Combo coverage from a cover 3 look

Establishing coverage to combo cover different receivers is an excellent changeup especially from a three-deep shell. (Diagram1)

Combo coverage of TE or No. 2 receiver fits in the scheme of either a 4-3 or 50 defense. It also helps the defense get a fast alley player to both sides on run.

The corners must have good man-to-man coverage skills but not necessarily great skills because the corners will get help from one of the safeties. The corners must be able to play both inside and outside man technique. There alignment is 6-7 yards off the receiver.

The strong safety must be able to read run or pass. If it is pass, the strong safety reads the release of the No. 2 receiver or TE to execute his assignment. We teach three releases, they are vertical, inside and outside.

Coaching point: the safeties play the initial release of the TE to avoid confusion. The alignment of the strong safety is 3x5 off TE or outside shade at six yards off a slot receiver.

The free safety plays a normal 3-deep alignment 10-12 yards. He also reads TE or No. 2. He must also play the three releases.

On a vertical release we get an inside-outside double with strong safety and free safety on No. 2. (Diagram 2)

If TE releases outside, the strong safety takes him man-to-man. The free safety cuts the post or dig route to the No. 2 receiver side. If there is no threat, play the quarterback’s intentions. (Diagram 3)

The inside release of the TE or No. 2 receiver, the free safety takes him man-to-man. The strong safety plays the post with his body position and area clue to the quarterback. (Diagram 4)

The linebackers also play a 3-on-2 combo on the running backs. The remaining LB zones off and plays the quarterback for the scramble. (Diagram 5 and 6)

Finally, the run support in this coverage is sky to the strong safety side and backer or read on the open side. The free safety is an alley player both ways.

This coverage is effective versus play action pass, boots and waggles.

About the author Craig D. Coleman Craig D. Coleman was the defensive coordinator at Morris Brown from 2001-03, after serving as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Wayne State University (1997-2001), tight ends coach and minority affairs coordinator at Kent State (1995-96) and the outside linebacker coach at Ohio University (1993-94). Coleman graduated from Adrian College in Adrian, Mich., with bachelor’s degree in biology before earning a masters degree in sports sciences and coaching from the United States Sports Academy in 1988. Please email Coach Coleman with any questions at Slaw690@aol.com.	If you liked this article, here are three others just like it: 1. Cover Your Bases, Aug. 2001 2. Robber Coverage, Nov. 2000 3. A Cyclone of a Secondary, June 2003
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