5 Reasons Your Defense Is Giving Up Big Plays

1. Misalignment
One of the biggest reasons defenses give up big plays is misalignment. When your defense is not properly aligned, offenses can easily outnumber or out-leverage you to either side, creating instant
advantages. Never allow the offense to outnumber and /or out-leverage you to any side.

Coaching Points:  Practice alignments every day – Ensure players understand leverage and spacing – Alignment should be automatic and fast.

2. Poor Pursuit Paths / Lack of Swarm
Bad angles turn small gains into explosive plays. When defenders take poor paths to the ball carrier, they lose leverage and allow cutbacks, bounce-outs, and extra yards after contact. Contain players need to set the edge, wall players / pursuit players need to run track the near hip of the ball carrier- pursuit inside to out.

Coaching Points: Set the edge and force the ball inside – Pursue inside-out with a near-hip aiming point – Do pursuit drills every single day – Swarm the ball carrier with multiple defenders

3. Too Static / Not Aggressive Enough
If your defense is predictable, offenses will pick you apart. Sitting in the same looks and not applying pressure allows offenses to get comfortable and execute without stress. Don’t stay in the same alignment and don’t attack the same gaps with the same defenders. Mix it up and keep the offensive line guessing.

Coaching Points: Mix up fronts and coverages – Bring pressure consistently – Force the offense to react to you – Use defensive line movement (STEM)

4. Eyes in the Backfield
Getting caught watching backfield action leads to blown coverages. Linebackers and defensive backs bite on play-action and defensive backs lose receivers, resulting in wide open plays.

Coaching Points: – Maintain eye discipline – Read your keys and trust your assignment – Understand down and distance – Don’t get nosy in the backfield. If you’re playing man coverage, eyes on your guy!

5. Not Creating Turnovers
If you’re not taking the ball away, you’re giving the offense more opportunities to create big plays. Turnovers shift momentum and stop explosive drives. Many youth football defense don’t force any turnovers. When I say force turnovers- that means stripping the ball or getting an interception- not receiving a botched snap from the QB/ C.

Coaching Points: Emphasize stripping the football – Attack the catch point aggressively – Turn every play into a takeaway opportunity – Build a takeaway mindset into your defense.

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10 Ways to Maximize Press Man Coverage in Football

1. Confidence
2. Leverage
3. Feet
4. Off-hand Jam
5. Shadow
6. Quick Jam
7. Tracking Football
8. Practice/Reps
9. Play the Hands
10. Eyes

 Maximize Press Man Coverage

1. 1. Confidence / Attitude. Your CBs need to be tough kids, especially mentally. They need to have extreme confidence and enthusiasm. They must be able to recover from any setbacks or plays they give up. We have a motto we use it’s called “reload”! We use the work reload after we give up a big play or have a setback. Put a confident kids at your CB position.
   2. Understand receiver alignment. If the receiver is cheating his split out wide, odds are he is doing this to give himself room to run a route towards the inside. So make sure your CB takes away the inside shade of the receiver, forcing an outside release. If the receiver cheats his split in, that means he wants to either run a crossing route or some that goes outside. Slot receivers are difficult to cover because they will make the CB have to defend outside, inside, and vertical releases. However, you still want your CB to take away any inside releases.
   3. The CBs feet should be parallel, and they should lean on the balls of their feet with chest over your feet. The CB should also bend at the knees and waist. Hands should be up and ready to jam. Make sure your CB isn’t off balanced because he is making sure his chest is over his feet.
   4. Off-hand jam. The CB must take two quick bounce steps (not jumping high) while keeping their eyes on the midsection of the receiver. Whichever way he releases, jam with your off hand. For example- if the receiver outside to the CB’s left, the DB will jam with his away hand, which would be his right hand. This will avoid getting their hips locked.
   5. Do not duck your head. You never want your CB to duck their head or lunge at the receiver when he goes to jam. Shadow box the receiver with your feet. Get hip to hip with the receiver once he commits to his release.
   6. Quick jam. Have your cornerback off hand jam the receiver after he make his first step. This is a good tactic because it will eliminate missing your jam (trying to engage first) and it will force the receiver to show his route. This is why you should teach your kids to bounce step and then shadow.
   7. Watch the eyes. When the ball is in the air the receiver’s eye will widen (for when you are trailing). When the receiver’s head turns to look for the football that’s when the defensive back’s head needs to turn and look for the football. If the CB’s head turns too early to look for the football he will slow down and lose his hip to hip leverage on the receiver.
   8. Practice. Practice. Make sure you commit practice time to press coverage. You can do receiver vs. defensive back periods. You can also do an individual period with your CBs and you can have them work on these techniques against each other. Make sure you practice jamming receivers against inside, outside, and speed releases.
   9. Play the hands. When you are beat or your defensive back can’t find the football, he needs to play through the hands of the receiver. When the receiver is about to catch the ball his hands will come up. Teach your CBs to play through the hands.
   10. Don’t get caught peaking into the backfield. This is particularly important on the youth football level. So many time you’ll see kids get caught peaking into the backfield and get beat. When you are playing press man coverage your CB’s sole priority is to cover that receiver wherever he runs. You must be careful because some receivers will fake like they are going to block, then they will release on a pass pattern. Eyes should be always be on the receiver.

