52-Cover 3 Rolling CB

Three MAJOR problems with "3 Cloud" (rolling the secondary with Corner coming UP:

#1 Corner must be physically tough (do you have two such animals?).

#2 Vs WR's with WIDE splits - there are too many weaknesses in the coverage (Safety on the side of the roll have trouble getting over the top if WR has a wide split; Corner away from side of roll is isolated one on one) - and ESPECIALLY vs runs such as Outside Zone in the alley. Vs WR's wide splits - most Cover 3 Cloud teams BECOME Cover 3 SKY (Safety inverts down). NOW YOU MUST HAVE FOUR DEFENSIVE BACKS WHO ARE TOUGH ON RUN SUPPORT, AND ABLE TO COVER FAST WR'S ON DEEP ROUTES! You are LUCKY to have ONE such player!

#3 MISDIRECTION PASSES CAN KILL IT (you start the roll ONBE way & then QB bootlegs AWAY from the roll). You cannot "RE-ROTATE" - it will get you beat EVERYTIME!

PS: This coverage is EASILY read (& the weaknesses exploited) as follows:

POST-SNAP READS (“READING THE SQUARE”):

One of the most important areas in determining secondary coverages is the middle of the field about 15 to 25 yards deep and about 2 yards inside of each hash. We call this area the “square”.

We normally read the “square” in our drop back passing game. Reading the “square” becomes necessary when it is impossible to determine what the coverage is before the snap or to make sure of secondary coverage after the snap.

In reading the “square” the QB simply looks down the middle of the field. He should not focus on either Safety but see them both in his peripheral vision.

A) If neither Safety shows up in the “square”, and both are deep, it will indicate a form of Cover 2. A quick check of Corner alignment and play will indicate whether it is a 2/Man or 2/Zone. If neither Safety shows up in the “square” and both are shallow, it will indicate a Cover 0 (blitz look).

B) If the Strong Safety shows up in the “square”, this will indicate a Cover 3 rolled weak or
possibly a Cover 1.

C) If the Weak Safety shows up in the “square”, this will indicate a strong side coverage. It
could be a Cover 3 or a Cover 1. If the coverage is Cover 3, it could be a Cover 3/Sky (Safety), or a Cover 3/Cloud (Corner), depending on who has the short zone.

NOTE: When either of the Safeties shows up in the “square”, the best percentage area to throw the ball in is the side that he came from! If NEITHER of the Safeties show up in the “square” – throwing the ball into the “square” is a high percentage throw.

I ran SKY & CLOUD from 1961 thru 1984 (NEVER AGAIN), & had a LOT of experience with each. EVERY coverage has it's strengths & weaknesses. SKY is FAR more secure than CLOUD. You cannot find Corners who can cover FAST WR's on UP routes, & come up on the next play & take on big FB's & pulling Guards on sweeps. A GOOD S/S is TAUGHT to do this (he does not have to cover WR's DEEP so you can SELECT the type kid that is TOUGHER VS RUN).

Does this make sense?

You are on the right track. I find that in High School if you want to slant & angle - a pre-rotated 3 Sky (Monster type scheme) is probably easiest. Cover 4 is good also.

Email me at billmountjoy@yahoo.com & I can send you something by George Hill (BRILLIANT "DC") when he weas at Ohio St with Woody. They slanted & angled, & played a "field oriented" Cover 3 package.