Stop the Screen Pass and Save Your Sanity

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The title to this article is a little misleading. It probably implies that I have managed to save my sanity. Let me clarify, what is on paper does not always happen on the field. Screen passes have had me tearing my hair out for years!

Between defending the run, and stopping the pass, from multiple fronts and coverages, it is easy to run out of time to teach defending the screen pass. But you have to! If you can read it, you can stop it, and get back to defending all the things you designed your defense for.Screen to the ReceiverHere we have a pretty basic screen. The Quarterback is faking a Sprint Pass to the right, with the sprint side receivers running typical flood routes. This gets the Linebackers flowing, and the free safety as well. Of course, your Defensive Line is also pinning their ears back to get to the QB out there. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: 3-5 Defense, Coverage, Defensive Line, Linebackers, Pass Rush, Secondary

Advantages of Quarters Coverage

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I love using 2 high safeties because of the ability to disguise coverages and blitzes much more effectively. The disadvantage is being left with 7 guys in the box.

Quarters coverage is the best solution I’ve found, or at least the one I understand the best. Using the checks system you can get a good match-up and a numbers advantage no matter what.8 Advantages of Quarters Coverage [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Quarters Coverage, Secondary

Cornerback Drills in Half the Time!

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Are you looking to cut down individual time for your Cornerbacks? Time is at a premium in almost every football practice in America, and Cornerbacks coaches face the same problem.

So how can you cut your cornerback drills time in half? Are you sitting down?

Stop backpedaling.

The Open SlideIf you’ve never coached kids to backpedal and read, plant on the 3rd step, pick up the foot, roll over and break in one of 8 directions, you’re missing out. It may be the most frustrating thing in the world, for everyone involved. Cornerback drills have traditionally involved tons of backpedals around cones, all day. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Cover 3, Football Drills, Quarters Coverage, Secondary, Technique

Cornerback Play in Quarters Coverage

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There are a million and one different coverage names out there, but ultimately there is only so much you can do. Your team probably runs some sort of zone coverage. You may be spot dropping or pattern reading it. There is no right way to play your coverages (there are a few wrong ways!). Here is how I teach the cornerbacks to play in the Quarters coverage we run behind the 4-3 Over defensive front.First, I believe in the Open Slide. I’ve never been a Defensive Back coach, but I have a decent understanding of the intricacies of the back pedal. I know enough that if I have a young coach handling the DBs, or a young cornerback trying to learn to back pedal, it may not be pretty. The open slide is perfect to keep that from happening. You probably do a variation of the open slide during team warm-up! [Read more...]

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Filed Under: 4-3 Defense, Coverage, Quarters Coverage, Secondary

Prevent Defense

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It’s time to secure the win. Not much time left, you know the offense will be throwing – and throwing deep. Keep them in bounds, keep them out of the end zone… all you’ve got to do to win the game. We would love it if the entire game was this easy, but for some reason with only a minute left that task becomes so much harder!If you are a Quarters defense, this is an easy situation. You zone up the deep 1/4′s of the field, and drop those guys off DEEP! The throw will be so long sometimes that even your back safety can get over on a throw toward the corner of the end zone. Your only issue now, is the personnel you want to use and the way you handle the underneath stuff. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Coaching Strategy, Coverage, Quarters Coverage, Secondary