Here’s a great video explaining the off-hand jam…

If you are a press man coverage defense you need to practice these techniques. Playing man coverage is a ‘dudes game’. If your athletes are better and more physical than theirs, then you will probably thrive in press man coverage. If you aren’t dripping with talent, then maybe press man isn’t for you. However, if you implement these 10 ways to maximize press man coverage in football you will always play solid press coverage or at least be disruptive with your press man.

See Also: Pass Coverage Resource Library 

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Utilizing Zone Blitzes to Neutralize the Run and Pass Game

It’s a great idea to utilize zone blitzes if you have defensive ends that are athletic. We all know that is the case with most youth football defenses.

Disclaimer: I prefer to draw my defense on the top! Most people draw up plays with the defense on the top. 

Storm Zone (run blitz)

This is one of my favorite zone blitzes. This zone blitz  is designed to take away run plays to the strength of the formation. The Storm Blitz is a pressure we love to call to the Tight-end side because it sends a defender through every gap and it is sound against inside and outside runs to the TE side. The (M) will creep up pre-snap, showing like he is going to blitz the A-gap. Post snap, the (M) blitzes B-gap, comes behind the DE (DE slants down to A-gap first). The (R) will remain stacked behind the DE and blitz C-gap once the ball is snapped. The Outside Linebacker (D) will come off of the edge- he must maintain outside leverage as he is the contain player. The (FS) and (CB) will each play half the field on this zone blitz. This blitz has the defense playing cover 2 behind the blitz. This is a blitz that we like to execute to the strength of the formation and from the wide side of the field if you are playing a balanced formation. All slanting defensive linemen dip and rip. If you are concerned about a TE quick pop you can have the (D) jam the (TE).

Blood Zone (run blitz)

This is a blitz we like to use against compressed formations. I wouldn’t recommend this against true spread formations (2×2 / 3×1). There are big holes in the middle of the field. However, this is a blitz that will almost always give you a free rusher. The (SS) rolls down as the QB begin his snap count. Once the ball is snapped, he blitzes off of the edge. It’s important that he maintains outside leverage as he is the primary contain player. The (M) and (W) creep up as the Quarterback behinds his cadence. Make sure they don’t give away where they are blitzing too early. The (S) will play a wall technique. Wall technique means he is walling off any inside routes. The zone dropping (DE) blue line, will also play a wall technique and will look to get underneath the X or take any swing pass out of the backfield. If you are playing a team that likes to utilize a TE quick pop you should have the DE jam him or you can have the (S) just play man to man on the (Y). You can also play a split field coverage, where the S and CB are playing man to man and the (DE), (CB), and (FS) play cover 2 to the other side.

Lion Zone (pass blitz)

This is one of my favorite blitzes for passing situations and against spread formations. This zone blitz will allow you to send multiple fast defenders (linebacker and a safety) while still staying strong against the pass with a 6 man coverage. This blitz is also very deceptive and it will keep the offensive linemen on their heels. Pre-snap, the (SS) will show that he is playing man to man on the (Y). Once the QB begins his cadence he comes off of the (Y) and aligns outside of the the (DE). Once the ball is snapped, he blitzes off of the edge, keeping his outside shoulder free. The (S) will show blitz only when the QB begins his cadence. Once the ball is snapped, he is blitzing C-gap. The (DE) blue lines, will play a wall technique and not allow any inside routes from (Y). He must open his hips and run to his zone. The only route where you are vulnerable is if the Z runs a hitch. To combat that, the DE has get under the (Z) which will create a tougher throw for the QB. Throwing the Hitch to a wide receiver is a tough throw on the youth football level. I don’t have an issue with being vulnerable for a passing route that has a low percentage of competition. But what about if the team goes 4 Verticals? If a team runs 4-verts you can have your (W) lock on the (S) if he pushes vertical. Boom, problem solved.

See Also: Defending 4-Verts

Fire Zone (pass blitz)

This is another one of my favorite zone blitzes to call on passing down and distances. I like to run this against certain formations like Pistol or any formation with twin receivers to one side. This is a great blitz that is very deceptive, aggressive, but also safe- as you have 6 defenders playing coverage behind the blitz. The (SS) will come up as the QB begins his cadence and he will blitz off of the edge. He needs to keep his outside shoulder free as he is the primary contain player on that side. The (S) is in an under alignment and we will send him off of the edge. The (DE) blue lines, will have the hook zone. This is a nice easy zone drop that doesn’t require him to cover a lot of ground in order to get to his zone. This is a simple blitz to install as the DE and SS are just switching responsibilities. On the base call the (SS) would roll down and have hook zone and the DE would rush off of the edge and be the contain player. On this zone blitz the (SS) is rushing and the (DE) is playing the hook zone.

