Coverage vs Trips Open

Coach,

Couple of suggestions.

What is the technique of the WOLB?

We teach our WOLB to read the QB's drop. If he reads quick set (3 step drop), he flattens his drop and runs parallel to the LOS right at the slanting WR. He will not get there before the ball does but he may put himself in the passing lane (and get hit in the back of the head with the ball) or at worst, he will blow the WR up.

What is the FS doing?

We teach him to read the QB and if he reads quick set, he flies to the split WR right now. If your playing cover 3, I am assuming that means that the trips side is being covering by the CB, an inverted SS inside of #2, and an OLB inside of #3, leaving the MLB inside the box. The FS reads the QB and on deep set stays on top of #3 to any vertical threat by #2 to #1 if #3 disappears inside or outside underneath him.

What is the Split side CB technique?

We teach him to stay back and basically cover him man to man, knowiung that he has help, from the OLB underneath.

Hope this helps. We have some other ways that we cover this but for what your doing with Cover 3, this seems to make sense.

Email me at jbornn@hartdistrict.org if you have any further questions.

Coach,

In regards to the OLB.

If your playing him in a 30, it will awfully tough for him to get out to help on the slant in the first place. I would widen him to at least 50 if not wider. If your playing with a 1 tech DT in the weak A gap, the cutback for the zone run play for the OLB becomes the B gap so it's OK to widen him. The only other run he will see to his side is counter or speed option; by playin him wider, it puts him in position to defend these run plays.

As for the drop into coverage, your concerns should be mute in that if he reads a quick set drop by the QB, draw and screen are not really an issue. He must get a good read on the 3 step drop (ie. 1-2-3 and plant by the QB) before taking his eyes off the QB. Remember, as he reads pass and opens to run to his drop, his eyes are locked on QB to get either a quick set read or deep set read. This must be rep'd a ton in practice.

In regards to FS.

If he is reading the QB, he should be able to help on the slant by the split WR on the slant. We teach him that if he reads quick set, fly to the split side WR and tattoo him. There is nothing else for him to do on quick set once he reads it. Rememeber, your OLB inside shade of #3 is responsible for the quick pop to him. We beleive it is critical that in our trips open coverage, we drill the FS that he has split WR once quick set is read and #3 vertical to #2-1 vertical on deep set once it is read.


In regards to the CB.

The split of the WR should be some kind of indication of the possible routes (ie. tight split, look for out; wide split, look for slant, etc.)

As for the coverage, we do several things on the trips side but for the most part, it does not change for the split side CB.

We will typically play him according to split of WR and field position to determine horizontal alignment (inside or outside shade). As for depth, it depends on ability of CB, the WR he is facing, scouting report, down/dist, etc.

The key to him is that he has to win on his leverage side. This means if you have him line up inside and play off at 7 yards, don't get upset with him if they complete the slant or if they complete the out. If they complete the post or streak, jump all over him. You have to be realistic with what your expectations are. If you have him play tight man to man inside, they better not complete the slant; but again, don't be upset if he gets beat on the corner route. Hope this makes sense but my point is that your CB is going to do what you tell him to do. If you are copnstantly telling him to not get beat deep, then don't expect him to be overly aggressive on the 3 step game. If you have him playing inside shade leverage, then expect to give up the out.

Hope this helps.

coach-KEE,
As Bornn indicates:
"The split of the WR should be some kind of indication of the possible routes (ie. tight split, look for out; wide split, look for slant, etc.)".

I dont have a lot of experience with C3, nor loose man but thinking about it lately I think I would avoid the old constant outside leverage and instead develop a split rule for the cb which had him (for example) at 6 deep x 4 wide vs a tight set maintaining outside shade as receiver splits to some agreed point (like hash or 8 yrds from tackle) at which point the cb freezes until the receiver splits outside him at which point he moves out maintaining inside shade until say about no closer than 6 yrds from sideline. In other words outside shade on inside alignments and inside shades on outside alignments.