Michigan Football: Mailbag Question — Regarding the CB Coverage
Posted at 6:00am — 2/16/2008
Michigan Football: Mailbag Question — Regarding the CB Coverage
Hello,
My formal experience at the CB position ended at high school so I do not have extensive knowledge of how the position is taught, but I have one thing that just drives me nuts that I do not understand. Why do teams allow a free release off the line with a 10yd cushion? If you are in zone or man-to-man, I would think, 80% of the time you would like to give the receivers a bump to throw off the timing of the route and slow the WR.
In college where the max penalty is 15 yards and you can touch the receiver until the ball thrown, I think it is necessary. Yet I continually see teams back off and make things easy. The only coach I have seen that keeps this kind of pressure on the WR’s was Coach Shannon at Miami. I was slow and short, but the faster the WR the more I wanted to get up and get my hands on them. I always felt helpless with a person running at you full steam and you have to wait for his cut at which that point you were toast.
Exhibit A being the Burress catches at the Super Bowl. He was in no man’s land. Knowing we had a blitz coming I would have shown press coverage knowing they would then go to the fade and then played a bail technique. Just do not get what you can do 10 yards off the ball. Michigan CB’s seem to be victim to this no man’s land reactionary position a lot. Eighty percent or more of defenses called have safety help so why does everyone back off. The announcers bag on it all the time especially with TE’s. You have to knock them off his route.
What do you guys think? Thanks for your time.
Frank
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GBMWolverine Response:
Thanks for the question.
When you scheme your defensive philosophy much has to do with personal match ups.
You are not going to use press coverage against a Ted Ginn Jr. with a player who does not have equal skill. Other factor is defensive scheme or package you are using. If you are zone blitz scheme, pressing your corner makes it difficult to rotate or roll your secondary away from the press.
In addition, if you press both sides it becomes difficult to play anything other than cover 2 or two deep coverage.
What offense you are facing is another factor. If you are facing spread, it is difficult to press all two WR’s, either 2 x 2, or 3 x 1 WR sets. Therefore, what many or even most do is press or eliminates #2, the slot WR and make offense execute the more difficult pass to the SE.
Finally, teams overall team philosophy is key. It is important to remember you cannot defend the entire field and takeaway everything. So most teams prefer to give up some of the underneath stuff instead of the deep, over the top passes. Most DC’s I have talked to still list preventing big plays, keeping offenses between the hashes and in front as a top priority.Hope that answers the questions please let us know if not.
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff
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