See Also: Linebacker Zone Drops

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Defending Four Verticals in Youth Football

In reality shutting down the Four Vertical concept is not overly difficult. The most effective way to defend the passing concept is to put two Safeties deep and have the Cornerbacks play a sag man coverage against the #1 receivers. The effect is a four wide net that the receivers can’t get past. The major issue with this is that you are putting at least 6 defenders deep and wide (assuming you cover the flats with two defenders) which leaves only 5 defenders to stop the run. The effect is that the offense can take advantage of your lack of numbers in the box and run the ball for long gains.

To stop the run the traditional answer is to roll down a Safety to cover the flats so that you can use another linebacker in the box. This gives you six defenders in the box which should be enough to stop the run if the offense splits four receivers out wide. The issue with rolling a defender down though is that now your Safety is forced to defend both receivers running up the seams which leaves the Quarterback an easy decision.

Related Content: 4 Vertical Passing Concept 

In order to effectively stop the Four Verticals concept, without sacrificing stopping the running game, the answer is to teach the Alley players to play through the number two vertical on their way to the flat. When these Alley defenders read pass they must get their eyes immediately to number two. If number two is running a vertical route they will stay with him and get their eyes out to number one. If the number one receiver is running vertical they can continue to stay with the vertical route from number two and force the Quarterback to make a perfect throw. If the number one receiver runs any in breaking route they will come off the number 2 receiver to defend it.

In the end offenses rely on a numbers game to attempt to stretch the defense out horizontally and vertically. When an offense is able to successfully stretch the defense horizontally and vertically the defense is in trouble. They have to find a way to constrict the offense and use their own rules and routes against them. By teaching the Alley player to wall and carry, a defense is able to do just that, and as a result win the numbers game.

Related Content: 4-4 Stack Defense in Youth Football 

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Cloud Coverage Cornerback Drill

In this drill the Cornerback will start about 5 yards in front of the player that is acting as the receiver. The Coach will line up behind the CB and tell the receiver which way he will be going. As the player releases off the line, the Cornerback will look to keep outside leverage and collision any outside release while keeping his eyes in at the Quarterback.

There are a couple of key points that the coach needs to watch out for to ensure that athletes are getting the most from the drill. The first is the technique of the Cornerback when the ball is snapped. Most Defensive Backs get the idea that they must backpedal right at the snap of the ball pounded into their head. In this drill though, the CB actually wants to maintain his ground. Because he is responsible for the Flat he does not need to backpedal at the snap of the ball. While he doesn’t need to backpedal out he does need to get his feet moving slightly. We tell our Cornerbacks to get into a position where they have the balls of their feet lightly on the line. This gives them a reference point on where to stay, while also teaching them the proper technique.

Related Content: Understanding Cover 2 Zone 

The second major coaching point is based on teaching the players how to make contact with the Cornerback. The goal is to reroute any receiver to the inside. When the receiver releases outside the Cornerback will use his feet to get into a position to keep the receiver between himself and the Quarterback. As the receiver continues to push towards the outside the Cornerback will take two shuffle steps before returning back to his zone. If the receiver makes an in breaking route the CB will stay with him for two shuffles before returning to his zone. This helps ensure that if it is a double move the Cornerback still has the ability to collision him and help the Safety get over the top of any vertical route.

The final coaching point is getting the Cornerback back into a position to defend his passing zone. After the Cornerback shuffles with the receiver for two steps he will get back into his passing zone and look for the next potential threat. The key here is to give the receiver a last shove before settling into the passing zone and getting his eyes on the Quarterback.

Related Content: Cover 3 Cloud Zone vs. Trips Formation 

One of the things that makes this drill so great is that there can be as many groups going at once as you need. As long as they all are assuming they are on the same side of the ball and the receivers are running the same route you can space these out every 5-7 yards. This makes it a great drill to work on installing any coverage where the Cornerback will be working Cloud coverage.

The Cloud Corner Cover Drill is a great tool to work with the Cornerbacks to ensure that they are correctly reroutes all receivers. In the installation portion of the season it will get every player the necessary reps to learn the technique. During the heart of the season you can use the drill to go over the top route combinations of the opponent and prepare your players for the upcoming opponent.

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Linebacker Zone Drop Drill

In traditional defensive coverages the linebackers are told they are responsible for shutting down the middle of the field. In this scenario, the players would drop back to their spot and look for the first person to come into their zone. Once this player enters their zone they would cover him until he left their zone. The problem with the majority of linebackers they would drop into their zone and be looking everywhere to find a receiver. By the time they located the receiver he would be coming across the field at full speed and the linebacker never stood a chance to cover him.

Related Content: Linebacker Drills for Youth Football 

The solution for the problem of teaching linebackers to cover the middle of the field is to adapt a Pattern Match technique that has become popular across all levels of football. This technique is based around the concept that the defenders will be playing man to man coverage on the route unless the receiver breaks away from them. The effect is that the linebacker has a much cleaner set of rules that they need to master. This allows them to actively find the receiver they are responsible for and shut them down.

Linebackers first responsibility is to defend the run, as a result they must first ensure that the offense is going to be throwing the ball before they break out to defend the pass. Once they do determine that the offense will be passing, they need to immediately snap their eyes to the most inside receiver on their side of the ball while they gain depth and width. The mistake many linebackers will make is that they will look for the receiver before starting to gain depth. This will put the linebacker a step behind a player who is already faster than him.

