Disguising Coverage

Being an offensive coordinator I'd like to talk about a topic that will help those on the defensive side of the ball. I consider our team to be an efficient passing team. Last year we threw for 27 TD's to only 6 Interceptions. Four of the six interceptions came off of coverage that was disguised pre-snap that our QB mis-read.


To me teams that either line up and play 1 or 2 coverages (Cover 3 and 1, you know who you are) or those teams that show coverage early are virtually no threat to our passing game. I feel like it is easy to get our QB's ready to face these kinds of teams. However teams that play multiple coverages, have the ability to show one and play the other, or give a universal look pre-snap and move out of it late cause me a lot of headaches.


This leads me to the two ways you can easily disguise in the secondary:

1. Start in a universal look –
   For us we base out of 3-3-5 Personnel we show 5 across the board at 10 yards deep pre-snap always. For those of you that play with a base personnel grouping (4-3, 3-4,etc) show 4 across the board and roll out of it. Our secondary knows when we want them to move out of their universal look based on a "key" we get off of film study.

         You should be looking for these tips as your movement keys:

1. QB in shotgun lifting his knee, flashing his hands, or clapping
2. Under Center QB puts hands under center
3. Shotgun Center Lifts head from between legs (This is usually a good one)
4. The start of motion (have done this against Wing-T teams, depends on coverage being played behind)
   
   
   *Note: As an offensive coach the best ways to take advantage of a good disguising team that is using one of these keys are:
   
   
   
   1. Quick Count – Catch them misaligned
   2. Dummy, Bluff, Freeze – Whatever you call it, flash your hands (give them their key) then look. If you are an under center team get under center early (let them show their hand) then pop out (hold the pen last).

 

1. The Second way to disguise pre-snap is to double call your coverage –
   Our defense will double call the coverage at times. For example the call may be "Under Pirate Show 3 Play 9". This means we are going to show cover 3 (an 8 man front) and based on our "Key" we will move into a 2 shell and play cover 9 (Tampa 2). This way allows you to show 8/9 man fronts and roll into your 2 high coverages, where as the universal way only allows you to show 2 high and drop into 8 man fronts. To me the two ways complement each other.
   
   
   Additional Note:

• Now let me make it clear I am not advocating disguising coverage every snap. Like anything else there is a time and a place for it. If its 3^rd and 3 get you're a@@ in an 8 man front right now and play defense. However on normal down and distance (1^st & 10, 2^nd & 6 or Less), and long yardage I think disguising your coverage will help you.
• I also believe showing a universal 2 high shell is a great tool for zone blitzing teams. This allows you to roll your strong safety down and either send him, or replace him as the 2 seam player or even middle hook player, while your Free Safety rolls back to the deep middle from depth to begin with.
• Since we are a 3-3-5 team we give our Linebackers the autonomy to "prowl" on any down. This means they are free to move where ever they would like pre-snap as long as they can get to where they need to get to, and never cross the heels of the D-line. This adds to the look of "Chaos" we are trying to present to the offense. Again this prowling has a time and a place that you must teach your linebackers.