Coach Rudy, Big Ten Alumni. Let's talk about how to run a perfect route. What does that mean? To me, as a player and a coach, the most important thing is understand the adjustment that goes along with the defensive coverage. Cover two, man to man, let's talk about to me the most important thing about running the route, is how to make the adjustment that goes along with the defensive coverage. Okay, so now let's talk about the square route. Cover three, quarterback's on the hash, I'm inside the number, cover three, the defender's off about seven yards, I drive towards his inside foot, and depending on the coach, either round it into the ten to twelve yard area, or I square it off in the ten to twelve yard area. Let's talk about cover two. Cover two the corner's up. It's going to take the square route away. I have to turn it into a seam. Once and while we can get the quarterback to throw a good seam. There's going to be a collision there. I've got to catch the ball, take the hit. It works sometimes, sometimes it doesn't. Man to man. Against the out. I take the inside, I try to establish the defenders trailing me. I nod toward the inside. I get out at ten to twelve yards. The ball's thrown perfectly. I make the catch, I go about of bounds, and move the sticks. That's the square out. Now, let's talk about the post pattern. Post pattern. Cover three. I drive, drive, drive towards the inside foot, bend it towards the corner, come back towards the post, the ball's there, I'm in between the corner and the free safety. I can scoot through there. I'm in the end zone, the band plays, everybody's happy. Against cover two, I now bend it. I have the defender going towards the side line. I run it, press it up. There's a strong safety there. It becomes more of a seam route. There's going to be a collision. If there's time, the ball's thrown, I catch the ball, I take the hit, it's--everything works out fine. If the ball is overthrown or I'm led too far, I either get my helmet knocked off, or there's an interception. Not a good idea. Man to man. Against the post, perfect opportunity. Free safety's playing man to man on the tight end. I know that if I get inside the guy, that now he's trailing me, I can bend him towards the corner, come back towards the post--there's nobody there. Ball thrown, I catch it, band plays, six points, we got in at halftime or we win the game. Cover three--go route. Guy's off me about seven yards. I run down, I step on his inside foot. I bend it back out. Quarterback throws it over his head, perfectly stretched, it's in my hands, I catch it, I run it, and band plays, everyone's happy. Cover two--go route. He's not going to let me inside. That's okay. He's not going to let me outside. That's okay. I get away somehow. I'm able to establish inside, and I just bend it out. It becomes more of a seam route. We have the same situation. As long as the ball's thrown in--you know, right away, I catch the ball, I take it the hit, we move the sticks. Against man to man, go route, perfect opportunity. I step on his inside foot, drive, drive, drive, bend it out, throws it over his head, catch the ball, run into the end zone, the band plays, everybody's happy. Let's talk about the slant. Cover three. He's off seven yards. I drive, drive, drive, step on his outside foot, bend him out, come underneath at seven to nine yards, catch the ball--probably going to be a collision, we move the sticks. Cover two, on the slant. I drive, drive, drive, I make the move, I press up field, and then I break it off at seven yards, I catch the ball, I get hit, and we move the sticks. Man to man slant. I establish inside, I bend it out, I come back in at seven to nine. I catch the ball, I run for a little bit, probably get hit by the free safety, probably--maybe it's an eleven to fifteen yard gain. It works real well. Let's talk about the wheel, right. Wheel's designed, we've run a few outs, cover three, I drive, drive, drive, run the out at about nine yards, defender comes up, now turn it up the sideline, ball over the top, catch the ball, band plays, everybody's happy. Cover two. Can't run the out, so I got to turn it into a seam, cornerback should come off me, go to another receiver. Man to man. I establish inside. I bend the out, corner comes underneath. I take it up the sideline, ball comes over the top, band plays, we're happy, you're happy. Understand running a perfect route is not just about the route, and it's not just about catching the ball. The most important thing is catching the ball. The second most important thing is making adjustments based on what the defense is doing.
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