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Fundamentals of Defensive Back Play

by: David Cole
Defensive Backs Coach California University (PA)
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There are many fundamentals to becoming a good DB. In this article I will talk about a few points that I think are keys for successful DB play. The first point is stance followed by backpedaling, then run and pass keys and finishing with responsibilities in coverage.

   Your stance is the start of good DB play. Here at Cal U we have two different types of stances, zone and man. In both stances are feet are shoulder width apart with good knee bend. Knees are over toes and shoulders over knees, with our weight on the balls of our feet. This gives you a strong center of gravity and good balance.  I tell my DB’s to touch the ground to see if they are low enough. If they have to bend at the waist they are not low enough. We strive to be hip and knee benders and not waist benders. When in a zone stance we have our outside foot up and we are going to push off our outside foot at the snap of the ball.  I tell my DB’s to think as if they were shooting a free throw when aligning there feet. When in a man stance the feet are parallel with our hands ready for battle. We are keying the near hip or which ever leg is up on the line of scrimmage.
 
   Once we have developed a good stance the next thing we work on is  developing a good backpedal. I first tell my DB’s that you have to stay low and keep your shoulders over your knees and your chin up. You must have good forward lean when back pedaling. This will help you have a quick an explosive break to the ball.  A common trend that I see in DB’s when pedaling is that they forget to pump their arms. I tell them to try to run forward without using your arms. You won’t move very fast. Backpedaling is running backward so, if you want to move fast in your pedal you must have good arm movement.  To ensure that we stay low and have good speed in our pedal we open ever practice in the shoots doing a varieties of drills. We like to stay in our pedal as long as we can. This gives us a better opportunity to make plays on three-step and be more aggressive in the run.
 
 Now that we have developed a good stance along with a good pedal, the next step is to learn how to read our keys. Being able to read your keys will make you a better all around player. Having the ability to read run (Low Hat) or pass (High Hat) will put you in position to make plays in the passing game and running game. When playing CB your run/ pass keys are going to come from the tackle into the guard to the back field. We never read the WR for our run/pass keys. They will show pass all the time. If we are in a Cover 3 zone, our CB’s are 7 yards deep with their inside shoulders slightly outside the WR’s outside shoulders. I teach my CB’s that their first three steps back are patient read steps. In those three steps we should know if it is run or pass. You may recognized it before three steps once you get better at reading your keys.  If the CB reads run he will break up the block of the WR and turn everything inside. If he reads pass he will continue in his pedal keeping a good cushion from the WR and being the deepest man in his 1/3. Our FS will get his run/pass keys from reading center guard to guard into the backfield. If we are in a Cover 3 zone he will be 13 yards deep and flat-footed. If he reads run then he runs the appropriate alley. If he reads pass then he would pedal being the deepest person in his 1/3.

   A drill that we do to ensure that our reads stay sharp includes splitting the secondary into two groups. One group will be the O-line and the other will be the secondary. I stand behind the secondary and I give the O-line a number 1(run) 2(pass) and 3(Play Action). Whatever the line does, the secondary has to have the right reaction. We work on this drill 2-3 times a week
 
  The last point that I will touch on is one of the most important. Know your duties and responsibilities in the coverage you are planning. You can have the best stance, the best backpedal and know your reads, but if you don’t do your job in the coverage you are playing all the other things do not matter. Being an accountable player is priceless to a coach. For a secondary to be successful everyone must trust each other and know each player is going to do their role in the coverage that is being played. I stress to the DB’s: don’t try to take over the game. Let the game come to you and then take it over! If you are doing your job, plays will come to you. If you are trying to do someone else’s job, then who is doing your job? Therefore, you are leaving a whole in the secondary that could be exposed. I give weekly tests to my DB’s to ensure that they know their jobs in their coverage and what other player’s jobs are in overall coverage.

 

About the Author:

Coach David Cole recently completed his fifth season with California University (PA) as both Defensive Backs Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. A native of Cincinnati, Cole is a four-year play for the Vulcans and a two-year starter.

 






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