Here is an example of a play sent to me by a friend. USC runs a version of this. I don't have it clipped but I hand drew it a couple of times during the season and recognize it. It is a good example of showing a couple of things I don't think the TV guys do a good enough job of explaining.
1. The QB makes what is known as a pre-snap Key read. In other words there is none of that "looking off the safety" stuff that comes on the 5 step drop pass play with multiple progression reads over the middle. The QB looks at ONE DEFENDER on plays like this by design and then throws the ball depending upon where that one defender goes. That is why I suspect fans sometimes mistakenly think the QB stares down the receiver at times...usually he is just locating the defender and making what is known as a "key read".
2. This post also has a link to 10 video clips with it from up in the press box of a team running this play. It shows how for just ONE PLAY CALL the QB has to first read the secondary pre-snap and see if there are 0, 1, or 2 safeties deep. That then dictates where he will then look next to make the Key read...Teams can run this play without too much concern for the defense. If the QB makes the read SOMETHING will be open. This shows a half dozen slightly different outcomes for the sample play call.
3. Its a good example of why it is almost futile (and very difficult) to accurately second guess play calling much of the time these days due to where we sit (at home at least) and the increasing complexity of the game. The problem is that we don't get to see the secondary, and we don't know the play call, nor do we know the read, etc. The decision of where to throw is entirely in the hands of the QB for this type of concept route and most others.
4. This ability is expected of high school QB's in elite programs now and at the JC level. I suspect the USC version and associated patterns and reads are even more advanced.
Read on and view if interested in what we don't really see on most plays.
Double Look Slant Concept (click to enlarge)
This is a brief description of what is called the Look Concept. Teams will usually run double slants on one side of the formation and then the QB will read a flat defender on the other side of the formation and decide where to throw. It can of course be used with other pass routes as well.
The picture attached is double slant to one side and a hitch and short stick to the TE side. Teams often like running the hitch/stick to the right and then the quick out/stick to the left. They throw the quick out to the left and the hitch to the right because of the spin factor. They are both flat defender reads.
QB looks to throw to the TE-flanker side versus one safety and throws to the double slant side versus two safeties. The decision is based upon the pre-snap key read of the QB. Inside receiver on the doubles side attacks the inside numbers of the #2 defender, wherever he goes. The outside receiver runs 5 yards and then flat lines at a 90 degree angle toward the middle (if there is a safety on top - open coverage). QB reads #2 defender. If he latches onto the inside slant, it leaves a hole for the outside flat line slant. If the #2 defender widens, the inside receivers continues to attack his inside shoulder so he can provide a big window to throw between the middle linebacker and the widening #2 defender.
This play gives the QB some options to throw regardless of coverage (e.g. no reason to run a normal slant by the outside receiver when you have a safety on top of you).
This is a short powerpoint on this topic: www.sitekreator.com/fbfiles
Video cut-up with description below: http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...90046576928838
Ten clips of the same play - example of different decisions by the QB:
cut1- QB read closed coverage and works flat defender on TE side
cut2- same
cut3- same
cut4-QB read closed coverage and hit TE because of wide flat def.
cut5- QB adlib
cut6- QB reads open coverage & works #2 to dbl slants
cut7- same
cut8-same
cut9-same
cut10- QB reads man and goes to his best match up
Note: If the Google video is slow hit pause and let the buffer get ahead. If you download the files they often take a minute as well in order for the download to work.