Maginot Jante

Compression Passing Attack

Winning NCAA Strategies

It may sound like the biggest contradiction in

football, but I believe when you combine a
compression passing attack package into a
spread offense, you can increase your success.
Spread offenses generally have trouble
finishing when the field becomes compressed,
or when you need to run effective plays in short
yardage situations. While the quick series is
very effective in the spread, there is no reason
to not add a compression passing package,
which allows you to threaten almost all areas of
the field. In the first diagram, you see both a
spread look and a compression look versus a
Compression style passing attacks are common zone alignment. On the spread side,
seldom found in the college football world. you can see the defenders are separated,
Most are more concerned with spreading the creating its own advantages. On the
field out, for a variety of reasons, either to compression side, you can see that the
create blocking leverage or expose coverage’s defenders are much closer, and in the event that
through spacing. The goal of a compression the slot receiver goes to the flat, the corner is
passing attack is to open up areas of the defense the only player who can guard him, which
for attack and to create rub routes. It also makes opens up the outside receiver to become open
it easier for the QB; they will almost never have on a hitch route or a 6 yard out. The second
to make any of the “NFL Grade” throws that diagram shows man coverage versus a spread
daunt most college QB’s (15 Yard out, 15 Yard and a compressed look. On the spread side you
Comeback). The goal of the compression series can see both defenders have plenty of room to
is not to base an offense around it, but as an operate, as do the receivers, which again, has its
added element to your passing attack. own set of advantages. On the compressed side,
you can see the both defenders are practically
The first advantage of a compressed next to each other, which means that if the
formation is it allows you to read coverage’s, receivers mesh their routes, the defenders will
not necessarily Cover 2 or Cover 3, but man or either collide, or one of your receivers will rub
zone coverage. Here are examples of a half the other defender, slowing him down, opening
compressed half spread formation versus man up the other receiver. The compression side’s
and zone coverage. sideline is also now wide open, no defenders in
position to defend it effectively at the snap.

The second advantage of a compression

formation is that your receiver can attack all
areas of his side of the field. Not often are most
receivers in a position to run any route in the
book. Let’s look at some common alignments
and their drawbacks first.
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Here’s a common trips formation. The outside react based on who he covers, the defenders
most receiver is in good play art shows man coverage, because the CB
position to run a slant or a stays on the receiver while the Sam linebacker
post or even a drag, but he chases, so you will throw the flat route for
is completely useless to about a 4-6 yard gain, a successful quick series
use on any outside release play. Now let’s look at this same play, but only
route other than a fade. from a compressed formation.
The most inside receiver Here you can see
can run a drag, slant, In, the receivers are
or a post very effectively, but he’s not very very close together
effective at attacking anything to the sideline. at the snap. This is
The middle receiver is very effective at running man coverage,
flares, outs, and flags, but not many routes based on the
straight up the field or to the middle, with the alignment of the
exception of a drag route. Now let’s look at a defenders. At the
bunch formation. All 3 receivers are in position snap the outside
to attack any areas of the receiver will run
field. The outside up field, while the
receiver can run a slant or inside slot receiver
a post, the middle will dart to the sidelines. As you can see by the
receiver can release defenders play art, they will collide, and since
straight up the field the Sam is in chase mode, a collision will put
effectively, or get open him at a big disadvantage. This leaves the slot
on a post, and the inside wide open in the flats, allowing you to throw it
receiver can release to the over the shoulder and run for a big gain. This
sideline effectively. Any receiver can run most isn’t the only combination that will cause the
any route in the book. While the trips rub effect, any combination where the
formations has it’s place, the bunch is more receiver’s paths mesh will cause a rub. The rub
effective at maximizing effectiveness. series is basically the compression offense’s
version of the quick series.
The biggest advantage of compression
formation routes is the natural rubs created by The last major advantage of passing out
their alignment. “Natural” means that the of a compressed formation is that the receivers
receiver runs into the defender without having release naturally flood zones, whether
to throttle down or single out the defender. intentional or not. Let’s look at a common pick
While the basis of the spread passing attack is route run out of the bunch, usually against man
reading a progression or coverage, the basis of coverage, and how it also floods a zone in the
the compression offense is generally bumping process. To the left we
defenders off of their path and opening up have a pick route
receivers that way. Here’s an example of a designed for the middle
common quick series throw made out of spread receiver. The only
sets adapted to a problem is that this is not
compression man coverage. This is not
formation. an issue for the play
Here is a simple however, because we are
curl/flat play out of flooding the Will
the spread look. linebackers zone. The hitch route will force the
You will generally Will to hold his position in order to cover him,
read the corner and while the drag moves across his zone, forcing
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him to run with him in order to cover him. The
fade will also pull the corner out of the play, if
not, he will be open on a quick dump. So at the
snap you just watch how the Will reacts, if he
runs with the drag, you throw the hitch to the
outside shoulder and turn up field, and if he sits
with the hitch, throw the drag fast once he
crosses the Will’s face. I would rather have the
middle receiver run a Spot route to prevent him
from running into a backer, but the drag will do
in this case.

The compression attack is a great

package to add to a spread offense to increase
its effectiveness. It can also be added to pro
style attacks, but they are generally based on
the run game and play action, while the spread
is more based on advantage in numbers and
leverage.
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