At Andale High School, we believe in using our quick game to take advantage of what a defense gives us and to get our playmakers the ball in space. All of our quick game packages are based on timing and rhythm, our receivers and quarterbacks are taught this rhythm of “one… two… three… throw now.” In terms of our quick game, we believe that less is more. We do not teach a lot of concepts, choosing instead to focus on great routes and being able to adjust our routes and packages to face most coverages.
The Fade
One of the staples of our quick game is our fade route. We feel we can throw it out of any of our offensive sets and from anywhere on the field. The fade also has a low chance of turnover – it is the wide receivers’ responsibility to make sure the ball is not intercepted. We believe that you do not need a big athlete who can simply out jump the defender to be successful with the fade route. Instead, we focus on giving our players techniques for adjusting their route in order to be successful. The fade is broken down into four parts: Take-Off, Escape, Adjust and Attack.
Take-Off & Escape
Vs. Off-Coverage
The take-off for our face vs. off-coverage (either man or zone) starts by exploding for 3 yards at the inside shoulder of the defender over the top. The goal being to make the defender commit to that release and turn his hips to the inside. The escape takes place when he plants, breaks to the outside, and flashes his eyes to the quarterback to check for the early throw. We now want him gaining width as he works vertically, leaving 3 to 5 yards between him and the sideline.
Take-Off & Escape
Vs. Press Coverage
When our receiver is going to be jammed on the line (cover 1 press or hard cover 2), we are going to have to adjust our route accordingly. The receiver knowing the rhythm of our quick game allows him to understand when the ball will be out and to take into consideration the time it will take to separate from the defender. The receiver is going to shorten his release to one hard step at the inside shoulder of the defender, he is going to execute an aggressive escape move to clear the defender and get vertical faster and sooner than he would against any off-coverage. The position of the defender after the receivers escape will tell the quarterback where to place the ball.
Adjusting
As our quarterback is taking his drop-steps he is reading the position of the defender to determine how and where to throw the ball or to look at the check down.
First option – the escape successful and the defender is behind the receiver. The ball will be thrown as a holeshot (i.e. space between corner and safety in Cover 2) with velocity to the receiver.
Second Option – the defender is still even with the receiver. The ball will be thrown over the top and to the outside shoulder of the receiver where only he can make the catch. If the receiver is going to have to leave his feet to make the catch we want him to never turn away from the football and always catch the ball at its highest point.
Third Option – the defender is over the top of the receiver and in position to take away those two throws – the quarterback will throw the ball with velocity and to the outside. With the ball being underthrown, the receiver will break off his route by planting on his outside foot and pivoting into the ball, never breaking eye contact with the football and catching it towards the sideline.
Attack
The last part to our fade route is more of a mindset for our receivers than a teaching point of our fade. It is something that is heard everyday in practice and in everything we do in individual or team periods. We must attack the football – if the ball is going to be put in the air we must attack it. If the ball is going to be thrown in a way that the receiver will have to jump for it, we always want to focus on the tip of the football and time our jump to catch the ball at its highest point. After the catch we want to attack up field for any extra yards.
At Andale High School, we believe that coaches must give players tools that put them in the best position to win – the fade is one of these tools. The fade is a dynamic route that can, because of its simple adjustments, be thrown from anywhere on the field with success.