Limiting a Great Receiving threat in 12/21 Personnel

12/21 personnel groupings present a number of stresses to a defense. The obvious threat is run heavy structures using big personnel with a TE/FB creating extra gaps in the run fit. Heavier personnels often induce loaded boxes and 8 man front structures from a defense to handle the run game. Those loaded box defenses can also create single coverage for a star WR. This can lead to offenses using those heavy personnels/sets to attempt to isolate their best WR creating passing opportunities off max pro, play action, quick game, or RPO concepts. These personnel groupings also allow for a variety of 6,7,8 man pass protections. What is the solution in regular down & distance situations? How do we stop the run while controlling the star receiving threat? Here is a solution from the 3-4 spaced defense using quarters and halves coverage principles. Putting a cloud on the star WR can be a really inexpensive solution to mitigate some risk.

The coverage concept combines two coverages: Stuff and Roll. Stuff is a 1/4 1/4 1/2 concept while Roll is a double rotated Cover 2 concept. 

The point is an activated OLB as the 4th rusher. The Mike will make a Rome/London call to activate an OLB. We are going to activate the OLB to the side of the star WR. 

Vs. 21

Against a pro set if the star WR is to the defensive right the ILB will make a Rome call to set the point. The point OLB becomes part of the charge. The coverage will play Stuff coverage against a formation with the star WR as a single X. Stuff means half tool to the point and a quarter tool away from the point. Structurally this allows the defense to be sound numerically in the box vs. the run while putting a cover 2 concept on the star WR to disrupt passing concepts. Here the quarter Safety must trigger to become the 8th fitter in the box when the TE blocks.

When the star WR is strong the LB again will set the point to the star. Here London is the call with the star aligned to the defensive left. London activates the left OLB into the charge. The coverage will be Roll. The coverage shows as cover 3 rotated to the point with a Safety down and a Safety in the post. Showing a middle of the field closed look helps dissuade the offense from attacking the middle of field based on pre-snap coverage presentation. At the snap the post aligned safety rolls the coverage to a cover 2 concept strong with an inverted cover 2 concept weak. When the TE blocks the vertical hook down Safety become the 8th fitter for the run. Again this concept gives the defense an 8 man front spacing vs. the run with a cloud on the best WR. 

Against a single width twins formation the coverage again rolls. This again builds the 8 man front. The Corner to the nub will align at 8 yards in the C gap if the TE blocks the Corner will trigger to become the 8th fitter. The coverage still places a cloud on the outside WR, if the star is outside we have a cloud on him. If the star WR is in the slot the coverage has a Safety playing the vertical hook. The VH matches the #2 vertical and inside with safety help in the deep half. With a safety rolled down into the VH drop we feel we can match up with a WR. If the #2 is out the cloud corner will be squatting in the flat. Overall with the star outside or in the slot the coverage can help deny that player the ball while still building the 8 man box.

Vs. 12

Against a 2x2 ace formation the point will gain be to the star. The coverage is stuff with a half tool to the point and quarter tool away. The quarter safety helps build the 8 man box while the cloud helps deny the star.

 Against a 3x1 nub set the coverage is again Roll. The coverage rolls against any single width formation. The coverage denies the star outside or in the slot similarly to the previous twins example. The ILB does have the TE vertical to the strong side in a match so that's a matchup we are always mindful of in this concept.

A backside wing is treated like a single width formation and we will Roll all single width. The coverage again plays like the previous single width sets. This time the LB to the wing must be mindful of the VH responsibility against vertical passing concepts from the 2 TE side. The nub side Corner is again the 8th fitter. 

With the star as the single X the coverage is Stuff. Half tool to the point with a quarter tool away. Here there are 3 receiving threats to the quarters side. That means the tool needed must be a quarter tool for 3 receivers. In this example the quarter tool is a mini 2 concept with the outside WR manned by the Corner. Inside the OLB/ILB/Safety are playing a 3 over 2 coverage on the 2 TEs. The Safety in the mini concept strong must trigger when the TE's block to add the 8th fitter in the run game.

