American football · Pass coverage

Man coverage leverage

Defensive backs take outside or inside leverage based on where their help is, then stay in phase through the route.

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Start / 6
Time
15 min
Players
4–14
Age
U16+
Area
30 × 25 yd
Equipment
14 helmets4 footballs6 cones

Setup

  1. Contact level: thud hands at the line only. No tackling; the play ends on the catch, the break-up or a two-hand touch.
  2. Helmets on, and a coach watches every rep.
  3. A QB (or coach) throws. A receiver (X) lines up wide, and a defensive back (CB1) covers in man. A free safety (FS) plays deep middle on some reps.
  4. Mark the line of scrimmage and a 5-yard line with cones.
  5. Before each rep the coach calls the coverage: 'Cover 1' (FS help in the middle) or 'Cover 0' (no help).

How it runs

  1. Cover 1: FS helps in the deep middle, so CB1 takes outside leverage, lining up on the receiver's outside shoulder and funnelling routes inside to the help.
  2. Cover 0: no help, so CB1 takes inside leverage and takes away the quick inside throws, the shortest and easiest for the QB.
  3. On Cover 0 reps the FS walks down and rushes, stopping 3 yards from the QB with no contact, so the QB has to throw quickly.
  4. X runs any route from a card the QB sees: slant, dig, out, comeback or go.
  5. CB1 backpedals or turns and runs, stays in phase on the hip, then plays the ball when the receiver's eyes and hands go up.
  6. Score it: catch = 1 to the offence, break-up = 1 to the defence, interception = 2.
  7. 6 reps each, then swap roles. Walk back between reps for full-speed effort.

Coaching points

  • Leverage depends on help: play away from your help, so the receiver has to run into it.
  • Eyes on the receiver's hips, not the head or the QB, until you are in phase.
  • Keep the leverage through the break: drive on the near hip, don't open the gate.
  • Play the hands. When the receiver's hands go up, yours go through them to the ball.
  • Know the rules: no holding at any level; in the NFL any contact past 5 yards before the throw is illegal contact.
  • Once the ball is in the air, play the ball, not the receiver, or it is pass interference.

Common mistakes

  • Lining up head-up, so the receiver can win either way.
  • Losing leverage on the stem and letting the receiver get on top.
  • Grabbing the jersey at the break; in a game that is a flag.
  • Turning to look for the ball too early and losing the receiver on the double move.

Say it: “Play away from your help. Hip, hands, ball.”

Make it harder

  • Add a slot receiver and a second defensive back so there are crossing routes to handle.
  • Receivers may run double moves (slant and go, out and up).
  • The QB pump-fakes before throwing.

Make it easier

  • Walk-through: the receiver tells the defender the route.
  • Three routes only: slant, out and go.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.