A1: I think no matter the EDD, it's imperative kids use their eyes and communicate what they see. I also like to have them get used to landmarks without cones after a while. #425chat
#425chat I start every Indy period and game warmup with the same routine that warms up their shoulders, core, legs, and feet to DB specific movements. Back pedal, Tight weave, angle pedal, and baseball turn with ball tracking
Whatever is your go to coverage work those skills the most. If u run read coverage safeties must buzz and read , if true zone pedal and plant, man then work catch or off. #425chat
A1: #425chat I start every Indy period and game warmup with the same routine that warms up their shoulders, core, legs, and feet to DB specific movements. Back pedal, Tight weave, angle pedal, and baseball turn with ball tracking
Our secondary coaches (@Coach_Gasaway11 & @JonAlvarado45) do some great pedal, angle pedal, and m/m in-phase drills. Work a good j-path to the ball for inside out fits on run support for safeties as well. #425chat
A1) Put a big emphasis on footwork everyday. Start with our man techniques (press/catch) then move on to breaks with backpedal (quick 3/long 5) as well as breaks with bail/shuffle footwork. #425chat
A1: EDD with DBs in season, game plan most common opponent 3 man patterns and 2 man patterns and drill all our pattern read calls for each combo #425chat
A1: Best EDDs will be functional movement based on scheme, stance & start and sprinkle in run/block destruction and pass coverage. Finer coaching points taken care of in group and team. #425chat
A1) Communication is the most important. All things come after that
Among those things, I like ankle rope W drill, both in shuffle and pedal..
Also handless coverage. Hands clasped at wrist behind back, try to get in phase. Hands can come loose when ball is on the way
#425chat
A1: Have a set of line drills we do each day. Shuffle to crossover run for example. Work hawk tackle most days, work take-a-way drills most days. Also like to work a speed ladder drill where they come out, break, and pick the ball. #425chat
A1: I have found by grouping my drills and into categories, Ball, footwork, physical, and man drills I am able to track what I do and keep kids engaged. It might becliche, but I’m a firm believer of muscle memory, and I stress that everything must be game speed. #425chat
Everydays should not mean same drills everyday. Always include at least two different everyday drills. Keep a rotation of different “everyday” drills. Kids get bored before the coach does. Don’t allow that to happen. #425chat
A1: i use the same drills on the last day if he season as the first day, low hips, redirection, quick feet, ball drills and form tackling... fundamentals make the world go round!!! #425chat
A1: All DE Jelly Drills ➡️ Eyes up, Squeeze TE, Stay square and don't penetrate. As an OLine guy, a DE who squeezes well and is disciplined can take away my off-tackle running lane - give us headaches. EDD staple for DLine in 4-2-5 D #425chat
#425chat For us, safeties Indy with CBs. But we run a period where we alternate the safety depth chart between run fit drills with LBs and 7on7 pass cvg
A1: First year coaching Safeties so still gathering ideas on EDD's. One thing that we have done in the past and continue to do is rep half line reads every day vs different route combos/concepts. #425chat
Will adjust EDDs a bit this year after hearing @coachjstepp speak at AFCA. Short on Indy time so we will combine as many drills as we can into 1 drill. Will hit footwork, block destruction, takeway, & tackling in some way every day. #425chat
In reply to
@CoachKelleyAHS, @mikestauffer, @coachjstepp
A1: When I’m with D-Line, I like to simulate having my d lineman work down the line of scrimmage on a toss play. We have a get off, and then I’ll point one way or the other and they have to open their hips and pursue a yard parallel to the LOS. #425chat
A1. DB's from Vandegrift's videos, we still use the backpeddle stick it drill on the yardline. We also work toss drill, without a football. LB's will work downhill EVERYday, and we usually attack & shed the blocker at the end. But our drills are game-planned in general. #425chat
A1 - No matter the position group. Important to work on combos of things, equally important to include decision making. Need to have a stimulus for the behavior you want. #425chat
A2: This something we will work more this offseason. What are concepts and what the offense is trying to do. This past season I found that players quickly recognized a concept when I related it to its name in Madden as well. #425chat
A2: lots of film!!! But teaching correct eye placement for reads and never being caught looking where you should not be looking. Always use the phrase “if 1 goes out 1s coming back in” #425chat
A2: #425chat I emphasize paying attention to release off the line, recognizing and adapting to speed, and body lean during the route. We will emphasize favorite route combinations and down and distance during film sessions.
