Route Rules
Specific routes have completion restrictions to prevent unrealistic concepts and exploit usage:
- Slants & Texas: Must be thrown before the receiver crosses the QB's face.
- Drags / Crossers / Shakes: Available as primary read only — they cannot be progression reads.
- Exception: Mesh concept — both drag routes are primary and both are allowed.
- Drag window: Relaxed to "inside the numbers."
- Comeback & Deep Comeback: May not be completed inside the opponent's 25-yard line. The ball cannot be caught inside the 25 on a comeback route.
- Conservative Catch: Banned outside the numbers, except on passes caught inside the end zone.
- Legal uses: routes inside the numbers, or any end-zone catch.
- Penalty for illegal use: Must punt immediately on the next play. Repeat violations = 4-game suspension for the QB and WR involved.