Defensive Backs: Drills to Maximize Press Man Technique – Reaction of the hands, eyes, and feet can make the difference between a big play and shutting down a WR.

In today’s college football, wide receivers and quarterbacks are just too good for a defensive back to sit back and play just one technique or alignment against them all game. Offensive coordinators have become very creative with the variety of passing attacks complemented by the running attacks, or vice-versa. Defenses need to bring a mixture of coverage, disguises and techniques to challenge the offense and create confusion. Most of your success will depend upon your ability to disguise your intentions so that the opponent cannot tell which alignment your coverage will be in.

Stopping the run first, putting pressure on the quarterback and playing press man technique with your corners are all great ways to disrupt the timing of an offense. In order to be good at press man technique, a player must be confident but also be disciplined enough to stay fundamentally sound within their techniques. As coaches, we get what we emphasize and I emphasize technique with fundamentals because that is what gives us an advantage when we are in a mismatch.

I base my teaching progression off of three phases: phase 1, LOS/release to 5 yards, phase 2, 5 -15 yards, and phase 3, 15 yards to FINISH. I would like to take you through my philosophy and a few drills for inside press man vs. outside releases along with the fundamentals that must be stressed.

PHASE 1  -  LOS RELEASE TO 5 YARDS

Stance and Alignment - Everything starts with a good stance. The defensive back should have his feet shoulder width apart with a good base and his weight balanced on the balls of his feet. We want a comfortable stance with a flat back, shoulders down over the knees and butt up. There are three bends in the body: knees, hips and ankles. They will not all have the same body types or flexibility, so their stances will vary. The defensive back will align arm length to three yards from the receiver depending on his alignment (X or Z). His width in his alignment is based on the receiver’s split in relation to where his help within the coverage is located. Never allow him to give the receiver a two-way go from his alignment.

EYES, FEET and HANDS – I spend a tremendous amount of time working and emphasizing EYES, FEET and HANDS than I do with anything else for press man. I tell my players to focus their eyes to a spot on the top area of his pants to our leverage side so he can key the hips for release. After release, the eyes should stay focused on the receiver at all times. We want to use our feet to maintain frontal position to our leverage side as long as possible and force the wide receiver to release around our framework. This is done with a six-inch shuffle step by staying square and maintaining a good football position.

The receiver’s release MUST be challenged and flattened out to get the benefit of this technique. Press technique is won or lost at the LOS. The hands must be up at all times in a position to be utilized quickly. The feet and hands should always work in conjunction with each other. If the receiver releases within the frontal position of his framework, he should use a physical two-hand jam to maintain his base. If the receiver releases outside the framework of the defender, a two-hand jam becomes a one-arm off-hand jam working in conjunction with a shuffle kick step to the side of his release. Confidence, patience, and trust must be developed in drills. Diagram 1 is a great drill that will help your players get better at winning the LOS

(See Diagram 1).
      
•      DB has normal press stance with hands locked behind (feet only).
•      DB uses six-inch shuffle steps to maintain frontal position.
•      Another DB plays WR moving laterally without crossing over two or three times using his hands.
•      Include DB’s hands and WR’s five yard release to work kick step.
•      DB must kick step and jam with off hand, not crossing over.
•      Make this drill competitive by having DB widen WR outside of second set of cones and have the WR fight to stay inside.



PHASE 2 -  5 TO 15 YARDS             

OUTSIDE RELEASE – On an outside release by the receiver, I teach my players to keep their body between the quarterback and receiver from the LOS – 15 yards. They should stay on the backside of his inside hip, slightly behind in a trail position and always staying within arm length of the receiver. I like this technique because it defends the easier throws better and forces the quarterback to throw the most difficult pass to complete – the fade below the numbers. In order to play this concept, the DB must trust that the pressure will make the ball come out quickly. The DB.must stay patient on the outside release within Phase 1(first 5 yards) to eliminate the receiver coming back under on a quick slant.

Once the receiver runs through Phase 1 to Phase 2 (5-15 yards), the DB’s eyes should still be focused on his hips and seeing steps with his peripheral vision so it allows the corner to mirror steps. He should be ready to break back if the receiver chops down. At this point, expect a comeback, out-cut or the receiver trying to get back under the corner on a dig route. The drill I use to help with this phase is what I call the “Trail Drill”

(See Diagram 2). 
•     DB has arm locked out with near hand on near shoulder of WR.
•     Eyes should be focused on hips of WR.
•     DB mirrors steps of WR.
•     DB stays in position to not allow WR to get back underneath.
•     Have WR chop every five yards as he is coming out of his break.
    Include break on last chop to work on body positioning.


PHASE 3 - 15 YARDS TO FINISH

If the receiver runs through Phase 2 to Phase 3 (15 yards or more), the DB should gradually move his focus to the receiver’s eyes, hands and overall mannerisms to know if the ball is in the air. In this phase, the defensive back wants to sprint to regain frontal position on the receiver. Something has gong wrong in the defensive pressure if the ball hasn’t been released by the time the receiver enters phase 3. The DB should sprint to eliminate all deep balls. He must stay poised with his back to the ball and not look back. So many times, we see a defensive back beaten at the LOS and still make the play on the ball because of his poise to FINISH the play without panicking and looking back. I work an “In and Out of Phase” drill to help out on the FINISH

(See Diagram 3).
 
In Phase
    - Start DB and WR hip to hip.
    - DB is positioned to turn and locate the ball and make the play.

Out of Phase
    - Start DB three yards behind WR.
    - DB is beaten and not in a position to look back.
    - DB should spring to WR’s inside shoulder and play through
       his hands.

    Obviously, any technique you ask your defensive backs to execute must be coordinated with the rest of the defense and also what they can actually do. Again, with this technique we trust the pressure and that the ball will come out in a hurry. Hopefully this article will help your defensive backs become more productive and competitive.