Football Library · Routes
Hook In
Route5-9 ydaka Hook-In
7-yd vertical release then a ROUNDED U-turn hooking back inside (toward the QB/middle), settling at 3-4 yds depth with the receiver facing inside. The receiver reverses direction — unlike a Curl which turns back to the QB, the Hook In finishes with momentum toward the inside. Beats off-man coverage and zone defenders who widen with the stem.
Demo rendered on @X (outside WR) at 7yd depth. Only the route runner and the QB are shown so the break stays the focus; the same route family scales to any depth a play calls for, and concepts that use this route may set a different depth.
How to run it
7-yd stem, U-turn back inside — settle facing the middle, find the soft spot.
Reading it by coverage
How to run the hook in against what the defense shows.
- Cover 1:
- vs off-man — stem to his cushion, hook back inside as he opens his hips.
- Cover 2:
- settle inside the underneath defenders — face the QB in the window behind the LBs.
- Cover 3:
- hook into the hole between the hook and curl defenders — sit and show your numbers.
- Man:
- reverse back inside when the defender's weight carries him upfield.