Once the linebacker has started gaining depth and has his eyes on the most inside receiver he will assume that the receiver is going to go vertical. This would be the most dangerous route so we always prepare for the worst case scenario to make sure we are safe against it. If the receiver goes vertical the linebacker will track his inside hip and look to make the throw more difficult and possibly make a play on the ball. If the ball is thrown to the receiver as long as the linebacker is chasing from the inside hip and there is a Safety over the top the Quarterback has to make a great throw and the receiver has to make a catch in traffic.

The Pattern Matching concept versus a vertical is pretty much man, it’s only when the most inside receiver starts making breaks that the coverage looks a little different. If the receiver makes a cut going to the outside, the linebacker needs to look for any threat coming back inside. He will never be able to keep up with the receiver to the outside so he is better served looking for a threat coming back inside or a route coming from the opposite side. If the receiver makes a cut in, the linebacker will continue to defend him and carry him across the the formation. This is a little bit different than traditional coverages that pass receivers off when they go across multiple zones. When these receivers get passed off is when they normally become uncovered. To combat this we will just keep our defender on the receiver.

When coaching linebackers in pass coverage it’s important to give them a clear set of rules that they can master. By using the Pattern Matching techniques the linebackers can significantly cut down their learning time and focus on refining their skills, not only in pass coverage, but in defending the run as well.

(See Also) Guide for Coaching Linebackers 

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Quarters Coverage in Football | Alignment and Assignments

The most difficult position to play in Quarters Coverage is establishing the reads for the Safeties. Each Safety has the responsibility of covering any Vertical route by number 2 and stopping any run to the D gap on their side. In order to do this effectively there must be clear rules that allow them to play fast and use their athleticism.

Safety Rules 

In a passing situation the Safety’s main responsibility is the number two receiver. As soon as the Safety sees it is a pass play he must immediately locate the number two receiver. His rule is that he will take him if he goes vertical past a certain landmark (we say 5 yards). As soon as the receiver gets to 5 yards the Safety will have him in man coverage regardless of where he goes. If he breaks before he gets to 5 yards the Safety will look to rob the number one receiver on his side. If the number 1 receiver is not in a position that the Safety can rob him, the Safety will look for any crossing receiver coming from the opposite side.

In the event that the Safety reads a run play he will come downhill and look to contain any run. His goal is to fit up on the outside of the C Gap player and ensure that, if it is an outside run play, he makes the tackle.

(See Also) Cover 3 Cloud

If the Safety gets a screen read, meaning that the offense is going to run either a Bubble or Jail Screen, he must get downhill and make the play. He will come to the ball playing inside out and making the tackle. In this situation he does not have to worry about the deep threat because the Cornerback is the Deep Defender.

Corner Rules 

The Cornerback’s rule in Quarters Coverage is pretty simple. He is responsible for the Deep Quarter of the field and is the Deep Defender if there is any screen or run play. In Quarters Coverage the Cornerback takes over the role of the Deep Defender and makes the tackle if the ball carrier gets through the initial defense.

On a pass play the Cornerback has similar rules to the Safety only he is reading number 1. In the event that number one goes past the landmark the Cornerback will take him in man coverage. If the receiver makes a break before the landmark then the Cornerback will look to rob number two on any out breaking cuts.

The major appeal of Quarters coverage is the ability to get the Safety involved in stopping the run while still being sound against Four Verticals. This is a great way to combat the RPO game and the Spread offenses that look to stretch the defensive secondary and run the ball when they have a numbers advantage.

(See Also) Man to Man Coverage Tips

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Cover 3 Cloud Coverage | Zone Coverage 

Many teams rely on one coverage to defend Trips and automatically check into this coverage whenever the offense lines up in a Trips formation. The major problem with this is that the offense now knows the pass coverage and can adjust their play and formation to attack the weak areas. Cover 3 Cloud is a great coverage for Trips but it’s important to have multiple coverages to keep the offense off guard.

From a broad perspective Cover 3 Cloud is going to be based around the same principles that make Cover 3 a staple of any defense. There will be three deep defenders that are responsible for a third of the field each. This is a safe coverage for any deep passes down the sideline but can be susceptible to two receivers running up the seam.

(See Also) Understanding Cover 2

The major strength of Cover 3 Cloud is the ability to stop the screen game to the trips side. In a traditional Cover 3 both Cornerbacks are responsible for covering the deep third on their side of the field. This leaves the flats vulnerable to the quick passing game. The Cloud tag will tell the Trips side Cornerback that he is now responsible for the Sideline Flat. This puts him in a perfect position to make the tackle on any Bubble or Jail screen in the flats.

The Trips side Safety will now be responsible for covering the deep third of the field on the Trips side. While he must align more towards the Trips than in traditional Cover 3, the length of the throw allows him to make up ground in the air and make a play on the ball if the ball is thrown to the #1 receiver on the sideline.

The Free Safety and the single side Cornerback will be responsible for the other two deep thirds. This leaves the Weak Linebacker responsible for the sideline flats away from the Trips.

The single receiver flat is the weak spot in the coverage because the Linebacker now has a pass and a run responsibility. One solution is to have the Cornerback use man coverage to shut the single receiver down. This can be dangerous because the Cornerback does not have much help over the top, but it can be effective for shutting down the quick game.

The key to defending the Trips formation is to have multiple coverages to present to the offense. Like any coverage, Cover 3 Cloud has some weak spots, but it can serve as a great change up to stop the screen and quick game to the trips side. It’s important to remember if the defense stays in one static coverage it allows the offense to dial up specific plays to beat the coverage so it’s vital that the defensive coordinator presents a dynamic picture that the offense can’t hone in on.

(See Also) Cover 4 Pattern Matching

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Defending the Trips Formation | Special Coverage

To defend the Trips formation it’s important to understand how the offense is using the formation. The goal of the formation is to overload the wide side of the field. If the defense does not adjust to this they can use their numbers advantage to attack the wide side. If the defense does adjust and rotate players over, then the offense will look to attack the backside with the isolated receiver.

As a result the defense is put into a position where theymust make a decision. They have to either commit to the three receiver side and rely on one on one coverage to the backside receiver or try to stay balanced and make the offense beat them with the three receivers. This is not a position that many defensive coordinators like to put themselves in.

The solution to this problem is to create hybrid players who are accountable to both the frontside and the backside of the pass defense. Essentially the defense is looking to steal a half player to play a specific route to the three receiver side while at the same time having responsibility covering the single receiver side. The best way to do this is through a coverage known as Special Coverage.

Special is a great way to get an extra defender to the three receiver while remaining sound against the single receiver. Special coverage all starts with the backside cornerback. He will be playing a modified man coverage. This means that he will be guarding the single receiver in man coverage unless the receiver makes an immediate cut to the inside. The definition of immediate changes for each defense but a safe way of defining it would be any in cut at or before his third step. The thing the cornerback has to watch out for is a slant by the receiver and then a wheel by the running back out of the backfield.

While this is a man coverage it is not a press coverage. The cornerback needs to play a little off to ensure that he can’t get beat deep, especially to the outside. The way many teams will attack this is to throw short passes to the single receiver on a hitch or similar route and force the cornerback to make the tackle. If he does make the tackle the offense has gained 6 yards and if he misses the tackle there is a big gain. This is where the backside linebacker has to get involved in covering the pass game. His goal, after he has ensured it’s a pass, is to get underneath the hitch pattern and disrupt the throw. This makes Quarterbacks and coordinators nervous because of the potential for an interception.

The backside safety also plays a crucial role in this coverage. The backside safety will play in the middle of offensive line at about 10-12 yards deep. He is responsible for any vertical route from #3 on the 3 receiver side but is also responsible for being the force player (outside run support) on the single receiver side. This player must be very talented and understand the game. While the coverage starts with the backside cornerback it is the Safety who make the coverage sound against both the run and the pass.

The front side of the coverage is essentially a Cover 3 look. In this look the Cornerback has the deep third. While he must ensure no one gets behind him he can afford to start closer to the line to disguise the coverage. The frontside safety is rolled down and is responsible for the sideline flat. One option that the players have is to make an opposite call. On this call the Safety is responsible for the deep third and the Cornerback takes the flat. This can be an effective change-up and makes for a great way to stop the bubble route.

The Nickel or Sam linebacker has the hook curl area to the three receiver side. He will line up by apexing the end man on the line of scrimmage and the #3 receiver. While he has run support to the D gap he also must make sure that the #3 does not get a free release up to the Safety. If #3 is able to get a free release to the safety it allows the offense to get into the Four Verticals concept that is designed to take advantage of single high safeties. If the offense is using this #3 to get vertical consistently the defense can switch to a special stay coverage. In this coverage everything remains the same but if the #3 receiver runs vertical the nickel will guard him man to man. The downside of this is it opens up the hook/curl passing zone. It makes for a good change up but should not be a base coverage.

The Special Coverage is a great way for the defense to take away the offense’s advantage on the three receiver side. Like anything it has strengths and weaknesses but if the backside cornerback and safety are capable of performing their jobs the coverage can really frustrate offenses.

(See Also) Cover 4 Pattern Matching 

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Press Coverage Technique | Bump and Run Coverage

The first step of pressing a receiver is by setting up with great alignment. The ideal position of a defender who is covering a receiver is to be in between the receiver and the quarterback. When the defender is pressing he will align with inside leverage and force the receiver to go to the outside. This gives the defender a better chance at keeping himself between the receiver and the quarterback so he can make a play on any pass that comes his way.

The second element of a successful press is the defender’s eyes. A common mistake with young players is that they will let their eyes rise up to the head and shoulders of the receiver. This is a mistake because the receiver often uses these as a distraction and to fool the defender. Instead the defender must place his focus on the inside hip of the receiver. He should have complete focus on this point and allow it to dictate how he will react.

Related Content: Beat Man to Man Coverage 

The third element of the press is the contact stage. Once the receiver has stepped off the line it’s critical that the defender makes contact with the receiver. This will disrupt the timing and force the receiver to adjust his route. Many times coaches will tell their players to make contact in a specific spot. While there are spots that are better than others, I believe it is a mistake to have the defender focused specifically on hitting these spots. When it is in a kid’s mind that he must make contact on the receiver’s chest he is much more likely to raise his vision to the chest of the receiver. As he does that he opens himself up to the fake of the receiver. Instead I believe it’s better to tell the defender to keep his focus on the inside him and make contact with the core of the receiver. This allows him to stay focused on the inside hip and maintain good inside leverage.

The last element of a successful press is the feet. A good DB must keep his feet active. The moment his feet stop moving he is susceptible to getting beat. We have our defenders do a backwards hop where they keep their weight on the balls of their feet as the watch the receiver and get ready to make contact. By keeping their feet active they have less inertia that they must break which allows them to respond quicker to the receivers movements.

Pressing a receiver on the line is one of the hardest skills in football. While it requires a great deal of athleticism and skill by completing these four elements the defender puts himself in a position to make a play.

Benefits of Playing Press Coverage: 

• Disrupts timing.
• Allows your defense to play psychical on the receivers.
• Allows you to blitz while taking away the quick hitting short routes.
• How often do you think youth football coaches practice beating press coverage? I’d bet not very much.
• Safeties and Linebackers can’t get cracked. When teams play press coverage with the DB maintaining inside leverage, it become very difficult to execute a crack block.

Related Content: Man to Man Coverage Tips

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A Defensive Back’s stance must be a comfortable position where the player can quickly move and adjust to the keys he sees in front of him. Each player tends to have their own version of the stance that is dictated by their body measurements and their athletic ability. As a result it’s important not to over coach the stance and to let the players find any stance where they are comfortable. With that being said there are a few universal points that all defensive backs must follow in order to have an effective stance.

Defensive Back Stance Technique

Feet & Hips 

The feet are where the player connects to the ground and allows him to start moving. It’s important that the player aligns with a stance that will let him react quickly to whatever he sees from the offense. As a general rule the feet should be slightly closer than shoulder width. By moving the feet in the DB can now quickly move any direction. A common error is that players will lineup with a wide stance (similar to a defensive basketball stance). The major problem with this is that it slows down the defender’s ability to react to his key. When his feet are wide he is forced to take a false step to get back to his base before gaining ground in the direction he needs to go. Instead, it is much better to start with his feet in their base so he can react quickly without having to take a false step.

His weight should be on the balls of his feet so that he can quickly drive through the turf to propel himself in whichever direction he needs to go. Again this is critical to react to the first movement of the offense without having a false step.

There is quite a bit of variety when it comes to the degree of knee bend in DB stances. Some kids with longer legs find that they need to bend quite a bit more while others play the position with only a slight amount of knee bend. The bottom line is it depends on each player.

As a coach what you are looking for is when the DB plants to accelerate forward. When he accelerates forward does he have to drop his hips to do propel himself? If the DB can plant and make his break instantaneously without dropping his hips then he is playing low enough. If the DB goes to plant and instead of coming forward right away he has to bend his knees before he accelerates he needs to lower his level. This can be difficult to get across to athletes but by recording them making their breaks you can quickly show them if they are low enough and the effect of their level.

Hands 

There are different schools of thought on the perfect position for a DB’s hands. Some people think they need to be up and tense, ready to hand fight while others say they should be down by the sides so players can be quicker from their breaks.

My opinion is that it varies on the player, the technique and the opponent. If the DB is lining up in a press position he should have his hands up ready to engage the WR and disrupt his route. If the DB is not in a press position he should have his hands relaxed and in a comfortable position which allows him to move quickly. Again the important point is that the defender can react to the offensive player’s move and isn’t forced to make a move to get back to his base before reacting.

Eye Discipline 

The last, and arguably, most important part of a DB’s stance is his eyes. Great DB’s have to work to develop great eye discipline. Eye discipline is the ability to narrow the focus to a specific point that determines the player’s responsibility. Most offensive coordinators count on defensive players being distracted by motions, shifts and ball fakes so they lose eye discipline. In a one on one battle the WR will attempt to get the DB’s eyes on his upper body so that he can give him false reads as to what he is going to do. Instead the DB must maintain total focus on his key. In a man situation the defender should be reading the inside hip of the WR. By watching this one spot he will be able to determine what route the WR will be running and adjust accordingly.

(See Also) Man to Man Coverage Techniques 

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Cover 4 Zone Defense is one of the most popular coverages in football today. It allows a defense to match 4 Vertical threats while still playing tough on the run. As the spread run game becomes more popular many teams are moving to coverages that allow the safety to get involved in stopping the run. The Cover 4 allows an aggressive safety to control the D gap which allows the linebackers to focus on the interior run while still being sound against passing concepts.

Cover 4 is based on the concept that if the offense sends 4 vertical threats deep the defense can cover all four threats. They accomplish this by having both cornerbacks and both safeties responsible for a deep quarter of the field. When run using strictly base zone rules this makes for an excellent coverage for defending the deep ball.

