Is it pe-CAN or PE-can?

     If I had to write one book about football, the title would be -- "8-Million Ways to Run Smash". This passing concept means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  But my understanding of smash is an overall concept that involves attacking the corner with a hi-low read.          The reason for running any of the variations of this concept is to attack the vulnerable areas when faced with a two-high safety look with the corner covered down on the number one receiver.
As you see in the diagram to the right, every defensive set has vulnerable areas.  One thing you may notice is that these windows bracket different defenders.  For instance, the cornerbacks are bracketed by what we call the "flat" window and the "hole" window. The SS is bracketed by the "hole" window and the the "deep middle" window.
     The main reason we draw up plays to attack these windows is that it forces one defender to make a decision and from an offensive stand point that defender can never be right.  A little disclaimer here, when I say draw up plays; I have to admit to plagiarizing the master of the west coast offense -- Bill Walsh.  It goes without saying that west coast concepts appear in every level of the game and in every type of offense including the spread.
      The smash concept increased in popularity

at the same time as cover-two defenses.  With a hard corner taking the underneath route (hitch), the safety is left one on one with a receiver who has a two way go.  To make his job more difficult, we have our receivers run a post-corner.  We count on our number two receiver beating the safety on his corner route and making the catch behind the corner.  If the corner drops underneath the corner route, the quarterback hits the hitch and we take the gain.
      When you think about it, there are so many ways in different formations to set up this same scenario.  I will ask players to think of how many different routes attack the flat window.  Instead of a hitch, you can run - bubble or tunnel screen, flat, quick out or swing route.  In order to attack the area behind a hard corner you can run- vertical (forced outside release), curl, deep out or sail route. Here are some of those combinations and the terminology we use for each:

• Smash = Hitch (#1) and Post-Corner (#2)
• China = Spot (#1) and Post-Corner (#2)
• Basic = Vertical (#1) and Speed Out (#2)
• Flag = Out (#1) and Corner (#2)
• Bench = Stem Corner (#1) and Flat (#2)
• Curl/Flat = Curl (#1) and Flat (#2)

Follow this link to hear an explanation of attack zones.