Clinic Talk: Miami Hurricanes Football Coach Mark Richt’s Passing Concepts

A staple of any coach’s passing game playbook is the deep out. If a Quarterback wants to be an NFL prospect, he has to throw a strong 10 and out. It’s one of those mandatory throws on the scouting checklist. Brad Kaaya is being spoken about like a QB that will be taken late 1st early 2nd and the deep out is a must.

The deep out works when the WR sells the vertical. If he pushes hard up field, plants and cuts out, the ball should be placed on his shoulder closest to the boundary. This throw has to be an “us or none” type throw, in other words, we catch it or it goes out of bounds.

Above, you can see the CB flip his hips, that’s when you know you’ve got him sold on the deep route and it’s time to break off and run the out.

Above, you can see the spacing a well run route with good coaching can get a WR on this route. The corner isn’t in the position to make a play or get in the passing window.

Now take a look at a ball that’s thrown a little too high and in, but the WR Berrios makes a great adjustment and shows toughness on the catch.

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The next concept ran a couple of times for success in the spring game was stick to the bottom of the screen, and post-bubble to the top.

As you can see below, the bubble is actually really open, and Kaaya jams the post in which is a Favre-style dangerous throw, but the kid puts it in the window with ease.

You have to hope a proper adjustment is made by the offense any time they see an uncovered bubble to that extent, and by the defense to not allow easy catch-and-throw bubbles off of RPO’s.

In the chalk-talk and cut-up video found at the bottom of the page, you’ll see Kaaya throw the stick to Herndon at one point for a TD. Stick is a great concept that almost every team puts in their book.

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Here is the Texas route which we will discuss in more detail in our FAU previews in a couple of weeks. With backs like Yearby and Walton this should be an easy catch and throw versus 4-2-5 teams with the split LB’er drops.

Above, you can see the LB drops above, the two linebackers split to attack the hook-curl-flat most 4-2-5 teams teach.

Look at how wide open the RB is for the Texas route.

The play is drawn up with something on the outside to lure the safeties and corners to the boundary (Smash or Vert/Out) to clear the lane for the RB.

In the spring game, Coach Richt also used the deep curls / short curls classic (think Tecmo Super Bowl) for much success.

Check out the chalk-talk and cut-ups video below. If you have any questions or comments, I’m on Twitter @IMFB_Blog. Go #Canes!