This is the base play in our ball control Run & Shoot offense. At BCHS we usually don’t get the fast receiver types so we rely on execution and positioning then on speed and moves. Our X Receiver is our best possession receiver and we go to him 75% of the time. Designed as a Horizontal Stretch, this play has the potential to be home run threat while giving you a conservative, ball control, and first down type play. It is good against all coverage's but best against cover 3 deep.

We like to run this play out of a 3x1 formation. We have motioned to this set out of every possible formation but we like the Trips set because we usually get some type of zone or loose man.

The X aligns from 12-15 yards from the OT. We tell him to give himself as much room as he needs to slide into open window or run away from a defender, this is to give the Z room to operate his wheel route The Y is to line up similar to the X but to keep himself at least 5 yards from sideline. When the ball is on the far hash, Y is never to align any farther then 2 yards outside the opposite hash mark. The Z is to align 1-2 yards inside of the X. H aligns 1x2 off the OT. He may widen to get a free release. FB aligns off set in the B Gap.

The QB's thought process is from weak side to strong side. He looks at Y and determines if he has single or double coverage. If Y is singled covered we are going to him automatically. We feel our best WR can effectively win a 1on1 situation. The coverage does not matter at this point. We consider any OLB walked away, outside our tackle as double coverage with the CB. We feel a Will backer in the weak side B Gap or walked up on the LOS cannot get to the curl zone if Y has taken a proper alignment. If Y has 2 people covering him we now look strong side. At this point if the CB is up in a Bump alignment he can audible to a fade or Post if down and distance dictates we can do so. If Y is double covered, basic coverage's dictate we should have at least a 3 on 3 situation or a 3 on 2 on the strong side. QB reads from inside out on the strong side. Lots of teams slide LB's out on a trips set so we need to find the SLB. QB looks to see if H is single covered in the middle or will he open up Hot on a LB blitz. If H is singled covered we want to go to him for the same reasons as we did for Y. If 2 LB's are inside to cover H, we want to go outside to the X & Z. QB needs to find the Flat defender to make his read. After the QB has determined what side of the field and what section of the play to run he goes under Center and starts his cadence. This is where he looks to see if the SLB is going to Blitz and ready himself for a HOT throw to the H. He looks to the WR to see if the Defense has shifted to a bump coverage. If everything looks fine he snaps the ball and proceeds on his 5 big steps and Hitch drop.

During the Pre-snap read if the QB decided to go to Y, he will drop back looking at the FS trying to influence him deep and see if he has moved to a bracket coverage. If QB sees the FS jumping the Curl route, gather your feet and either hit Y over the top of the FS on a Post route or gather and throw to H who is running a post to the open Middle of the field.

On his 5th step the QB will gather, open his hips left and find the Y. Y will either have ran CB off and sat down in the Curl zone or has slid across running away from CB. QB then deals the ball to the Y. If he has sat, QB wants to throw to the opposite side of the CB. Y will spin which ever way the QB has dealt the ball and get up field with the Catch. If Y is running away from the CB, the QB will deal the ball 1-2 yards in front of Y so he can catch the ball in full sprint and proceed up field. Never run across the formation, get positive yards. If for some reason a LB has dropped into Curl zone Y will slide behind the LB and QB will deal the ball according to Y's route. If Y has man coverage he will work to inside leverage, lean into the defender at 10 yards and run away from him. If Y cannot get inside leverage he will fake an inside step at 10 yards and will run behind CB on a skinny post, not crossing the hash but going vertical. QB will deliver a high and over the top throw to Y.

If during the Pre-Snap read QB has decided to go to H, he must decide if there exists a possibility of Inside Blitz. If SLB blitz's he sets up at 1 step and hits H on a inside Hot route. If there is no blitz take 5 big steps and Hitch to throw inside to H. As he drops look MLB to one of the Curl routes allowing H more room to work inside. QB wants to throw to the opposite side of the MLB. H will spin which ever way the QB has dealt the ball and get up field with the Catch. QB must never lead H out of the Tackle box area or he might run into the Curl Routes. If the MOF is open H will run a middle route, splitting the safeties. QB will look off FS to the weak side Curl route and hit H with a high and over the top throw.