The pattern matching concept is a simple but requires both the safety and cornerback to be on the same page. This can only be accomplished through very clear rules and lots of practice. In Cover 4 the safety and cornerback are both responsible for their deep quarter. This means that if the WR takes off vertical in their zone they must match them.

The # 1 receivers are the wide receivers closest to the sidelines. The #2 receivers are the inside receivers, second receiver in from the sidelines. 

Diagram  1: The rules for the safety are pretty straight forward. The safety is responsible for reading the #2 receiver. If he reads run he plays the D gap and serves to stop any outside run while the cornerback has deep coverage in the case of any play action.

Diagram 2: If the number 2 receiver takes off vertically the safety will take him. The landmark can vary but it should be somewhere around 8 yards from the Line of Scrimmage. If #2 goes past the landmark the safety has him.

Diagram 3: Where the coverage gets interesting is if the #2 receiver does not get to 8 yards. If #2 does not get past 8 yards then the Safety now gets to rob the #1 receiver. This can be especially effective vs. the Dig-Flat and Curl-Out concepts.

Diagram 4: Meanwhile the cornerback has a pretty simple assignment. The cornerback is responsible for #1 and defending any deep route. His primary focus is the #1 receiver. If #1 goes past the landmark (this should be the same for #2 and #1) the cornerback will guard him man to man unless #2 threatens him deep.

Diagram 5: If #1 stays under the landmark then the CB will immediately get his eyes to #2 to make sure he is not threatening his deep quarter. If #2 is coming into his deep quarter he will rob him on any out breaking routes.

Diagram 6: If the CB reads run he will continue to get depth to make sure there is no play action pass that gets behind the defense. In Cover 4 the cornerback is the Deep Defender so it’s important that he does not come forward on any fakes.

Cover 4 Zone Defense is an excellent coverage in youth football because it will give you 4 deep defenders. This coverage works very well when you are protecting a lead in the last minutes/seconds of the game.

Cover 4 Zone Defense Weaknesses

• Flat coverage, or flooding underneath zones.
• Safeties run/pass conflict.
• Underneath drag concepts off of play-action.

(See Also) Cover 2 Zone in Youth Football

(See Also) Cover 3 Zone in Youth Football

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Understanding the Cover 2 Zone in Football

Cover 2 can be a great coverage because it can break down player’s responsibilities into clear roles. In addition to this the areas where Cover 2 is weak (down both sidelines from 17-20 yards deep) are very hard for youth league Quarterbacks to throw to. The major disadvantage is that it does have two safeties which means there is one less run defender.

The Cornerbacks in Cover 2 play an absolutely critical role in keeping the integrity of the coverage. There specific zone is the sideline flats. This means that they are responsible for any short pass from the sideline in to halfway between the numbers and the hash. This zone tends to be a hot zone for youth league teams since passes to this zone are relatively low risk and have a high completion percentage. By putting one of the defense’s best pass defenders in this space the goal of the Cover 2 is to shut down this hot zone. The major weak point of the Cover 2 is the sideline at about 17-20 deep.

The route that is most typically thrown to this spot is the fade route from #1. In order to shut down this route the Cornerback must get an outside jam on the #1 WR. This means that he cannot allow him to have a clean outside release. The Cornerback must jam any outside release and slow the WR down so the Safety has a chance to get over to make a play on the ball. If the WR gets a clean outside release the playside Safety has almost no shot at covering the fade pass but if the WR is forced to the inside the Safety now has a chance to get off his hash and cover the deep ball.

Related Content: Cover 2 Cloud Coverage Drill 

Playing Cover 2 Safety is one of the toughest defensive assignments in football. Your pass responsibility is to cover the deep half of the field. This means that no one can be allowed to get behind the safety. The safety should align himself roughly on the hash marks so that he can cover the whole deep half of the field. Obviously this changes if the offense is on either hash. If the offense is on the hash the Safety to the short side of the field (the boundary) should play about 2 yards outside of the Offensive Tackle while the Safety on the wide side of the field (the field) should come in and play roughly in the middle of the field.

While the Cornerback and Safeties are responsible for the outer parts of the coverage the linebackers are responsible for the areas that are closer to the ball. Each outside linebacker is responsible for the hook/curl zone. This is the space from the Offensive Tackle to the Flats and goes around 10-12 yards deep. This is an area where many teams will try to hit quick slants or seam routes before the WR enter into the Safeties coverage area. The Middle Linebacker is responsible for the middle of the field. This is the space from Tackle to Tackle.

Cover 2 is not a perfect coverage but it can be very effective in shutting down the quick passes to the flats that many offenses rely on. In addition to this the two Safety structure ensures that the defense is sound against any vertical route.

(See Also): Man to Man Coverage Techniques

(See Also): Cover 3 Zone

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Man to man coverage is used by 90 percent of youth football teams. Some youth coaches overlook the finer coaching points when they are teaching their defenders how to play man to man. And as you know, it’s the fine details that are most important.

