Football Library · Plays
Stick· 7v7 Flag
basicaka Stick Concept
3rd-down staple. Inside receiver / slot runs a sit at 5-6 yds (the 'stick'); outside receiver clears with a fade or go; back releases to the flat. High-low on the flat defender — same idea as curl-flat but uses a SIT instead of a curl (more deliberate settle).
Coaching breakdown
Stick Right: S sit @ 6yd (the 'stick'), B flat @ 4yd — high-low on the flat defender. Z clears with go @ 18yd.
When to call it
3rd-down staple, especially 3rd-and-3 to 3rd-and-6. The sit gives you a settled target; the flat is the hot if zone rotates underneath.
Common mistakes
- Slot doesn't sit — keeps running, the route becomes a dig and loses the high-low element.
- Outside receiver doesn't clear hard enough; the deep defender sinks and the stick window closes.
- QB throws the flat before reading the LB — kills the high-low purpose. Read the underneath defender first.
Strong / weak against
Strong against
Contested
- Cover 0 — Anything that develops slowly — pressure gets home first Better answers: Four Verticals, Mesh, Slant-Flat, Smash
- Cover 1 — Outside vertical shots — the free safety caps them over the top Better answers: Mesh, Drive, Smash, Y-Cross, Four Verticals, Levels
- Cover 2 — The flats — the corner squats and jumps anything quick outside Better answers: Smash, Four Verticals, Flood
- Tampa 2 — The deep middle — the Mike runs it, so a straight seam is contested (unlike base Cover 2) Better answers: Smash, Flood