By Brandon Staley – @CoachStaley_JMU

Defensive Coordinator

James Madison University

Editor’s Note:  Brandon Staley is in his first year as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the James Madison football program. Staley spent the last season as the defensive coordinator at John Carroll University, where he helped lead the Blue Streaks to a 9-2 overall record, 8-1 in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play and a berth in the Division III national playoffs for the first time since 2002. His defense averaged giving up just 9.1 points and 228.4 yards per game, while forcing 27 turnovers, earning him OAC Co-Assistant Coach of the Year. Senior cornerback Randy Greenwood was named a Second Team All-America selection, while five defensive players earned All-OAC honors. His defense ranked third nationally in third-down defense, second in red-zone defense, third in pass efficiency defense and 16th in defensive yards per rush.

Introduction

Quick clinic question: What is the tragic flaw of Cover Three defense?  You guessed it, four verticals. But what if we told you that you could still play your cover three coverage concepts but negate those verts by matching up to those horizontal-stretching routes?  The answer may lie in what Brandon Staley, the defensive coordinator at James Madison University, calls “Match” coverage.   It’s a coverage that Staley used nearly 70 percent of the time on first downs last year while at John Carroll College, and the results were outstanding.  The Blue Streaks finished second in the country in total defense, posting four shutouts.

Editor’s Note: Since all of these coverages are three deep, four under by nature we will describe each coverage based on the responsibilities of those coverage defenders.  The symbols in the diagrams are the following:

S= Star (Nickel Corner)

$= Money (Linebacker to the Trips or Strong side)

M= Mack (Linebacker to the weak side)

DS= Drop Safety (Staley plays with left and right Safeties)

FS= Deep Safety

Out of a nickel 4-3 look (Diagram 1), Staley’s flat players will be a drop Safety and the Star, which is a Nickel Corner.   In Staley’s system, both Safeties are interchangeable- he plays with a right and left Safety.  Either one could be a box dropper.  “That is why we teach three-deep conceptually because your flat players can be different people depending on the personnel grouping and the rotation of the safeties,” he told us.  Staley teaches three base coverages on first down, all of which are predicated off offensive structure:

• “Match” to slot and 2×2 formations
• “Skate” to Pro, 3×1 and bunch formations
• “Flood” to empty formations. 

Staley details each coverage below, but the efficiency in teaching lies in the player’s ability to recognize formation structure and make the right check.   “All they have to do is identify the formation and that’s how you know what you will play,” Staley told us.    “We tell the players that this coverage plays like man when it has to and it plays like zone when it has to.  We are going to take away the “intent” of the formation and the routes. When routes go vertical, then we are going to carry them and it will look like Cover 1. When routes are shallow or when formations are tight, then we are going to play zone off of the QB and see the ball thrown.”

Illusion of Cover Three

According to Staley, the primary benefit of playing these coverages, as opposed to pure cover three, are bountiful.   “It gives the illusion of Cover one but  we have zone eyes on the QB.  Our Corners do a lot of press bail technique so you get a lot of fades and you’re on top of the route.  You’re able to play a lot of things top down.  Receivers don’t get a lot of yards after the catch and you have more overlap players.  Cover defenders don’t get drained out from playing man to man.  Man to man is dicey with stacks and bunches.  You still get the illusion of bump and run- to the boundary because it is bump and run.” 

Match Coverage Structure

Most offenses want to utilize the four vertical concept out of 2×2 sets, which is why Match is the adjustment against all 2×2 balanced offensive sets.   “We know that most offenses want to go with four verticals out of 2 x 2 formations so “match” takes away that intent,” Staley told us.  “It allows the middle of the field safety to stay in the middle because the seams don’t get stretched like when you spot drop as you would in Cover Three. Seam verticals have to be funneled to the middle of the field Safety.  We don’t want those seams working away from the middle of the field safety. We want to condense those seams.  We want those seams coming to our safety. We want to funnel those seams with the flat players.”

By Nick Bamber
Defensive Backs Coach and Special Teams Coordinator
Chesterton High School  (Chesterton, IN)
Twitter: @nbambernbamber

Introduction:

Being able to effectively switch and disguise coverages at the high school level can be lethal to opposing quarterbacks. We are a primary cover 2 team, but we will occasionally roll into various cover 3 and man looks to defend different attacks on the field. The good thing about these coverages is that they are very easy to teach and are simple on your players, especially your linebackers. The different coverages primarily involve changes in the defensive back action, allowing your rules for the linebackers to stay relatively the same.