Q2: just like I would do with DL & block recognition, you have to rep the route combos the DBs will see using 1/2 line route recognition & 7v7. Work Corners, safeties, & LBs #425chat
A2: Film and Reps; always reps - talking through reps w/ D&D - work on vision keys - hips, feet, hands - find the cues that help pre-snap too like alignment and stance - distance from next teammate. #425chat
A)1 Our EDD’s for Monday are run reads off their key. Gets them in stance, reading, breaking, sprinting, shuffling while using their eyes. (Safetys) Westview HS, CA. #425chat
A2) we read #2 wr for a release, we’re a base cover 3, so if 2 gets a vertical release we will play divider with the outside CB to help 4 verts. After 2 release, we read Qb shoulders, high/even/open/closed.
#425chat
A2: We read ball to key. If we can pick up a high hat while seeing the release from the key WR we are golden. But at the end of the day, it’s all about the 🏈. I tell my guys all the time! Don’t forget the football. Theres a reason they named the game after it. #425chat
A1: in phase/ out phase... really works our guys reaction when a WR is in the process of catching the ball. In phase we are hip to hip we look, lean then located WR hands violent finish to get the ball out.. out of phase catch up to WR get the ball out no look back #425chat
A2. Probably the best thing I learned from Coach Sanders video series: categorize routes. Ins, Outs, Leverages, & Deceptives. Really simplifies what they see. #425chat
A1: every drill I do I want to be functional in a game situation. 45, 90, 180 break drills, man drills, arm bars. All worked through the whole season and fit our coverages #425chat
We try to teach from an O perspective. Know our scheme and where we are stretched and how O's will attack us. Scouting report will ID most ran concepts, most EFFICIENT concepts, targets, & zones. On film we address formation, splits, etc. & give as much info as we can. #425chat
A2: it’s all about eye discipline. We are mostly a 2 Hi team, and 2-1 reads are taught from day one. Everything is complimentary, what goes in must come out, hi/lo etc. In man I rep common routes and teach my kids how to defend each type of route. Reps translate to games.#425chat
A2. Must have a specific read no matter what coverage. must know who the read is & gotta give specific rules. Any Zone ...read QB ,rep diff QB tech , Any man... read recr hips and specific routes, read cover determine when the recr is his for example past LB depth. #425chat
A2: We do a lot of film study to read pre-snap tendencies based on alignment and spacing, stance, and formation-based route combinations. From there we key release and depth. #425chat
A2: Film, film, & more film. We will also rep opponent's top concepts during half line, skelly, & team sessions. Also need to recognize splits, releases, and D&D situation for tendencies. #425chat
A2) We are mostly a pattern match team. So we have rules based on releases that help us be in the correct places. Obviously scouting gives us the other teams preferences but we work common concepts all year. #425chat
A2: depends on coverage obviously but eyes to read keys. Safety gives 3 backpedal steps while reading key and breaking to his assignment. Corners are either bail tech, trail, or man. #425chat
A2: Personally, I dont know why more DB coaches dont film with iPad right behind safeties on their run key in Team and then pass key in 7x7. Give them vision similar to what it looks like in real life. #425chat
A2: If someone's leaving, someone's coming. Once they are taught and understand this concept, they can understand pass concepts and recognize route combos. #425chat
We run a lot of 1/2 Skell stuff since we split field coverage a bunch. Try to "cross-train" as many guys as we can do they can learn the Coverage concept and not just "their spot." Teach spacing a bunch as well (vertical/horizontal) & flooding. Think like an O guy. #425chat
A2: We are a match quarters team - it's about teaching them to match the pattern. For instance if # 2 goes out - our safety will match #1. I have found that a lot easier compared to dropping to a zone. #425chat
Read number 2, as well as WR hands.
