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Football Plays
All plays presented by Coach Shannon Brooks
Shannon Brooks coached youth football in the state of Florida for 14 years, winning multiple conference and national championships. Coach Brooks also coached at the high school level as a head coach, offensive coordinator, QB coach, linebacker's coach, and WR's coach. Coach Brooks was most recently (since resigned) the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, FL, and is also the National Director of Sales for BRAX Fundraising.
Contact Coach Brooks with any questions you might have.
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ARROW (fade)
Simple enough play for youth teams and high school team alike. A very quick pre-snap read, then fire the ball either upfield, or to the sideline. Pass blocking is almost irrelevant due to the speed in which the pass is thrown. We teach what is called a “rocker step“, which is essentially a one step drop. Put your best athlete to the sideline, and let him make a play.
QB READ: The QB uses a pre-snap read in order to identify which side he will work based on either match-up, field width, or safety width. Which ever side he chooses, his first read is the safety to that side. Unless the safety widens very quickly, the QB ALWAYS hits the fade to that side, with a throw that is aimed to the sideline shoulder, away from both the CB and S. If the safety opens immediately and recklessly for width to the FADE, the QB finds the out route. The QB must pop the ball into the hole left by a Cover 2, and air the ball up the field vs. a Cover 3.
TOSS POWER
This play is your average G-Power play that you see from so many I teams, but with a twist. It's a combination of the double wing super power, so popular with wing enthusiasts, and the mainstay of the I G-Power teams. If you have trouble pulling both your G and T in the double wing super power, but you still want that off-tackle explosiveness of a toss, this is the play for you. I used to run this play out of a wing formation by motioning the wing back to receive the toss, then changed to this formation to save the trouble of teaching proper motion technique to 10 year olds. Also, what seperates this play, is we had our QB lead block after he tossed the ball to the RB. The QB essentially takes the place of the T pulling in the double wing playbook, and gives you the extra blocker through the hole.
OFFENSIVE LINE: The playside has downblocking rules, and they leave the end man on the line of scrimmage unblocked. This goes for the TE, OT, and G. Please review the Counter Read play in our archive for our downblocking rules. The FB has the kickout block on the end, and both the QB and G pull up through the hole looking for pressure inside first. Since the 5-3 is so popular in youth football, the only person really left to make the tackle is either the CB or S, which you hope your QB can get in front of. The backside OT must scoop block any DT in the B gap, or a 3 technique.
COACHING POINTS: The QB must reverse pivot and toss the ball in one motion, allowing him enough time to turn toward the hole and begin looking to block. The QB steps are essential to this play working. If he cannot toss the ball and reverse pivot all in one motion, you will have difficulty running this play with the proper timing and effectiveness. If you are worried about the playside CB making too many tackles, you can put your SE on the same side as the formation, and cover your TE. This will pull the CB out of the box, and allow you to run this play even better, especially if you play against teams who do not shift to what is essentially an unbalanced look. You cannot throw to your covered TE, but who cares if you are netting 8-10 yards per carry running out of the formation.
Spread Counter Read
COUNTER READ
Sticking with the spread offense theme, this is another staple of the newest shotgun craze. The RB will take a counter step opposite the hole, then follow the pulling OT to daylight. Teach the RB to have patience, and wait for the OT to kick out the end man on the line of scrimmage. Teach your RB to stay on the backside of the OT. If the playside defensive end crashes, then have your pulling OT log block him down in the line, and your RB should then bounce outside. The rest of the offensive line has down blocking rules. Different coaches call their downblcoking rules different names (ie. gap-down-backer). We teach our offensive lineman to block head up-gap-release. Simply, if there is a defensive lineman head up on you, you block him. If not, look to your down gap, if still no defensive lineman, then release to backer. Against blitzing teams, you will have to teach your offensive lineman to seal down, no matter where the defensive line sets up.
QB READ: Like the Zone Read, the QB must make the end respect the keep everytime you run this play. If the end crashes down with the OT pull, then the QB keeps the ball around the outside. If the end stays at home, then give to your RB and let him make the play. Simple as that! Just like the Zone Read, if your QB does not follow out his fake, even when he gives the ball, then this play will have little success. The QB must be disciplined enough sell the play everytime, not just go through the motions.
