AFM RSS Feed Follow Us on Twitter       
AMERICAN FOOTBALL MONTHLY THE #1 RESOURCE FOR FOOTBALL COACHES
ABOUT |  CONTACT |  ADVERTISE |  HELP  



   User Name    Password 
      Password Help





Article Categories


AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Split the Field In Half

by: Mark Reeve
Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Texas Lutheran University
© More from this issue

Click for Printer Friendly Version          

Every defensive backfield coverage has its strengths and weaknesses. What can maximize its effectiveness is knowing concepts of half-field coverage along with multiple disguises.

We are a defense that defenses formations. The field always plays a part in how we cover that formation. Very few times are the run or pass requirements the same to both sides of the formation, so we feel a need to have the ability to run one coverage to one side of the formation and another coverage to the other side of the formation – that is, split or half-field coverage.
  

  In the mid 1970’s, we were able to visit the University of Texas when David McWilliams was the defensive coordinator. Texas was running a 4-3 defense. From a secondary perspective vs. 21 personnel, they liked to mix their coverage between a 2-combo to the TE and a 1-Banjo to the split end. In a 4-2-5, we were able to run both the 2-combo to the TE and 1 Banjo to the SE at the same time. That was the start of our split field coverage.
  

  The quickest way we know to get beat on defense is to get out-numbered or put ourself in a position where we have no force. In our defense, we have an adjuster when the offensive box changes. We must know how many backs are in the box and be able to adjust when offensive players are added or subtracted to the box (number of backs). We want our “adjusters” to think one move ahead. One of our defenders will be responsible for moving to the box or moving out of the box, depending on the defensive concept we are running and how many backs are in the backfield. The adjusters will remain the same no matter what our secondary call is (See Chart 1).
  


  Our deep safeties call our base coverage based on where their help is lined up at the snap of the ball. In normal situations, we feel our deep safeties can do a better job on the field calling our coverage when they know where their flat or underneath coverage is coming with help. For example, take a two-receiver set with help in the box. We would normally play cover two to this side of the formation, but if the split between the number one receiver and number two receiver is so great that our free safety can’t get on top of the number one receiver when number two runs a flat route, we’re in trouble. In this case, the free safety will make a combo call that will man-up the corner with the number one receiver and the free safety will play outside man on the number two receiver with linebacker combo help inside. If we had called cover two to that set from the sideline, we would be setting up our free safety for failure. I like having the deep safety call the coverage so if he doesn’t get over the top, I just remind him that he was the one that called the coverage. In reality, he can see it better and knows his limitations. 
   

Besides knowing where our flat or wall-help’s final destination will be, all our deep safeties have to be able to count the number of receivers to their side. Depending on the number of receivers, they must know the coverage they will call. These are some examples of our half-field coverage and how we call them based on where our help is located. As an example, take the double twins one back alignment. The deep safety knows he has two receivers to his side. If our help is head-up or outside on the number two (inside) receiver, we play robber coverage. If our help is inside for the number two receiver or in the box, we would run a cover two. If our help is blitzing, then we know we are in some type of man cover. Because of what we are doing with the front, our help on the opposite side of the formation may be in a different situation. Our high safety to the other side would call his coverage based on the final alignment of his help in the same way. 
 

   This also applies to our three-receiver coverage. If our help is lined up on or outside the number-two receiver, we will run a coverage that will work both high safeties to the three-receiver side which we call our trips coverage. If our help is inside the number-two receiver, we will play a deuce coverage to the trips side which will allow our weak safety to stay home and double or banjo the one receiver side. We have a standard coverage call from two receivers motioning to three receivers that is based on down and distance (See Chart 2). 
  


  Secondary tags from the sideline are used to support our secondary players. You can think of it as putting some bullets in their gun. Every coverage has its weakness and its strengths. In one coverage, we may be asking our corner not to get beat deep and inside. Our corner is depending on us to help him with the short underneath routes and our deep safeties are depending on us to help them with the deep option routes. If we don’t give them some help, it won’t be long until they get beat deep, short, inside, outside and lose their confidence. We can double our inside or outside receiver, play catch man, press, man – under, inside or outside off man. All these may deviate from our base coverage but are designed to get us off the field and give our secondary some support at the right time. It is also important to know down and distances and we will use tags to put us in our best run or pass coverage in down and distance situations (See Diagram).
   

Disguise is all about showing a weak box and moving in to make it a strong box; faking a blitz and working back out or showing a strong box and moving to a weak box. It could also be overloading one side and slanting back to the other, showing two high safeties and then moving to one high safety. We want our strong safety and rover linebacker to constantly be on the move to disguise our true alignment but not confuse our deep safeties that will be making our secondary calls based on their alignment. Because of the constant movement of our strong safety and rover linebacker, we use a system of colors or numbers that let our deep safety know where their final alignment will be. Our help might end up on the number-one receiver, head up or outside the number-two receiver, inside the number-two receiver in the box, or he may be blitzing. By knowing where our help is, we can put ourselves in the best coverage possible and move our flat and wall defenders as much as possible for disguise. This allows us to run multiple fronts and also alert our secondary to blitz and option responsibilities.
  

