Reading Quarterback 3 5 Step Drop Cover-3

At present we commencement into a serial of pattern recognition examples, to show yous how the coverages are supposed to work.  In the instance diagrams I've created below, I'm bold the coverage is a basic Cover 3, no potent or weakside rotation in the coverages. The assignments for a item thespian in the coverage can change simply I've picked the usual CB-FS-CB for the 3 deep zones all separated into 1/3s. Embrace 3 is ameliorate confronting any odd receiver sets (2x1, 3x1, 3x2) and the balanced alignment gives good interior run support. It gives your defense force the benefits of Encompass i , run force inside, without the gamble of private matchups in man-coverage.

I've made the assignment of a standard iv-3 defence, and that the SS and WLB take the flats, while the MLB and SLB take the intermediate hook/curl zones, but this really does non brand a divergence. It is the player'southward own technique and assignment that matters. Information technology as well doesn't matter if its Nickel or Dime coverage, the position taken by a LB/SS would be the same as the extra defensive back. As such, his technique only depends on the assignment given for the coverage called on the sideline.

Coverage Zones

Flat - Stays inside the alignment of #1 receiver to that side only stays outside everyone else, so any receiver that comes toward the sideline must not get wider than the flat defender is playing. Every bit we defined before, it ways he can't let anyone cantankerous his confront without breaking on the route. His aiming indicate in his drop is ten yards deep in the seam and anyone that comes nearby should be rerouted past forcefulness. The man playing the flat or curl/apartment surface area is by and large the guy with the toughest consignment because of the amount of yards he must embrace.

Claw/Curl - Original drop inside the #ii/three receiver, and must never allow someone get upward the seam undefended. Based on the release of the #ii receiver, he stays on the inside edge of the numbers. If he's on a TE, he must go his hand on him. Exactly what he does to him depends on whether the TE starts outside or inside from the LOS. If he goes exterior, the defender drops 10 yards and immediately looks for a Smash pattern.

Deep Coverage - Corners take anyone man/man who goes deeper than 12 yards from the LOS, while the middle coverage defender (FS/SS) watches the seams to either side.

Our article on pass concepts shows the several concepts we've defined so far, that are used in the diagrams here, and the commodity on terminology and communication is necessary to understand some of the terms I'm using.

From Saban's Defensive Playbook, the bones Cover 3 Matchup Zone:

By the diagram you tin can run into Saban calls them Weak/Strong Hook zones, and Curl/Flat for the outer zones. Its just terminology. In his Cover 3, the Strongside Corner plays the whorl-flat if he calls for a jam on #1 (bump), and in that case the SS takes the deep 1/3.

Remember when we count receivers, we count from the outside-in i-2-three on each side. This is done pre-snap, and defenders align off of that. Merely, once the play starts a defender actually is assigned 1-2-three postal service-snap. By that I hateful if the Ten or Z receiver (who will exist #1 pre-snap) breaks inside while the slot guy breaks outside, and so the slot guy becomes the terminal #ane and Ten/Z becomes the terminal #2.

BrophyFootball goes into design recognition by deep coverage by reading the number of drop steps past the QB and the direction his shoulders are aimed in this video (not his optics). Design reading is the technique by which defenders are taught to 'guess' the breaks of their assigned receivers based on what they encounter other receivers doing. If someone goes deep, await another short, or vice versa. In this video y'all'll see what the FS or deep coverage defenders are taught to read, then they can break quicker on the ball.

Pattern #ane

Weakside:

Flat defender takes his initial 45-degree drop here, staying under the #1 receiver. Remember he's trying to brand the QB throw over him and defending the #ane with his trunk, while keeping an eye on the FB breaking out.  As soon equally the FB crosses his face, he breaks on the flats.

CB drops into his zone intially, watching #1 and #2 to his side upwards the seam. If theres no threat deep, he jumps the curl route.

The H/C defender (MLB beneath) takes his 45-degree drop, and having seen no threat, keeps going back to the curl route. As you lot can encounter the #ane receiver has 3 guys to deal with in this pattern.

Strongside:

H/C defender sees the #2 going up the seam and stays inside both him and the #iii, and takes the TE homo/man. Had the TE broken outside, the H/C defender would be on the RB (i.eastward., he takes the last #3, after the play has developed).

Flat defender begins his drop, staying within the #i (Z) to his side, then when the RB crosses his confront or too threatens the seam, he must take him man/man. Based on the inside break of the TE, he should await the RB to intermission outside and stay in the flat area as a release valve. He must always keep outside leverage (pregnant he comes from outside/sideline-in).

Strongside corner maintains outside leverage and takes his drop initially, just then pressures the post route and sticks him man/homo. The middle prophylactic watches both seams first, and after those are clear he works to the post road.

Design #2

Strongside: I'll define it equally the Y-Z-RB side.

Flat defender (SS) drives to the #1 receiver who runs a hitch in the flat.  The H/C defender starts dropping to cover the #2 up the seam, just once he's gone (and he is watching #i, so he expects #two to go deeper) he jumps on #3 underneath.

The corner to this side watches #i and #2, and once he sees #i end his route, he immediately should suspect #two to come deep and that he must pick him upwards.

Weakside:

Apartment defender works to the flat zone and picks up #1, while the H/C defender (MLB) stays inside the #2 during his drop. In one case the weakside Corner sees no threat deep or the seam, he works to the ball.

The free safe drops and reads the QB, protecting the seams to either side.

