Defensive Back Play in Quarters Coverage

by: John Norton
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Stopping the run in football has always been paramount. Over the years coaches have devised different ways to get extra defenders into the box. Often times this has benefited the run game and it has also left the pass game vulnerable. I believe that quarters coverage provides an answer for both run and pass. It allows both of the safeties to be primary run support defenders while also allowing the defense to defend a vertical passing game.

Diagram 1. Eagle Front

The following is an assemblage of several seasons of enhancement to the coverage and the input of several different staffs. I feel that the subsequent schemes will provide sound coverage as well as superior run support. You can play any front with quarters coverage. For the sake of simplicity we will use an eagle front (See Diagram 1).

ALIGNMENT

SAFETIES
•1 Removed Receiver- 10 yards deep x 2 yards EMOL (End Man On Line) (See

Diagram 2. Safeties and Corners Alignment Diagram 3. Safeties and Corners Alignment

Diagram 2).
•2 Removed Receivers- 10 yards deep x 2 yards inside of #2 receiver (See Diagram 3).
•If there is no width, the Safety to the no width side will align in the C gap at 8 yards (Diagram 3).

CORNERS
•7 yards deep by 1 yard out side #1 receiver (Diagram 2).
•If there is no width, 5 yards deep by 3 outside (Diagram 3).

STANCE

Our stance for all of our DB's is basically the same. The only difference is that the Corners will be at a 45 degree towards the ball. Their feet should be less than shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, shoulders behind the knees.

KEYS

SAFETIES
•#2 receiver - #1 receiver

CORNERS
•#1 receiver to #2 receiver

RESPONSIBILITIES

RUN SAFETIES
• Primary run support.
• Run-to-Read support off of the defensive EMOL (See Diagram 4).
• We fit our run support off the defensive EMOL. If the EMOL is fit inside, the safety fits outside, and vice versa.
• Run Away- Cut back (Diagram 4).

Diagram 4.Reading the Defensive EMOL

CORNERS
• Secondary run support • Run-to-Man #1 receiver, spill outside of force (Diagram 4).
• Run Away- Man #1 receiver, pursuit downfield (Diagram 4).
• Any player that has secondary run support has to check the #1 receiver to his side before he can pursue the ball.

PASS SAFETIES
•Read the release of the #2 receiver to your side. If the #2 receiver goes vertical, man him with inside leverage and stay on top. If he does not get vertical go to the #1 receiver and double cover him with the corner maintaining inside leverage while staying on top. If the corner exchanges, man the #1 receiver.
•We define vertical as being 8 yards deep or behind the LB drop depth.

CORNERS
•Read the release of the #2 receiver to your side. If the #2 receiver attacks the flat, exchange receivers with the safety. Any other release, man the #1 receiver.

PLAY ACTION or BOOTLEG

SAFETIES Since we are run first players, we will always respect any kind of play action by executing our run responsibilities. Our eyes should stay on the #2 receiver as we come down to LB depth. Once we are down we are not going to be able to double #1 so we look for #2 right away (i.e. FB in the flat, or TE delay release). If #2 does not show, we turn and look for receivers crossing the field. If no crossers show, we get back to our original zone depth and find the ball.

CORNERS
•During play action or boot passes we will not see the #2 receiver attacking the flat right away. Therefore, we teach the corners to play it the same way as a run play. Since they are secondary run support they have to check the #1 receiver to their side before they can go to the ball. This allows them to stay man on #1.

TECHNIQUE

SAFETIES
At the snap of the ball the safeties buzz their feet. When we first teach this, we start with buzzing their feet three times. As they get better at reading defenses we allow them to accelerate their feet or buzz twice. As stated above the safeties first read is the #2 receiver to his side. We use this receiver as our run pass read. If the #2 receiver is in the backfield we will read through the OT to the #2 receiver. On run we always come down to LB depth so we can become part of the front and then execute our run responsibilities.

CORNERS
At the snap of the ball our corners shuffle out slowly. It is important that they do not get out too quickly. We want them to be able to jump any three step routes. By their third step they need to make a decision. If the QB takes a 3-step drop, jump the route by #1, if not transition. By their alignment they should be able to see all the receivers on their side of the ball as well as the QB.

Diagram 5. Corners/Safety Adjustments

ADJUSTMENT TO TRIPS - We try to keep all of our adjustments as simple as possible. With this in mind we leave the front side Safety and Corner the same. On the backside we change the corners alignment form outside to inside and let him play #1 man except for shallow crossers. The backside Safety will align in the strong A gap at 10 yards and read the #3 receiver to #1 weak. All responsibilities and techniques remain the same (See Diagram 5).

In conclusion I would like to encourage you to consider using Quarters Coverage in your package. It is useful as a base coverage in most down and distance situations as well as most field zones. It also provides a number of answers against multiple personnel packages.

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