  As we mentioned earlier, we defense formations. The more formations an offense runs, the more tendencies they will have in a particular formation. We usually try and group formations into no more than eight or nine groups being conscious of the personnel groupings involved in the formations they run.

Here are some examples of the groups we would focus on when formulating our game plan – 

•  10 personnel, spread one back gun
•  10 personnel, spread one back under center
•  11 personnel groupings with one or two backs
•  11 personnel using TE as an H back or slot
•  12 personnel ace and trey formations
•  Two back gun 20 and 21 personnel
•  All two backs under center
•  All “over” sets/unbalanced
•  And all no back sets

    Once we divide the formations into groups, we identify plays run to backs and away from the backs, formation play packages, motion tendencies, down and distance tendencies, short yardage tendencies, passing trees,  screens, and trick plays. We will make a tape for our players on Sunday that highlights the runs and passes we have to stop and any unusual formations and packages. We will go into a game with at least three defensive concepts along with a blitz package and a nickel package that is specific to personnel groupings and work a disguise package off each of the concepts. We formulate our blitz package after getting a good understanding of the offensive pass protection rules. Last, we will have a short yardage package. 

    Calling defense is no different than calling offense. We don’t won’t to get into a situation of being right 50% of the time. Offenses are twice as good when they run pairs and trip plays than when they don’t. We never just call a defense and hope our opponent is going to run the formation and play we have called. Our goal is to try and put our guys in the best possible position we can and still be sound doing it. We also think it is important to be able to adjust once we see the formation. When calling our defense, we will call two fronts depending on the personnel package of the offense and the defensive concept we are running.
  

  For example, with 11 personnel we would have a two-back call and a one-back call. No backs would be an automatic, 10 personnel might be a one-back call and a no-back call with two-back being an automatic. Twelve personnel would be a one-back call with a two-back call, etc. If we were calling a blitz, we would have a blitz call that would fit the personnel package and be adjustable to one back, two backs, or no back. Our defensive line coach would add line stunts to the concept once he saw the formation on the field. Our secondary would be alerted to the final destination of our help players which would put them into a man cover scheme or zone scheme depending on the number of blitzers to his side. If we identify a set that we know is going to give us problems, or is their bread and butter, we will make that our “or” set so we can isolate it and be able to run our entire package to that set without affecting what we might call to other sets in that personnel grouping.
   

We are all about numbers in the box as it relates to fronts and multiple fronts with the same reads for our defensive line. Our defensive line will learn to key an edge technique and vertical slant with a head up technique. However you line up, you have to be flexible enough to change the numbers in the box to help you on the run or the pass. There is a time to read and squeeze and a time to get off the ball. Most of the successful teams we see, whether in high school, college or pro, can put pressure on the QB with four down linemen. Most of that relates back to recruiting (See Chart 3).
 

DEFENSIVE PERSONNEL GROUPINGS

MATCH OUR GUYS WITH THEIR GUYS – OFFENSIVE
POSITION GROUPS AND DOWN AND DISTANCE

REGULAR – 2 LB’S, SS, WS, 2 CB, FS, 2 DT, 2 DE

SHORT – 2 LB’S, WS, 2 CB, FS, 3 DT, 2 DE

HEAVY – 2 LB’S, 2 CB’S, FS, 4 DT’S, 2

LIGHT – 2LB’S, 2 WS’S, FS, 2 CB’S, 2 DT’S, 2 DE

SPEED – 2 LB, 1 WS, 3 CB, FS, 2 DT, 2 DE

FLEET – 1 LB, SS, WS, FS, 3 CB’S, 2 DT, 2 DE

NICKEL - 2 LB, WS, SS, FS, 3 CB’S, 1 DT, 2 DE

Chart 3

   When I was the head coach at Plano West (TX), I became friends with Todd Graham, who was the head coach at Allen High School at the time and is now head coach at University of Pittsburgh. One thing I learned from Todd that has helped us on defense is to have our guys get that last glance to the sideline before the ball is snapped to make one last adjustment. Gordon Wood, who had over 400 wins as a Texas high school coach said it best. “The last one to make an adjustment usually wins.” That isn’t always the case, but in a close game it usually is.
  

  One of the things we like to do on Thursday in our situational team practice is to play a half from one of our opponent’s previous games. Down and distance, hash, formations, plays, position groupings for each play would be the same as it was in that game. It helps our players get a feel for our opponent’s play calling and makes the situations more real to our players and coaches. We believe that we have to match our personnel with their personnel. Then we add speed to our defense or add run stoppers depending on situations and offensive personnel. We don’t think Xs and Os can win games, but we do know they can get you beat. 






NEW BOOK!

AFM Videos Streaming Memberships Now Available Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach



















HOME
MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE COLUMNISTS COACHING VIDEOS


Copyright 2024, AmericanFootballMonthly.com
All Rights Reserved