Spread Speed Option
I have received a few notes asking "Coach, where in the world are all of your spread plays?". You ask and you shall receive.
Here is a very simple option play. No faking involved, just get to the edge and your QB has one read, the DE. Your onside RB fills in the A gap and climbs to MLB. Your backside RB needs to get the edge with your QB, and because you are deep in the backfield, you dont really have to worry about staying behind the QB...if the QB pitches latera, behind, or even forward, you are behind the LOS so you are still golden.
Put 3 athletes in the backfield and watch the opposing coaches squirm!
T - Trap Load Option
This play may be a bit more difficult for the younger age groups, but as you start getting into middle school age kids, you should be good to go. This is a great play to add, especially if you have an athletic QB that you must gameplan runs for.
Have your QB reverse out just as he would for the sweep, lead belly, and trap play. The key to misdirection is having everything look the same. Faking to the trap RB is not as important as having a clean mesh point. The action takes care of the fake for you, so no need for an unnecessary fumble by having the QB put the ball in his belly and taking it back out.
The onside G follows through with his trap of the backside DT, and the onside OT and TE block down on the DT and OLB respectively. This leaves your option player as the DE. After the QB reverses out, he must attack the inside of the DE. The more he bellies out and the more he stretches the play outside, the defense will win. He should be thinking to get upfield as an off-tackle play. The FB gets outside in a hurry looking for either the CB or any edge defender.
The QB reads the DE. If he squeezes or freezes, then the QB pitches the ball. If he stretches, then the QB keeps.
Repitition is key!
As always, have fun and make it your own!
T - Middle Trap
So you have beaten the team up getting to the edge, and now the LB's are turning their hips on the snap to get to the sideline. Now is the time to use their over-aggressiveness to your advantage.
Have your QB reverse out with the RB's performing sweep action to the outside. As your QB continues his reverse out, the mesh with RB is inside on the LOS side. You can trap a couple different players depending on the defense you are facing, but if you are going up against a 5 front, I loved to trap the 3 technique (B gap) defender. In youth football, you might see more 6 fronts, and you can trap all the way out to the DE. Trap the player your G can get to. If getting the 3 technique DT is too fast, have him trap the DE. Dont force it just to trap inside.
As always, have fun and make it your own!
T - LEAD BELLY
I have been asked how you can get the FB involved in the T-Formation. I think most coaches are able to figure out how to incorporate the basic dive play, and even the wedge used extensively in the double wing (if not, please ask). So another play we incorporated was the FB Belly, used in many option offenses (flex bone, triple option, wing, etc...). In the T, we used our RB to help lead on the belly, much like wing teams use their wing back.We will not block the DE, rather hold him by the QB and back TB following through with their option fakes. The frontside G&T double team the 3 technique DT, and the TE releases to the 2nd level, blocking either a sinking SS or an outside LB. Make sure your QB reverses out, and the FB must lateral step before he follows his lead blocker. If the FB goes directly to the hole, the timing and mesh point will be compromised.
Have fun!
T-SWEEP
Staying in the T-Formation, we want to get outside. Here is a play that is fairly self explanatory, and can be used in different fashions. I like to downblock with my onside T and TE and using my first RB to log the DE. If you are having a hard time getting to the DE with your RB, you can have your TE log the end and let your first lead back get outside.
Another wrinkle is having your frontside G pull and get outside, and having your FB fill in his vacancy. The action of having your FB fill the A gap will freeze the LB's reads if they are taugh to read FB first, and give your TB a chance to outflank the LB's. You can also have your FB lead outside and leave your G at home, but I like to offer varying looks to the defense.
Teach your QB to reverse out and follow through with his bootleg, which of course leads to a playaction pass down the road. Teach your TB to run to the backside of the outside log block. If the TE or FB is able to kick out the DE, then the TB must get upfield...if the TE or FB is able to log the DE, then have your TB run to the sidelines.
