Wide Receiver Releases

How a receiver releases from the line of scrimmage will tell you a lot about the type of play and the route he is running against man coverage. Pay attention to the details and your PBU (Pass Break Up) ratio will rise.

I urge my Defensive Backs to remember these points and review with their personal notes from film work as they prepare for each opponent. 

I want them to see how each release corresponds with different routes receivers run. 

Certain releases are used with certain routes, and the release a wide receiver uses most times will indicate what's coming next.

Route Concepts...China and Verts

I had some unexpected free time so I hammered out the last two route concepts. 

More Route Concepts

Here is the second installment of “Packaged” routes designed to attack the weaknesses of any defensive scheme:

Pass Route Concepts

There are many Offensive Pass Route packages utilized against today’s defenses. They are used to exploit the inherent weaknesses in each pass defense scheme. The more "Concepts" you understand the better you will be at defending your opponent. There are more but these are the most often used. They are categorized by “Concept” and all combinations can be used out of any set. 

Off Coverage Progression Drill

In order to completely capitalize on training “Route” recognition you must understand what routes are run from what specific QB Drop.

Route Progression Drill

One of the most difficult tasks in coaching Defensive Backs is to acquaint your players with the Route Tree and those routes which can be run from the three primary QB Drops. I have attempted to put together some drills that illustrate all the basic routes and then incorporate those routes into the Pass drop schemes instituted by any QB. The purpose of this drill is to develop route recognition and to utilize the proper cutoff path to the reception area.

Receiver and Running Back Routes

The more you know what they run the better you are at stopping what they run!

Pass Defense Route Concepts

Predicting routes through extensive film study and opponent down and distance tendencies allow the Defensive Back the luxury of taking risks where appropriate. With each risk taken is also the possibility of failure. Know when to gamble and when to play dependable coverage. The first step in responsible risk taking (a contradiction in terms if there ever was one) is the recognition of the possible pass routes that can be run in any situation. For example, if the ball is on the opposite hash and #1 to the field is spread wide to the boundary the likelihood of an “out” route is negligible. You must know your opponent’s route combinations and favorite schemes. Start with the basics: