Split Safety-Zone Blitzes

Much has written about fire-zones. The zone-blitz is a great change up for the defense and creates a lot of offensive confusion. In fire zones you bring 5 and drop into 3 under 3 deep coverage essentially. Most teams have incorporated some form of fire-zone into their packages, and with the nature of football teams are beginning to adjust to it. As football evolves other things are needed to keep the offense off balance. Another reason for utilizing other kinds of zone pressure is that cover 3 can be kind of constricting to people who run a lot of split safety coverage.

The thing about it is, teams that don't run a lot of 3 deep (or don't care to) are used to being in split safety coverage. Split safety coverage is a completely different animal than cover 3. For 1, cover 3 is a full field concept, split safety coverages operate on a 1/2 field concept. This gives need to the ability to bring zone pressure with split safety coverage, and be able to control the coverages on each half of the field.

The ideas behind split safety zone blitzes are simple and close to the ideas behind fire-zones.

• Confuse the protection scheme and create pressure
  
• Play aggressive squat/halves zone coverage
• protect the defense against the screen and draw
• Simple and adaptable to different formations.

THE CONCEPT

1. Zone-blitz with split-safety coverage concepts
2. Bring 4-man pressure and play halves coverage to both sides
3. Bring 5 or use a double spy, and play 1/2's to one side and man to the other. (mixture of zone blitz and man blitzes)
4. Put a spy (or two) on the back to protect against screen, draw, scramble, and dump off

Just like fire zones, there are many different ways you can put blitzes together and be sound. I am not going to go into a bunch of different blitzes, but I will use 1 blitz to illustrate the concepts. As a coach it comes down to applying concepts. I am sure given a particular front and scheme that many effective zone-pressures can be put together.

EXAMPLE-Zone 1 side, Man 1 side

The first step in executing an effective zone pressure is pre-snap disguise. You have to be able to present a normal alignment to the offense and then stem into your pressure, this puts pressure on the O-Line and QB. It is difficult to recognize and communicate blocking assignments in a short amount of time. Consider the alignment below:




This is a basic 4-2 split safety coverage look. Now with proper stemming the defense can move into position to execute a zone blitz. Versus the gun it best to do it when the QB calls for the snap.




This leads to the final alignment just before the snap




The FS side will be in 1/2's coverage. The corner will be making a hard read of #2 covering him on any outside break, but running with #1 if #2 is vertical. The FS is in deep 1/2's technique, while the Read Side backer is walling #2 from the inside and up. the away side of the coverage is man with the weak safety on #2 and the corner on #1. The blitz will involve a double spy:



The SS and Mike backer are off the edge, the ends engage the tackles then drop to spy screen, draw, scramble, and the tackle and nose are executing a twist stunt with the tackle going first.

EXAMPLE- Zone on Both Sides


Simple adjustment with a 4-pressure and a single spy.



Now both sides are playing 1/2's coverage, there is still a 4 man pressure, and a player responsible for screen, draw, scramble.

The coverage is flexible and simple, even versus a trips look the adjustments are easy.


Both backers are walling #2 and #3 with the FS over the top. The corner and weak safety on the back side are free to play multiple coverages like they would with special coverage to the read side.

You can even change up the blitz versus a trips look. Bringing another safety and using a double spy is simple.


The options are near limitless. This zone-pressure concept is a natural fit for coaches who like flexible split-safety coverage. Also, it is easy for the safeties to get each side into coverages. It follows common sense principals that fit naturally into any 2-high defense.

3x1 Formations- Defending the Open Side

In my original post on Split-Safety coverage I outlined a simple system in the 4-2-5 for handling trips formations. The base adjustment is solo. This coverage locks the away side into solo coverage and allows the read side to defend the trips with a variety of options. This is the preferred way to defending the trips side of the formation. However, like any coverage, if you sit in it too long the offense will eventually attack the open side. Solo coverage is most vulnerable to the single receiver side. That is where special coverage comes into play.

Special is designed to create games and options on the single WR side. In this post, I will cover some of the coverage options that can be used have to defend routes to the single WR.

BRACKET

The first and most basic coverage to the open side would be "bracket." This coverage allows the WS to be in a position to aggressively force the ball on the run and take away the quick and intermediate routes of the #1 WR on pass plays.

The corner is man to man soft over #1. His rule is DGBD...Don't get beat deep. He has #1 and he needs to be able to defend the fade, post, corner, and skinny. The WS upon reading pass needs to work into a trail position on the WR. From this position he is man to man on any inside, outside, or stopping route by the WR. The linebacker will have the back man to man.

During the release phase the WS must work into a trail position. Versus a comeback route the WS should be in the proper position to take this route away.

Also, Versus a post, the WS and corner should have the WR on a high-low with no place for the QB to put the football.



TRAIL

Trail Coverage is the reverse of bracket. The corner will align outside and deny any outside releases by the WR. After the initial release the corner will work in a trail position, and is responsible for any quick, intermediate inside/outside cut bt the WR. The WS is soft man over #1 with DGBD responsibility.

This is a great change up and can easily be mistaken for solo coverage. This will be confusing to quarterbacks. Trail coverage on the dig route looks like this.

1/2's

The final option I will discuss will be simple 1/2's coverage. 1/2's coverages is a great change up on the open side. It changes up the run force to that side, allows the corner to sit and have interception chances, and keeps the backer from having to run with the running back to the flat. The only situation where the the backer would have the back man to man is on a deep release. I am not going to go into too much detail here, there is plenty of discussion and videos on playing halves coverage. Brophy especially has some good resources on running this coverage versus, multiple sets.

Cover Black- Inverted Man-Under Halves

Spread Teams put stress on the defense. The challenge of defending the pass and run effectively put the defense into difficult decisions. The need to stop the run while at the same time maintain excellent pass coverage is difficult. Zone coverage is the mainstay of choice vs the spread because of these needs. Zone allows all eyes to be on the run while coverage is developed to protect deep passes. Because of this, offenses attack defenses with quick/short, intermediate, and outside breaking routes. In response to this defenses have mixed in man coverage variations to deal with this attack.

Man coverage can take away short and inside breaking routes. Outside routes are harder to cover because of the inside-leverage defenders use in man coverage. In certain man coverages defenders can use outside-leverage. In order to use outside-leverage the defense needs to provide inside and/or deep support to remain sound. A popular coverage to use when the defense wants to defend the pass is man-under halves support.


In this coverage the players in man coverage will use a trail technique and the safeties will provide deep support. Any outside cut and intermediate inside cuts should be covered by the man defenders. However, there are two drawbacks to this coverage. First, the quick inside slants are hard to cover. The man defenders are out of position to cover these routes due to outside alignment and there isn't anyone that can provide immediate help to these routes. Second, run support is weak. The man defenders are too far from the action to provide adequate support and the safeties are gaining depth to provide deep pass support. This limits run support to 5 players. Given that the offense has 6 players to use in the running game, this puts the defense at a disadvantage versus the run. Due to these drawbacks the defense usually runs this coverage in long yardage situations where the threat of the slant and run is of less concern.

The does not put the defense in the best position, because the best coverage for deep to intermediate pass plays is restricted to long yardage downs. However, the offense can run these types of passes on any down. How can the defense improve this position? For one, the defense will need to utilize this coverage on situations other than long yardage. Another thing about today's spread offenses, is that they can check into different plays depending on what the defense gives them. This alignment will invite offenses to check into running plays.

The solution must then allow the defense to show this alignment but defend the run more effectively. If a defense can do this, then the offense will be in a guessing game. In short, the defense will have gained the upper hand. What type of coverage would this be? In comes Cover Black, an inverted man-under halves coverage.

COVER BLACK

Playing the Run

In cover black the defense shows the offense a man-under halves look and invites the run. The wrench in the works is that the defense has 7 players that it can commit to the run. The 2 extra run defenders are the safeties. The safeties need to stem to 1x8 alignment and flat-foot read thinking run 1st. On a run read the safeties can activate into the box quickly. Also, they will probably pursue freely because offenses do not account for the safeties in their run blocking schemes. This coverage is effective versus inside and outside running plays.

Versus the inside run

The linebacker is responsible for the A-gap. The FS sees the tackle move inside, so he move over to cover the QB pull. The WS sees the run action and activates to defend the B gap. The Defensive end leverages down the line and takes the back. If all goes as planned the QB will pull the ball not knowing that the FS will be in position to play him.

Versus the Option


Here the rules are little different. On fast flow the play side safety moves lateral and checks the slot receiver. If the slot releases towards him or vertical he needs to take away the play pass. The SS is man to man on the slot but begins with his eyes on the backfield. While jamming and disrupting the slot, he should trigger to run force whenever he sees fast-flow his way. The WS can protect the cutback by checking backside B-gap and then get into pursuit. The end can take QB.

Playing the Pass

The rules for the underneath man defenders are as follows.

1. Align o/s leverage on man
2. Maintain outside leverage and cover any outside cuts by your man
3. Stay over and outside your man on vertical releases.
4. If your man releases inside yell "in-in!" release him and continue to gain depth. (stay over the top in case he cuts vertical again. )
5. If you are covering a slot and your man is running a vertical route and you hear the corner make an "in" call, work inside your man. (You will not have post help anymore)

The biggest challenge is number 5. However, this is not a play type that people will run at a man under halves look.

Safety Pass Rules

1. Don't chase a shallow crosser. A shallow cross is a route that is below linebacker depth.
2. You have the 1st inside cut (past linebacker depth) of speed (don't take an inside cut by a TE).

Lets look at some diagrams of cover black in action.

Versus a Dig Post Combination

Basic rules application here. The SS makes his "in" call and gains depth. The corner should alert the SS to his inside cut so that he (the SS) can cutoff the route while the corner plays the route over the top. The FS will handle the dig.

Versus Vertical and Dig


This is an example where the SS will have to work inside his receiver. The corner will make an "in in" call. This alerts the SS that he has lost his post help, but will have outside from the corner. An important coaching point with this technique, is that the SS must work inside by going over the WR. He should be over and outside initially. It is problematic for him to work inside by going behind the WR, because if the WR cuts inside (ie Post) before the SS gets inside the WR will be wide open and have an easy lane to go the distance.


Versus the Deep Out by #1


The idea for the offense is to wall of the SS from getting underneath the out by #1. They run this when they expect the corner to bail and play deep zone. Versus man the route becomes more of a comeback. This coverage will look like zone to the WR's so they will try to wall with the slot.

Teams will not want to run a deep out to #1 versus this coverage, but lets talk about the technique to take this away.

The SS has to maintain outside leverage and remain over the top when the route pushes vertical. The FS should shuffle and look for inside cuts. The corner should stay outside and over, break aggressively outside as soon as the receiver breaks out. Due to leverage the corner is in perfect position to cover this route. The only difficulty will be if the QB throws the ball the WR's inside shoulder.

It is important for the SS to maintain proper leverage in this play, because he will be in perfect position to cover a corner route by the slot.



CONCLUSION

Cover Black is a great and deceptive coverage. It is a great change-up and stand alone coverage that can be run on any down. It is especially useful when your defense employs man-under halves. The offense will not be sure what coverage you are in when you align in this look. You can utilize man-under coverage on more than just long yardage situations when you have cover black as a change up.