Stay tuned for next week's next play from this series.
T-CROSS SWEEP
In staying with the T-FORMATION, here is another great play, especially for younger age groups. Your QB reverses out and fakes a handoff to the HB who is following the FB off tackle. The FB's job is to replace the backside GUARD who is pulling opposite the backfield action. Teach your FB to aim for the outside foot of the G so he doesnt run into him as the G is pulling. Your other HB can do one of two things: 1) Counter step 2) Pause and wait. This is really a coaching preference, as long as the HB waits for the other 2 backs to clear, you can pick what you want him to do.
The HB with the ball follows the pulling G outside. You can also turn this into a counter trap, or a counter power, depending on your line's skill level. The younger the kids, the harder it is to teach them to leave a certain defensive lineman alone for a target trap. Your QB continues his playation opposite the handoff with a full boot.
Stay tuned for next week's next play from this series.
T-POWER O
Over the next several weeks, I am going to illustrate a series of plays from the T-Formation. This is a great formation to use at younger age groups, but I have even seen this run at several Div. II & Div. III colleges. The T-Formation is very old, and it combines the power capabilities of the wishbone, along with the misdirection of the wing-t. You can run power, option, veer, zone, or whatever else you can stew up in the kitchen.
The below play is basic power football, with a slight misdirection where the FB dives opposite. If your kids are capable, pull your backside G to create an even greater mismatch at the point of attack. The QB reverse pivots out, and then bootlegs opposite, where there is a playaction pass. The lead RB kicks out the DE, while the TE blocks down on either a wide DT, or the OLB. If you decide to pull your backside G, then have your FB aim at the outside foot of your G so he doesnt run into him, and by faking the dive, you are also filling for your vacant G position.
If you play your RB's close enough to the LOS, then you dont need to have your QB worry so much about faking, his reverse pivot and the RB action will take care of all fakes.
Stay tuned for next week's next play from this series.
The QB reverse pivots, and you can either have him fake to both RB's, or one, or neither. The RB action alone should hold the LB's, or at least freeze them. This allows your TE and FL to run their crossing routes. Teach them to run to space, with the TE looking to get depth at about 5-6 yards, and your FL at 12-15 yards.
The above play has a block/route option for one of the backs. If there is pressure, stay and block, otherwise he can release to the flats. The QB gets good depth after the run-action, and semi-rolls out of the pocket.
Wing-T Bucksweep
Before I became the avid spread geek that I am, I grew up playing and coaching the wing-t, and many variations of it. This is probably why I am such a fan of the spread offense, because if its roots in the old single wing offense.
The bucksweep is a staple of any wing-t offense. As with most plays, you can alter your formations as you see fit. Go with a double TE set, or no TE's, or even only one wing, and flex the other. Make the formation work for your pool of players.
Couple key points. We would motion on wing when running this play, but if you have problems with the timing of the motion, then keep him still, and you will be fine. If you do motion the player, his aiming point should be the backside of the FB. If the motion wing gets too much depth, his mesh point with the QB will be thrown off and incorrect.
Downblock on the playside of the call, leaving the outside defender unblocked. You can have variations of this rule as well. If the DE is inside your TE or your WB, then you can have him crashed, and have your pulling guards get outside. This is your call as a coach on how you want to see it work. For younger teams, you can even just pull the backside guard only, and not worry about teaching a double pull.
The basics are illustrated above, but adjust and improvise with your kids. You know what they can do and what they cant do. This is a great play, especially if you have a good FB, with whom you need to set up this play.
PASSING TREE
The above is an illustration of an old fashion passing tree. This is one of the tree's I used for an offense many years ago, and have since implemented more passing routes into my everyday offense. These include: wheels, whip outs, deep comebacks, option routes, and drag routes.
You do not need to number your routes to use these, and can obviously use name tags for your players. However, these are some of the most basic routes used all the way up to the NFL level.
FAKE TOSS - HITCH SCREEN
The above play is shown in a bunch formation, but can be used from a variety of formations, including wing-t, I-formation, pro-set, and whatever else you currently run.
