Pattern Read Coverage: Football’s Match-up Zone

1. O Pattern Read Coverage:Football’s Match-up Zone Keith Albers Defensive Coordinator O’Fallon Township High School

2. My background • Colleyville Heritage HS, Colleyville TX • Galesburg HS, IL • Knox College (NCAA D III) • WRs (2 yrs), including two All Americans • DBs (3 yrs), Special Teams Co-Coordinator O

3. Currently • Defensive Coordinator at O’Fallon Township HS, O’Fallon, IL (7A Southwestern Conference) since 2007 • Quarterfinalist in 2009, Back to Back Conference Champs (2009 & 2010) • Defense gave up 133 points in 12 games in 2009 (11 points per game) and 11 ppg again in 2010 O

4. General Philosophy • We are a block react team • We are a single gap control team • We put the fastest players on the field as is responsible for each position • We are aggressive & don’t mind sending people to stop the run or to rush the passer • We match up to cover on almost every down O

5. What is Pattern Read? • Pattern Read begins with alignment • Our coverage matches up with the offensive formation- we make it favorable to us • We can pass off or “bracket” when it is to our advantage • We make sure we have the type of coverage we want based on what the offense comes out in O

6. Rationale • We played Cover 3 for years, and just gave up too many conversions on 3rd Down • Too many players guarding turf instead of opponents • Offensive Coordinators have thick files on cover 2 beaters, cover 3 beaters, etc. but this cover doesn’t fit any of those offensive strategies. • We want matchups that favor us, no matter what the offense does • We can stop the Run O

7. Rationale Why match up? • Stop the Run • Verticals against zone turn into man anyway • We’re never guarding turf, always guarding someone • Trick plays and play action are nullified • Pressure the QB • Risk aversion O

8. Concerns • Three things can beat the match up coverage: • Rub routes • Verticals • Crossers • We have answers for each concern Out Calls Pressure the QB & practice with the ball in the air LBs Knock them out O

9. Base Alignment to PRO

10. Our Calls • We make coverage calls based on half of the field. • The safety to either side will make our calls • We may be playing two distinct but complementary coverages on either side of the field O

11. Our 3 Calls Out of Base Cover • Pattern Read Cover 2 • Bracketed man to man • Straight man to man with no bracketing or switch calls O

12. Pattern Read Cover 2 • We make this call when the #1 receiver has his hand down • Then we change the cover 2 rules a little bit • Any motion that creates a new #1 checks us to man O

13. PR Cover 2 Alignment (Left)

14. Safety Play • The safety is the secondary hammer player versus the run in this coverage. • The Strong Safety ($) is locked on the TE in everything except for a quick out. • If we get a quick out, Safety looks for the second level receiver- either a back side crosser or a shoot out of the backfield • We ask our safety to be on the receiver’s up field shoulder to be in phase O

15. Corner Play • The Corner is the Primary Hammer player in this call. • We ask Corners to get their run read on the EMLOS. If he is zoning or down blocking, we are closing right now. High hat = pass. • Corners “Push the Fade” until a flat threat shows. If no flat threat materializes, we never stop getting depth. • Also allows the freedom to bring him • When a flat threat shows, we break downhill on it only when the QB’s shoulders tell me its time to go O

16. Cover 2 Film O

17. Bracketed man • We make this call when there are two receivers spread out. • We are locked in man unless the #2 receiver runs a quick out • If this happens, we make an “out” call • The Corner jumps the out & the safety switches to the #1 receiver O

18. Bracket

19. Safety Play • The safety is the primary hammer player versus the run in this coverage. • Safeties make the call pre-snap that dictates the coverage he & the corner are in • Safeties make the “out” calls during the play if we have a quick out O

20. Corner Play • The Corner is the Secondary Hammer player in this coverage • Corner should echo the safety’s coverage call to ensure that we are on the same page • The safety is right, even if he’s wrong • I am locked on #1 until I hear the “out” call • Break on the out- rob it or rock him • Pick six O

21. Bracket film O

22. Straight Man (cover 0) • As basic as It gets: • Corner has #1, Safety Has #2 O

23. Linebacker Play • 2 Rules for EVERY coverage: • Wall #2, see #1 • Back takes me to the flat right now O

24. Linebacker Play • Collision #2, See #1 • If no back, must find work from either #1 or #2 • Slant or shallow crosser we knock out, but never chase if we are going to miss • Knock out the vertical from #2 on the way to #1 O

25. LB coverage film O

26. Special Circumstances • We game plan week to week how we want to handle special formations trips, heavy sets, empty, quads, based on offensive tendencies • Motion across the formation: • Bump it if there is a TE, keep it if they are spread O

27. PRO man man Man Man Free Player

28. Slot Match up Cvr 2 bracket Cvr 2

29. Trips (Open) man Match up man Match up

30. Y Trips 30 30 20 20 man F man Match up W M S C $ C bracket E N T E 10 10

31. Ace 30 30 Man everywhere 20 20 man man $ F W M S C C E N T E 10 10

32. Spread Match up Match up bracket bracket

33. Empty 30 30 20 20 Match up man Match up W M S F C $ C E N T E 10 10 bracket Man/bracket Man

34. Double Slot 30 30 20 20 man $ man F Man W M S C C Man E N T E 10 10

35. Power I 30 30 Cvr 2 Cvr 2 20 20 F $ W M S C C E N T E 10 10 Cvr 2 Cvr 2

36. Contact Keith Albers coachkeithalbers@yahoo.com Coach Keith Albers on Facebook & Linkedin O’Fallon Township High School Defensive Coordinator O