Empty Pass Protection Is Chess Not Checkers
Anytime you draw up a pass play out of an Empty formation you should have your offensive line coach in the meeting. As great as it is to get five receivers out on the snap of the ball, the pass protection is fragile. In order to be sound, your pass game hot routes must be coached up for your quarterback and receivers.
This is not to say that Empty pass protection is bad. In fact if your Center and QB understand it then Empty protection can be as solid as anything in your playbook. It has to be what you do though. If you don’t major in throwing the ball, this is not for you. You are better off gap protecting. There is nothing wrong with that either. Do what you do.
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Let’s take a look at this red zone pass protection out of empty. Let’s look at the protection implications that go with it. If you have a young quarterback who can spin it and playmakers at receiver, explosive plays are there to be had. Your pass protection rules must fit though.
If the defense shows you a two deep shell then the odds are that you are in good shape. The Center or quarterback need to point out the linebacker who the offensive line will block vs a 4-3 or the two linebackers vs a 3-4.
Have Your Pass Protection Hot Routes Worked Out Vs Man and Zone Coverage
If the defense stays in the two high shell then you should be protected. If they roll the coverage to one side or the other then that slot receiver and the QB must see it. They must be ready to execute a hot throw.
This play is an example of how you can pass protect your empty pass game with crossing routes. These crossing routes provide rubs vs man coverage. They also provide more than one option vs a zone pressure in case the defense is dropping a lineman into the underneath coverage.
Pass Protection From An Empty Backfield Is Chess Not Checkers
The quarterback should take a 5 step drop. He will read this H-F-X vs all coverages. The quarterback should have a great pre-snap read on the coverage to consider the H. If he sees that the coverage is two deep the quarterback should only consider throwing to the H if the H releases outside of the cloud corner to that side.
This will give him room to make the throw on the sideline before the Safety can get over there. If H is not an option the QB should get back down to the high low with F and X. They should sit in the first hole they find in the zone after crossing the Mike linebacker.
Empty Pass Protection: Count To 5 And Be Smart With The Rest.
The same read should stay on vs middle of the field closed with zone coverage. Although this coverage is unlikely unless the defense is bringing zone pressure. The pass protection game hot routes must be worked out vs man and zone.
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If the quarterback is faced with a pressure that makes him hot he should look to throw to the Z or the X. This throw should be to the spot where the hot defender comes from. If it is zone pressure the drop end or interior lineman will likely drop away from the pressure side.
As mentioned before, if it is man coverage the X should provide a natural rub for the Z as the cross paths. Of course there is always the possibility of 2 man coverage. A lot of the same options remain with the underneath crossing routes. If your QB is mobile enough this can often lead to big plays if he tucks the ball and runs. Want to see more about how to build in solid hot throws to your tight end and others? Check this out.
