oneback and others

Mac, could you put on here what front you will be running? I can give you more details then.

Common mistakes that I see are several, and I have seen it on many different teams, including ones that I coached.

First, I see corners get way too enamored with covering the true FLAT. For example, allowing short hook routes to happen behind them because a back flares to the flat and they go attack it. We have a No cover zone area about 4 yards from the LOS, which means that you do not to attack a route in that zone if you have a threat behind you. Too many times I see corners getting caught flat footed and then going to the back in the flat, rather then playing the 1 to his side who may be running a hitch.

It is easier to cover what is in front of you after the QB starts his throwing motion that way then what is behind you that you CAN't see. You can always react to what is in front of you late. In fact, we teach "playing the flat late"

Another common one is having safeties too tight to the hash.

They (safeties) lock on the middle of the field rather than half of the deep field. Ergo, they are too far inside to cover the Post Corner effectively. Just my thoughts.

Unless your Man Lock across the board, there is a ton of situational awareness required. Know where you are and where your coverage is. As was said earlier if I am playing a soft zone it is a lot easier to play from the deep portion and come down then to play shallow or in the middle and have to go backwards. Unless you have eyes in the back of your head.

coaches,

Thank you for all of the great replies! What advice would you give when the offense sends 3 vertical, with WR's on both sides running fades and the TE running a post?

I just got done reading about cover 2 in Bob Kenig's 4-3 book, and it says if #2 is running a vertical or deep inside pattern, the safety covers it with man to man coverage. If the CB reads #2 going vertical he sinks with #1's vertical route and covers #1 with man to man coverage.

My question is if the safety mans up on #2, and the CB sinks and mans up on #1, what happens if #3 shows up in the flat and the CB is covering the fade route. Does the curl defender extend his coverage to the flats?

Also, Bob Kenig likes to line up his safety between the alignments of the offensive #1 and #2. He feels there is no better place to start and cover deep patterns by both wr's than being at the midpoint.

Coach:

There are advantages and disadvantages to playing Man and or Zone coverage. Against Zone teams offenses seek dead spots and points where two zones intersect. If a QB and OC see Cover 2 they are going to try and exploit 2 defenders with 3 receivers. ERGO. you have to master disguising your coverages. The late Jim Johnson was an expert at the art of deception. He disguised coverage and blitzes very well.

If you have a great Mike LB you can Tampa 2 your coverage and drop him into the middle to take some of the heat. You have to have a damn good athlete in that spot to pull this off otherwise he is doing nothing more than chasing the TE. I would caution you that doing so diminishes the run responsibility for the Mike, so ts a 3rd and long or 2nd and long situational thing.

JMHO

The offenses you list are not great threats for the vertical passing game. Can they pass? Yes, most certainly! Are they likely to go 4 and 5 wide not really. Against HS teams and with HS and higher level athletes I would tend to agree with ONEBACK. Lock everyone up and play man coverages. With one deep he still can provide run support if no one releases.