If during the Pre-Snap read QB has decided to go to the Curl Out read, he first must identify who is the Curl defender. The QB takes 5 big and a Hitch steps and reads the Curl defender. The Curl defender is never right. Throw to the WR he does not cover. If the WR's space themselves correctly the Curl defender cannot effectively cover both of them. If the defender stays in the Curl zone look the Defender to the curl route and throw the Wheel out route. There is also a possibility the X might slide behind the Curl defender. In this case treat the slide as man coverage and deal the ball 1-2 yards in front of X so he can catch the ball in full sprint and proceed up field. Never run across the formation, get positive yards. If the Curl defender flows toward the flats or you see any part of his back numbers look him to the wheel out and wait for X to clear into the open window. If a Safety jumps in front of the Curl be prepared for X to take it up on a skinny post. If X has man coverage he will work to inside leverage, lean into the defender at 10 yards and run away from him. If X cannot get inside leverage he will fake an inside step at 10 yards and will run behind CB on a skinny post, not crossing the hash but going vertical, QB will deliver a high and over the top throw to X.

Z runs a wheel route and if he determines by coverage or thinks he can beat the CB proceeds on his wheel. If CB stays deep he breaks at 10 yards and wheels out staying on the sideline.

After the snap determine if the coverage's is man or zone. If the defense is covering areas or zones run a 12 back to 10 curl route and slide to the open window getting eye contact with the QB. Sit in the open window look the ball into your hands, spin the way the QB has thrown you the ball, get up field and make positive yardage. You have lots of room to work so you may even slide outside or post if someone jumps inside of your curl route.

Man Coverage work to inside leverage, lean into the defender at 10 yards and run away from him. If Y cannot get inside leverage he will fake an inside step at 10 yards and will run behind CB on a skinny post, not crossing the hash but going vertical.

Zone and Man coverage: Best possible release. H cannot afford to be tied up at the LOS. Proceed inside at inside shoulder of SLB and look Hot for first three steps. If SLB does not blitz or vacate to the Curl zone try to influence SLB into covering you. If he leaves work your middle route off of MLB. If Middle of the Field is open proceed to split the safeties. If MOF is closed sit in a open window getting eye contact with the QB. You have all the area in the tackle box to get open. If MLB covers you lean into him and break using your butt to shield him off you.

Zone coverage Z runs a wheel route behind X's curl at 8 yards Y looks inside like he's running deep, plants and runs an out at 10 yards. Z sits on side line keeping the Horizontal stretch with Y. If Y thinks he can beat CB deep or ahs man coverage he runs past CB on a wheel route looking for the ball high and over the top to the outside. If at any time you cannot run past CB, even in man coverage plant and run out route.

Zone: Run a 12 back to 10 curl route and slide to the open window getting eye contact with the QB. Sit in the open window look the ball into your hands, spin the way the QB has thrown you the ball, get up field and make positive yardage. You are Primary so you have to get open. Post if someone jumps inside of your curl route.

Man Coverage work to inside leverage, lean into the defender at 10 yards and run away from him. If X cannot get inside leverage he will fake an inside step at 10 yards and will run behind CB on a skinny post, not crossing the hash.

If man coverage is tight pick for Z's wheel route 1^st then proceed to curl.

Some Zone defenses will align with 2 defenders weak side and 2 defenders inside. At the snap SLB will drop to curl and SS will jump the flat route. If QB, while reading his flat defender sees another defender can either wait for Y to slide behind him or gather and throw to H who will be singled covered.

Bump and Run type defense's cause problems by not allowing the WR's to get into their routes. We try to fix this by having the WR's pick off each other trying to open up the wheel route quickly. QB looks wheel first and comes back to curl second. If they have bump with the MOF open, look FS off to Y and throw across the middle. If WR's are having trouble getting off the bump we tell them to align differently and let the CB push them to their route. As with any 5 step pass protection is key.

If all the WR run correct routes and do not allow themselves to be re-routed some one should open up. In Zone the Curl defender can never be right and man coverage one of the 4 WR's should open up. The many different options and being able to run it out of any formation makes 66 Curl a very versatile, solid gainer but very ball controlling and conservative.