An Out route is a pattern

Route (football)

A route is a path or pattern that a receiver in American football runs to get open for a forward pass.-List of common routes:*Curl route*Drag route, also called an "In route"*Corner route, also called a "Flag route"...

 run by a receiver

Wide receiver

A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

 in American football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

. On an out route, the receiver will start running a fly pattern (ie running straight down the field toward the end zone), but after a certain number of steps, will cut hard 90 degrees "to the outside," or toward the sideline, away from the quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

. If the cut comes very quickly, usually after only a few steps, it is called a "Quick Out." Out routes generally allow a one-on-one match-up between the receiver and the defensive back

Defensive back

In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...

 who is guarding him, as safeties generally are concerned with helping out on long routes downfield or the center of the field.

This route is used much more frequently near the end of each half, when a team is running their two-minute drill

Hurry-up offense

The hurry-up offense is an American football offensive style which has two different but related forms in which the offensive team avoids delays between plays. The no-huddle offense refers to avoiding or shortening the huddle to limit or disrupt defensive strategies and flexibility...

 to preserve time on the clock, because as soon as the receiver catches the ball or after a short run after the catch, he should be able to get out of bounds, stopping the clock. Out and in routes are the most difficult routes to cover in man-to-man coverage, but can be dangerous plays to run because if the defender intercepts the pass, he will often have a clear path to the end zone

End zone

In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...

.