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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Fade Smash is the classic smash concept run from Singleback Doubles 11 personnel, pairing a corner route with a fade on one side to create a natural high low read on the flat defender and deep half safety. The outside receiver runs the fade to occupy the cornerback and deep safety while the inside receiver or slot works a corner route into the void behind underneath defenders, making this a dedicated Cover 2 beater and man beater against off coverage. The primary read progression starts with the fade on a one on one shot against man coverage, then works down to the corner route sitting in the honey hole between the cornerback and safety in zone shells.
Defensive Reads
Identify two high safeties before the snap because that alignment signals Cover 2 or Cover 4, both of which struggle to defend the smash concept's vertical stretch. Watch the flat defender's initial jump after the snap, if he sinks under the fade the corner route throwing lane opens immediately behind him. Key the cornerback's press or off alignment, tight press man coverage with no safety help is the toughest look for this play since it takes away the fade's separation window. Beware user controlled lurk defenders sitting in the intermediate zone since a rangy linebacker or safety can jump the corner route if the quarterback stares it down too long. Watch for Cover 3 rotations where the corner sinks deep and the safety rotates over the top, this can bracket the fade and force the quarterback to hold the ball and take a sack.
Usage Tips
Check the safety alignment pre snap because two deep safeties confirm the smash concept will have a clean throwing window into the corner route against Cover 2.
If the cornerback is playing off man with no safety help over the top, take the fade shot immediately since it removes the low man from the equation.
Hot route the backside receiver into a quick out or slant to give yourself a checkdown against blitz looks and to punish Cover 3 rotations that vacate the middle.
Use Fade Smash on the boundary in third and short to intermediate situations since the compressed field width forces the flat defender to widen and opens the corner throw.
Sequence this play off of Smash and Corner Strike from the same set so the defense sees similar route stems and cannot key on the fade versus corner distinction pre snap.
