Contributed By Joe Nemith III
Assistant Football Coach, Baldwin Wallace University
In today’s football, having a comprehensive defensive coverage package to adjust to 3 by 1 formations and schemes is essential for any teams success. Whether it’s 10 or 11 personnel, the ability for offenses to gain an advantage in the passing game with numbers is always a scary thought. On a weekly basis, defensive coaches preparing for their next opponent often have the same question in the meeting room…”Based on what they do best, what can we do versus 3 by 1 to give us the best chance to win?”
Answering this question can be a double-edged sword. On one hand you want to keep things simple for your players and also have the ability to practice everything you plan to run that week. On the other hand being multiple allows you to game plan for situations and tendencies that your opponent may have. Also, multiplicity allows for unpredictability…and being unpredictable is priceless to any defense!
For the purpose of this article, we will base out of the 4-2-5 “G” defense with a 2-high safety look.
To give us the coverage versatility we want, we will make a coverage call to play what we want versus 2 by 2 and tag our 3 by 1 adjustment to the call.
We will use Cover 2, Cover 4, and Cover 6 ( ¼, ¼, ½ ) as our examples and apply the 3 by 1 tags to those base coverage calls. See the examples below
Examples:
| Front/Coverage Call: | Vs 2 by 2: |
Vs 3 by 1: |
| G 4 Solo | Cover 4 | check Solo |
| G 2 Stubbie | Cover 2 |
check Stubbie |
| G 4 Stump | Cover 4 | check Stump |
| G 6 Star | Cover 6 | check Star |
| G 4 Spin | Cover 4 | check Spin |
| G 6 Screw | Cover 6 | check Screw |
| G 2 Scope | Cover 2 | check Scope |
| FCorner | Alignment – 5 yards deep, pre-snap prowl to 8 yards deep and inside leverage of #1 WR. Responsibility – Deep Outside 1/4 Player |
| Whip:
|
Alignment– 5 yards from the man, inside shoulder of a removed #2 WR.
Responsibility – Landmark Curl to Flat Player – The Whip must see the release of the #2 WR. On an outside release by #2, the Whip will expand to the curl. On a vertical release by #2, the Whip will disrupt and deliver him to the FS after 12 yards. On an inside/shallow release, the Whip will get depth, settle, and stay square in the curl. |
| FSafety: | Alignment – 10 yards deep, apex alignment between #2 and #3 WR.
Responsibility – Deep Inside 1/4’s Player – Your main focus should be to read #2 to #1 WR. If #2 WR releases outside, widen and still keep #1 and #2 WR in your vision. Stay inside and overtop of the new #2 WR. If #2 releases vertically, carry him and play inside out and stay overtop. If #2 WR releases inside/shallow, the FS can then midpoint #1 and #3 WR knowing he has help inside with #3 WR by the SS. |
| Mike: | Alignment – Inside leg of the Offensive Tackle (40-I Alignment) wider/depending on #3 split.
Responsibility – Pattern Read #3 to #2 and Mike is a Final 3 Hook Player – play hook from inside/out. Mike also has a 5 yard no cover rule meaning anything under 5 yards of depth he will let it go. |
| Backer: | Alignment – Inside leg of the Offensive Guard (10 Alignment) wider/depending on RB split.
Responsibility – Back To: Final 2 Match (If the back releases to your side he is yours) – Back Away: #4 to 1st Cross Player. Backer also has a 5 Yard no cover rule meaning anything under 5 yards of depth he will let go. |
| SSafety: | Alignment – 10 yards deep over the Offense Guard to your side.
Responsibility – Flat footed read for Run/Pass. If pass, eyes immediately go to #3 WR to passing strength. If he is vertical or bends inside, SS must steal this route to deny the middle of the field. Any shallow release inside or outside, the SS can zone off and help the BC. |
| BCorner: | Alignment – 2 yard press align – Pre-snap, turn inside and shuffle bail to an inside 1/4’s alignment.
Responsibility – Deep Outside 1/4 Player. Keep everything in front of you and play from top-down. On the vertical release, flip and find the WR and maintain a cut-off position. |
| FCorner | Alignment – Prowl to press man-to-man.
Responsibility – MEG #1, Man Everywhere he Goes. |
| Whip:
|
Alignment – 7 yards from the man, 1 yard outside leverage of a removed #2 WR.
Responsibility – Read ¼’s on #3 & #2 – The Whip will take any 1st to flat route of #2 & #3 and carry the wheel. If #2 releases inside, the Whip will find #3. If #3 is not a threat to the outside, the Whip will hold the curl and look inside for crossers. If #3 does expand under 10 yards, the Whip will cover him. Any route after 10 yards belongs to the FS. If both #2 & #3 release vertical, the Whip will carry the vertical of #2 from outside and overtop. |
| FSafety: | Alignment – 10 yards deep, inside leverage of a removed #3 WR.
