offense / quick pass
A quick spacing concept that gives the quarterback a three-receiver answer against underneath zone leverage.
Animated assignment view
The quarterback counts defenders over trips and identifies the first underneath player inside the widest receiver.
Ball: center
How it works
The tight end pushes to six yards and turns away from coverage, the inside slot races to the flat, and the widest receiver clears vertically. Together they create a triangle that stretches two defenders.
Move the chains with a controlled progression that adapts to common zone and pressure structures.
Three receivers spread two defenders at different depths. The quarterback chooses the receiver standing in the space those defenders leave.
The stick runner must preserve space for the flat while finding the void; drifting outside lets one defender overlap both routes.
Decision point
The quarterback reads inside-out from the stick route to the flat, with the fade available only against a favorable isolated corner.
Deliver on the receiver's turn when the hook defender widens.
low riskLead the flat route outside when the underneath defender sits on the stick.
low riskThrow over the top only when the corner squats without safety help.
high riskTake this concept into the film room for a direct explanation. Ask Coach Grant about this concept
{
"schema": "openplay-football",
"schemaVersion": "0.1",
"id": "stick",
"slug": "stick",
"name": "Stick",
"side": "offense",
"category": "quick-pass",
"personnel": {
"id": "eleven-personnel",
"name": "11 Personnel",
"grouping": "1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR",
"positionCounts": {
"QB": 1,
"RB": 1,
"WR": 3,
"TE": 1,
"OL": 5
}
},
"formation": {
"id": "gun-trips",
"name": "Gun Trips",
"family": "shotgun",
"strength": "right",
"description": "Three eligible receivers align right to create a compact three-level spacing triangle."
},
"situationTags": [
"quick-game",
"third-down",
"zone-beater"
],
"players": [
{
"id": "qb",
"position": "QB",
"label": "QB",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 26.67,
"y": -5
},
"alignment": "Shotgun",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "quarterback"
},
{
"id": "rb",
"position": "RB",
"label": "RB",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 22,
"y": -6
},
"alignment": "Offset left",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "runningBack"
},
{
"id": "x",
"position": "WR",
"label": "X",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 5,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Wide left",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "receivers"
},
{
"id": "h",
"position": "WR",
"label": "H",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 38,
"y": -2
},
"alignment": "Inside right slot",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "receivers"
},
{
"id": "y",
"position": "TE",
"label": "Y",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 34,
"y": -2
},
"alignment": "Right slot",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "tightEnds"
},
{
"id": "z",
"position": "WR",
"label": "Z",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 49,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Wide right",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "receivers"
},
{
"id": "lt",
"position": "LT",
"label": "LT",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 21,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "lg",
"position": "LG",
"label": "LG",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 24,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "c",
"position": "C",
"label": "C",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 26.67,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "rg",
"position": "RG",
"label": "RG",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 29.4,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
},
{
"id": "rt",
"position": "RT",
"label": "RT",
"initialCoordinate": {
"x": 32.4,
"y": -1
},
"alignment": "Line",
"side": "offense",
"ratingRole": "passBlocking"
}
],
"preSnap": {
"description": "The quarterback counts defenders over trips and identifies the first underneath player inside the widest receiver.",
"shifts": []
},
"assignments": [
{
"id": "y-stick",
"playerId": "y",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 2500,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 34,
"y": 6
}
},
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 31,
"y": 6
}
}
],
"landmark": "Six yards over the right hash",
"arrowhead": true,
"readOrder": 1,
"conditionalAdjustment": "Turn away from the nearest underneath defender."
