DB's and the Backpeddle

In Canada, the leauge I coach in has entred a transition period where the good teams have finally adopted strong passing games. We play teams that throw 80-85% of the time they run out of spread, shotgun, pistol ace and single back sets. We also have the teams who still run 80% of the time in CFL style football this boggles my mind.

But because teams are putting it up in the air this debate has drifted North of the 49th. I always always teach our guys backpedal, read steps to que the qb drop, thn weave to maintain leverage. We line our CB 6-7yrds off the ball outside leverage n c-1 and inside in c-0 shade can also change depending on wr position in relaion to the field. Backpedal is key for a db in the Canadian game as our field is so large. One coac had posted that we need to know leverage points and route jumping this is true but that is the easy part the hard part is getting in position. You asked what are you defending 6-7yards off? We do this to take away the deep ball force the short throw, rely on quickness and fundementals (breaks & reads) to jump the short route. We play 3 down football so if a team wants to nickle and dime it for 3 yards on a hitch each down this is what we want. We stick to the reciver on 1st and 2nd then they punt us the football.

There are teams that have gone to clinics in the States and now are starting to run their CB tight to the line in press coverage inside shade, we see this and throw the fade on this untill the coach pulls the kid or changes the coverage. We were down by 21 at the half and were tied 10 min into the 3rd.

I also teach, 2 press techniques hard and soft press, we use the hard press for goaline, or c-2 man/zone or our Nickle c-2,3,4. The soft press is used in our cloud coverage out of either our base or nickle sets.

Long post short, backpedal is key to initial coaching with db's, you use this to keep the player square to the LOS and maintain shade/leverage on the WR, this allows the db to get in and out of the break quickly and close the gap betwen him and the WR so that he can do the great things like jump the route or funnel in coverage. The other stuff, press tech canbe put in later once the basics are taught.