If the hands come up and arms extend before the cushion is eaten up, it's probably a run. Start moving your eyes around once that happens
#425chat
A2: Personally, I dont know why more DB coaches dont film with iPad right behind safeties on their run key in Team and then pass key in 7x7. Give them vision similar to what it looks like in real life. #425chat
A2: Look for alignment, d&d, field/boundary tendencies. A common weekly coaching point and game planning item was decided at what depth a route is considered vertical, based on opponents scheme. #425chat
A2) Con’t If we are running a bunch of true 2, even if the other team hasn’t shown smash 1 time, we will work the heck out of it. If they don’t someone will, plus our kids need to know, if we show cover 2, it’s a comin’ #425chat
We’ll run the tendencies of what route combos teams utilize the most, as well as identify individual route trees for different players each week. Then we like to rep those combos in a half-skel format to work both sides of the field and better utilize the time. #425chat
A2 - we found it was important to rep core route combos regardless of opponent. We worked a lot of half field and then build to full field. We could then overlay the week to week nuances. #425chat
A lot of routes are determined by position and alignment of Receiver. By alignment I’ve taught my guys how to eliminate certain routes and recognize once a Receiver gets to a certain yardage they can only run a small amount of routes, at that point is just reaction. #425chat
Film study, so many tips that can be given to a player through film study that will make him react quicker on the field. Teaching them eye discipline. Through game plan, certain alignments=certain passing concepts. All tips that will improve reactionary skill. #425chat
A2- Definitely through film study. Most HS WRs give the route away by their alignment(tight split/wide split). Through film study we also look to see if the WRs stem. Inside stem= slant/post/dig. Outside stem= fade/comeback/corner/out. #425chat
Also, firm believer in teaching basic route combos: Smash, vout, curl/flat, floods, double slants, switch routes, etc. it’s amazing how much kids start to recognize on their own and they play it better. #425chat
We play mostly a 1 high type coverage with CB Deep, sam force flat/ SS- 3 to 2 hook to curl carry vert. Backside Fs force/flow, read #3 opposite. #425chat
If their dude is backside #1 we will play Match 1/4s on the trips and be 2 over 1 or 3 over 2 backside. If dude is in the trips we will involve the backside safety and play 5 over 3 or 6 over 4 and man the backside. If no dude we feel comfortable either way. #425chat
A2: All about eyes, get your read and key the hips. Short strides, low hips=break. High hips, long strides=vertical route. Looking to do more with google or other tech from teaching standpoint for preparation purposes. #425chat
A3: A slightly modified version of Stress coverage. Press 1 (O/S) & 2 (I/S) and funnel them together off the line. Funnel them and sometimes create a pile with them. #425chat
A3: Stress. It turns to Quarters if it's not 3 verts & it allows you to play w/ the b/s WR. It forces the QB to make the farthest throw - hash to boundary & protects the Sam. #425chat
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https://t.co/nBnUAM4alK
A3 - really depends who my Sam is. If he can run it’s fun to lock him up on #3 and play 2 read on 1 and 2. However I really liked @The_Coach_A stress coverage as well. #425chat
A3-I like 1/4,1/4,1/2 or lock up #1 then make a banjo call for the inside 2 switching up responsibilities here and there...screen heavy team I like a cover 3 cloud technique
#425chat
A3: Quarter Quarter Half. Quarters to the trips side, with a lock on #3, sky halves to the single receiver. I've also played alot of straight cover 3 to trips. #425chat
Why I read that as "recognize run" IDK
Down and distance, field and boundary... mainly film study.
I also work a route combo sheet, and we find what combos they like to run together and with what personel
#425chat
A3: I like to do Survivor/Palms a little different than most. H/L bracket 3wr with Mike & FS because I don’t want to teach the Sam to play 2 Read two different ways #425chat
A3) I think that depends on why they run trips? I think you have to try and define what the O is and why they do what they do. 4 verts? Bubbles? Run weak? Better have an answer for all. 1/4s with away S spy, hard corner rolled 3, 1/4, with away S down in run support #425chat
A2: First person exposure to routes & stems through VR. fast & repeatable routes. Helps communication, especially with man coverage switches & quarters against vertical switches. Players run through it alone through google cardboard and with position group on a screen. #425chat
A3 - when we had a more traditional OLB at Sam and a dude at #3 we have also brought the FS down to man 3 and put the Sam up to play blue on 1 and 2. One of the coolest on the fly tweaks I have seen. #425chat
Think back alignment and involvement in the passing game dictate 3x1 coverage a lot as well. Know @zclark730 can carve people up if you're rolling the safety and playing 2 on 2 weak with your C and ILB. Also, how much "fortitude" does a back have in pass pro. #425chat