},
{
"id": "z-fade",
"playerId": "z",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 3000,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 49,
"y": 20
}
}
],
"landmark": "Outside vertical lane",
"arrowhead": true,
"readOrder": 3
},
{
"id": "h-flat",
"playerId": "h",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 2400,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "curve",
"control": {
"x": 42,
"y": 0
},
"to": {
"x": 47,
"y": 3
}
}
],
"landmark": "Right numbers",
"arrowhead": true,
"readOrder": 2
},
{
"id": "x-glance",
"playerId": "x",
"startsAtMs": 500,
"endsAtMs": 3000,
"type": "route",
"path": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 7,
"y": 5
}
},
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 16,
"y": 11
}
}
],
"landmark": "Backside hash",
"arrowhead": true
},
{
"id": "rb-check",
"playerId": "rb",
"type": "check-release",
"check": "Scan the interior gap before settling over the ball.",
"releasePath": [
{
"type": "straight",
"to": {
"x": 24,
"y": 3
}
}
]
},
{
"id": "center-slide",
"playerId": "c",
"type": "pass-protection",
"responsibility": "Point the protection toward the trips-side pressure threat.",
"technique": "Quick-set half slide"
}
],
"decisionPoint": {
"id": "read-stick-triangle",
"triggerTimeMs": 1550,
"prompt": "Which part of the trips-side triangle is open?",
"explanation": "The quarterback reads inside-out from the stick route to the flat, with the fade available only against a favorable isolated corner.",
"options": [
{
"id": "throw-stick",
"label": "Throw the stick route",
"description": "Deliver on the receiver's turn when the hook defender widens.",
"intendedRead": "Inside space opens at six yards.",
"riskLevel": "low"
},
{
"id": "throw-flat",
"label": "Throw the flat",
"description": "Lead the flat route outside when the underneath defender sits on the stick.",
"intendedRead": "The apex defender stays inside.",
"riskLevel": "low"
},
{
"id": "take-fade",
"label": "Attack the outside fade",
"description": "Throw over the top only when the corner squats without safety help.",
"intendedRead": "The corner drives the flat and the deep lane is isolated.",
"riskLevel": "high"
}
]
},
"timeline": [
{
"type": "pre-snap",
"atMs": 0
},
{
"type": "snap",
"atMs": 500
},
{
"type": "assignment-start",
"atMs": 550,
"playerId": "y"
},
{
"type": "route-break",
"atMs": 1250,
"playerId": "y"
},
{
"type": "decision-pause",
"atMs": 1550,
"decisionPointId": "read-stick-triangle"
},
{
"type": "ball-release",
"atMs": 2050,
"targetPlayerId": "y"
},
{
"type": "play-end",
"atMs": 3500
}
],
"narrative": {
"summary": "A quick spacing concept that gives the quarterback a three-receiver answer against underneath zone leverage.",
"fullExplanation": "The tight end pushes to six yards and turns away from coverage, the inside slot races to the flat, and the widest receiver clears vertically. Together they create a triangle that stretches two defenders.",
"strategicPurpose": "Move the chains with a controlled progression that adapts to common zone and pressure structures.",
"idealSituations": [
"Third and four",
"Against zone coverage",
"When protection time is limited"
],
"strengths": [
"Fast progression",
"Multiple answers in a small area",
"Natural sideline spacing"
],
"weaknesses": [
"Pattern-matching defenders can squeeze the triangle",
"A cloud corner can remove the flat and fade"
],
"keyRead": "Start with the inside underneath defender, then confirm the corner's depth before choosing the flat or fade.",
"watchFor": [
"The stick receiver turning away from leverage",
"The flat route gaining width",
"The outside corner's depth"
],
"beginnerExplanation": "Three receivers spread two defenders at different depths. The quarterback chooses the receiver standing in the space those defenders leave.",
"advancedNote": "The stick runner must preserve space for the flat while finding the void; drifting outside lets one defender overlap both routes."
},
"simulation": {
"difficulty": "beginner",
"conceptTags": [
"quick-pass",
"stick",
"spacing"
],
"baseSuccessRate": 0.65,
"yardRange": {
"min": -3,
"max": 22
},
"turnoverRisk": 0.02
}
}
Quick-game structure
The Game-Day View of Stick
Stick is one of those concepts I trust when I want the offense to play fast without playing reckless. Three receivers create a small triangle: the stick route settles around the first-down area, the flat route widens the defense, and the outside route clears or threatens vertically. Two underneath defenders cannot comfortably cover all three spaces.
Third-and-four is a classic situation for it. I also like Stick against zone coverage and when the protection may not hold up long enough for a deeper progression. The quarterback can identify the underneath leverage, get the ball out, and keep the chains moving.
The tight end or inside receiver running the stick route has to understand space. He is not running to a painted dot on the field regardless of coverage. He pushes to depth, reads leverage, and turns away from the defender. If he drifts toward the flat, he destroys the spacing and lets one defender overlap two routes.
This is a very good concept for teams that have:
Pattern-match defenses can make Stick more difficult because defenders may squeeze the triangle instead of dropping to fixed areas. A cloud corner can also take away the flat while staying in position to discourage the outside route. If the defense is repeatedly trapping the short side, the quarterback has to know where the complementary answer is.
I do not call Stick because I am afraid to throw the ball downfield. I call it because efficient third-down offense is often about making one defender wrong immediately. If the defense keeps giving us the five-yard completion, I will take it until somebody changes the coverage.
The concept is a good reminder that spacing is a weapon. You do not need every receiver to beat a defender one-on-one. Sometimes the formation and route distribution create the opening before the ball is even snapped.