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Wide Receiver Play Base Fundamentals vs. Press Coverage

by: Kevin Cahill
Wide Receivers Coach • University of Maine
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The proper technique for hand releases and quick feet are critical for the wide receiver in defeating press coverage.

We spend a good amount of time in practice working on individual skills. One of our focuses in practice is releases vs. a hard corner. We work on many different releases, with a goal for our players to develop a repertoire. We spend a great deal of time breaking down each individual skill so it will become a habit for them.

We break the skill of releases down into two different parts – the hand release (hand fight) and the release by the feet (quick feet). We further break down each release (hand and feet) and create a menu of skills for our players to choose from and master. This will ultimately build their overall skills. Each player has a different repertoire and no two players’ skills are exactly the same.

Hand Releases: We practice our hand releases in a stationary position. Players are in a receiver stance, chopping their feet at all times, under the offensive line chute. This keeps the receivers down low and reminds them not to lift their chests. Once we have a good feel for our hand releases, we will progress into using our releases with our feet. Here is the progression:

•  On Air: We want our receivers to master the motor skill before anything else.

• Vs. pop-up or hand shield: Coaches will place a pop-up (with arms) or use a hand shield that is pressed against the receiver. This will give the receiver a feeling of how quick they need to act with their hands.
• Vs. coach/partner: The defenders will stand pressed as close as possible and vary where they throw their hand (right or left shoulder or middle of chest). They will also vary which hand they throw (right or left hand). Finally, the defenders will vary when they throw their hands (right away, delayed, or rapid fire).

• Vs. live defensive back: Coaches will now use a live defensive back. We prefer to use a defensive back at full speed. He knows the technique and it also allows him to get some reps. The defensive backs will again vary where they are throwing their hands, which hand they are throwing, and how fast or often they throw their hand.

 Releases and Moves

HAND FIGHT – The receivers will begin any release period partnered up and trying to tag each other on the chest. We determine which side is the DB and which side is the WR. They will both be in athletic stances and have their feet moving underneath them. The WR and DB should both have their hands up, as if they’re in their stances. The DB is trying to tag the WR in the chest. The WR will use any hand motion to prevent the DB from tagging him in the chest. They will then switch from DB to WR. A focus point of ours is to make sure the WR does not give up his chest at any time. Do not let the DB get into your chest.


SWIPE – The receivers will use the swipe move against a less aggressive defender. The receiver must have his hands in tight to his chest and not allow the defender to touch his chest. As the defender shoots his hand to control movement, the receiver will swipe his arm up and away from his chest. This has shown to be a good initial move for our players. Receivers should be ready to either continue the swipe or begin to fight with another move as they get downfield. We have our receivers visualize this move as if they are a windshield wiper wiping the rain off.

RIP - Receivers use the rip move when they are looking for the quickest release possible. This release is typically used when we have a pre-determined direction to move (inside or outside release). When the defender throws his hand at us, our receivers look to rip underneath it. This move is designed to get us as skinny as possible, not giving the defender much of a surface area to target. Our receivers look to knock the defender’s hand and arm up and away from the direction the receiver is going. We have the receiver visualize squeezing through a tight door frame.

CHOP - Receivers use the chop move against a defender that is trying to direct them into a certain direction off of the ball. As the defender shoots his hand to direct the receiver, our receiver counters with a chop. The receiver looks aggressively to chop down through the defender’s elbow or wrist. He constantly looks for joints in the arm or a hand that will bend. Forearms can take abuse. Elbows and wrists are made to bend and give. A focus point for the receiver is to make sure he does not lift his hands above his shoulders when he chops. This will delay the move and allow for the defender to get into an open chest. One chop may not get the job done. It may take a few rapid aggressive chops to get the defender’s arm off. We have the receivers visualize their arm as an ax chopping through wood.