We teach our QB to reverse out on all toss plays, and we tell him to do the same here. The QB reverses out and truly sells the pitch going to the TB. The TB needs to also sell the pitch, and burst to the outside, hopefully freezing and sometimes even fooling the LBs.
After the fake toss, the WR is running a quick 3 step route, then comes back behind the line-of-scrimmage. He must get back behind the line-of-scrimmage due to the lineman releasing downfield. Otherwise, you will get called for illegal man downfield. After your WR gets behind the LOS, he starts angling toward the pulling lineman, and gets behind their blocking wall. After the first couple of kick-out blocks, he needs to start heading upfield.
Great safe passing play for all age groups, and allows even the most committed running teams to get the ball to their athletic WR, and not worry too much about an incomplete pass or drive killing interception.
SHOTGUN FORMATIONS
As one might notice by now, I am a tremendous fan of the spread offense. I love its versatility for all ages, and I truly love its ability to improvise and change things on the fly.
This week, I have provided some of the key formations I had good amounts of success with. We obviously had plenty more than 8 formations, but these formations are we we started from.
For you youth coaches, by changing to some of these formations during the game, it allows you to get more players in the game. Use an extra TE for one formation, and extra WR or two for another formation. Use 2 or 3 RBs...its all up to you!
Use these with any kid you want, and put them in the best position to impact your team.
QUARTERBACK TRAP
Back to the spread already! No matter what level of play, youth, high school, and even college, the athletic QB has been a main ingredient to so many successful teams. In youth football, the teams best athlete is almost always asked to play QB. However, so many teams dont always use their supposed best athlete as part of their offensive attack...and the biggest question I have....IS WHY NOT?
If you are putting you best athlete at QB, then let him take over games for you with the ball in his hands. The QB trap is one of the plays I used at least 5-6 times per game, if not more. You can run it from multiple formations, and against multiple defensive fronts. The key to this play is telling your QB to hug the pulling guards pull, and attack straight down field. He needs to trust the blocks are going to come. Start by selling the fake to the TB, then north and south!
Have fun, and watch your best athlete take over games!
DASH SPRINT PASS
This is an old staple of the West Coast Offense. You can run this from a variety of formations, but I used a basic 2-back set to illustrate the play.
Your TE runs a takeoff route, and is basically clearing out the zone for the other receivers. We will only throw to this player on coaches instruction pre-snap, and we will always limit the roll-out so the QB has a better throwing angle if we ask our QB to throw to the TE.
Your FL is running a basic comeback route to the sideline at a depth of 12-15 yards. Your backside SE is running a drag route, running at any depth he can get a past the LBs clean, and get in the line of sight of your QB.
Your QB is taking a 3 step drop to start, then follows both RBs outside (emphasis on getting depth away from the line of scrimmage. The QBs his first option is the comeback route (FL), and secondly looking for the drag route (SE). Often times, I have been lucky enough to have a great athlete at QB, and he always has a run option included with any sprint pass we employed.
MOTION TRIPLE OPTION
We have been under center far too long! Time to get back in the shotgun, and use the very so popular spread offense. The key to this play is first setting up the zone read (already covered in our archive section). From there, you can have a lot of fun running the triple option by implementing another RB, a WR, or in this instance, a FL. Very simple play to run. Put your FL in motion behind the QB. Your QB will have to time his snap with the C, but then you are running zone read, optioning the 2 outside defenders. If the DE stays home, then hand the ball to your RB. If the DE crashes, the QB pulls the ball, and is looking to option the next outside defender (OLB). Have you QB attack downhill, not outside, in order to force a decision by the defender. If you QB runs outside, the outside defender can stretch the play, defending both your QB and option player at the same time. Attacking downhill with your QB is the essential key to the success of this play!
FLANKER REVERSE PASS
After you have set up your dive play, and you have set up the counter (cross buck), now the defense is ripe for a homerun play. The third installment of the series is the fake reverse pass. Have the QB take his time to sell the reverse to the flanker, DON’T RUSH, and let the defense over-pursue, allowing the WR to get behind the defense. After the QB fakes the reverse, he rolls out looking to hit the WR behind the secondary. If he is not here, he either has the option to run or hit the relief pass underneath to the FB who released to the flats.
