DB footwork

If it's a short route and the receiver breaks before the corner's cushion is broken, then the corner is to transition from a backpedal into his break on the ball. There are two different sets of footwork for that. One is to plant the foot he is stepping with immeadiately and start to run to the receiver. The other is a shortening of the stride of the step he is in the middle of taking to slow himself down the instant he feels the reciever is going to make a cut then taking one more step in virtually the same place as that one to plant and start into his break. I was taught and do teach this technique because the defensive back is less likely to slip. However, it does mean you hvae to make a good read on the receiver because you anticipating a little bit. I've always called it "Flintstoning" your feet because it's like when Fred started his car, he would always take a step or two vbefore he went anywhere. This isn't to that much of an extreme, but it gets the idea across. Now, the footwork and angle of the break on the ball is pretty easy. A receiver is taught to break at a 90 degree angle on any in or out route. The defensive back should break at about an 85 degree angle, ggiving himself a chance at the ball, but not completely in front of the receiver so he still has a good chance at making the tackle if the ball gets to the receiver. Ii've always believed that if a DB goes completely underneath a receiver, he better get both hands on the ball and make the int. If he doesn't, there's nothing but green.