2014 Noblesville High School Miller Football

Identifying Defensive Coverages

Defensive Alignments and Techniques

Alignments
Horizontal Inside Shade, Outside Shade, Head Up Vertical Tight, Neutral, Loose

Under Coverage
Linebackers, Corners (based on coverages)

Deep Coverage
Strong Safety, Free Safety, Corner

Defensive Alignments and Techniques

Run Support Categories Outside Force Set the edge, forces things inside Inside Force Inside Press, make things spill to outside Fill Secondary player that fits the force defenders Fold backside player folding to pursuit TD Saver backside player taking a deep angle Counter/Cutback box player responsibility Defensive End Techniques Spill wrong arm technique, makes the play bounce Contain outside free player forces plays inside

Secondary Initial Movements

Squat
Cover 2 Corner or OLB Cover 4 Safety looking to rob a zone Inverted Safety in Cover 3

Shuffle/Jam
Corner or OLB in Cover 2 Down defender in Man Coverage

Secondary Initial Movements

Attack
Corner or Safety Blitz Pressure from Wide OLB

Retreat
Deep Coverage Players Zone defenders that bail or play bump and run

Secondary Initial Movements

How do they react to the run?
Fast or Slow Speed to get downhill Angles to play Order of arrival

These factors will dictate how secondary players are accounted for in the run game.

Reading Defensive Coverage

Things to consider
The importance of it pre-snap vs. post-snap Expectations for reading it: who, what, how

It has to be functional not rocket science

Categorize it, not name it # of Safeties, technique of Corners, CAPS Man or Zone Where is Number 4 to each side whats his responsibility? Middle of the field open or closed MOFO, MOFC

2013 Coverages Faced

Cover 4
42, 7

Cover 2
2 Man, 24, 2 Robber, 12

Cover 0
Man Free, Man Spy

Cover 3
3 Cloud, 3 Sky

Reading Defensive Coverages

Number of safeties
Any post-snap rotation 2 Safeties = 2, 4, 24, 42, 2 Man 1 Safety = 1, 3, Man Free

Number of players CAPS - deeper than 5 yards

4 = Cover 4 - Zone Coverage 3 = Cover 3, 42 - Zone Coverages 2 = Cover 2, 2 Man Zone, Man Coverage 1 = Man, Man Free, 3 Zone, Man Coverage 0 = Man Expect a Blitzer(s)

Types of Man Coverage

Cover Zero Man with Blitz, No FS Man Free Man with 1 FS in the Middle of the field 2 Man Man underneath with 2 Deep Safeties

Types of 1 Safety Zone Coverages

Cover 3 2 Bail Corners, 1 FS in the middle of the field Cover 3 Sky Rotation coverage Cover 3 Cloud Rotation coverage

Types of 2 Safety Zone Coverages

Cover 2 2 Cap Players Cover 4 4 Cap Players Cover 24 3 Cap Players Cover 42 3 Cap Players

Ways to Attack Defenders

Assignment Conflict
Use Concepts to attack their assignment
High/Low Concept Inside/Out Concept Replace Concept Crossing Concept Flood Concept

Ways to Attack Defenders

Take advantage of what the scheme gives you
Know where the soft spots are Play to get completions dont force a throw Determined by pre-snap read and post snap key defender

Dictate Alignment/Responsibility of a defender

Use of formations: Bunch, Spread, Tight, Empty Use of motion How can we gain leverage on a defender to put them in conflict?

Passing Zone
Passing Zones

Responsibilities per Coverage

Corners
Man Man on #1 Two Flat (Squat, Rotate, Jam or Soft) Three Outside 1/3 (Bail or Backpedal)
Three Sky Three Cloud

Four Outside (Bail or Backpedal)

Responsibilities per Coverage

Free Safety
Man Free player middle of the field Two Deep player (backpedal) Three Middle 1/3 (backpedal) Four Inside (Settle and read or backpedal)

Responsibilities per Coverage

Strong Safety
Man Free player middle of the field Two Deep player (backpedal) Three Flat Player
Sky Cloud

Four Inside (Settle and read or backpedal)

Attacking Coverage Two Deep Zone

Strengths
Strong vs. the run - leverage on both WRs Cover underneath zones Four rush players - Take away quick game

Weaknesses
Safeties must cover half the field LBs must cover the curl Strong side pass contain Wide splits create lanes

Attacking Coverage Two Deep Zone

Spread formations to stretch the safeties Vertical stretch the flat to create lanes Weakside Curl Corner Routes Flood concepts Vertical Stretch Fade/Seam/Corner Shallow Cross Tier routes to the outside third

Attacking Coverage Two Deep Zone

Attacking Coverage Three Deep Zone

Strengths
Safe always three deep players Strong side force against the run SS can get under and out - Can cover 7 zones Can maintain strong side pass contain

Weaknesses
Large curl and horizontal seams No leverage on WRs - Late to cover the flat Cant cover strong Flood - Weakside force

Attacking Coverage Three Deep Zone

Stretch vertically and horizontally Throw in an alley with three on two Flood Routes Weakside Curl/Flat Sprint away from SS Turn in routes Flat route on soft corner Wide formations

Attacking Coverage Three Deep Zone

Attacking Coverage Quarters

Strengths
Leverage on weakside WR - Deep routes Weakside force and pass contain Easy to disguise Coverage of underneath zones Double single WR to the weakside

Weaknesses
Weak safety responsibility - Strong Floods Sam to flat quickly - Strong contain Weakside flat - Wide Splits

Attacking Coverage Quarters

Horizontal Stretch Vertically stretch the flats Strong side flat routes Weakside Curl 3 x 1 Formations and motions High/Low Safety Deliver to the flat quickly Wide formations Sideline tier routes

Attacking Coverage Quarters

Attacking Coverage Man Coverage

Strengths
Pressure possibility Big play potential Force quick throws - Rush 6 or 7 - Clog running lanes

Weaknesses
Poor run support - Crossing routes Mismatch with RBs vs. LBs Hard to disguise vs. motion - Gamble defense Deep zone left uncovered - Bunch sets

Attacking Coverage Man Coverage

One back or Empty sets All WRs are 1 on 1 Tough to cover quick in cuts (slants/levels) Running plays/perimeter options Force coverage and reduce the rush Vertical stretch Mismatches Crossing routes Releases

Down and Distance Passing Strategy

First Down
Use play action passes like run plays from base formations Quick, high percentage passes QB cant take a sack Defenses vary their look, use option style routes or CWM routes

Down and Distance Passing Strategy

Second Down +7
High Percentage Completions to reach 3rd Down
Good protection scheme Flood routes

Include check with me routes for the QB

Quick game or drop back game

Consider Hot routes for blitz threat

Move the pocket

Delay routes are effective due to aggressive zone drops

Down and Distance Passing Strategy

Third Down +10
Deep Corner routes Switch routes Smash Routes

Third Down +7
Blitz down Move the pocket Hook/Curl/Horizontal routes Sacks dont kill you

Down and Distance Passing Strategy

Third Down 4-6
Defenses will favor their coverage have a blitz plan WRs must run 1st down routes Emphasize run after the catch

Third Down Short

Expect tight coverage Insure the depth of the routes

Down and Distance Passing Strategy

Red Zone +15
Use crossing routes Be blitz ready WR should work to the back of the end zone if busted route WRs must use good cuts and acceleration

Red Zone +5
Use crossing routes All routes must be ran in the end zone QB cant take a sack QB must miss outside/no late throws

Down and Distance Passing Strategy

Coming Out
Have a blitz plan Use isolation routes on the edges, out of traffic Use max protection when possible