Pre-Snap Coverage Read

Part 1: Introduction –

                Having the ability to identify and react to varying coverage and fronts is critical to offensive success. Especially in a Pro Style offense like the one we employ. We must have the ability to determine coverage pre snap and confirm post snap in order to make correct sight adjustments in routes, understanding who we are stretching in the passing game, and so our Quarterback knows where he is initially starting his progression and what routes have the best chance of getting open.

                We also have to make proper coverage and front identifications pre-snap in order to put ourselves in a good running play or take us out of a bad one.  We believe this is done most effectively by the Quarterback at the line of scrimmage.

In order to further understand the importance of pre-snap reads by the Quarterback especially we must discuss the two types of reads that exist in our offense.

1.       Movement Key – A movement key is run when we have a packaged route combination called in which we have only 2 routes to a side and a check down operating in the middle of the field  or the flat. Movement keys involve reading one defensive player and his reaction to the route distribution while being cognizant of a “Danger” defender (the next defender inside the movement defender). This kind of read is best described as playing monkey in the middle.

A.      Within the movement key family of reads we have three passing concepts

I.                    Vertical Stretches – Putting One Defender On Top, and Below A Movement Key Defender (I.E. 62 Smash, Level, Etc).

II.                  Horizontal Stretches – Putting One Defender On Either Side Of A Movement Key Defender (I.E. 61 Choice, 63 Dagger, 69 All GO).

III.                Flood – Putting 3 Defenders in 2 zones still reading a Movement key

2.       R4 Progressions – R4 Progressions are used in our full field read concepts (Mesh, 4 Verts, Smash, Etc), along with tagged routes in our base package. Our R4 progressions still involve the three passing concepts as mentioned before but are instead taught to be read in a progression rather than a movement key read.

R4 ties the QB’s eyes and feet together into a drop back progression

1.       Rhythm – Single Breaking routes breaking at depth of 7-10 yards, thrown off the last step in the QB’s drop

2.       Read – Longer developing route thrown off QB’s first Gather Step

3.       Rush – Quick breaking routes that break open if the read route is covered, thrown off QB’s second gather step or last step Vs. pressure

4.       Release – When the Rhythm, Read, and Rush Routes are all covered the QB must release from the concept and look to either check the football down, or tuck it and run.

Part 2: Coverage’s

We talk about 3 classifications of coverage’s, and multiple coverage’s within each classification.

The three classifications we use are:

1.       No Deep – No deep defender beyond 10 yards

2.       Closed Middle – Single High Coverage with Safety Aligned in the middle of the formation

3.       Middle Open – Two High Defenders at or beyond 10 yards.

In order to determine the coverage we first look to classify the defense by identifying safeties. Once we identify the safeties we narrow down the possibilities of the coverage by evaluating the depth eyes and leverage or the corners (explained later). By piecing these two keys together we can narrow down the possibilities of coverage pre-snap. Post snap we confirm our coverage by “peeking” at the rotation of the safeties.

Types Of Coverage:

No Deep:

Cover 0

Middle Closed:

-          Cover 1: Man – With 1 Deep Safety

-          Cover 3: 3 Deep, 4 Under Zone Coverage

-          Cover 6: 3 Under, 3 Deep Zone Coverage

Middle Open:

-          Cover 2: 5 Under, 2 Deep Zone Coverage

-          Cover 4: 3 Under, 4 Deep Zone Coverage  

-          Cover 7: Inverted Cover 2

-          Cover 10: ¼, ¼, 1/2

-          2 Deep Man Under: Man Under With Two Deep Safeties

Part 3: Evaluating Corner Technique-

                After determining the classification of the coverage through the number of deep safeties we now must piece together what coverage we are actually facing by evaluating the technique of the corners. It is important that we check out both corners technique in order to identify if we are facing some sort of combination coverage (I.E. Cover 10). We determine what technique the corner is by evaluating his depth, eyes, and leverage.

A.      Evaluating The Corners Depth – The Depth of A Corner Is Critical because certain defensive coverages require certain depths of their corners (EX. A defense would not play cover 2 with an off corner because they can’t reroute the #1).

We Say There are 3 Types of Corners:

1.       Off Corner –

·         7-8 Yards Off #1 Receiver

2.       Squat Corner –

·         5 – 7 Yards Off #1 Receiver

3.       Press Corner –

·         0 – 2 ½ Yards Off #1 Receiver

B.      Evaluate The Eyes Of The Corner – Evaluating the eyes of a defender is critical to the QB and Receiver. Defenses can play quarters, cover 1, and Cover 3 all with off corners, however their eyes will tell you if they are in man or zone which now will tell you what coverage it is.

1.       Eyes In Back Field –

·         Zone Coverage – Corner Is Keying QB

2.       Eyes On #1 –

·         Man Coverage

C.      Evaluate Leverage Of Corner – The leverage of the corner will be your final clue as to what coverage he is playing. The leverage is important because it will tell you where the DB’s help is coming from which in turn will help narrow down coverage possibilities.

1.       Inside Leverage –

·         Corner Is Aligned on #1 Receiver’s Inside #.

·         Typically means the Corner does not have inside help (Cover 0/Cover 4)

2.       Outside Leverage –

·         Corner Is Aligned On #1 Receivers Outside #.

·         Typically means the corner does have inside help (Cover 1, 2, 3)

D.      Putting It  Together:

1.       You are facing a middle closed defense, you come to evaluate the corner..

A.      He is in an off alignment

B.      His Eyes are turned into the backfield

C.      He Has Outside leverage

It is safe to say that you are facing Cover 3