Coaching Basics: Man Coverage vs. Zone Coverage

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Zone Coverage AlignmentIt’s all about building your overall defensive structure. Your philosophy, your core teachings, your basic principles of defense are centered around your coverage and your front. Unfortunately, the fun stuff like your blitz package, your line twists, your disguises, do not figure into your basic defensive structure.

We have talked about the fronts, but it’s important to remember that your coverage determines the front. In this installment of our Coaching Basics series on Football-Defense.com, we focus on the difference between Man Coverage and Zone Coverage.

When deciding what kind of team you are going to be, you will need to choose between being a Man Coverage or Zone Coverage team. Each has it’s advantages and disadvantages that we cover in this video.

We also include some live game footage to show the difference in a “Man Turn” and a “Zone Turn.”

To start from the beginning in our Coaching Basics series, watch the first video here.

The entire Coaching Basics series is available to members of Football-Defense.com, and you can sign up for a 7 Day Free Trial Here if you are not a member yet.

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Filed Under: Coaching Basics, Man Coverage, Members, Secondary, Videos, Zone Coverage

Back Pedal – Return Drill for Defensive Backs

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Because of some of the changes in our coverage this year (specifically, where the Corner’s eyes need to be), we will be doing more back pedaling with our corners this year. In years past I have been a big fan of the Open Slide technique – and continue to be – but it does not fit our current coverage schemes as well.

In looking at back pedal technique, and how to back pedal, we needed to look at what can hurt you the most from the pedal, and what can help you the most.

  • My biggest concern with a back pedal technique is if your cornerback cannot open his hips up fast enough, and the receiver is able to run by him. We can solve that by backing the corner up, but that creates more space for the receiver.
  • From the back pedal position, the corner’s ability to work his eyes from the Quarterback to the Wide Receiver on a 3-Step Drop is the biggest asset. He can break on the 3-Step game and find the receiver for the tackle, or even better – intercept the ball and take it to the house. [Read more...]
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Filed Under: Football Drills, Members, Secondary

Prevent Defense or “Prevent the Win” Defense?

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Photo by Dakota Duff from Flickr.com.

You know those words that make your heart sink every time you hear them. Your team is winning big, and they put the “Prevent Defense” on the field. The philosophy, which has taken a lot of criticism over the years, is to put in a few extra Defensive Backs, back up, and keep the ball in front of you.

Without numbers to back me up, I’d say the Prevent Defense usually works. You jump into it, the Offense doesn’t have time to score even when you are allowing catches to be made, and the clock eventually expires.

It may be frustrating for football fans, but Brian Billick backs me up in this Billick Chalktalk 101 Series video.

Let’s assume that you are reading this article because you paid for a membership to Football-Defense.com, which means that you are a rational person. You’re not a disciple of any one particular defense, but you believe in sound football and winning games by the numbers.

Your rational mind should also tell you that NFL Coaches, who have more time than most of us to put into studying this sport (and more resources), probably are making a decent decision when they run the Prevent Defense. Therefore, you should also have a Prevent Defense package. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Members, Secondary, Zone Coverage

Web Clinic Clips: Coaching Cornerbacks to Defeat Blocks

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From the August 28, 2012 Web Clinic, we had a question about teaching Corners how to defeat a stalk block. There are a lot of ways to do this, but we try to keep things basic and consistent.

This is our Read Drill for defensive backs in our Quarters Coverage. We had to come up with a way for one person to coach both the Corners and the Safeties, and sometimes even the Outside Linebackers becoming involved. We also get into how to teach a block destruct with proper foot position. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Football Drills, Members, Secondary, Videos, Web Clinics

Drilling In Phase and Out of Phase for Defensive Backs

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We find that one of the hardest things for young Defensive Backs to grasp is when to look for the football – and when to never look back. If you can teach your players to understand the difference between In Phase and Out of Phase, you are taking the first steps to fixing this problem.

Our Corners and Safeties learn that In Phase means that they are running with the Receiver, and can put their hand comfortably on his hip. When we are out of phase, the Receiver has a step or more on us and we need to catch up.

Drilling for In Phase Position

We start our Defensive Backs on a line with inside leverage on the Wide Receiver. Our DB has his hand on the inside hip of the Receiver and eyes on the Receiver’s hand. They begin a jog at 50% speed with this position and learn to hold it. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Football Drills, Man Coverage, Members, Secondary, Technique, Zone Coverage