GRAB - Receivers use the grab move against an aggressive defender. We teach our receivers to look for which hand the defender has thrown at them, grab their wrist and pull them toward us. This will propel our receivers past them. Ideally, we would like to grab the defender with the same hand that the defender has thrown. That is, if the defender throws his right hand, our receiver grabs with his right hand. This will pull us hip-to-hip much quicker. This is also a great initial move. Wide receivers will often use the chop move after they have controlled the defensive back’s arm.

Release with Feet: The receivers practice quick feet drills throughout the year. We feel that the feet are the most important part of the release. We practice cone drills, speed ladder drills, line drills and spot drills among other simple quick feet drills. When we break down releases with the WRs’ feet, we like to slow down our tempo and begin with our progression.

•  One Move On Whistle – The coach will blow a whistle and have the receiver make each step on the whistle. Some moves will take as many as four whistles. Receivers do not move until they hear the next whistle.

•  Half Speed – The receivers progress to doing the entire release at half speed on air. The coach will blow the whistle one time and the receivers will go through the entire progression.

•  Full Speed – The receivers progress to going full speed on air. The coach will blow the whistle one time and the receivers will go through the entire progression full speed.

We will also go through the same progression as the hand release moves. Add the pop-up or hand shield, then a coach or partner that moves. We will finish the progression by going against a DB that will go full speed.


Key for Diagrams Below:


Releases and Moves

Quick Feet: The receiver moves from his regular stance into an athletic stance with a quick foot fire. Our receivers press downfield to apply pressure on the defender’s slight cushion. They will then move into their pre-determined direction or into the direction the defender has opened up for us.

Outside Releases

Quick Out (Diagram 1): The receiver will go outside now. No jab step, just using his speed to get outside as fast as possible. Our receivers look to go through the outside shoulder of the corner.

Diagram 1.

In and Out (Diagram 2): The receiver will use a quick jab step to the inside of the defender. Our goal is to get the defender to at least lean in that direction. Our receivers must be quick to get back outside. When we go back outside, they are not looking to create horizontal space from the defender, as this would allow them to make up what we already gained. The receiver should stay as tight to the defender as possible.

Diagram 2.

Out In Out (Diagram 3): This move is used when we know we have to win and have time to win. We use a quick jab step outside, then counter with a move to the inside. Most defenders jump on the second move because they believe that is where the receiver is going. This enables our receivers to counter back outside and create vertical space from the defender. Again, we are looking to stay as tight as possible to the defender during our final release.

Diagram 3.


Inside Releases

Quick In (Diagram 4): The receiver will go inside now. No moves to the outside – he just goes inside as fast as possible.

Diagram 4.

Out and In (Diagram 5): The receiver will use a quick jab step to the outside and then counter with a move back inside. He must be quick to get back inside. This is the most difficult move. The defender typically does not give up the inside very easily, so the receiver must be quick to get inside as fast as possible.

Diagram 5.

In Out In (Diagram 6): The receiver will use a jab step inside, then counter with a quick jab step back outside. This again will get the defender to think the receiver is going to the outside. He hopefully will have opened his hips to the outside, allowing the receiver to finish the release by going back inside.



Diagram 6.

After we have mastered the hand release and releases with feet skills individually, we will combine the skills. Coaches will start back at the beginning with our progression (‘moves on air’) followed by moves vs. a pop up or hand shield. We will finish the same progression vs. a coach or partner, followed by skills combined vs. a full speed defensive back.

These release moves have proven to be successful for our receivers. Again, our receivers do not use all of these moves. We practice them to get them comfortable with certain moves that, with time and repetition, they will master. These are simple moves that do not need a lot of space or coaching to practice. Once they are taught, your athletes should be able to focus on a few moves and work on them by themselves. We spend a lot of time in the off-season mastering these techniques, so we can fast forward to the full speed progression once we are in practice.

About the Author: Kevin Cahill recently accepted a position as Special Teams Coordinator at Yale University. He was on the staff at Maine for four seasons, serving as WRs Coach and Special Teams Coordinator. Cahill also coached at his alma mater, Springfield College, as well as Maine Maritime Academy, Murray State and Tennessee-Martin.






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