Lecture Notes: Beating Cover Two Defense

Introduction

• Presenter: Mike Polosky, former pro quarterback and QB coach.
• Topic: Strategies to beat Cover 2 defense in football.
• Audience Engagement: Encourages viewer interaction and feedback.

Understanding Cover Two Defense

• Design: Takes away underneath routes.
• Defensive Advantage: Relies on time and distance.
• Coverage Layout:
  • Two safeties covering deep halves.
  • Corners forcing inside releases, playing flat.
  • Linebackers (Will, Mike, Sam) cover various zones underneath.

Offensive Strategies Against Cover Two

General Concepts

• Vertical Passing: Push the ball vertically due to tight underneath windows.
• Zone to Man Transition: As a player enters a defender's zone, it becomes man-to-man.
• Outnumbering Defenders: Aim for a numbers advantage (e.g., 2-on-1, 3-on-2).

Formations and Play Strategies

Two by Two Set (10 Personnel)

• Cover Two Setup: Two safeties deep, five underneath defenders.
• Open Spaces: Deep middle, deep outside alleys, various lanes based on linebacker drops.
• Play Concepts:
  • Double Slant: Quick game but not ideal.
  • Three Vertical Routes (3 Vert):
    • Attack open spaces in alleys and midfield.
    • Pick a side based on alignment and personnel.
    • Options include hitting the alley or middle based on safety position.
  • Smash Routes: High-low reads; attack corners over the top and utilize space.

Trips Formation (Three by One)

• Route Combinations:
  • Smash and Scissors Concept: Force safety to cover two high routes.
  • High-Low Linebacker Attack:
    • Use over routes and shallows.
    • Optional play-action for deception.

With Tight End (Play-Action)

• Play Concept: Use tight end to create additional passing lanes.
• Route Combinations:
  • Go, Corner, and Shallow:
    • Use motion to cross formation quickly.
    • Determine reads based on corner and safety reactions.

Key Considerations

• Time and Distance: Defense benefits from longer throws and increased time.
• Quick Decision-Making: Essential for quarterback success.
• Understanding Reads: Know your options and execute promptly.

Conclusion

• Viewer Interaction: Encourages questions and feedback.
• Final Thoughts: Importance of football IQ and readiness in executing plays against Cover Two.

Additional Resources

• Subscription & Engagement:
  • Encourages viewers to subscribe for notifications.
  • Invites comments and play submissions for further learning.

Summary

• A detailed description of various strategies to effectively counter Cover Two defenses with emphasis on vertical routes and exploiting mismatches.