Smash diagram
- 1
Outside receivers hitch, slots run the corner behind them. Against Cover 2 the corner route is open in the hole between the corner and the safety.
When to call Smash
Call it when you see two deep safeties and a cornerback sitting low. That is Cover 2, and the corner route lands between that cornerback and the safety.
It also fits third and medium against any zone, because the hitch is a safe 5-yard throw.
Smash: each player's job
QB
Find the cornerback on the right side. Throw Y's corner route over his head, or Z's hitch if he backs up.
C
Snap, run 5 yards straight up the middle and turn around. You are the outlet.
X
From wide left, run 6 yards, stop and come back to the ball at about 5.
Z
Run the same hitch from wide right. You keep the cornerback low so the corner route opens behind him.
Y
You are the first look from the right slot. Push up 9 or 10 yards, then angle to the right sideline and catch it 15 to 17 yards deep.
H
Mirror Y from the left slot with a corner route toward the left sideline.
F
Swing out of the backfield to the right, underneath Z's hitch, for a late throw.
What the quarterback looks at
The quarterback picks a side before the snap. The diagram goes right, so he watches the right cornerback. If that cornerback stays down on Z's hitch, the ball goes to Y on the corner route, thrown high and toward the sideline.
If the cornerback backs up under the corner route, throw the hitch to Z right away. If both are covered, C is the outlet at 5 yards.
How to teach Smash at practice
- 1
Walk Y and H through the corner route with cones at the 10-yard break and the catch point.
- 2
Add X and Z on the hitches, then put a coach at right cornerback. He squats or backs up, and the quarterback throws the route he leaves.
- 3
Run it at full speed to both sides with C and F added.
Common mistakes
- The slot breaks to the corner too early and runs into the hitch. Mark the break at 10 yards with a cone.
- The quarterback throws the corner route flat and the safety catches up. Teach him to put air under it and aim for the sideline.
- Outside receivers drift upfield after the hitch. They need to come back toward the ball so the cornerback stays low.
Smash FAQ
What is the smash concept in flag football?
Smash is a two-receiver combination with a short hitch outside and a corner route from the slot behind it. It puts one cornerback in a high-low bind.
Does smash work against Cover 3?
It is harder because a deep defender is already sitting in the outside third. Take the hitch underneath and save the corner throw for two-safety looks.
How deep should the corner route be in youth flag?
Break at 9 or 10 yards and catch the ball between 15 and 17. With younger quarterbacks, break at 7 yards.
This play is drawn against cover 2 defense.
More plays: all 7v7 flag football plays. Draw your own in the flag football play designer.