Don’t Forget To Dial Up Your Hitch Route
The hitch route is one of the most underused pass routes in the game of football. There are several reasons and none of them make any sense. Why would football coaches not appreciate a relatively easy throw to a good skill player in space? A closer look will reveal that 7on7 can create as many problems as it can solutions if coached by the wrong people.
As you will see in the video below, the advantages of combining a well coaches hitch route with a go route or fade is huge. If coached properly, you can make a corner feel like he is never right. When a cushion is provided, the hitch is easily completed for six yards and maybe much more if the tackle is not made.
Want to jump up in the receiver’s face and press or play cloud with cover 2? Now the receiver and the quarterback automatically convert to a go route and make you pay over the top. Now to be clear, this level of communication and execution takes work but it is well worth it.
This is why we don’t recommend getting to advanced with your hitch route conversions when it comes to youth football players. Pop Warner coaches don’t have time or mature enough players to get this done. This is not to say that you should not run hitch routes, just don’t convert them.
Get Realistic Hitch Splits With Your Pop Warner Receivers
If you are coaching in a American Youth Football league or a USA Football program you need to focus on fundamentals. Bring your young receivers inside with tighter splits so your nine year old quarterback can get the ball to them accurately and on time.
Back to you 7on7 coaches. We all know that there are flaws in some 7on7 leagues and tournaments. Things like being able to call empty formations on offense with no pass rush on the quarterback and a slow clock. Defensive coaches who rush three and drop eight are also guilty. You can’t play cover 2 every snap in September.
Please don’t let this be one more way that your 7on7 becomes unfootball like. What I mean is if the reason offensive coaches are not calling hitch routes is because all corner has to do is tag the receiver, then change your rules some. Put flags on the offense. Make the corner with an unrealistic cushion have to pull the hitch receiver’s flag.
Before you defensive coaches cry foul, just remember that come August your corners are going to have to tackle that hitch. If you don’t practice closing and making a stop, you will be a sad coach at some point. So give this video a look and make sure you don’t leave out the hitch route this summer and fall.
