Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 11 playbooks
Breakdown
Smash Corners is a classic Cover 2 beater run out of a 2x2 look with the TE aligned tight to the formation. The backside receiver runs a corner route stemming vertically before breaking to the sideline behind the shell, while the backside outside receiver runs a short flag/out to hold the underneath defender and stack the smash concept. On the frontside, the outside receiver runs a deep corner route stacking on top of the flat route from the slot receiver, creating a high low smash read against the corner and safety, and the inside slot runs a quick hitch to the flat as a checkdown/hot route option. There is no run action or play fake here, this is a straight dropback pass with the RB releasing into a shallow check route. Primary read progression starts frontside high (corner) to low (flat), then works backside to the corner route if the safety cheats to the frontside.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check safety depth and spacing since Cover 2 shells with safeties split evenly at 10 to 12 yards are the primary target for this concept. Watch the flat defender at the snap, if he sinks with the corner route instead of stepping up to the flat, look immediately to the checkdown flat route for an easy completion. Key the playside safety's first two steps after the snap, if he rotates hard to double the corner route, that opens a throwing lane underneath to the flat or hitch route. Man coverage with no safety help over the top shuts this play down fast since the corner routes have no natural rub or pick to separate from tight man coverage, so avoid calling this against Man Press or Man Under fronts. Blitz-heavy defenses with Cover 0 or Cover 1 robber looks force a quick decision, so if the presnap shows five or six man pressure, be ready to hit the RB check route or slot hitch instead of holding for the corner.
Usage Tips
Pre-snap, identify two high safeties before the snap since this play is built to attack Cover 2 shells where the corner route sits between the CB and rotating safety. If you see a single high safety or Cover 3, hot route the backside corner into a comeback or dig to avoid throwing into a deep third defender. Use this on second and long or third and medium situations where defenses are more likely to sit in Cover 2 zone to protect against the sticks. Pair this play with Double Slants or Quick Slants earlier in a series to bait linebackers into sitting shallow, then come back with Smash Corners to hit the corner route over the top once they overplay the quick game. Against user defenders who jump the flat route, work the frontside corner route immediately since the smash concept naturally clears out the underneath defender.
