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AFM Magazine


Understanding Coverages and How to Attack Them

by: Gene Suhr
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Each defensive coverage has strengths and weaknesses and ways to attack it.

You can help your quarterbacks get through problem areas by teaching them how to identify coverages. Whether it is the pre-snap read, reading on the move, or route adjustments, the quarterback’s performance is based upon his knowledge of how to identify and react to coverages.

When teaching the quarterback to identify coverages, we start with the pre-snap read, which will identify the secondary’s alignment.  This will start his thought process prior to the snap. The purpose is to identify {1} the depth of the corners, {2} number of safeties, {3} weak side flat defender and {4} the number in the box.

We teach our QBs to find the FS “Waldo” and from there they should be able to identify the coverage. If we are using our three-step game, we check the number of safeties and go to the flat defender and throw off his reaction. If there is a one high safety, the flat defender would be the strong safety or weakside linebacker. If there are two high safeties, the flat defenders would be the corners.

If we are running our five-step passing game, we will pre-snap read, find “Waldo” and on our first two drop steps read Waldo’s reaction, which will identify the coverage. Then we will go to our key from coverage read and throw off his movement, which would be our movement key. We tell our QBs that Waldo never lies – he will tell you the coverage.

On the high school level, defenses don’t try to disguise their coverages as much as colleges. The pre-snap read was the coverage 90% of the time. In college, coverages were disguised and mixed, so reading Waldo helped us identify the coverage.

During practice, it didn’t matter what type of drill we were doing. If it was working on drops or footwork, I always had the QBs call out their route progression on a certain pass pattern when I would hold up one or two fingers or four fingers for coverage. I tried to get as many mental reps as I could with each practice. Here is a brief summary of coverages and how to attack them:

THREE DEEP- INVERT “SKY”
(Diagram 1)



STRENGTHS

1. Three deep secondary.
2. Four man rush.
3. Run support with SS.

WEAKNESSES

1. Weakside curl/flat.
2. Strongside curl.
3. Limited fronts.
4. Run support away from SS.
5. Flood routes.
6. Dig route.
7. Four verticals.

HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Stretch it vertically and horizontally.
2. Plenty of pass protection.
3. Throw in alley created by sending three on two in perimeter
(“flood type” routes).
4. Weakside curl/flat.
5. Sprint or work away from SS.

3 DEEP “CLOUD” COVERAGE
(Diagram 2)


STRENGTHS

1. Safe - always three deep.
2. Force (to the rotation) against the run.
3. Leverage by the corner, (shut down weak flat or out).
4. Can cover eight zones with three man rush.
5. Can still bring four with force and contain to the rotation, and have seven in coverage.
6. Easy to disguise.

WEAKNESSES

1. Versus eight in coverage the defense can only rush three with five or more to block them.
2. Only four defenders underneath to cover the six zones - large Curl seams.
3. Cushion on wide receiver away from the rotation.
4. OLB is alone in the flat away from the rotation.
5. Cannot cover a flood route (three or four) receivers in the pattern.
Force and contain away from rotation.

HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Flood routes - throw in alley created by sending three on two in the perimeter (flood like routes).
2. Plenty of pass protection.
3. Quick passes away from the rotation.
4. Run away from rotation.
5. Get tight end involved.


2 Deep Zone
(Diagram 3)



STRENGTHS

1. Strong versus run.
2. Leverage on both wide receivers.
3. Cover five of the six uderneath zones.
4. Four man pass rush.
5. Takes away the outs.
6. Can hold up the tight end.
7. Weakside force and contain.
WEAKNESSES

1. Safeties must cover half the field, the three zones are covered by two.
2. Inside receiver down the middle.
3. LBs must cover curl.
4. Strong side contain.
5. Weak inside LBer to curl.
6. Wide splits can create lanes.

HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Use “spread formations” to horizontally stretch the safeties.
2. Vertically stretch the flats to create lanes.
3. A natural hole twenty to twenty five yards along the sidelines.
4. Weakside curl.
5. Corner routes.
6. Flood type routes.