FLANKER REVERSE
Okay, so you have been hitting hard with your FB dive with a great deal of success. The defense has adjusted, and is now plugging your A gaps with LB's, so you started running the cross-buck to use their aggressiveness against them. So far, so good! With the defense now at your mercy, you want a homerun play to catch the defense sleeping while you lulled them to bed with your steady inside running attack. Introduce the flanker reverse. This play can be run so many different ways, but since we have been running the I the last several weeks, I figured I would run the reverse as a relation to the cross-buck from last week. You can add flanker motion, you can fake the ISO to the strong side instead of the cross buck, you can toss the ball to your TB and have him hand off to the FL, but the key ingredients all remain the same....give the ball to your fast guy, and let him hit the corner! We also ran a pass off this as well, which I will show next week. Have fun!!
CROSS BUCK
Staying with the I-Formation theme again this week! The ole' fashion cross buck. If you are one of those youth teams who play against a 5-3 all day long, and that DT sitting in a 3 technique is giving you fits, just down block him with your T and have your G kick the DE out.....INSTANT hole! Have your TE block down on a LB, and your backside G reach to the MLB, and all frontside defenders are accounted for. We always had our backside T reach the backside 3, and with the FB faking backside, he can assist if the defender is quick off the ball. Teach your TB to jab, and be patient as the hole develops. Once the kick-out occurs, accelerate through the hole, and look for the 2nd level blocks. Great compliment to an effective FB dive game.
TOSS SWEEP
Staying with the I-Formation theme from the past several weeks, here is a great classic outside running play. Many youth teams run this without the pulling guards, but the play at its best has them both getting outside to lead the running back. For the adventurous, you can even have your QB help lead the play outside as well. Reverse pivot your QB, and as he is pitching, have him lead the play outside. The key to the play is getting around the DE. Have your TE try to front him, and have your WR crack the first man off the line of scrimmage. That leaves only the CB to deal with two pulling guards, a fullback, and quite possibly a pulling QB. Teach your tailback patience, and coach him to set up his blocks and not to outrun his blockers. This is not a test to see how fast he can get to the sideline, well coached teams will prevent many yards if any by doing so. Only by being patient, and learning how to cut up field will this play be at its most productive.
I POWER O
Old school power football at its best! This is the staple of the Nebraska I-Attack. Get you I back going north and south, and double the 3 technique. You can run variations of this play by using different rules for your TE and FB. You can have your TE block the DE out and have your FB lead up in the hole with your pulling G. Another way to run it is have your TE block down on a LB, and have your FB kick out the DE, still having your pulling G get up in the hole, always looking for inside pressure from pursuing inside backers.
You can run this with 2 tight, no tight, with a wing back, or any other variation you want. Make this play your own, just keep the three main keys. 1) Get your I back looking downhill. 2) Double the 3 technique 3) Pull you G up through the hole with either your FB or TE kicking out the DE.
ZONE READ
The play that Urban Meyer first started running with Alex Smith in Utah, the play that Vince Young perfected in Texas, and the play that West Virginia scares everyone with Slaton and White running it to perfection, we present to you the Zone Read. I personally coach from a shotgun formation the entire game, but you dont have to be a shotgun team to run this play. This play is nothing more than the ole' veer option, with some minor wrinkles. Make the play your own, and I would love to hear how you teach it.
QB READ: QB’s must make the end respect the keep everytime you run this play. If the end does not, then the QB keeps the ball around the outside. If the end stays at home, then give to your RB and let him make the play. Simple as that! If your QB does not follow out his fake, even when he gives the ball, then this play will have little success. The QB must be disciplined enough sell the play everytime, not just go through the motions.
Naked Bootleg
You've done a great job running the ball all day, but now you are looking for something to take advantage of an overpursuing defense. This play has been run on you so many times, and now its your turn to run it on your opponent. Selling the fake is the most important aspect of this play for both the running back and the quarterback. The onside TE must do a good job of selling run, and no get into his route too early. This play is even more effective as a run/pass option for a fast and athletic QB.
