Reed Raiders Tight End Drill: 'Slant and Go'
Tight ends at 5A programs like Reed Raiders need to be versatile and reliable in the passing game. One drill to improve their slant route and deep speed is the 'Slant and Go' drill. Divide players into pairs with one player as the receiver and the other as the quarterback. Set up five cones in a line, 5 yards apart, with the receiver starting 10 yards behind the first cone. The quarterback calls 'slant' and the receiver runs a slant route to the first cone. The quarterback then calls 'go' and the receiver takes off down the sideline. Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps. Coaching cues: 'Keep your feet light, hands up, and eyes on the quarterback.' This drill translates to game performance by improving the tight end's ability to quickly read the quarterback and separate from defenders on the slant route, while also showcasing their deep speed on the go route.