In reply to
@The_Coach_A, @CoachKelleyAHS, @zclark730
A3: Depend on what the team’s tendency in 3 by 1 is and where they put their personnel. I’m a huge fan of a hard/flat corner, SS rolling to outside third, FS to middle 1/3, and boundary corner deep 1/3. Can get beat on wk. side, but it eats up SO flood, screen, & verts. #425chat
A4 I personally like press man b/c HS rules allow for a more aggressive man technique. We stress to our kids that contact can occur until the ball is in the air - not too many HS WR like getting abused at the line. We stress hand checks, moving the feet, and stay engaged #425chat
We do at Creighton Prep coach, as a matter of fact it’s one of the reasons one of our CBs got offered and committed to North Dakota today. Helped a ton with our split field coverage calls. #425chat
Think every DB coach would be well served to follow @JamesALight for HIS knowledge as well as what he shares from others. The Patricia stuff he has shared recently, playing up through the catch in particular, is great stuff. #425Chat
A4: Prefer press all the way. Allows lesser talent to compete. I always coach feet first in press. We run a progression of mirror drills using feet and body to block WR release before finally working hands. #425chat
Have to have at least 3 ways to attack trips. We go Roll, Cover 4, and we always have the ability to go 0 with sending 5 or 6. Make offense do what they aren’t the best at. #425chat
A4: we use both press and off man, we force our kids to do both in preseason practice so they feel comfortable and choose what works best for their abilities #425chat
A4) As a pattern match team we have to have off man skills. I think the teaching progression is better starting with press. We also want those skills in red zone, short distance and they also translate to our hard corner coverages. So both are a must for us. #425chat
A3: depends on what they do out of trips and if there is a dude or not. My favorite is our match system. CB reads 1-2, SS 2-1, backer 3-2 walling 3 vertical, FS takes over 3 vertical. Basically have a sky concept to the single side. CB had 1 vertical, WS gets under 1 #425chat
A4) High press. I like my DBs to get handsy just before the stem... right at that 5yd mark, then ride WR through his route.
Big point is that the WR never has a play where he isnt jostled around
#425chat
A4:Press. My CP's are nothing revolutionary. Just key the hips and waist, and leverage him to your help. In this case, your help is the sideline. #425chat.
A4: #425chat Catch. We'll press in certain situations. Always have to keep feet moving, especially in off man - can't get stuck in quicksand. And eye discipline with reading keys.
A4-mirror drill first in between yard lines. Build on that with a WR release and an off hand jam. Jam takes us into the hip. Also teach a follow hip mirror drill a lot of changing direction WR settle we settle, cutting off downfield hip. #425chat
A4: Press...drill the feet, posture, and hand placement. I want to be aggressor on D and force WR to react. Saying this, I always teach both and make sure the kid plays the best technique for his skill set. #425chat
A4: Chew ear!!! Stay underneath and inside with your eyes to the earhole of the receivers helmet, waiting for it to turn towards the ball. Make the QB throw the long, outside throw. #425chat
We work both press and catch/off but we also start with press and work backwards. After all, catch "becomes press" at the point of collisioning the route. We teach defending man routes w/ leverage, technique, & scheme. Know if there is a MOF player/Rat. Bracket vs Solo. #425chat
A4: If we are playing press man, it’s near the goal line or very short yardage. Get in the WRs face, be physical, don’t let him breathe. We use the term plaster the WR. #425chat
A4: I think it depends on the player. Not everyone can do both. I don’t want robots. Whichever they prefer. In/out of phase rules. I like to teach my kids that it’s not a race so we don’t overrun the wr. Most routes break in the 8-12 yd range. So many coaching points... #425chat
We will play “palms” traditionally vs trips at times, where WS has #3 vert and C locked. If we get a dominant WR to 1 cut side, we will lock C to trips, play palms on #2 and #3, double #1. $ now force to trips, not FS. WS still force weak. #425chat
A4: Press Man. Feel like you have to be able to play it at some point, so you may as well be good at it. Also allows you to disguise your different looks better, bring some CB blitzes, and challenge the offense. #425chat
A4: Press, dictates release and limits routes. Outside release=off hand jab get on top, inside release=2 hand jam and force WR flat along line of scrimmage #425chat
I personally like the shuffle technique a lot. I think it opens up their vision and allows for smoother transition to run with vertical routes. #425chat
A4: teach kids both & let them play what they R best at. DO NOT let WR release inside of u. N either work 2 get inside leverage, & punch WR inside pec/hip w/ur inside. I like hip better because it 👀s like your natural running motion w/ur arms to ref #425chat