ISOLATION
You might call it ISO, or you might call it LEAD, but whatever you call it, this is one of the oldest staple running plays for all I-Formation teams. Depending on what different fronts you routinely see, you can have your offensive line block this play to your philosophies, but the primary point of the play remains....isolating your FB on one of the LB's. If you run an inside ISO play, you will isolate with the MLB. If you run an off-tackle ISO, you will isolate your FB with the OLB. Your can have your offensive line use down blocking rules, or you can base block, or run some kind of big-on-big variation, but get your FB after the isolated LB as soon as you can. Teach your TB to read the FB block, and acclerate downhill and get up field. There is really no reason this play should ever bounce outside.
REVERSE PASS
QB READ: Looking for some trickeration? The QB reverse outs from center, faking the stretch play. The WR's aiming point is the original starting point of the RB. The QB flips the ball to the WR who has a run - pass option. If he cannot see the TE on his corner route, then he is instructed to keep the ball and get what he can. Do not throw to the WR running a post route, he is only trying to clear the zone. The TE is running a delayed corner route. He first needs to sell his run block before getting into his route. Great play to run from any down and distance situation, but with good field position, don't run this from your own 10!
SMASH PACKAGE
QB READ: The QB should key the CB. If the CB is retreating, or given away substantial ground, the QB should fire the HITCH route immediately. The QB should never try and throw the SMASH, or corner, over the head of a retreating CB, or one who is giving ground. If the CB is pressing, or coming up on the #1 receiver, the QB should snap the ball over the top into the corner. This must be done on rhythm, or the CB will have time to recover. Special consideration should be given to the first interior defender, or flat defender vs. a Cover 3. In this case, the CB will more than likely be retreating, but now a danger player exists with the flat defender. The danger player is controlled on a three receiver side, and the QB should throw the SPLIT route against a Cover 3 if he feels the flat defender can get into the lane of the HITCH route. The rule of thumb for the QB on any HITCH rout e is ‘Never Throw Over A Walk’.
TRIPS RIGHT BOISE PASS
Who can forget the amazing Orange Bowl from a year ago between Oklahoma and Boise St.? What may go down as one of the greatest bowl games of all time, Boise St. would not have had a chance to win if they didnt score with time running out in regulation. And how did they do it? They used the play illustrated above. Nothing more than your old school hook and ladder play! This is the exact formation they ran it from in the game, and hopefully with practice, you can have the same results....a 65 YD TD!!!!
Rep it in practice and let me know how it turns out!
PLAY ACTION SLOT SCREEN
So you have a suspect offensive line, but you have all of these athletes, and you are just trying to get some kind of passing game going. Well, if you cant pass block, then just let the defenders in, and screen them till they stop rushing. Edge screens have been gaining popularity over the past couple of years, and now you can even see NFL teams using WR screens as part of their offensive gameplans. WR screens get the ball in the hands of your playmakers, and help settle down an aggressive pass rush. These plays are great for any down and distance, and also help build the confidence of your QB with completing easy passes.
SHOTGUN MOTION TRIPLE OPTION
So you just can't force yourself to give up the triple option from the I, or wishbone, or flexbone, or any other under center formation you use. You look at the shotgun, and you keep saying if you cant run the ball, and if you cant run the option, you are not changing. Well here you go!! Nothing fancy here. Put your outside WR in motion behind your QB, and teach the same option reads you always have. You can teach veer, midline, or dive option rules, all your call. We teach the QB to first read DE, if he stays or widens, he hands the ball off to the RB, if he crashes, then the QB will keep to the next option read. From there he reads the OLB, or SS who walked up.
Have fun with this one!
