AFM RSS Feed Follow Us on Twitter       
AMERICAN FOOTBALL MONTHLY THE #1 RESOURCE FOR FOOTBALL COACHES
ABOUT |  CONTACT |  ADVERTISE |  HELP  



   User Name    Password 
      Password Help





Article Categories


AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Secondary Play - Kent State\'s Cover 2 Package

© More from this issue

Click for Printer Friendly Version          

Part of our defensive package at Kent State is focused on defending on-back offensive sets from a 2-deep concept, particularly in pass down situations. When we feel we don’t have to match a lead back or pulling threat with one of our safeties, we like to play with rolled up corners and challenge the release of the receivers. In doing so, we hope to change the rhythm of the offensive play and give the offense something much different than our base Cover 4 look.

    In Cover 2, or in our “Cloud” concepts, we will primarily be defending the coverage zones with five underneath defenders and two deep safeties (See Diagram 1).

Diagram 1. Cover 2

Our zones of responsibilities begin with a no-cover zone which starts on the line of scrimmage and extends downfield for five yards. That is no man’s land for Kent State defenders. Our emphasis is to accelerate back and separate the ball when it shows in the no-cover zone. The other zones of responsibilities are related in Diagram 2 (See Diagram 2).

Diagram 2. Responsibility Zones

AWARENESS
    Obviously, it is important for all players to know their assignments but it is equally as critical for them to understand the weakness of the defense. A greater awareness of this weakness will result in greater execution. We use the terms “seam” and “holes” to communicate with our players those weaknesses in pass defense. In Cover 2 we have to work hard at defending the hole behind the corner and the inside seams that will allow a receiver to penetrate the middle hole (See Diagram 3).

Diagram 3. Middle Hole in the Defense

THE EYES HAVE IT
    Everything goes back to what a defensive player is looking at. To react correctly and quickly to the offense, our eyes must be in the right place. Our teaching progressions all begin with a visual key. From there, players must be drilled to readjust their focus to what is relevant: a blocker, the QB or a receiver running a pattern.

CORNER TECHNIQUE
    Central to this coverage is the play of the corners. We will utilize three different techniques:
1. Squat (See Diagram 4)

Diagram 4. Squat

a. Traditional cloud corner 1 x 5 o/s #1. The corner’s visual key is the end man on the LOS for his run/pass key and will attack the D-gap vs. run.

b. When pass shows his eyes return to the receiver and we must physically funnel the WR to the safety on the hash. Once that has occurred he must sink under the corner route (14 yards from LOS) and react to the QB.

c. This will be our first technique taught.

2. Press (See Diagram 5)

Diagram 5. Press

a. Basic press alignment is 1x1 o/s #1. Same visual key and responsibility as if in “squat.”

b. The challenge in this technique comes from the fact that the corner must have an immediate awareness as to how much further he has to sink to fully cover his zone.

c. Used as a tag-on call maybe one in four times.

3. Soft/Kathy (See Diagram 6)

Diagram 6. Soft

a. We will always play soft vs. multiple receiver sets. Our alignment will be 1 x 7 o/s and we will “slide step” on the snap back to nine yards. This will allow time and space to see our visual key.

b. Visual key = the release of #2.

c. We must funnel #1 if #2 is vertical or away. On any flat release by #2 we must be able to release #1 to our inside and then end the wheel route by #2 (See Diagram 7).

Diagram 7. "Soft" vs. Wheel

    In regards to our funnel technique, we constantly stress pad level and staying square. Power in the funnel will come if the corners’ pads remain lower than the receivers’ pads. Most of our drills for this technique are executed under the chutes.

SAFETIES TECHNIQUE
    If you are going to play Cover 2, your safeties must be able to break off the hash. Our safeties must be able to overlap each other in the middle of the field hole and play over the top of the corner on routes to the sideline (on balls thrown 20 or more yards). Our horizontal alignment rules are determined by the location of the football. We would like to be two yards o/s the hash but as the ball moves away from us we move back onto or over the hash. A ball on the far hash will put the safety away at one yard inside the hash. Vertically, we want to be at 15 yards when the ball is snapped. Depth is critical for the safeties to maintain proper leverage on the routes they will need to defend.

    The safeties are taught to soft key the end man on the LOS and to react to #1 versus all run looks (See Diagram 8).

Diagram 8. Safeties "Soft"

He is responsible for all play action routes. When playing the pass the safety will work with depth in his backpedal and initially adjust to the release of #1 and any threat from across the formation. His focus must be able to rotate through the formation. He cannot leave his hash until he checks all backside routes (See Diagram 9).

Diagram 9. Checking Backside Routes

Once we’ve leveraged the routes, our focus must return to the QB. Great breaks are made when we have great focus and anticipation.

    Cover 2 has been a productive defense for us at Kent State over the past two seasons. It is something that we invest time in and our players understand the concepts.

About the Author
Pete Rekstis

Pete Rekstis enters his second season as the defensive coordinator for Kent Sate this fall.  Under Rekstis, the KSU defense finished first in total defense in the MAC and 15th nationally last season. The team also set a school record for sacks in a season with 34. A four-year starter at free safety for Youngstown State, Rekstis began his coaching career at Eastern Michigan. He then went on to coach at the US  Coast Guard Academy, Austin Peay, and back to Youngstown State before being named DC at Kent State.

Questions?
If you have any questions you
can email the author at: 
PeteRekstis@AmericanFootballMonthly.com





NEW BOOK!

AFM Videos Streaming Memberships Now Available Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach



















HOME
MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE COLUMNISTS COACHING VIDEOS


Copyright 2024, AmericanFootballMonthly.com
All Rights Reserved