2 READ (Loose call with our base defense will loosen up the R and S as coverage

conscience defenders and get them of the LOS

!o get down to brass tac"s# the rules are relativel$ simple and outlined below%
Read Left vs 2&2
Read side Corner' (&) match deep vertical threat
Sam ' *&( force on run + pass read% open to ,at -swing deep-
Free Safety' alle$ .t on run + pass use /Robber rule/ ' vertical b$ 02 + no vertical b$
2# rob curl'to'post of 0(
Strong Backer 'match 02 ' 01
Weak Backer ' match 02 wea" vertical
Rover 'run force + pass curl',at -swing deep-
Away side Corner'deep (+2 (over post of 0(
Read Side 2ommunication
2orner is (&) in press bail shu3e with a man'clue of the 0( receiver4 2orners
alwa$s (&) unless 0( receiver is outside of numbers (never cross the numbers in 2
Read4 2orners alwa$s pla$ inside leverage# alwa$s protecting the post (because
$ou don5t "now if $ou5re going to get help from the 6S4 !he post'snap cushion is not
enforced# and in fact# we want receivers to brea" the defender5s cushion so he5ll
onl$ have to pla$ one side now4 7f there is onl$ one receiver split# the corner will
man'turn into the route4 7f there is more than one receiver split# he will 8one'turn
into the route4 9ecause this is a robber concept# the corners are taught to ma"e the
post a priorit$ and# if necessar$# align as much as : $ards inside the receiver to
protect the middle of the defense4 ;ith these rules# we essentiall$ invite ofenses to
run the post'corner because we feel we can ta"e ever$thing else awa$ and force
this di<cult throw4 !o get the most out of this coverage# a pattern'match
communication s$stem is utili8ed to hasten how the 1 "e$ defenders respond4 !he
corner will communicate pattern response to his area pla$ers (6S = Sam4 Of the
read side calls he will ma"e (and responses are%
CHINA
7f 0( is short+hitch the corner ma"es a >2hina? call4 !his ,ags man responsibilit$ for
the Sam4 !he Sam will run under (to 0( because the corner is sin"ing (on corner
route to match the .rst outside short threat (,at4 A short 0( with a detached 02
receiver t$picall$ is going to give $ou a >smash? (or 2hina concept# with 02
continuing to press vertical4 ;ith 0( shallow# the corner will declare >2hina? and
immediatel$ loo" to match 02 over the top (and outside4 !he >2hina? call also help
identi.es that there is no post threat from 0( and that 02 is the onl$ other possible
threat vertical# so the 6ree Safet$ will loo" to aggressivel$ @ump the route of 024

