PRE-SNAP COVERAGE IDENTIFICATION

Coach, I'm sure you've probably seen this powerpoint presentation before, but I thought I'd post a link to it anyway for those who haven't, as I've found it to be a very good resource for me in my quest to learn the passing game. I would also highly recommend Coach Lansdell's "The Complete Quarterback" as it contains some excellent materials for teaching and drilling pre-snap reads with your kids. I too enjoy your posts very much on the board.

Coach Ron Jenkin's QB Pre-snap reads link

Dave Hartman
CYFL Coach

Coach,

Stick's post is good for the basics. As a QB/Secondary coach, I know what QBs are taught to look for pre-snap. We will align our corners pre-snap with inside or outside leverage regardless of the coverage call. The corners choose for themselves and will weave to proper position at the snap. They often align in contradictory alignments. They are always eyes on the QB even if the coverage is man, (we read drop mechanics at the snap). We will also bail out of press alignment at the set. From there we have the ability to play combo coverages, overloaded zones and strongside or weakside rotations after the snap. Do we use all this every week? No, but we have it installed so that when we do play that one team with the one back double slot offense we can use it when we need to. We run a lot out of a Cover 2 shell and rotate to Cover 1/3 based on the flow of the play. Motion is a good way to pick up whether the coverage is man or zone. I would rather throw against a predominatly man coverage team because the multiple ways to run zones can really cause confusion in an inexperienced QB.

However, most teams we play are not this sophisticated. I teach what I learned from Coach Lansdell at a clinic. As the QB is coming to the line, QB checks 1. depth of corners, 2. location of safeties, 3. location of weakside flat coverage (hope I got that right Lyle). This should give the QB a clue as to the type of coverage that can be played from there. I think the pre-snap read is good for identifying the coverage possibilities, not the actual coverage. The QB must read on the run after the snap.

This is what we have been doing as of late:

PRE-SNAP COVERAGE READS

A) Scan the formation for uncovered receivers. If uncovered receivers – signal uncovered check.

B) Find the Weak Safety for PRE-SNAP read.

1. If the W/S is low – check other coverage keys for “Cover 0”.
2. If the W/S is high – check other coverage keys for “Cover 1” or “Cover 3”
3. If there are 2 safeties and they are both low – check other coverage keys for
“Cover 0”.
4. If there are 2 safeties and they are both high – check other coverage keys for
“Cover 2”, “Cover 2/Man”, or “Cover 4” (1/4’s).
5. If there are 2 safeties and they are staggered – check other coverage keys for
“Cover 1/Robber” or “Cover 3/Robber”.

NOTE: QB must be aware of the following actions from a well “disguised” secondary in the dropback passing game:

A) If there is 1 safety and he rolls down hard after the snap – HAVE A PLAN VS. PRESSURE!
B) If there are 2 safeties and both roll down hard after the snap – HAVE A PLAN VS. PRESSURE!
C) If the W/S or 2 safeties maintain their alignment after the snap – execute your progression reads with an awareness of where the weaknesses are in the coverage and which coverage defender we are attacking.