The ability to stop on a dime and change direction suddenly are two keys for any great wide receiver. However, many scouts and fans are confused in thinking that a player’s shuttle time or L drill performance translates into crisp route running. It does not. The primary athletic trait that allows a player to stop and start on a dime during route running is body control. For receivers, body control comes as a result of practicing specific techniques and footwork patterns until they become second nature. It’s not just “body control” in a general sense that can make a great receiver – it’s the ability to control his body during the specific breakpoints that translates to great route running. There are very specific coaching points attached to each break point that the receiver must aim to achieve. By executing these small mechanical details over and over again, the receiver will learn to maintain body control throughout every route.

Every great receiver must spend hours upon hours running routes and mastering the technique of each break point until it becomes muscle memory and second nature. Once he has accumulated enough reps at each movement, it will become easy for the athlete to execute each break point suddenly because each one is familiar to him.

Arguably the hardest break point to maintain body control is the “Speed Cut” because it inherently requires the receiver to cut violently at full speed. Many other break points allow the receiver the freedom to slow down before the break and then power through it or slow down to add a hip shift vs. a man defender. This is not so with the Speed Cut – completing these routes is all about speed and timing with the QB. Running into the break point so fast makes the receiver vulnerable to losing control, which makes the details of the Speed Cut even more important.

Before breaking down those details – it’s important for the receiver to understand how to set himself up for success during these Speed Cut routes:

In most offensive systems – the straight stemmed “speed outs” are only run vs. loose coverage and will convert vs. press coverage or cover 2. Which means that the receiver’s main objective before breaking is to threaten the DB vertically, loosen his cushion even more and make him feel as if the receiver is running by him until he speed cuts away at the last second. These routes require the “everything is a fade until it’s not” mentality.

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If the DB is playing loose man coverage or quarters where he can stay square to the WR for as long as possible then it is very important to come off the ball with great speed and do everything possible to threaten the DB off the ball and influence him to flip his hips and defend the vertical route over the top.

The receiver must be conscious of opening up his stride and running with a low pad level to sell vertical here. His speed off the ball and body language must be screaming “fade!” to the DB in order to instigate him to flip his hips!

If the DB is playing Cover 3 or some sort of zone coverage where he turns in towards the QB – then speed off the ball is less important and chasing the DBs near hip to get into his “blind spot” before breaking becomes the key to winning. When running a Speed Cut route vs. a DB that is zone turned – it is much more important for the receiver to tempo his speed and settle right in the DBs hip pocket before breaking.

Regardless of the pace at which the receiver enters the Speed Cut – the receiver must accelerate through the cut with great speed every time and round the corner without slowing down at all! He always wants to feel in control, with his feet within the framework of his body, but speed through the cut is extremely important here, which is why this break point must be practiced over and over so that the receiver has a good feel for maintaining body control and executing the proper mechanics at this velocity.

The footwork for a 6-yard speed out is “Speed Cut on the 2^nd inside step” and the footwork for a 10-12-yard speed out is “Speed Cut on the 3^rd inside step.” After accumulating hundreds of reps at each depth, the footwork should become rhythmic and feel the same to the receiver just about every time. Unlike a “Square Break” where the receiver has some freedom to change speeds and break down – the “Speed Cut” is all about speed and timing with the QB. Offenses will complete these passes because the Quarterback is able to anticipate the when the receiver will be open and throw it to a spot before the receiver finishes his break. Therefore, it is extremely important for the receiver to develop a consistent rhythm to these routes and run it as consistently as possible every single time so that the QB can develop a familiar rhythm of his own to get the ball out on time.

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Let’s use a 10-12 yard speed out for example: at the top of the route – the receiver’s footwork is “Break, Drive, Line.” On that third inside step the receiver wants to push off and round the corner without losing any speed. He will “break” to violently change directions, “drive” with that next step to round the corner and then stick his “line” foot in the ground to snap himself flat and friendly to the QB.

Before learning to trust their feet, many receivers will shorten these three steps and chop them up, but it is essential that they run through the cut and extend each step in full stride. “Break, drive, line” should be full length strides so that the receiver does not lose any speed.

Because the QB is anticipating this route and throwing to a spot it is essential that the receiver is ready to snap this route friendly with great urgency. As soon as he begins the Speed Cut, every effort from that point must be to maintain speed and pull himself flat and friendly to the QB. Two key coaching points to help the receiver get friendly are: keep the arms pumping throughout the cut - this will help the athlete pull his body through the cut and power through the break point. If the receiver lets his arms go dead, he is more likely to drift at the top of this route. Additionally, as soon as he finishes the “Break, Drive, Line” – the receiver wants to snap his head & eyes around and make eye contact with the Quarterback! This is a key point to finishing this route because once the receiver is making eye contact towards the QB and his whole body is torqued towards him, he will naturally pull himself downhill. It’s almost impossible for the player’s body to continue drifting up field if his head an eyes are staring at the QB.

Photo Courtesy: Los Angeles Chargers