With the star aligned strong in the formation the coverage Rolls. The Safety shows post alignment rolling at the snap. The point ILB must be ready to match 3 vertical. The VH Safety is again the 8th run fitter then the TE's block in the this concept.

Putting a cloud on a good WR in heavy personnel can be an inexpensive way to both be good vs. the run and deny the biggest receiving threat. Much of the coverage concept is built from coverage tools that most defenses already have in the their toolbox. 

Split Field Coverage Sim Pressure

Sim pressure on 3rd & 6 from a 3-3-5 defense spaced like an under front 4-2-5.

The initial presentation is a 1 high post defense rotated strong.

The presence of the Sam walked up on the LOS with the FS showing down gets the OL pointing out the pressure threat from the field. The protection is half slide to the RB's alignment with the RB cross protecting to the field. 

When the QB gets into his cadence the defense comes out of the disguise.

The Sam walks off the LOS to the apex alignment while the Mike walks up to pressure the open B gap. The FS replaces the Mike while the SS pops the top and WS adjusts weak to create a 2 high coverage alignment.

The Rush:

Mike blitzes as contain through the widest part of B gap working a YOU game with the End. The End is up an under off the penetrating Mike. The Nose and Tackle are looping weak to balance the rush.

The Coverage:

Quarter Quarter Half. The most interesting part of the concept is the usage of the FS as the 3 dropper. By using a DB in this role the defense can expect the 3 player to carry the #3 receiver with no help. The #3 being accounted for vertical by the FS allows the field side to play a 3 over 2 quarters concept against #1 and #2 receivers and the weak side to play a cloud half concept. 

Nice split field coverage sim concept and execution from San Diego St. This is a creative way to get a traditional 4 down pass rush stunt from a sim pressure.  Always good stuff from Zach Arnett and Rocky Long.

Overload Sim Pressure vs. Empty

Florida is in a 3-3 personnel against empty on 3rd & 8.

The Rush:

Sam is blitzing off the field side edge. The Nose stems pre-snap to the field A gap. The stem of the Nose along with the mugged up LB creates an aligned overload at the LOS pre-snap. Post snap the rush is a twist game by the End and Nose with the weak side end as contain. 

The Coverage:

Split field coverage using quarters coverage concepts. The strong side is a quarters concept with the corner man on #1. The Will bluffs edge pressure but drops out to play a quarters concept to the weak side.

Nice sim from Florida. The final look is a four man pass rush with an interior twist game back stopped with split field quarters coverage. Good stuff from Todd Grantham and the Gators. 

Giving a Corner Relief in Man Coverage vs. 3x1

There are many available coverage tools in 2 high split field safety concepts to handle 3x1 formations. 

Two common options: 

Solo

The coverage is going to play a 3 over 2 quarters coverage concept on the #1 & #2 receivers. Weak side the Safety is cross keying to the #3 strong. This requires the coverage to be man to man on the weak side and puts the corner in isolation on the X receiver.

A second solution is to play a midpoints concept.

Midpoints

Midpoints is a traditional quarter quarter half concept. This allows the defense to put a cloud corner and safety over the top of the X receiver weak side. No doubt this provides the corner with relief of not being in isolation man to the weak side.

The two coverage compliment each other and many teams carry and call both to mitigate stress areas in the other coverage. Putting a corner in isolation man coverage repeatedly is not without risk. Having a way to relieve the stress is necessary.

One issue if these are primary coverage concepts for a defense can be what if the QB is reading the weak safety. The defense is likely in solo or midpoints.

Now the QB has a simple if/then choice. If the safety works strong in a Solo concept the corner is isolated on the X WR. This allows the offense to take a one on one deep shot to the weak side.

If the Safety is working weak as a deep half player in a midpoints concept the the QB can work strong and attempt to attack the midpoints concept with a verticals concept spaced from hash to hash. The Safety to the strong side is stressed by the two verticals as is the ILB on the 3 drop. The route spacing makes the coverage difficult especially against a good QB who can drive the ball into the #3 on the opposite hash or #2 in the strong seam.