OUT
7f 0( receiver brea"s out under A $ds (he5s no longer vertical the corner will
continue to sin" and loo" to match 024 !he Bout5 call alerts the Sam to loo" to rob
0( underneath at (C $ards out4 Since the Sam is alwa$s aggressivel$ e&panding to
the ,at# he won5t be giving up much separation on 0(# so the throw (to 0( would
have to be shallow and near the sideline for a completion4
IN
7f the 0( receiver is not shallow (Bchina5 but brea"s inside at a depth greater than A
$ards (Bdig5 + Bcurl5 # the corner will communicate an >7D? call 4 !his alerts the Sam
that there is a threat coming inside over the top (of his drop4 !he Sam should loo"
to become an outside'in pla$er (he5s going to the ,at right now# because he5s got a
curl pla$er dropping ' the 6S4
Sam
!he (overhang Sam aligns * $ards deep on 02 (removed4 Eersus a standard tight
end or pro loo"# he would align 1 $ards deep and ) $ards widen (discouraging being
reached on perimeter action4 On EFOL high'hat pass read the target depth for his
drop will be A'(C $ards4 Ge is going to remain shallow on his drop with the intent to
e&pand to the ,at as Huic"l$ because the 6S will be dropping inside of him in the
curl (if that is what is threatened4
Don/t get hung up on semantics ' the Sam -swing(ing deep to 1- is essentiall$ the
standard /curl'to',at/ responsibilit$# but an emphasis on sta$ing shallow and man'
conscious4 !his methodolog$ helps the defender be less dogmatic and be an
aggressive matcher in coverage ( if a man runs through his 8one I he/s got him
vertical 4 !he rationale behind teaching it this wa$ is to encourage the safet$ to
open up and get to the ,at (with no landmar"s4
Free Safety
!he alignment of the free safet$ will be A'(C $ards deep over the guard4 !his allows
him to gain a clear read on an uncovered linemen and an Huic" response path to the
inside vertical threat of 024
Once the ofense brea"s the huddle# the free safet$ will identif$ the bac"s#
determine the read side and communicate to the other defensive bac"s# >chec" 2 I
read right? (coverage and what side is being matched4 !he response of the free
safet$ is @ust li"e robber# with the 02 receiver as his pass "e$%
02 goes vertical# he matches all of 02 inside leverage4
02 does an$thing but vertical# he robs the curl+post of 0(4
!his vertical'clue will handle all routes deeper than A $ards4 7f 02 is out (and under
A $ards# the free safet$ is communicating >;GEEL? to the corner (see the curl',at
combo illustrated above4 !his is essentiall$ telling the corner# >$ou have an outside
route b$ 02 ' so $ou have curl'post help (from 6S?4 !his wor"s even if 02 isn5t
going to wheel that out route# but it lets the corner "now he can now bac" of of 0(
because of the help available4
;hen 02 is no longer vertical (out + out'up# the free safet$ then reads the hips of
the 0( receiver4 7f 0( sin"s his hips (for a brea" the free safet$ will drive at the
receiver5s brea" and step in front of him (interception point4
7f the 0( receiver doesn5t sin" his hips# the free safet$ immediatel$ turns into the
middle of the .eld (awa$ from the receiver to rob the post4
Inside ine!ackers
!he$ never have to displace the J in the bo&4 !he stac"ed (inside bac"ers would
alwa$s match 2'to'1 regardless of formation with the other (awa$ from .nal 1
being the rat in the hole4 So if $ou5re a :'2# its all relative if $ou pla$ this with a 1'1K
the numbers are the same4 !hese pla$ers don/t have to be an$where fast# in fact#
the slower the$ are at reacting the better# because the$ should be thin"ing draw or
screen (of pass'action initiall$4
6or read side linebac"er# once pass shows he is to middle drop vertical to .nd+match
the .nal 1 receiver4 !his pla$er is loo"ing to defend his run gap .rst# then ta"e awa$
the hot (throw4 9$ slow'pla$ing pass action# he alwa$s tries to ma"e 01 go over the
top of him# and from there it @ust becomes a -man'to'man- 8one as in bas"etball
(bo&ing out 01 deep4
6or the awa$ side linebac"er# it is essentiall$ the same as the read side linebac"er#
with the e&ception of matching 02 (awa$ verticall$4 !$picall$# this pla$er is the
(wider bubble bac"er and against an$ ('bac" loo"# !2L will be slanting the
defensive line4 !his linebac"er must replace the former middle'of'the'.eld safet$ in
the hole4 Rather than a Brobot5 reaction awa$ from the B.nal 15 pla$er# he would gain
depth verticall$ on 024 7f 02 pressed verticall$ after A $ards# the awa$ side
linebac"er would have to carr$ him man'to'man regardless if he ma"es a brea"
deep in his route4 7t isn5t prett$# but that is the answer for ( bac" routes4
Rover
On pass read# this pla$er will pla$ li"e a standard curl'to',at pla$er in cover 14 Ge
has no immediate curl help and will wor" in tandem with the corner4 Ge does not
carr$ 02 deeper than A $ards and does not reroute4 Ge should never cross the hash
when responding to an inside route# as the awa$ side linebac"er will be wor"ing to
that area4
MMES4 1&( there are two diferent adaptations to ma"e and "eep the 2 Read
coverage%
SO"O
Read side#
2orner% All of ( vertical+Swing deep of 2
6S% All of 2 verticalK 2 not vertical and in# rob curl to post of (# 2 not vertical and out#
man (4
S% 2url+6lat+Swing deep of 14
L9% Strong hoo"# short wall 14
Away side%
2orner% Fan 0(4
R% Deep (+2# all of 1 vertical4
L9% Fan 02
S$%CIA"
Read side#
2orner% Fan 0(4
6S% All of 1 verticalK 1 not vertical and in# rob curl to post of 2K 1 not vertical and out#
man 24
S% All of 2 vertical# swing deep of 14
L9% Strong hoo"# all of : vertical4
Away side% is base or can do some diferent combos
2over 1'Dot the old countr$ cover 1N Alignment same as 2 read with a loose call in
our base4
R&es# '('
6S% 7s trul$ free
2orner% has all of 0( unless he goes inside
R = S% has all of 02 unless he goes inside
7L9% has match of R9 to their side4
R&es# )(* +,a!e- ca
2orner% !ight 8one# all of 0( unless crosser# sH8 and loo" to help4
!o trips% Simpl$ pla$s old 2'to'( read 2over 1 because he has to match the (st
vertical threat4
R or S% bac"er to the single split side4
9ac" ,ow !O I match it (@ump the ,are 9ac" ,ow A;AO I push to get under 0(
!o trips% Loo"ing to @ump the .rst underneath receiver4 Relate to 0( receiver after
distribution
02 outside I @ump it# 02 inside (7L9 has it bu88 underneath
P or F I awa$ from trips (.nal 1 pla$er Related to 01 receiver after distribution
01 is inside ' RO9O!# depth and @ump underneath inside brea"ing route 01 is
outside ' push the hoo" curl 8one
!o trips% Relate to 02 receiver after distribution4 01 inside (other 7L9 has him depth
and @ump 02 01 outside carr$ inside'underneath