The Hook and lateral play is an unorthodox play (often called a trick play) in American football. It starts with the Hook, which is where a wide receiver runs a predetermined distance, usually 10 yards down the field and hooks in to receive a forward pass from the Quarterback. Another offensive player times a run so that he/she is at full speed, just behind the player with the ball at the time of the catch. As the defenders close in on the stationary ball carrier, he/she laterals the ball to the teammate running at full speed. If unanticipated, this play puts defenders out of position, running in the wrong direction. The offense runs a high risk of turning the ball over if it is not handled properly because a dropped lateral pass is a live ball.
The play is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the "hook and ladder" play, perhaps due to the common use of the phrase
to describe a particular kind of fire truck.
Last updated: 06-02-2005 23:35:48
