Most of your success at slowing down explosive passing games has come from your ability to play tight man coverage. The fundamental premise of this style of play is to prevent the completion. I know big hits make the crowd go oooooooh, but you gain nothing by letting him catch the ball!
The following four questions must be answered with all man coverages:
1) How big is the split of the receiver?
This will help the DB anticipate an inside or out route.
2) How deep has the quarterback dropped (3, 5 or 7 step)?
This gives the DB a time and distance relationship (refer to the chart).
3) Do I have help? Where will it come from?
This knowledge will help the DB anticipate his ability to cover the receivers and where he can act aggressively or he must cover with more caution.
4) What is the proper alignment?
The DBs will focus on their alignment: 1) If the DB has help (as in Man Free), he will align outside, 8-yards deep; or 2) If the DB has no help, he will take an inside alignment.
In reviewing man coverage technique, we break it down into four areas.
- Man-to-man (the DB has help).
- Blitz coverage (No help).
- Press coverage (Bump and run).
- Double coverage.
Man technique from an off/outside (man free) alignment:
Why align outside? This alignment gives DBs three advantages: 1) the coverage disguised as 3-deep zone; 2) his vision is improved because he can see both the WR and the QB; and 3) The DB will be forced to do a center fielder's turn in a shorter area.
The DB must start with his eyes on the QB. He will backpedal with his eyes on QB and peripherally view the receiver through the 3-step drop using the following progression:
- If the QB takes a 3-step drop, snap your eyes to the receiver and drive on the route. The interception will be a 6-to-7 yards.
- If the QB takes a drop past 3-step, snap your eyes to the receiver and backpedal to the next level. With a 5-step drop, the ball will be thrown at 12-to-16 yards. I must keep my hips square and maintain a 3-to-4-yard cushion. This will put me 15-to-19 yards deep. At this point, I must plant and drive on the receiver.
- If the receiver passes 16 yards, be prepared to flop your hip and cover the deep ball (21+yards)(7-step drop) QB drop time/distance relationship:
Drop Time Depth of Route
3-step 1.3 seconds 5-7 yards
5-step 1.8 seconds 12 to 15 yards
7-step 2.3 seconds 18 to 21 yards
Teaching points:
3-step drop
Looks like Cover 3
7-yard route
5-step drop
Man-to-man
12-to-15-yard route
12-to-15-yard route
Back pedal to next level with hips square.
7-step drop
Man-to-man
21+ yards to route
21+ yards to route
Flop and go (Man Turn)
Blitz Coverage (NO HELP)
Same as Man except the DB must take inside position because he has no help.
Press Coverage
In Press coverage, the DB must keep all elements of man coverage in mind ... that is spills, depth of drop, time and distance relationship, and where his help is.
When in pass position, the receiver has only five (5) releases and only a couple of routes from each release.
Release Route
Inside Vertical Square
Outside Vertical Square
Fade Release Fade Take off
Inside Cross field Cross field Snap/Pivot
Shake & Bake Slant Cross Field
Alignments in Press will depend on the deep help. With no help as in Cover 0, the DB will align with his outside eye on the inside eye of the wide receiver with a square stance. With no help, he will key and read the man.
At the snap, the DB will step back to create separation and read the route. The DB must remember to focus on the receiver's inside number. He must keep his inside number on the outside of his number.
Teaching points:
3 Step Drop
Looks like Cover 3
5 Step Drop
Man to Man
Back Pedal to next level with hips square
7 Step Drop
Man To Man
21+Yards to Route
Flop and Go (Man Turn)
If the DB gets an inside or outside vertical, use a low shoulder technique and off hand jam technique. Stay on top.
If the receiver takes a fade release (wide and flat), the DB must sprint to cut off the route and use a high shoulder technique. He cannot attempt to jam the receiver. This will give the DB the tendency of over reading thus putting him in a position on the low shoulder and give the receiver the advantage.
If the receiver shakes and bakes at the LOS, the DB will take an additional step straight back. The receiver has thus held himself up at the LOS and the DB has gained the desired separation and position to have an advantage and leverage on the receiver.
Double Coverage
If we determine that we will face a particularly dangerous receiver, we may be forced to double cover him. As dictated by the routes that we need to cover, we will cover him either short and deep or in and out from a cover 2 (2 deep) alignment.
Short and Deep:
Coverage will be from a press position with deep safety help over the top. The DB will employ a trail technique trying to get between the receiver and the ball.
Because both the corner and safety have an inside alignment, it is an important coaching point to remember that if the receiver gets past 12 yds. downfield, the corner must work to his outside in order to not cut off the safety.
Inside and Outside:
If we feel that a particular receiver is tough on crossing routes, we will double him in and out. This will allow the DB to be very physical at the L.O.S. The DB will take an outside shoulder position and bang that outside pad and force him into his safety help. The safety at the snap must take a position step to put him at a 45 degree angle facing the QB so that if the ball comes quickly, we can drive on the receiver.
It is important to remember that both the corner and safety are responsible for the deep routes, one inside and one outside.
Whatever you do when defensing the pass make sure the receiver has a...
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