What Does a Good Slant Look Like?

A look at the slants Ole Miss through in the 2023 Peach Bowl.

Jul 24, 2024

I go back and forth between which route is best: the go route or the slant route?

They are touchdown magnets because they make haste to the end zone. The slant, in particular, is a simple route on paper like the go route, but takes on many forms. It requires a strong release and a careful break. There is always the threat of a hard jam ruining the timing and the threat of an underneath defender ruining the day. But there are ways to combat these troublesome hinderances.

So today is a look at four slants in one game in an attempt to study the fundamental factors that make the slant route work.

Before that, enjoy this game winning slant:

Double Slant RPO Against MOFC Man

Ole Miss is facing a numbers problem against MOFC, and in turn, has a Slant RPO to fix it. Slants are great pass option against MOFC because if you catch man, they are running away from defenders. So instead of reading a conflict defender, you are simply opting for the best route agains the structure you see to handle the numbers problem in the run box.

Moving on to why this slant works — the overhang is pressed but not playing with collision. The WR’s foot-fires during his release do just enough to get the overhang uncomfortable and he ends up with over and outside leverage. Perfect leverage for a successful slant.

The break of the route is also key to the success. It’s flat to ensure that the defender has no chance of undercutting the route. If he breaks at a high angle, there is always the chance a quick-reacting defensive back can slide underneath to get a hand in their to break up the pass, or worse intercept it.

Solo Slant

Now in 10 personnel against MOFC Man, the Rebels choose to run what appears to be outside zone while locking the defensive end. So they will have a numbers problem in the run scheme if the backside linebacker fits. Their only option to fix this problem is with a solo slant to the field.

The solo slant to the field (or in this case, with a wide split while in the middle) is an excellent concept either as a stand alone or as part of an RPO. There is plenty of space for the slant to win the route and any underneath defender will be facing a space problem out there. The play fake/RPO can can be good enough to hold an underneath defender is he’s an issue, though here, the first underneath threat to the solo slant is tucked in the box.

While the tempo of the release is slow at first, the WR does a good enough job selling the vertical with a sudden head burst which induces a moment of panic in the cornerback causing him to trip. A great detail in the route.

Once again, the break is flat. The WR allows the ball to take him vertical for the catch before being caught from behind. But this tackle from behind is further evidence to the usefulness of the flat release. The quickness that this cornerback was able to catch up showcases the potential he has to undercut that route.

Double Slant Concept That Doesn’t Work

Ole Miss has the double slant concept called, this time without the RPO — straight quick game here. The outside slant is facing a cornerback who looks determined not to get beat again by a slant. He’s playing over and inside. The WR ‘s effort to sell the vertical isn’t as violent as before and doesn’t do the job.

The cornerback’s hips allow him to play down on this route so well. They never turn and stay square to the line of scrimmage throughout the release and break1. If you go back and watch the hips of the defenders on the past two slants and the next one, you’ll notice that the hips get turned at one point or another. Though a small batch of evidence, the turning of the hips appears to be a high priority for the route runner.

Solo Slant Into the Boundary

In contrast to the earlier solo slant, this is quick game that gets rid of the underneath defender with a RB motion.

The WR is facing heavy press coverage and attempted collision. This break is the steepest out of the four and works well. The WR couldn’t get to five yards on his release because of the collision either. So his release was shortened though it all worked out because the QB saw it and had to get the ball out because of a free runner through the right A gap.

More on the steep break — you can see in the tackle that the defender is on that low hip, a prime spot for the undercut. However, the cornerback’s hips got turned and he had to chase the WR upfield and was too slow. I’d argue that more space would’ve been available on a flatter release, but the nature of the release facing that collision makes that near impossible to still get depth up the field. That depth is important to make it an easier route to throw. If it’s flat that quick, it’s hard to judge where to throw it with the linemen in the way.

So to sum this one up: the underneath defender is taken care of, the release works in sync with the break to get vertical, and the QB does a great job of hitting the route in stride with a free rusher bearing down on him to his blindside.

Reviewing the Key Elements of a Good Slant

This wasn’t an exhaustive study of the slant, but there were fundamental factors consistent throughout all four routes. And while they might be “obvious,” I argue that it’s important to write out the obvious as a preventative measure to ward off forgetfulness. It’s the fundamentals that win football games. Time is limited, priorities need to be in order.

Without further musings on that, here’s what I observed as the fundamentals:

Turning the hips of the defender is vital.
A flat release can create good leverage against a defender fighting to undercut (as long as there is no immediate underneath threat).
The underneath defender needs to be taken care of through design.
The ball has to hit the WR in stride.

Feel free to comment if you have more ideas.