One solution is to mix the two concepts. Here the strong side is a midpoints concept with the weak side playing a solo concept. 

The weak safety is the key. If the Safety shows he is working strong immediately the corner is still isolated and the ball will go to the X receiver. When the Weak safety reads pass he will open his hips weak to provide body position to deter the iso throw vs. the manned up corner. The safety understands that will force the QB strong. This allows the safety to work back to 3 strong. The midpoint technique of the safety to the strong side forces the #3 receiver to work to the waiting safety on the weak side. This type of concept can punish pass concepts/QB reads designed to attack base coverage concepts.

Defending Smash with Cover 2

We teach multiple variations of cover 2 concept. Here is one example of a split field coverage deep half tool we play and film of us working and correcting our technique vs. a smash route concept in practice.

The Corner is a flat player, the ILB is a V2, and the Safety is a Deep 1/2.

Against a Smash concept:

In this half tool we do not ask the corner to sink for the corner route. We have other half tools that ask the corner to hinge and sink and midpoint on Smash to help deny the 7 route by the #2. In this concept we want to deny the route of #1 with the Corner. Some coverage concepts play deep to short others are more aggressive denial coverages, this half tool is a denial coverage.

The vertical release of the #2 is going to be body positioned by the V2 LB. The LB is not looking to reroute. Being too aggressive is a good way to get beat across face and allow the route where there is no help in the MOF. The V2 dropper's help is outside and deep.

The Safety is looking to get to a position with outside leverage of #2 because his help is inside from the V2 dropper. With the Corner not using a sink technique to help, any outside throw is the safety's responsibility.

Here is a practice rep from a half line pass drill. The Corner sits on the stop route by #1. The V2 LB opens in body position to carry the vertical with inside leverage. The Safety pedals for depth but does not react to the outside route stem of the TE gaining width. 

The Safety has NO help outside, his goal is to be able to deny the outside breaks and squeeze inside breaks back to the V2 LB. Once the break happens the Safety is badly outleveraged leading to an easy throw and catch into the open space outside. Also horrible job by us as an organization clearing the sideline, those hand shields are a rolled ankle or worse waiting to happen.

Here is a 2nd rep from 2 weeks later from the same group of defenders.

The Corner and V2 LB are very similar in technique to the first rep but the Safety has dramatically corrected his footwork. Now with the hard outside stem by #2 the Safety weaves for width. We work weave in our individual time practice time this rep is a good example of our indy footwork showing up in a group drill. Notice it isn't a requirement to stay outside #2 only to have the ability to break on the outside routes. Not a good job blocking by the LB or corner. The intended WR must be our first block on an interception. Much better job keeping the sideline cleared of equipment, every detail every time.

Split Field Coverage Pressure to Attack Zone Run

Southern Miss is in 3-3-5 personnel with a 2 high split field safety coverage concept. Weak side the defense has a LB walked up as a DE creating a 4-2-5 type spacing. 

The Rush:

The DL is slanting away from the pressure with the blitz side DE working to the A gap while the away DE is working outside. The Nose is working 2 gaps from a zero technique alignment to the B gap. The Golden Eagles sent two LB's off the edge into the zone blocking.

The Coverage:

2 Read coverage to the field with man coverage to the boundary 

The pre-snap presentation does several things:

1. To the boundary side the defense presents 2 low players at the LOS in the face of the receivers and a deep safety over top. This alignment deters access RPO throws to the boundary.

2. To the field the defense presents an inside leverage overhang defender creating 3 over 2 coverage. The field is not a great look for pre or post snap RPO concepts based on defensive numbers and alignments.

3. With the perimeter defense aligned to deter RPO, the box is where the defense looks light. The box presents like a 4-1 core which leads the offense to a zone blocking run scheme. Based on pre-snap look the offense should have favorable numbers in the run game.

