Toss / pitch
What it is
The quarterback pitches the ball to a back who is already running wide, trading blocking angles for a head start.
Why it matters
A toss is the fastest way to get a ball carrier outside, because he receives the ball moving at full speed rather than accelerating from a standstill. What it costs is precision — the ball is in the air, and the play is committed to a direction before anybody has read anything. It lives or dies on whether the perimeter blockers can reach the force defender.
Both sides of it
Running it
The quarterback opens and pitches on his first step, leading the back toward the sideline. Playside linemen and the tight end reach or pull to the perimeter; a receiver cracks the force player inside while the playside tackle or a puller arcs around to the corner. The back's landmark is outside everything, and he does not turn upfield until he has cleared the last blocker.
Stopping it
The force player cannot be cracked. Corners and safeties exchange responsibilities on the crack — the cracked defender replaces inside, the corner becomes the new force and must not be reached. Backside pursuit takes a flat angle, and interior linemen chase down the line rather than fighting upfield, since penetration behind the play accomplishes nothing against a ball already outside.
Also called
Programs call this toss, pitch, toss crack or student body right. The Coach answers to any of them.
Related
This entry is authored, not generated. It is one of 205 in the index that the AI-ssistant Coach retrieves from, and that Film Study tags clips against.