Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Hitch Corners is a five man route concept out of Shotgun Spread Dbl Flex with 11 personnel that stresses the deep outside quarters of the field. Both outside receivers run corner routes to the sideline while the inner slot receivers on each side sit down on quick hitches, and the inline receiver on the strong side runs a vertical seam straight up the middle to hold the safety. This is a zone beater designed to stretch cornerbacks and safeties vertically while giving the quarterback a built in short hitch outlet against soft coverage. The primary read starts with the deep corner route to the field side, works down to the seam if the safety bites, and checks down to the underneath hitches versus a hard two deep shell.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the safety depth and width. Safeties aligned deep and outside the numbers are cheating to take away the corner routes, which opens up the seam route up the middle. Watch the cornerback's alignment at the snap. If he sits in soft zone technique with inside leverage, the corner route behind him is the immediate answer. Post-snap, track the flat or hook defender responsible for the underneath zone. If he drops with the corner route, the hitch route sitting down underneath will be uncovered. This concept struggles against a true Cover 2 shell with disciplined corners who jam and re-route, since the corner route has to fight through contact before breaking outside. Man coverage without safety help over the top is vulnerable here, but a lurking safety who reads the quarterback's eyes and jumps the deep corner route can bait a costly interception.
Usage Tips
Use this play on second or third and medium when defenses are more likely to sit in a zone shell rather than bring pressure.
Pre-snap, check for two deep safeties. If they are shaded outside the numbers, the corner routes will have room to work against Cover 3 or Cover 4.
If the corner shows man coverage with no help over the top, hot route the backside hitch into a fade or throw off play action to attack a blown assignment.
Combine this call with Four Verticals and Quick Slants from the same set so the defense has to respect both the deep corner shell and the quick underneath game, setting up easy completions later in the series.
Against zone heavy defenses, key the flat defender first. If he sinks with the corner route, the hitch underneath is wide open for an easy conversion throw.
