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Fire Zone Scheme

Teaching Underneath Coverage Techniques In The Fire Zone Scheme
by: Dale L. Sprague
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Coaching defensive football has taken on a whole new look in recent years with the advent of the “Fire Zone” or what is popularly referred to as the “Zone Blitz.” These schemes, first utilized by several NFL teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s, allow defensive coaches the capability to send five rushers (and in some cases six) while still being able to stay in a zone coverage shell behind the blitz. This scheme first evolved to help defenders take away the offense’s ability to throw the “Hot Read” pass route; a quick inside or short throw that is dependent upon a receiver recognizing the blitz and then replacing the blitzing defender and enabling the quarterback to get the ball off quickly (See Diagrams 1 and 2).

Diagram 1. Outside hot read vs.
perimeter blitz


Diagram 2. Inside hot red vs.
interior blitz


As Zone Blitz, or what we call “Fire Zone” schemes, have evolved, it has become even more important to teach the underneath coverage defenders the proper mechanics and fundamentals. The purpose is to be able to deny the short routes and allow the frontage pressure time to get to the quarterback and either sack him or disrupt his throwing rhythm.

There are basically two coverage shells we like to employ in our Fire Zone packages. The first is “ORANGE” coverage, which is a three deep, three under zone, while the other is “SCARLET” coverage, which is a two deep, four under shell. We are not a defense who will send six rushers in our Zone Blitz schemes as we feel that it would weaken us in the under zones and thus give the quarterback too many throwing seams to defeat the blitz and the coverage (See Diagram 3).

Diagram 3. 30-Storm-Orange vs.
one back/pro


That same blitz with “Scarlet” coverage is seen in the next diagram (See Diagram 4).

Note how we like to SLANT or SLICE our frontage people and CROSSFIRE our blitzers to help confuse the protection schemes of the offense. In our game planning, we like to go into each and every game with at least three to five Fire Zone schemes available, depending on the type of offensive scheme we are seeing from each opponent.

Diagram 4. 30-Storm Scarlet (quarters or halves)
vs. one-back/pro


The purpose of this article is to show how we teach our underneath coverage to deny the hot read routes and help our pressure to make big plays for our defense. In our “ORANGE” coverage scheme, we utilize three deep defenders playing normal deep third coverage. The three underneath coverage defenders are defined as “HOTS” (two widest underneath defenders) and “HOLE” (inside defender) (See Diagram 5).

Diagram 5. 'Hot' (outside) and 'Hole'
(inside) underneath defenders


We want our underneath coverage to deny the routes from the INSIDE-OUT, forcing the QB to have to make the longer, outside or wide throw to defeat the blitz. Our “HOT” defenders are instructed to play their zone in this progression: (1) SEAM, (2) CURL (3) FLAT (See Diagram 6).

Diagram 6. Seam/curl/flat zones defined

Quite simply, we will take the route that shows first and play it like a man-to-man coverage as it hits my zone. The next diagram (See Diagram 7) shows the “HOT” defender playing the SEAM route, or inside vertical route. We want the defender to JAM or DISRUPT the receiver coming vertical by punching his inside or near number with his own inside arm, turning his body into the receiver and playing tight to his inside hip, taking away the inside throwing lane. In essence, this becomes like a MAN TURN (outside) for a secondary defender. We will carry this route DEEP with the HOT defender just like man coverage as it is the most dangerous route versus the Fire Zone and it is the easiest throw for the quarterback to complete. We also like to play this route slightly BEHIND the receiver as we know we have help deep and if the quarterback tries to force the throw, the deep third defender can BRACKET the receiver with the HOT defender.(See Diagram 8).

Diagram 7. 'Hot' defender vs. seam route

Our HOT defenders KEY the second widest receiver or Number Two as they take their initial drops.

Versus a CURL route by Number Two (or a short HOOK route), our HOT defender must play the upfield release by Number Two the same as a SEAM, except now when the receiver cuts or breaks back, we will settle on his inside number between the receiver and the quarterback. As he makes his break or stops and turns, the HOT defender now wants to drive his inside shoulder across and in front of the receiver, squaring his body to the line of scrimmage and denying his route to the quarterback’s vision point (See Diagram 9).

Diagram 8. "Hot' defender vs.
seam route w/deep 1/3 help


Diagram 9. 'Hot' defender vs.
curl or short hook route


Diagram 10. 'Hot' defender vs.
flat or short out route


The next diagram (See Diagram 10) shows the HOT defender playing the FLAT or SHORT OUT cut. Once the defender reads Number Two gaining width and running to the flat, we want him to drive hard off his inside foot, breaking at a 45-degree angle and taking his path through the upfield shoulder of the receiver. Once again, we are playing this the same way we teach our defensive corners and safeties to play the SQUARE OUT route in man-to-man coverage. We want the HOT defender to drive for the interception point, thrusting his inside arm and shoulder across the bow of the receiver, while his outside arm and shoulder come through the near number on the receiver’s back. In this way, if we miss the interception, we are still in position to make the tackle for a short gain. A key coaching point here is to tell the HOT defender to gain width and drive hard to the outside as soon as Number Two gets width! Remember once again – YOU HAVE HELP DEEP!

Diagram 11. Hole defender vs.
screen


Diagram 12. Hole defender vs.
run (draw)


Our HOLE defender keys the third widest receiver or Number Three. We ask our HOLE defender to (1) disrupt and JUMP any crossers in his area, (2) play any inside Hook/Curl routes by Number Three or a back out of the backfield and (3) play the vertical route up the middle by Number Three. This is much the same as the HOT defender playing the SEAM ROUTE. He is also our key defender if we recognize SCREEN or DRAW (See Diagrams 11 and 12). On his drop, we want our HOLE defender to open his hips and close to Number Three as soon as he sees his release. If Number Three is working with width and Number Two is coming INSIDE, our HOLE defender must call out ‘BANJO’, alerting the HOT defender that they will switch their assignments on the run as the receivers have now CROSSED. In this way we avoid collisions or missed coverages caused by offenses using PICK type routes (See Diagrams 13 and 14).

Diagram 13. Hole defender vs.
#3 middle or inside hook


Diagram 14. Hole defender vs.
#3 and #2 switch routes with
'Banjo' call flat or short
out route


Should our underneath defenders key set up to block or not release, we ask that defender to zone off by first gaining DEPTH not width! (See Diagram 15). In this way he can still break up on any DELAY route or he can ZONE OFF and help on inside routes breaking towards the middle of the field.

Diagram 15. #3 sets up to block-hole
defender deepens and zones
off-help inside


A good way to teach the mechanics of the underneath coverage in the FIRE ZONE schemes is to have your secondary coach work some man-to-man techniques with your linebackers. This enables them to learn the proper ZONE and MAN TURNS needed to execute their coverages in the FIRE ZONE schemes.

The key to playing good zone blitz coverage is to take away the short throws and that involves good mechanics and technique by the underneath defenders. By identifying their coverage areas, knowing where their help is, and denying the quarterbacks throwing lanes, the FIRE ZONE can create big plays for the defense and give the offense fits!


Dale L. Sprague

Dale Sprague has over 30 years of coaching experience on the high school and college level. He has coached at Springfield High School (IL) for five years and has also coached at RPI, Middlebury College, Saint Lawrence University, Wabash College and Blackburn College. At Blackburn, Sprague became the winningest coach in the school's history and helped coach the Battlin' Beavers to their only conference title in 1996. He graduated from American International University in 1976 and received a Masers in Education from SUNY at Albany in 1978.

Questions?
You can email the author at: DaleSprague@AmericanFootballMonthlhy.com

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