Post snap the pressure ends up creating confusion and a run through TFL. The OT zones out to the widest rusher expecting the OG to zone to the walked up LB. The OG instead hangs on the DL slanting inside to the A gap. Even if the OG had worked out to the inside most edger rush the offense is outnumbered in the box 6 to 5. The DE looping outside to the read side is a give read forcing the ball into the defense's advantage. If the QB had attempted to pull and "out-athlete" the DE, the overhang player does a good job of being patient while staying in body position to both deny the RPO and fold in the run game. The overhang's presence helps take the pressure off the DE to make a tackle on the QB 1 on 1.

Nice execution from Southern Miss and good design by Tim Billings to align the defense to deny RPO's, dictate a run, then pressure to change the math on the offense in the run game. 

Quarters Pressure

Green Bay is in a 4-2-5 nickel personnel with OLB body types at DE.

The Rush:

Zero technique is attacking away from the rush pressuring A gap, B gap, and working to contain. The DT is a long stick and the Rush is off the edge. The LB is blitzing B gap. The effect is very much a 4 man version of America's blitz.

The Coverage:

The strong side is playing a trips 2 high coverage tool. The Nickel, Safety, and Rush are playing a 3 over 2 on the inside WR's. The Corner is locked on #1. Weak side the coverage is cover 2 tool with the ILB dropping weak side and the safety playing the deep 1/2. This coverage concept is common in 2 high split field coverage systems.

The RB was attempting to chip the Rush backer who went into a 3 point stance and presented a speed edge rush threat. The attempted chip allowed the Will to run through unblocked in the B gap. The impressive part of the design is the zero technique nose occupies 3 OL opposite the blitz. Even if the RB attempts to block the Will the defense creates three 1 on 1's. Forcing the protection to waste 3 OL on 1 DL and getting three 1 on 1's in a 4 man rush are exactly the outcomes the defense wanted to accomplish. All the while the defense can cover down with a 7 man drop 2 high coverage concept. 

Nice usage of a non-traditional 4 man rush to get great pressure by Mike Pettine.

Adding Pressure to Split Field Coverage Trips Check

Most 4-2-5 coaches are familiar with the concept of split field coverage. Get your DB's to call the coverage on the field and put your defense in the the best coverage available vs. the formation the offense presents. The formation is split in half and the safeties call the coverage for their half of the formation. One popular quarters coverage trips adjustment has the safety away from trips work strong side to help with #3 in the 3x1.

Some call this concept Poach (Saban/Belichick/Smart) or Solo (Patterson). The name is really not important. The concept is simple, vs. a 3x1 formation the the coverage adjusts with the backside safety. To the 3x1 the Corner, FS, and SS play a quarters concept just as they would vs. only 2 receivers. The LB to the 3x1 drops to #3 handling all low routes. The WS works to #3 and handles all vertical routes. The Corner and LB to the single WR side match the X receiver and RB in coverage. 

One simple adjustment to get more pressure in passing situations is to exchange the roles of the weak side DE and Mike LB. 

The Mike and Nose are reading the turn of the protection by keying the Center's block. The DT plays B gap and pops to contain. 

If the Center blocks to the Nose, the Nose widens and handles the inside rush lane. The Mike stays on his A gap rush and should expect the RB's block. This situation keeps the RB from free or check releasing to get into a route.

If the Center blocks to the Mike, the Nose keeps penetrating and takes the opposite inside rush lane. The Mike attacks the A gap and reads out when the Center blocks toward him. The Mike wraps around the penetrating Nose to the opposite inside rush lane creating a twist action. If the Center is blocking toward the Mike, the guard is forced to chase the penetrating Nose. The Mike's wrap timing is critical. If the Mike goes too early, the Center/Guard can see the twist. If the Mike's timing is correct, the Nose has stacked the Center and the Guard is committed to the Nose allowing the Mike to wrap and create pressure. 

With a simple tag word we can have a pressure trips check in our split field coverage concept.