Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 12 playbooks
Breakdown
Corner Strike is a Shotgun 11 personnel dropback pass out of the Normal Y Off set. The diagram shows a two-man route concept to the right with the outside receiver breaking off a deep corner route while the slot or TE runs an outside release into a corner route of his own from a lower stem, creating a natural high low stack on that side. To the left, the receivers cross paths with one running a deep out breaking to the sideline and the other pushing vertical before breaking away, giving a mirrored combo that stretches the field horizontally and vertically. This is a man beater built on the corner route winning against trail technique, with the primary read starting on the right side corner combo before working back to the left side breaking routes if the corner window is taken away.
Defensive Reads
Read the cornerback depth at the snap on the right side, if he plays tight man technique with no help over the top the corner route can win immediately on the vertical stem before the break. Key the safety rotation post snap, a single high safety rolling hard to the corner side signals Cover 3 or Cover 1 and tells you to look left at the deep out and vertical combo instead. Watch for a user controlled defender sitting in the corner route lane, this is a common lurk spot in Cover 4 or Cover 6 shells and will bait a throw into a jump ball situation. Identify blitz packages pre snap by checking linebacker depth, if both linebackers are crowding the line of scrimmage expect a nano blitz that forces a quick decision, so be ready to get the ball out on the shorter breaking route on the left before the corner routes fully develop. Man coverage with inside linebacker spy or blitz packages that leave single high safety help are where this play is most vulnerable, since a fast trail corner combined with safety help over the top can undercut both corner routes.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second or third and long when you need to attack a defense playing off coverage or a two deep shell that leaves the corner route lanes open. Pre-snap, check the safety alignment: if you see two high safeties shaded toward the numbers, the corner combo on the right has room to work between the flat defender and the deep safety. Hot route the underneath receiver on the left into a flat or drag if you diagnose zone with a hard flat defender sitting under the deep out, this gives you a checkdown against zone drops. Pair this play call with Curl Flats or Slants earlier in a series so the defense starts respecting shorter routes, then dial up Corner Strike to hit the corner route for an explosive play once linebackers and corners start jumping underneath breaks. Against man coverage, look to user the right side receiver on his release to protect his leverage against a trail corner and layer the throw over the top before the safety can rotate over.
