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AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Multiple Fronts & Coverages

Confusing the Quarterback & Offensive Coordinator
by: Tony Pierce
Defensive Coordinator, Alabama State University
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“Everyone knows that Peyton Manning knows where to throw the ball vs. Cover 2.” This statement was made by Brian Urlacher, All-Pro linebacker with the Chicago Bears after the loss to the Colts in a recent Super Bowl. Brian was right. As a matter of fact most high school quarterbacks know where to throw the ball against a Cover 2 defense. So why are defenses still lining up in a 4-3 Cover 2 set and letting the spread offenses move the ball while the defense still runs the same front and coverage?

Having been fortunate to spend time on the offensive side of the ball coaching running backs under Don Nehlen at West Virginia and Mark Richt at Georgia helped me to learn some of the mindsets of quarterbacks like Marc Bulger and David Greene and what their reading progressions were. I realized how the defense was making it easy on them by sitting in Cover 2 or inverting a safety to create Cover 3 or man free. Could I show a Cover 3 tilt and then still play Cover 2 while the safety is still inverted?

During my years on the defensive side of the ball at Pittsburgh and West Virginia the defensive coaches would have to game plan against Donovan McNabb and the famous Syracuse option. We would rep our fronts against the option all week long only to find Syracuse running the option about five times that game. It made me realize that the offensive coaches were keeping us busy by wasting defensive reps because of our fear of the option. Could we make the offensive coaches work harder during the week by using odd, even and double eagle fronts. These experiences helped mold my philosophy of using multiple fronts and coverages to confuse the quarterback, offensive line and the coordinator. It also makes it hard for sideline coaches to make adjustments during the game.

I also realized that many offenses were using multiple personnel groupings just to catch us off guard and run the same three or four running plays or pass plays. Could we possibly use different personnel groups on defense to disguise a certain blitz or front? Most coaches are always looking for the edge. Well, the edge for the offense is running a no huddle system, using multiple personnel packages, using spread or tight formations, using a running back as a QB as well as several other options.

The edge that we have on defense is that we can line up all eleven of our players in any position on the defensive side of the field then use a variety of pass rushers or zone players, know how much time is on the clock and stem after the quarterback has received his instructions from the sideline.

KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid

This philosophy has been around in the coaching profession forever and that’s exactly what we do. We have very few busts because we have simple alignment rules in each front that carry over to other calls. We also believe that the most important part of being a defensive coordinator is making sure that your players are aligned properly so they can use their ability to make plays. We spend several periods a day on formation adjustments from our different personnel groupings. Coordinators, if your players miss a tackle that’s their fault; if they are not lined up against the different formations that they will see then that is your fault.

We use a variety of zone blitzes or full blitzes that can come from an even, odd or Double Eagle front. Below are coverages and replace blitzes out of our 50 and under fronts out of Cover 2 looks. We want to keep the offensive coaches busy during their week of preparation.

2 Man (See Diagram 1)

This is used in a 50 front with a spy on the RB and QB. Corners, Sam and Will cannot allow their man to get inside. Use a hard two-hand jam, force outside and stay in near hip.

Diagram 1: 2 Man

2 Fire (See Diagram 2)

This is used with an under front. Secondary begins to invert to look like Cover 3 but the FS and backside corner become the two deep safeties. We play hard Cover 2 on the front side and two-man on the weak side while we bring an OLB to blitz and force a quick throw. If the back flares, OLB continues on the blitz. He is flaring into a hard Cover 2 coverage.

Diagram 2: 2 Fire

2 Scrape (See Diagram 3)

This is a Cover 2 shell. Interior seven are on the LOS. OLB’s have an outside blitz, DE’s are up and under the OT’s. ILB’s drop inside of number 2 WR to take away quick hot throw. Nose tackle drops for middle hook.

Diagram 3: 2 Scrape

3 Curl (See Diagram 4)

On this coverage the inside backer leaves early for deep middle 1/3. Corners bail to outside 1/3’s. OLB’s buzz directly to the flats. Safety and Rover jam any number 2 vertical and play the curl. (This is very difficult for QB’s to read due to both safeties coming down).

Diagram 4: 3 Curl

Double Coverage (See Diagram 5)

On this coverage we can align very close to a Cover 2 look and double the top receivers to either side; that is, the inside or outside WR. The safety jumps on any inside route while the outside cover man takes him on any outside route.

Diagram 5: Double Coverage

We already know that when the offense lines up immediately on the ball, they want our defensive linemen to get into their stance so they will tire quicker from the wasted energy of being on their hands. We tell our defensive linemen to relax until the QB is focused back on the center for the snap. Also, after the offensive alignment on the ball, we know that the offensive coordinator is looking for our coverage whether it’s zone or blitz and the front. When the QB looks to the sideline for instruction, this gives us time to check our call to another coverage or blitz when in zone. After we check our coverage, this puts pressure on the QB to make other calls or checks while the time clock is running down.


WHAT IF?
Q1. What if you face a trips spread (rather than 2 x 2 sets)? What kinds of multiple coverages and fronts would you use against this formation?

That’s the great part. All of these formations fit to a (3 x 1) set. We give our guys rules within the coverages and they adjust to the formations shown. Most even fit with empty sets. For example, when both safeties come down to jam when we rotate our secondary, the safety to the trips side will jam the number 2 receiver. The Mike will then adjust to number 3 and the safety to the single receiver side will watch for the quick slant and then come down into the box. Our corners are bailing in this scheme and the backers are buzzing the flats.

Q2. What if you face a Pro I offense with the quarterback under center? What kinds of fronts and coverages would you use to confuse the QB?

Our best change up is when we go to a Double Eagle front. We may or may not use this front but the offense better be prepared for it because we could run it one time or thirty times. Sometimes we’ll start out in Double Eagle and stem back to an even or odd front right before the snap. Line movement also disrupts blocking schemes. Coverage wise, we may disguise a Cover 2 shell and move to Cover 3 or man free or we could possibly be in 2 man. (Remember, we want to make the offensive coaches work during the week).

Q3. What if you face a great running quarterback that operates out of the shotgun? Would you change your strategy in any way?

Your strategy must change when faced with a great running quarterback. At WVU our strategy was different against Michael Vick than it was against a non-running QB. Most offenses want to spread you out just to run their running QB. Defenses must learn how to check to another call after the QB looks to the sideline to get the play. The offense must snap the ball before the clock expires and this gives us time to make a check against the run that the offense cannot adjust to. Note: Don’t give the quarterback clear lanes to run through. Movement with your linemen makes the lanes cloudy.






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