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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Fade Out is a man beater built off a two-way go concept, pairing a fade route from the outside receiver with an out route from an inside receiver on the same side to stretch the sideline vertically and horizontally. The blocking scheme is standard pass protection with the running back releasing to the flat or staying in to chip, giving the quarterback a clean pocket to work the high low read. The primary progression starts with the fade for a one on one shot down the field, then works down to the out route as the quarterback's second read if the corner sinks with the vertical threat.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify whether the cornerback is in press man or off man alignment since press man on an island is the ideal shell for the fade route to win. Check safety depth and rotation before the snap, a single high safety who stays in the middle of the field opens up both the fade and out routes on the boundary side. Post-snap, watch for a user controlled defender sinking into a lurk position over the out route, that is the biggest threat to this concept in competitive play. Cover 2 shells with a flat defender sitting on the out route and a deep half safety over the fade shut this play down, so avoid calling it into that shell if you diagnose it pre-snap. Watch linebacker depth and blitz timing, if the defense brings a nano blitz off the edge the quarterback needs to get through his fade read and out route progression quickly before the pocket collapses.
Usage Tips
Look for single high safety shells or press man alignment on the outside corner before the snap since that tells you the fade has a legitimate one on one shot down the sideline.
If the corner is playing off man or the safety shades over the top, hot route the out route receiver to break faster or work the underneath crosser instead of forcing the fade into double coverage.
This play shines on third and short to third and medium distances where the out route sits comfortably in front of the sticks while the fade keeps safeties honest.
Pair Fade Out with Four Verticals and Corner Strike in your play calling sequence so defenders start respecting the vertical shot and open up the out route on subsequent snaps.
Use max protect or check the running back into a chip block against pressure heavy defenses so the quarterback has time to let the fade route develop down the field.
