4 Verticals

4 Verticals may be the simplest play in all of football. We have run it since we were kids playing in the school yard…everybody go long!!

I think that running 4 verticals in high school is a great way to stretch the defense both vertically and horizontally. Let’s be honest, most high school corners struggle in coverage and most high school linebackers are inept at best.

That means that 4 verticals should be on your call sheet every single week. This is especially true if you are seeing 1 hi safety. I have rarely seen a high school safety that can cover 2 vertical seam routes. It is a tough ask for anyone, let alone a 16 year old kid.

In this video, I show you three examples of us running 4 verticals…three plays in a row. That brings me to my next point. If the defense is giving you an edge, keep running the play that exploits it. Don’t get bored with success. Don’t think you have to be creative. Keep running what works…over and over again.

So, if you see 1 safety, run 4 verticals. Then run it again. Then, run it again. Keep running it until they stop it!