Handling the angle route with FSU

FSU had to combat the running back angle route in two different scenarios this year. This route combination, in both instances, came from the single side away from trips with the running back set weak. Below are two instances of this route combination against the FSU defense. The first is poorly leveraged, and results in a Clemson touchdown. On the second play the corner has better leverage and the play results in an interception that all but sealed an ACC Championship for the Seminoles. Let’s break it down.

The concept here is similar to Vic Fangio’s cover 6, where the strong side to the nickel, plays a quarters concept and the weak side plays cover 2. Since they are in cover 2 the corner is able to sit on the running back’s route and the Will “cuts” the new #2.

Clemson and Louisville will run the same concept backside. The boundary receiver runs a post/glance while the running back runs an angle route (pictured above). In theory this route combination should to be good against this coverage, because the cornerback will be outside leverage and the running back’s route will run away from the corner’s leverage. In the Clemson game the corner never closes distance and this results in a Clemson touchdown.

In the Louisville game, the Seminoles clearly learned from their mistakes. The corner does a much better job not being out leveraged by the running back on the angle route causing the quarterback to look elsewhere. The quarterback chooses to go to the glance and the Will linebacker intercepts the ball ending the Cardinals best chance at taking the lead after a punt block.

In conclusion, the coverage on the backside wasn’t a bad call against Clemson, it just lacked in execution. The Seminoles clearly worked on combating this route combination in this coverage, and got it right the second time round with a conference title on the line.