Cover TwO Man
(Diagram 4)


STRENGTHS

1. Double or bracket two receivers.
2. Four-man rush.
3. Every potential receiver is accounted for.
4. Can bump because each defender has help over the top.
5. Excellent versus zone type routes and screens.

WEAKNESSES

1. Poor run support, especially against the option.
2. Mismatch with the backs versus linebackers.
3. Hard to disguise versus motion.
4. Three-deep zones are not covered.
5. One-on-one underneath.
6. Crossing routes.
7. Bunch and snug types sets create problems.

HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Back routes on LBers.
2. Create mismatches with tight end or inside receiver running option
or read routes.
3. Stay shallow with routes, catch the ball short, and run long.
4. Crossing routes (“mesh”) with the receivers.
5. Tight end or inside receiver in the alley or fades to wide receivers.
6. Running plays, especially option.
7. Use motion.


COVER 1 MAN
(Diagram 5)


STRENGTHS

1. Pressure from a five man rush.
2. Every potential receiver accounted for.
3. Defenders have help to the post – excellent versus screens and delays.
4. Corners can play a tight man as they have help from the free safety – crowd the receivers on 3rd and 5 or longer.
5. Excellent versus zone routes.
6. Can take away outs with an outside technique by the corners.
7. Speed on speed – good blitz coverage.

WEAKNESSES

1. Poor run support – especially vs option.
2. Mismatch with the backs verses LBers.
3. Hard to disguise versus motion.
4. Three-deep zones are not covered
5. No under cover – crossing routes.
6. Bunch and snug sets cause problems.

HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Back routes on LBers.
2. Create mismatches with inside receivers or tight end running option routes.
3. Stay shallow with routes. Catch ball short and run long.
4. Crossing routes (“mesh”) with the wide receivers.
5. Inside receivers in the alleys or fades to the wide receivers.
6. Running plays, especially option.
7. Coverage away from FS by looking off.

COVER 0 MAN
(Diagram 6)


STRENGTHS

1. Pressure (blitz capability) and penetration from a six to seven man rush.
2. Big play potential.
3. Clog up running lanes.
4. Force the offense to throw the ball.

WEAKNESSES

1. Poor run support – especially against option.
2. Mismatch with the backs versus LBers.
3. Hard to disguise versus motion.
4. Three-deep zones are not covered.
5. No under cover.
6. Crossing routes and rubs.
7. No deep help.
8. Gamble defense.
9. Bunch and snug sets cause problems.

HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1. Empty formations – all receivers are one-on-one
2. Tough to cover slants – nobody in the middle.
3. Running plays – option – force and secondary force weakened.
4. Should have someone open if the QB has time.

Prevent Defense

    The prevent is a defensive scheme designed to force the offense to use time to score. It protects against quick scores while allowing the offense to pick up yards.

STRENGTHS:

1.  Deep zones, four defenders are deep.
2.  Can get under deep outs and curls
3.  Can keep the QB in the pocket with an outside rush.
4.  Defensive backs can fly to the ball when it’s thrown deep.
5.  The boundary is protected.

WEAKNESSES:

1.  Inside run and draw plays.
2.  Back on delays to the middle.
3.  Middle hook zones
3.  Quick routes on time.
4.  In the undercover seams.

HOW TO ATTACK IT:

1.  Horizontally stretch the pass zones
2.  Use deep crossing routes.
3.  Underneath passes at 12 yards or less with stops, flats and outs on time.
4.  Empty sets.
5.  Draw plays.
6.  Backs on delays.
7.  Get the ball to your playmaker underneath.

 
About the Author: ‘Understanding Coverages and How to Attack Them’ is from Gene Suhr’s book, “First Downs and Touchdowns”. The book is available online by emailing Coach Suhr at gsuhr1221@hotmail.com. Now a new member of the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame, Suhr had an overall coaching record of 200-95 including two Nebraska State Championships.






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