From past experiences, I have found that complicated coverages with lots of changes for linebackers lead to more blown coverages and gaps in your defense. For that reason, we wanted to make things consistent throughout our coverages for our linebackers. I truly think this clinic report can be implemented at any level, especially if you already run cover 2. Already running cover 2 allows you to apply all your current cover 2 rules while giving you some additional variations.

Another positive of these coverage schemes is that rolling to cover 3 out of a cover 2 shell covers the weakness of a cover 2 defense. The middle of the field is the biggest void of a cover 2 secondary.  Every offensive coach will look to attack your middle when they see your cover 2 shell on film. This thought process can work to your advantage when you are using these alternate coverages. Rolling to a cover 3 out of a cover 2 look will put one of your safeties right in the middle of the field, the exact zone the offense is looking to attack. Picking and choosing the right times to roll and disguise can not only prevent a big play, but can hopefully get you an easy interception.

Base Cover 2

Our base cover 2 is the shell that we will show on nearly every play. The few exceptions being on goal line plays or our man-to-man coverage with no safety help. These schemes are applicable to both a 3-4 and a 4-3 set (all the play cards are drawn in a 4-3 scheme). Since this article is about coverage concepts, I will not go into much detail about our technique for each position.

Corners

Corners will line up with an outside shade on the outside receiver. The corner’s inside eye should be even with the receiver’s outside eye. Based on the speed or athletic ability of the receiver, the corner can widen his alignment a little if needed. Our number one concern for the corner is to funnel the receiver inside, so there is some flexibility given to our corner so he can accomplish our primary goal. In terms of depth, we range from a press look to 5 yards deep, depending on the team/ receiver.

Our corners, like most teams, read the #2 receiver (always count outside in for receiver numbers) and react to him. If he goes vertical or breaks inside towards the ball, the corner will stay on the #1 receiver. If #2 receiver goes vertical, the corner has to be ready play the deep ball on #1 receiver. If the #2 receiver comes out, the corner will push the #1 receiver towards the safety help and pick up the #2 receiver.  

Safeties

Safeties will line up 12 yards off the line of scrimmage. They have a 6-yard width window to line up within. They start on the hash and have 3 yards either way for their width alignment. For example, if the #1 receiver is really wide towards the sideline, they can widen up to 3 yards off the hash.

Our safety reads are rather conventional. The safety reads the #2 receiver. If he goes vertical, safety picks him up. If the #2 receiver makes any type of non-vertical break (slant, out, curl, comeback, etc.) the safety drives to the #1 receiver and picks up the route.

Outside Linebackers

The strong outside linebacker will be 5 yards deep and removed from the box, splitting the differences between the end man on the line of scrimmage and the #2 receiver. Obviously different formations will bring different alignments, such as a tight end set or empty, but to make things simple we will assume it is a balanced 2×2 set with one back. The weak linebacker will be in the box, but still keying the #2 receiver from his gap position. If you run a 3-4, the weak linebacker will also be removed like the strong linebacker.

Outside linebackers are “2 Drop” players. They will drop under the #2 receiver. We try to stay away from the generic “hook/curl” drop because you can end up guarding grass. We seek out receivers to drop under. As the play begins and the receivers start to cross, we have to adjust our drops and find the new #2 receiver. We teach our players that if the #2 receiver goes in, look in for the new #2. If the #2 receiver goes out, look out to #1 for the new #2 receiver. If no #2 threat, help under the #1 receiver.

Inside Linebacker(s)

The inside backer is a “3 Drop” player. If you run a 3-4 scheme, you will now have an extra player in coverage since there is only one #3 receiver. You can either blitz him, blitz an outside LB and have the extra inside LB cover the 2 drop, have him spy the QB, or you can just have an extra space player in coverage. Their rules are similar to that of the OLB’s in that if #3 receiver goes out, they must look out for the new #3 receiver. If he goes in, look in for the new #3 receiver. If the #3 receiver goes vertical, inside backer has to take him man to cover the void in the cover 2 defense.