Vital man to man coverage tips:

Players and coaches must have an understanding of down and distance. If it is 3^rd and long, don’t play zero coverage (meaning no safeties). This is one of the most important man to man coverage tips! Have your cornerbacks and coverage players give a little cushion on the receiver. Play with at least one deep safety. Yell to the kids from the sideline- “down and distance!”. Understanding down and distances is very important. Have a prevent defense as well. Also, if it is 3rd or 4th and long, your coverage players have to understand that they need to go deep! Don’t get beat deep.

Play with inside leverage. Time after time I see defenders play their receivers head up. In youth football cornerbacks should always play with inside leverage. It is a lot harder to complete a pass on an outside cutting route.  It is very difficult for a youth football quarterback to throw from the pocket-to the outside. Contain the QB and take away the inside when playing man to man coverage in youth football.

Understand the alignment of the wide receivers. For example, if the split end is lining up really wide it is for one or two reasons. The split end lines up wider because he wants to take the corner out of the play. Teams tend to do that when they are facing an aggressive and good tackling corner (I do that consistently). Also, if a wide receiver is lined up wider than usually it is probably because they are going to run a slant or some kind of inside route. Make sure your cornerbacks understand playing with leverage: If the WR lines up wide, take away his inside!  When a team cheats a receiver in the slot, it’s because the offense wants their slot receiver to get a free release or they want him to run an outside pattern, or even crack block. How receivers line up can be a strong indicator of what route is coming. All coaches will have their receivers cheat their split or alignment one way or another to create room so they can run their given pass pattern.

Bump and run man to man coverage tips. Many youth football corners do not get a good enough jam on their receiver. Although we are one of the few teams that play zone coverage we also use man to man once in while.  What we have our corners do is line up on the inside shoulder of the receiver, give a step and then redirect.

Why do we give a step and then jam? Many kids will jam right off the snap and if the wide receiver gets a good release they will get burnt because their first step is forward. When you give a step (take a back step)-open hips-then jam the receiver while riding his inside hip  it will allow your corner to turn and run with WR.  This will also take away the inside release and throw off timing at the same time.

Conclusion

The best man to man coverage tip I can give you is to be smart.  Make sure coaches and players understand down and distances. Make sure they understand receiver splits/alignment.  Watching game film of your opponent can also help.

(See Also) Playing Press Man to Man Coverage 

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Offenses sell tickets, defenses win championships! 

Championship Defenses:

• Tackle well
• Create turnovers
• Get off blocks
• Proper alignment vs. the offensive formation
• Good pursuit-swarm to the ball
• Do not give up the big play

Good defenses tackle well and swarm to the football. Big plays are eliminated with relentless swarm to the football.

Solid Tackling

Tackling is what playing defense is all about.  If you look at any championship defense you will notice that they tackle well. It is important that proper tackling technique is practiced frequently to ensure the best results on the field. Open field tackling needs to practiced as well. Proper tackling technique will help prevent injury. Here is the ultimate guide on  how to teach tackling with proper technique.

Tackling is probably the #1 ingredient for playing championship defense.

Block Destruction 

Your team can have all the tackling skills in the world- but if your youth football players cannot destruct blocks, overall tackling skill doesn’t matter. I often notice teams do not put enough time into destructing blocks. Your players must develop an attitude and mindset that we will not allow the offense to block us! The biggest thing we preach to our kids is- do not play with the blocker or try to go around the blocker, destruct the block, rip through the block.

(See Also)  The Rip Move for Block Destruction

Quick Tip, whenever your defense does tackling drills makes sure your players have to rip through a block and then go through with the tackle.  Make sure when doing defensive drills block destruction and tackling are paired.

Playing championship defense begins with block destruction.

Proper Alignment

Having the proper defensive alignment is vital.  As a defensive coordinator you must understand which side of the offensive formation is the strong side of the field.  For example- if the offense has 5 blockers to the right and 4 to the left, the  strong side is to the offense’s right. If the offense has double tight-ends with a wing back to the left, then the strong side of the offense is to the left (defense’s right).  As a defense you cannot allow the offense to out flank or outnumber you on any side of the field. When teams go unbalanced you have to recognize that quickly and make sure your defense adjust accordingly.

Pursuit

Getting into the proper pursuit lanes and taking proper angles to the ball carrier is imperative. Big plays are eliminated when all 11 defenders get to the ball carrier. Playing championship defense will require your defenders to  run to the ball and gang tackle.  On all passing and running plays the entire defense needs to fly to the ball carrier.  Do the pursuit drill every single practice. After we execute warm-ups will get right into our defensive pursuit drill.  The pursuit drill is also an excellent conditioning drill. This drill will practice alignment, attacking on ball movement, zone drops, and flying to the football on all run and passing plays.   Our motto is- be sharks out there.  Check out this article about SHARK WEEK. Shark week is our defensive installation week.

Last but not least, create turnovers!   Every championship defense will find ways to create turnovers. Gang tackling, pursuit, and solid tackling will lead to turnovers naturally.  We will do some form tackling drills in practice where the first defender secures the tackle and the second defender attacks the ball. On passing plays all defenders need to run to where the ball is thrown. This will allow the defenders to get into a position to catch a tipped ball off the DB’s or WR’s hands or help secure a tackle.

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