Pattern #3

Strongside:

Flat defender drops to the apartment zone and picks up the RB when he crosses his face. The H/C defender starts his drop up the seam just then takes the beginning receiver that breaks inside, and tries to wall him off. The deep corner takes the deepest threat, which in this case is the TE on a flag route.

Weakside:

Apartment defender starts his drop underneath the #1 receiver who is running a Dig route, and keeps inside leverage on him. Once he sees someone cross his confront he jumps him in the flat (#ii).

The H/C defender (MLB) runs with the #1 receiver on the Dig, call back he'southward supposed to comprehend whatever within breaker into his zone. If the Z couldn't exist walled off and breaks underneath, he must keep him in front of him, and endeavour to stay under that Dig route.

The Corner closes on the most dangerous threat he sees, while the FS is reading the QB and breaks on any throw.

Pattern #iv

This is a Flow pattern, then they are overloading the stiff side.

Strongside:

Flat defender takes the RB that goes furthest outside into the flats, the final #i.

The SLB (H/C) knows that the coverage has shifted behind him to his side, because he recognizes Period, then there are now 2 defenders immediately behind him. The coverage is not 1/iii-1/three-ane/3 whatever longer, its more than 1/iv-1/4-1/2. The Corner and Safety now take 1/4ths and the behind CB has 1/2 the field. SAM'due south assignment is the final #ii, and so the SS takes the final #1 outside (the A above) and SAM takes the 2nd (the RB above, who blocks initially).

The corner to this side drops and waits for whatsoever deep threat or looks for a crosser. If the receiver in the apartment breaks deep, its his responsibility.

Weakside:

H/C defender knows that since the coverage shifted, he has merely one deep helper. He'll cover the next inside breaking receiver (the TE) human/man. The flat defender sees no threat immediately, and takes his drop until he recognizes the terminal crosser underneath.

Weakside corner covers the post route man/man. The safety must always respect the post road, and will pick that upwardly.

Design #5

This is also a Flow pattern.

Strongside:

Flat defender stacks and slides with the (initial #i) Z receiver until he sees the RB come out and crosses his face, and so he takes the Back (terminal #1).

Since this is menses, again the H/C defender on the strongside knows he has 2 deep helpers, and so he lets the first ii receivers get by (A, Y) and works towards the concluding #2 (the Z).

The Corner takes his ane/3 drop, then closes over the heart on the deeper crosser (Y) who is the intended receiver on this play in most cases.

Weakside:

On the weakside, the H/C defender only lets the outset get by (A), gets depth, then picks up his man (the TE, final #3).

The WLB covering the flats takes his initial drib to force the QB to throw to X over his head, but recognizing flow alignment initially, expects a crosser. He must have the offset one to come his way and works from depth.

Both the safety and weak corner take to respect the post road.

Blueprint #6

Notice the difference hither is the RB road.

Strongside:

The only flat threat is the Z, so the SS takes him. The H/C covers either #ii or #three, using the leading/abaft rules and then in that location must be communication betwixt the two middle underneath defenders here. The way I've fatigued it, he walls off #2 and and then drops to #3, simply he could just drop to #3 upwards the seam. If the TE released exterior that would ordinarily be the correct play.

The corner works on the Post route past the TE.

Weakside:

H/C linebacker takes whomever his teammate didnt accept, whomever is open of the within breakers. Neither of them can be wrong and must communicate.

Flat defender drops initially then sees the dorsum, and takes him man/human, while the weak Corner takes his receiver man/homo.

The FS drops and looks for whatever threat to the middle of the field.

Pattern #vii

A Verticals pattern.

Strongside:

Flat defender takes an outside drop and stays on the exterior hip of #2 (A) up the seam (I've drawn information technology incorrectly). The LB takes the inside hip of #iii and gets his depth up the seam. The Corner must get a drop between #1 and #ii and then react to the brawl or the deepest threat if he passes him.

The FS is alert to the Trips formation (3 rec to strongside) and expects the throw to the strong side.

Weakside:

Flat defender (WLB) takes the outside hip of the support the seam, while the CB takes #1 man/human all the way.

The reason why the CB takes the inside hip is that he can employ the boundary as assistance: just push em out of bounds.

Pattern #8

Another flow pattern, just this time the popular postal service-dig combination.

Strongside:

Flat defender sticks to the second human being through his zone, the "A" in this example. He doesnt pay whatever attention to the RB when he comes out. The H/C Sam LB is stacked first, then watches for the checkdown condom valve pass to the RB.

The corner sticks the exterior hip of the receiver running the mail, meaning he is the outside help and the FS is the inside assist. Only when your CB is very adept man/human exercise you change the assignment of the FS to take the Dig route instead.

Weakside:

H/C LB passes off the 1st crosser (Y) to the flat defender, recognizing he is free to embrace him because of the initial flow of the backs. The LB then drives hard to become underneath that Dig route. Notice here that initially either side tin can exist the Dig or the Mail, both break around 15 yards here, so he must go depth and see the pattern earlier he commits and drives hard. This is the tricky part to this coverage.

The weak corner stays backside the Dig route, and in some cases could replace the FS as inside assistance on the postal service (significant the FS drops downwards to the Dig route).

Now for clips of Alabama and LSU (Saban) running Cover 3.

[h/t to brophy for the videos]

woodbyfaccur1986.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2010/4/20/1419918/defensive-back-techniques-cover-3

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