Football Toolbox

Teaching Post Safeties to React Decisively to Routes. Releases, and Stems

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This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog.

There are several situational factors that help post safeties read and recognize routes and what they need to support or cover.  This video will be a great resource for the coaches on your staff to prepare your safeties.

The presenter is, Dan McKeown, Western Illinois Defensive Coordinator and Safeties Coach.  When the video was recorded, he had the same responsibilities at Saginaw Valley State.

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The video is a segment of his Glazier Drive clinic entitled:  Stems & Safety Play in Cover 1 out of the Tight 4-3 Defense

Coach has 5 things that he is constantly assessing to determine the depth and positioning of his safeties:

  1. Down & Distance
  2. Field Position–Are they backed up? Red Zone? Green Zone? Deep Red Zone? Short Red Zone? Sudden Change?
  3. Clock–Depends on who is ahead, Both game clock and play clock, 25 or 40? Their rule is no checking with coach after 10 seconds remaining on playclock.
  4. Personnel Groupings
  5. Splits/Alignments

Ways to Use the Post Safety:

  1. Long Distance Area Code (789) 7,8, and 9 routes.
  2. Bounce Safety–reading quarterback depth
  3. Shade to WR or F/B side
  4. Double inside out a WR
  5. Red zone = rob in breaking routes.