Responsibility – Read ¼’s on #3 & #2 – If #3 releases inside and underneath the linebackers, the FS will bracket the #2 WR with the Whip from inside. If #3 WR releases vertical past LB depth, the FS will play #3 from inside/out. If #3 releases to the flat, the FS will play inside and overtop of the #2 WR. |
| Mike: | Alignment – Inside leg of the Offensive Tackle (40-I Alignment) wider/depending on #3 split.
Responsibility – Pattern Read #3 to #2 and Mike is a Final 3 Hook Player – play hook from inside/out. Mike also has a 5 yard no cover rule meaning anything under 5 yards of depth he will let it go. |
| Backer: | Alignment – Inside leg of the Offensive Guard (10 Alignment) wider/depending on RB split.
Responsibility – Back To: Final 2 Curl Player – Back Away: #4 to 1st Cross Player. Backer also has a 5 Yard no cover rule meaning anything under 5 yards of depth he will let go. |
| SSafety: | Alignment – 12 yards deep, width will depend on the split of the #1 WR.
Responsibility – 1/2 Field Safety – If the back is to his side he will play a traditional Cover 2 (Hard Call) with the BC – If the back is away he will play a Cover 2 Man concept up to 12 yards (King Call). |
| BCorner: | Alignment – Hard Cover 2, Outside eye of #1 WR or King Cover 2, Prowl to press man-to-man.
Responsibility – Hard Cover 2 = Jam & Funnel #1 WR, Flat player. King Cover 2 = man-to-man on #1 WR up to 12 yards with SS help over top. |
| FCorner | Alignment – 5 yards deep, pre-snap prowl to 8 yards deep and inside leverage of #1 WR.
Responsibility – Deep Outside 1/3 Player (China call for Whip if #1 sits down under 5 yards). |
| Whip:
|
Alignment – 7 yards from the man, 1 yard outside leverage of a removed #2 WR.
Responsibility – Read ¼’s on #3 & #2 – The Whip will take any 1st to flat route of #2 & #3 and carry the wheel. If #2 releases inside, the Whip will find #3. If #3 is not a threat to the outside, the Whip will hold the curl and look inside for crossers. If #3 does expand under 10 yards, the Whip will cover him. Any route after 10 yards belongs to the FS. If both #2 & #3 release vertical, the Whip will carry the vertical of #2 from outside and overtop.
|
| FSafety: | Alignment – 10 yards deep, inside leverage of a removed #3 WR.
Responsibility – Read ¼’s on #3 & #2 – If #3 releases inside and underneath the linebackers, the FS will bracket the #2 WR with the Whip from inside. If #3 WR releases vertical past LB depth, the FS will play #3 from inside/out. If #3 releases to the flat, the FS will play inside and overtop of the #2 WR. |
| Mike: | Alignment – Inside leg of the Offensive Tackle (40-I Alignment) wider/depending on #3 split.
Responsibility – Pattern Read #3 to #2 and Mike is a Final 3 Hook Player – play hook from inside/out. Mike also has a 5 yard no cover rule meaning anything under 5 yards of depth he will let it go. |
| Backer: | Alignment – Inside leg of the Offensive Guard (10 Alignment) wider/depending on RB split.
Responsibility – Back To: Final 2 Curl Player – Back Away: #4 to 1st Cross Player. Backer also has a 5 Yard no cover rule meaning anything under 5 yards of depth he will let go. |
| SSafety: | Alignment – 12 yards deep, width will depend on the split of the #1 WR.
Responsibility – 1/2 Field Safety – If the back is to his side he will play a traditional Cover 2 (Hard Call) with the BC – If the back is away he will play a Cover 2 Man concept up to 12 yards (King Call). |
| BCorner: | Alignment – Hard Cover 2, Outside eye of #1 WR or King Cover 2, Prowl to press man-to-man.
Responsibility – Hard Cover 2 = Jam & Funnel #1 WR, Flat player. King Cover 2 = man-to-man on #1 WR up to 12 yards with SS help over top. |
Here is the link to part 2 of this post
Since the article (Multiple Coverage Adjustments vs 3 by 1 (10 Personnel) Parts 1) was published in July of 2017, where can I find Part 2 of the article? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
THANKS!
Lee Branthover, Assistant Football Coach
Georgetown Preparatory School
(301) 251-9271/Residence
Great Article!