Each week, our Westwood One football analysts respond to questions posed by listeners right here on WestwoodOneSports.com.
James Lofton
Q: Michael S. (Indianapolis, IN) – I know a ‘9’ route is a go or fly route and a ‘7’ is a flag route. What do the other numbers on the passing tree represent??
A: The old route tree of 0 through 9… Ahh, those were the days. Now that tree has many branches with about 60 routes or so. But in the original and basic set-up, odd numbers were outside-breaking routes and even numbers were inside-breaking routes. Here goes…
Aligned with your inside foot up, a 0 would be a three-step “hitch” and a 1 would be a three-step “quick out”. A “quick slant” – three steps and a 45-degree-angle is a 2. The 3 is a five-step “speed out” at about 10 to 12 yards. A 4 is a 12-yard “hook”, planting off the outside foot and working back to the QB. A 5 is a “comeback,” driving up the field to 18 yards and back toward the sideline to 15 yards. A deep “square in” at 16 to 18 yards is a 6 route. A 7 route is called a “post corner” – driving off the ball to 12 yards then 3 to 5 steps toward the goal post and then back out to the corner. The 8 route is a post pattern, driving up the field past 15 yards with a slight nod to the outside and an then on angle to the near goal post. And, finally, like you said, a 9 route or “go” is a vertical route caught anywhere from 42 to 46 yards deep.
