Slot Receiver Techniques

Flat (1): A three-step, outside breaking route usually run from inside of the numbers (slot receiver, tight end, running back) with the receiver taking a quick, vertical release and then breaking. Once the ball is snapped, the strong side tackle, tight end, and slot receiver all immediately run toward the secondary to block down field for the receiver with the ball. Fullback, Tailback The backs act as if the offense is running a regular running play, such as an Isolation or Sweep play, and take steps strong side. Once the receiver declares a release – inside or outside – use the off-hand jam technique. For example, if aligned on the left side of the ball and a receiver releases to the outside, open the hips and get the right hand on the receiver's left hip.

From 1970 to 1989, I never saw a slot receiver – not in little league, not playing in high school, not as an assistant high school coach, and not during my first five years as a high school head coach from 1984-1989. Things changed in 1989. I saw my first slot receiver as defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator of an AAU-style 22-under summer team. Ironically, I never called it a slot receiver. I never have and never will for a number of pedagogical and psychological reasons. In 1989, I called the slot receiver the #2 receiver because every offensive coordinator in our league back then only used the slot receiver as an offline #2 receiver. In 1989, I never had to defend:

• an online slot receiver, or
• a slot receiver who was the widest receiver – the #1 receiver on his side, or
• more than one slot receiver in the same slot, or
• a slot receiver who motions to or away from the slot.

In 1989, a slot receiver was a marked departure from the standard double tight end or single tight end with two or three backs and wide receivers with no slot receiver. Defending slot receivers week after week in 1989 forever changed my defensive and offensive philosophies. It made the biggest impact in the evolution of my SWAT Defense and SWAT No-Huddle Offense. Film study of our opponents revealed the following evidence:

Slot Receiver Techniques Vs

1. An identifiable relationship between the slot receiver's pattern and the hash-mark.
2. A limited number of slot receiver pass routes. No team used more than 5 different pass routes for slot receivers per game.
3. An identifiable relationship between slot receiver and blocking assignment on running plays.
4. Slot receivers operated on the 80-20 Rule. Over 80% of their routes were short. Less than 20% were deep.
5. No slot receiver aligned online.
6. No slot receiver was the widest receiver.
7. Multiple receivers never aligned in the same slot.
8. No slot receiver ever crossed to the short side on a crossing route from the wide side. They played on their side of their alignment.
9. No slot receiver motioned to or away from the slot.
10. The slot receiver always aligned offline, away from the tight end, in a 2×2 formation.

Most offensive coordinators used slot receivers the exact same way. Creativity was limited in 1989. But the slot receiver was the first step in an offensive revolution that marked the beginning of post-modern football and challenged defensive coordinators like never before.

As the result of opponent film study, I made the following strategic decisions:

1. I stopped calling our defenders by the conventional position names of cornerback, safety, linebacker, etc.
2. I assigned code names instead according to the Weight Class, a dual meaning concept that I will explain in future articles.
3. I moved our slot defenders closer to the LOS regardless of coverage.
4. We blitzed more from the slot than from any other position. The slot defender rush became the central point of SWAT System pressure.
5. I changed my entire offensive philosophy. The relationship between our slot receiver and all other receivers became the central focus of our limitless no-huddle pass system.
6. We used the slot as our backfield formation by assigning one, two, or three receivers in the same slot to form the equivalent of a single-back, double-back, or triple-back formation. In essence, we transferred our backfield outside the box.

Part 2 continues this discussion. No sport on Earth is more complicated than football – physically, intellectually, psychologically, and spiritually. The job of Defensive Coordinator has never been more challenging. If you don't catch up, you will be left behind. Its easy today for Defenses to get slaughtered. It's easy for your Defense to get embarrassed by giving up obscene amounts of points and yards until it does the unthinkable and gives up in the fourth quarter or worse – before fourth quarter.

Be more or be less – it's your biggest decision today. Football coaching requires life-long learning. It is the key to coaching survival. You have to be obsessed with learning more, to be more. When you stop learning, you stop earning. Read, listen, and watch as much as you possibly can. You are coaching in the most challenging time in the history of football for two reasons: (i) More opposing coaches innovate than ever before. (ii) Unprecedented First World softness has weakened the sport by weakening players, coaches, administrators, and parents. The survival of football is in your hands and in your mind, literally.

Coaching football is a Sacred Profession. It's a calling. X Fitness is committed to help coaches and players by sponsoring Blunt Talk Podcast. Blunt Talk Podcast has included a number of football coaches and ex-football players who have shared powerful insights, guaranteed to provide optimal learning experiences. Please visit Blunt Talk Podcast. All 123 episodes of Blunt Talk Podcast are free, permanently archived, compliments of my gym, X Fitness. Every guest is guaranteed to lift. Here is the link: http://blunttalk.libsyn.com/

Blessings and all good things.

#peace

Gino Arcaro M.Ed., B.Sc., Level 3 NCCP (Nat'l Coaching Certification Program)

Football Head coach – Niagara X-Men Football

Gym Owner – X Fitness Welland Inc.

Slot Receiver Techniques Tools

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Slot Receiver Techniques App

Gino Arcaro is a widely published author. Currently, he is finishing another book in his non-fiction series: Mystery of Murder: Working with the Dead. All published books are available on on www.Amazon.com and www.Chapters/Indigo.ca, in both soft cover and eBook format. Additionally, his website, www.ginoarcaro.com features his books including:

1. Football coaching and non-fiction books: SWAT System: Offense and Defense, SWAT Tackling Video (with accompanying eBook), and 4th & Hell: Season One and Season Two
2. Business Books: Selling H.E.L.L. in Hell, True Confessions, and eBooks: Soul of Selling, and, Real Business Relationships = Sales
3. Fat Loss Book: Fat Losing
4. Workout System: eXplode: The X Fitness System
5. Motivational Books: Soul of a Lifter, and eBooks: The Pledge, and, The Focus
6. Children's Books: Be Fit Don't Quit, and, The Beauty of a Dream
7. Policing Textbooks: Arcaro's Interrogation Case LawGino Arcaro M.Ed., B.Sc., Level 3 NCCP (Nat'l Coaching Certification Program)