TURN PASS
This is one of the most effective short passing game plays I have ever used. The completion percentage on this play has always been above 80% for me every year. The key to this play is how fast you can throw the ball, and how easy the read is for the QB. No matter what offense you run (shotgun, wing-t, I, multiple set, etc.) you should be able to adjust into a variation of this formation. This formation puts the outside defender in conflict (which is the OLB in the diagram above). The OLB will probably have some type of hook/curl/flat responsibility, unless they of course are playing man-to-man. The route combination of the TE and Wing (or H-Back) puts stress on the OLB's coverage responsibilities, and he will need to pick which route to cover, because he cant cover both. The QB reads whichever man goes uncovered, and throws the ball on rythm. The outside WR's are running fade routes, and against a cover 2, will become a viable target for the QB.
SHOVEL OPTION
After a week of defense, I had to hurry up and get back to the offensive side of the ball. As one might imagine, I am a huge proponent of the shotgun offense. I have run almost every offense under the sun, and I have never been able to be as flexible and adaptive as I have been with the shotgun offense. Our teams have been able to run, pass, play action, and be just as physical as any wishbone or wing-t team. This by no means is a dig at wing-t, or other very run oriented teams, especially since I too have run those offenses, but I am now caught up in the shotgun craze. I run the shovel option maybe a dozen or so times a year, or about once a game, but timing is everything! Find the right time to run the play, and watch your RB running free down the field. We are optioning the end on this play, so he is unblocked. The QB and RB are basically running speed option to the DE, but now has an “under“ option as well. The under option follows a pulling G, and the rest of the line has downblock rules. Play with the different formations and motions, and install this exciting play into your playbook!
This week, we examine the three most common forms of coverages used by today's defenses. You can't attack a defense without first understanding what they are trying to take away with the coverages they use.
Cover 1
Cover 1 is your true man-to-man coverage, with a free safety over the top to float. Cover 1 concepts are typcially associated with pressure and blitz oriented defenses. Most forms of Cover 1 are played with some kind of head-up, or inside technique by wide defenders, and they will align at varying depths and may even employ bump-n-run techniques. When we play against a Cover 1 defense, we are looking to get behind the man-to-man coverage, and look for the BIG PLAY! We can check out of short patterns, and we want to work the side with the best mismatch.
Cover 2
Cover 2 is defined as a coverage in which two safeties divide the deep halves of the field with five underneath defenders. There are a number of techniques used in the Cover 2 family, but in principle, Cover 2 is a defense that seeks to constrict the undedrneath passing lanes, and provide safety help over the top. The CB's have been known to either jam the receivers at the line of scrimmage, or play at a depth no deeper than five yards.
The Cover 2 attempts to take away the short, flat routes, which are prevalent when attacking a Cover 3. However, with five short defenders underneath, it has created large holes deep down the middle of the field, and on the sidelines. The Tampa 2 has now become popular, and it will have the Mike LB attempt to help in the deep middle as much as possible. When we attack the Cover 2, we still use our short passing game (arrow, smash, streak, etc..), as well as the rest of the packages where we can isolate the flat defenders with varying formations and routes.
Cover 3
Cover 3 refers to the family of cov erage where there are three deep defenders, each of whom are covering 1/3 of the field. This simply means the CB's (cornerbacks) are responsible for the outer thirds, and the F (free safety) is responsible for the deep middle. There are four defenders covering the underneath zones, with usually the W (wiull) and the $ (strong safety) covering the flat zones. Responsibilities can be exchanged between defenders, and there is more than one version of Cover 3, but the illustration above displays the most common form of Cover 3. The Cover 3 employs a “bend but don't break“ philosophy. The defense is wanting you to put together long drives, requiring a string of completions underneath to beat them. This is also another way for defneses to get eight men in the box to play stronger run defense. The short passing game (slants, hitches, curls, outs, etc..) is the best way to attack a Cover 3. However, deep attacks are still possible given matchups and timing.
KANSAS RIGHT “A,B,C,D“ PASS
This play was submitted by our very own Coach Ron from Salt Lake City, UT. This play was used to win a bowl game for the East Leopards (8-10yr) in The Nationals Thanksgiving football tournament in Las Vegas, NV. You can run this play from either under center or in the shotgun. The coach picks the receiver he wants the QB to throw to (ie A, B, C or D). If you throw to the C, then you have a hook and lateral opportunity with your RB (D).
Make this play your own, and have FUN!
