READING THE DEFENSE

Question
Coach,

I play university ball in England, which isn't of the highest standard, from what I have been told its like JV or an average High School team. I have only had 2 years playing experience of football and only 1 at QB, and am just wondering if you have any tips of points towards playing?
I play in a run heavy i form offence, and would like help in the areas of my dropback technique and reading defences.
Any help you can give would be awesome.
thanks for your time

Tig

Answer
Hi Tig,

The pre-snap read is not that difficult to master. Look at the deep safeties;

One safety equals cover 1.
Two safeties equals cover 2.
Three safeties equals cover 3.

If you want to know if they are using man or zone just place a man in motion just before the snap of the football. If a defender follows the motion man all the way across the formation the defense is covering man to man and a blitz is coming.

If nobody follows the motion man across the formation the defense is using a zone.

By the time a quarterback hits the football field he must

know what coverage his opponents like to run, sorted by down and distance.

The best way to do this is by reading the corners in the game film. Corners are the quarterback's best friends, when it comes to giving the most tips to the coverage. Here are a few simple reads for the quarterback; Study the corner back, look to see if he is eyeing the receiver or the quarterback.

If the corner-back is eyeing the receiver he is playing him man to man.

If the corner-back is eyeing the quarterback he is playing zone.

If the corner-back is line-up outside the receiver he is in a zone.

If he is line-up inside the receiver he is playing him man to man.
If he is line-up in a low focus position he is playing man to man.

If the corner-back is standing tall he is playing zone.

IF HE IS LINE-UP INSIDE AND LOOKING INTO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE HE IS COMING ON SOME KIND OF STUNT. Make sure you have someone pick him up or he is going to take your head off.

I hope you put all these tips to good use. If you need anymore help please let me know.
Your friend,
Louis



PS Take a look at these videos they might help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QVKvq8nIs4&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=