What is Curl Flat High Percentage
Gun Trips Tight End — Curl Flat. One hot route. Two reads. That's it.
This is the EASIEST high-percentage pass play in College Football 26. Works on Heisman difficulty. Been dominating virtual football for YEARS.
The setup: Hot route your tight end to a drag. Press Y/Triangle, select tight end, press down on right stick. Done.
The reads: Tight end drag first. Halfback angle second. One of these WILL be open — the route design guarantees it.
Why this works — the post route pushes defenders downfield. Creates a pocket underneath for your drag. Against man coverage? Post might actually get open. Against zone? Drag and angle routes are money.
Perfect for beginners who want consistent completions. Perfect for advanced players who need a reliable third-down converter.
How to Set Up Curl Flat High Percentage
Formation: Gun Trips Tight End
Play: Curl Flat
Pre-snap adjustment — only ONE:
- Press Y/Triangle to enter hot routes
- Select your tight end
- Press DOWN on right stick
- Tight end now runs a DRAG route
That's literally it. No other adjustments needed.
Don't overcomplicate this. The beauty is in the simplicity — one adjustment creates the perfect route combination.
When to Use This Concept
Third downs — ANY distance. Short yardage? Drag route gets you there. Long yardage? Angle route can break for big gains.
Red zone situations. That drag route turns into touchdowns MULTIPLE times. Tight end finds the soft spot, catches it clean, walks into the end zone.
When you need guaranteed completions. Struggling to move the ball? This gets you back on track. High completion percentage — builds rhythm for your offense.
Against aggressive defenses. They're blitzing? They're playing tight man coverage? Perfect. The route combination creates natural picks and spacing issues for defenders.
Don't use this as your ONLY play — but use it as your foundation. The play you can always count on.
How to Execute the Read Progression
FIRST READ — Tight End Drag
Look at the drag IMMEDIATELY. Pre-snap, identify where that drag route is going. Post-snap, eyes go there first.
If he has a pocket — any space at all — throw it. Don't hesitate. Don't wait for him to get "wide open." Football is about windows, not perfect separation.
This route gets SOLID yards after catch. Tight ends are bigger, stronger — they break tackles. Simple completion can become a 15-20 yard gain.
SECOND READ — Halfback Angle Route
Drag covered? Move your eyes to the angle route from the halfback. Quick transition — don't hold the ball too long.
The angle route works because of how it complements the drag. Different levels, different timing — creates conflict for zone defenders.
Against man coverage, that angle route can be NASTY. Linebacker trying to cover your halfback? Good luck with that.
Why This Route Combination Dominates
The post route is the KEY. Not because you're throwing to it — because of what it does to the defense.
Post route pushes defenders DOWNFIELD. Safety has to respect it. Linebackers have to account for it. Creates space underneath for everything else.
Against zone coverage: Post clears out interior zones. Drag finds the soft spot underneath. Angle route attacks the flat/short zones that are now stretched thin.
Against man coverage: Post route can actually get open — safeties sometimes bite on other routes. But even if it doesn't, the drag and angle create natural picks and confusion.
It's a 5 vs 4 advantage. Defense has to cover more routes than they have defenders in the area.
What Counters This Strategy
Robber coverage. Linebacker sitting in the middle, reading your eyes, jumping routes. Solution? Look him off with your eyes first, then come back to your read.
Tight man coverage with safety help. If they're playing press coverage on EVERYONE and dropping a safety into the middle — audible out. This isn't the play for that situation.
Heavy pass rush. Six-man rushes, all-out blitzes — you need protection. Check your protection pre-snap. If you don't have it, audible to something quicker or call a timeout.
Bracket coverage on your tight end. If they're putting two defenders on your tight end specifically — they've scouted you. Time to hit them with something different.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Staring down the drag route. Don't lock onto it pre-snap. Defense sees where you're looking — they'll jump the route.
Forcing the throw when it's not there. Drag covered? Move to read two. Don't try to thread needles when you have easier completions available.
Making too many adjustments. The play works with ONE hot route. Don't start changing everything else. You'll mess up the timing and spacing.
Trying to read the post route. Advanced players ONLY. For most people, just forget the post exists. Focus on drag and angle — that's your bread and butter.
This isn't complicated. One adjustment, two reads, consistent completions. Master this concept and you'll always have an answer when you need one.