll redirect break at 45 degree angle back to sideline. Keep coming until you get the ball!
QB: PSL be alert for hard Press Man (Check “Fire”) or LB overload to FS (work BS Slant/s from get-go). 3 steps, stare
right at 2nd short defender or LB over inside man. Stare him on to the Drag giving the ball to the Drag quickly if LB ignores
or leaves Drag. When LB commits & you hit your last step, lead Crease into clean air, hit him on move, alert for hash safety coming
down. If 1st short defender squeezes Crease from outside in, shuffle up & hit Comeback route coming downhill late.
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 8 “Swap” Instructional

8 ROUTE: “SWAP” TAG

I: Run through 2d short defender’s
“Feel the Clean Air”
farshoulder
•Cross under LB once past as you break:
•Stay as THIN as you can while
•Cut throttle & “spot up,” expecting ball
still inside #1; restack if you can!
quickly if defender blitzes or flies out Outlet
AND you’re not
C being chased. 4-6 yd
2 1
‘Q’
V V
“FEEL
V Keep
the WINDOW” coming
back until
O O ball is
M thrown!
I I
M: 3 steps @ 1st short defender’s inside leg:
•Speed break back inside if he’s widening
“98 SWAP” Shown •Hard head & shldr fake if he sits there or v. man

*EVERYTHING STAYS THE SAME AS 98, EXCEPT INSIDE AND MIDDLE GUY ON THE FRONTSIDE ‘SWAP’ JOBS...
FS INS: GLANCING DRAG. Run right through the 2d short defender, dragging underneath him at 4-6 once you pass him. The
exception is, if you’re not being chased and the LB either bails deep or blitzes, glance back at the QB and “SPOT” up, catch & pivot
NORTH!
FS INS: CREASE. Attack 1st short defender’s inside leg, speed break on 3d step (5th if from backfield), angle into the void, look for the
ball halfway between the 1st and 2nd defenders. If 1st defender sits or keeps inside leverage, use 2 extra steps with a hard head &
shoulder nod to get him to turn his hips, but never lose SPEED to do so!
*Note: The RULES are the same, but the route will LOOK different. Don’t worry! Follow your rules, attack the inside leg of your
defender, speed break and get into the Crease!

QB: Drop & Read just as you do Basic 98-198

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 8 “Trade”/”Trade Corner ” Instructional

8 ROUTE: “TRADE” & “TRADE

CORNER” Calls
Trade Corner tells you to
straighten & run a Corner
break at 7-8 after your F.O.R.
O: Release under M, right at 2d
defender (LB over I), run under him
through his far shoulder
Stay on the move unless he bails,
C looking for ball early if he blitzes.
If he does bail, “Spot up” once past
him, show #s to QB, stay open.

“FEEL
V V V
#
the WINDOW”
M: *Go first, F.O.R. on 1st short
O M defender!
*Widen to middle of numbers
I I O *Straighten 2-3 steps before
I must pause 1 full executing Comeback
count, long
enough to let O clear
“98 TRADE” Shown & create the Crease
“TRADE” tells the Middle and Outside receivers to “trade” jobs, the Outside man running the Spot, and the Middle man running the
Stop. Most often used from Squeeze/Bunch/Cluster-type looks as a good change-up versus man to possibly free the Spot route up,
versus pattern-read teams so they can’t see where guys are coming from, or at the Goalline!
FS MID: MINI-COMEBACK. Forced Outside Release (F.O.R.) on 1st short defender, no matter where he is, no matter how flat you
have to go. Widen to the middle of the numbers, straighten 1-2 steps, execute a normal Mini-Comeback, though the release may keep
you from getting normal depth. Keep coming back after break be available for QB.
TRADE CORNER tells you to straighten and run a 7-8 yard Corner route after executing your F.O.R. on 1 st defender.
FS OUTS: GLANCING DRAG. Release AFTER the Middle receiver right behind his rear end. Run right at the first LB on or inside the
Inside receiver, angling to a depth of 4 to 6 yards…run through his backside leg and Drag beneath him, staying on the move unless he
flies wide of you “bails,” in which case you “Spot up” by showing your numbers to the QB.
QB: Normal 98-198 thought process…may want to change to a quick 5 step drop from under center, particularly on “Trade Corner.”
We expect the F.O.R. of the middle receiver to widen the 1st defender and create the Crease, but that doesn’t mean it will always
happen. Versus any kind of press man (0, 1, or 2 safety look), can use Corner as a primary, Spot as an outlet instead of having to make
a “Fire” check.
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 8 “Sit” Instructional

8 ROUTE: “SIT” CALL

• CUT split (3-4 outside “I”) to

help create SPACING
• Run normal course, but always
SIT after you cross 2d defender’s
far shoulder SPACING!
C 4-6 yd
Outlet

2 1

“FEEL
V V V
the WINDOW”

O O
I I M
Run right down middle of 1st short def.:
•Outside foot up, attack hard for 3 steps, stick
“98 SIT” Shown outside foot in the ground and pivot hard inside
on the 4th step, expect the ball NOW.
*Backside Receivers and Frontside Outside receiver do not change! ‘Sit’ is a word that simply adjusts the technique of the Frontside
Inside & Middle receivers, telling them to use their normal releases and “Sit” at their final breaking point!
FS INS: CREASE SIT. Release is basically the same as “Crease” with slight modifications to create proper SPACING: Angle toward
the MIDDLE of the 1st short defender, and use a 4 step break instead of a 3 step (meaning that you should put your outside foot up).
On your fourth step, stick your outside foot in the ground and pivot hard back inside & show the QB your #s, expect the ball quickly,
pivot to the shoulder that the QB puts the ball on, lower your pads & make yards North & South.
FS MID: SPOT UP. Split only 3 yds outside the Inside receiver. Run your normal “Spot” landmark, but automatically SIT once
beyond the far shoulder of the 2nd short defender. Expect the ball quickly, catch, spin tightly to the shoulder the QB puts the ball on, get
North & South!
QB: Thought process is the same as basic 98-198…pre-snap considerations of BS Slants and “Fire” Check are still valid! 3 steps, be
willing to stick the ball on the Spot NOW if the 2d defender allows him to cross face at all. If he collapses on Spot Up hard, put it on the
Crease Sit, using the Mini-Comeback as your outlet. THE BIG KEY FOR EITHER INTERIOR THROW IS TO PUT THE BALL ON THE
SHOULDER PAD AWAY FROM PRESSURE!
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