Robber concept, split field with a shirt hole to take away crossers. Read 3 to 2 from the safety with corner overlap 1/2. Overhang can punch out to steal 1 or play qbs eyes to flat. #425chat
A4 cont: Whichever skill set suits the player. A more athletic player, get in the WR's grill and put him to work. You can still jam in catch, but I'd rather sacrifice the long gain for the short pass. #425chat
Coached WRs for 13 years...always tell them to push (well, “nudge” 😉) defenders’s hip at last minute b/c of that very reason. Flags come from pushing off high. #425chat
A5: We base out of one coverage across the board. I prefer split field concepts and would probably do that as a DC. Multiplicity from simplicity. #425chat
A5 Split Field - most of the game is played on the hashes - allows you to cover down an athletic slot to the field and play 2 Read into the boundary. Will play 4 Read (Quarters) in the MOF #425chat
A5: It all depends on your opponent, but you should have both in your playbook. My HC makes fun of me for having a “Rolodex of coverages”, but our coverages all have the same job skills, either cover 2 tech. Or cover 3 tech. Reads/job don’t change, the look does. #425chat
A4: Press Man. It allows the DB a chance to control the WRs release and disrupt play timing. Catch Man has to be taught to cover slots Man2Man. In Catch we teach hot feet, collision the route with inside leverage, and get in his hip and run. Be as physical as possible #425chat
A4 cont: And when both of your cornerbacks are 5'6", you have to put them in the best position to be successful. Probably not face to face with 6'4" receivers. #425chat
Need to have both in the bag. Either way, it’s like playing defense in basketball around the net trying to take a charge except moving your feet. When off, read the q.v. through 3 step, especially with pressure. #425chat
A5- New to the 425 but split coverages bc I feel like it puts us into the best situation to cover all routes effectively. However being new not sure how split coverage works with run fits so any help or advice please DM
#425chat
A4: I like press man Coaching points for us are being patience and really using our feet before we use our hands! #425chat side note @TAMUC_DBCoach is a great follow for dB play
A5 (1/2): I like split field coverage as a base because you can have different tweaks which can throw off tendencies the OFF coaches might be looking for in your Def. OFF coaches can scout Def coach tendencies. Use blanket coverage to 3x1, blitz, & exotic formations #425chat
A5: When we have the players who can play split field coverages, I will run them across the board. Absolutely love it, put our kids in position to make plays 2 years ago. Communication is king and if they won’t communicate you can’t run it. #425chat
Yes. Inherent advantages to both styles so we pick from both. If O is multiple and good at it you better have some change ups ready. Know the guys in our league and in our area are too good to sit in one look for an entire game & not get schemed. #425chat
A4: prefer catch, but w/ the teams we face we have to use a lot of split zone and have 1 CB man to man. Biggest key is that initial hand strike to inside upfield shoulder and eyes on their hips. The way we’ve introduced the shuffle this year vs backpedal helped matchups #425chat
Split coverage. I split my DB coaches into Strong side/Weak Side as well as my position groups. WS and WCB always worked together with same coach, as well as FS, SS and FCB. Would work individual technique during Indy, then with group all other periods #425chat
A5 (2/2): split coverage I like is 42. Cov 4 Str & 2 Cloud/Sky/Read to wk side. Allow the Wk Safety to call what they want backside because it’s hard to get a tendency off a kids brain. JMO #425chat
A4 Continued: Our main rule in press man is "Don't Open the Gate" Alot of DBs shoot their punch so hard that they open up and allow a free release. Stay square and make the WR widen if he wants to get an outside release! #425chat
A5: love split field theoretically. But I've found that getting really really good at 1 or 2 coverages across the board cuts down on checks and presnap recognitions allowing kids to play faster and with more confidence. #425chat
We teach the same way...look at pre-snap alignment and possible favorite routes...then post snap releases inside or out and route recognition and reaction at the different levels...when they sink, we sink, we sink and burst to hip #425chat
Balanced = across the field, numbers = split. Vs trips we’ll use Tuscan aka 2 strong and bring B/S safety as robber for #3. Split creates more unique blitzing opportunities #425chat
A5) Cont’ I want the best match up to the formation. 2 detached vs TE-Wing, sound like two separate coverages to me. Plus we want to get as fair of numbers vs run. #425chat
A5: I'd like to base out of a generic across the board coverage, but then add in split field coverages as the game goes along to throw off the offense's presnap reads. Having never taught either yet, could be easier said than done. #425chat
