This document discusses defensive schemes to defend against the spread offense. It outlines different coverage options like cover 3, cover 1 (man free), cover 4 (quarters), and man coverage. It provides diagrams showing how the defensive players align and responsibilities in shotgun spread formations with receivers in trips, twins, empty sets, and against the run. The goal is to force the quarterback into mistakes by disguising coverages and maintaining gap integrity against the run.

1. What we try to do to teams running
the spread.
• Force the QB to throw under distress.
• Maintain gap integrity.
• Confuse the QB by disguising and changing
coverages.
• Force the QB to try and find the holes in our zone
coverage.
• Shut down the run by maintaining gap integrity, and
in turn making the offense one dimensional.
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2. Vocabulary
• Sky- tells us that we are showing cover 3, but rolling to cover 4 with the
rover and free safety. Will OLB has hook/curl/flats weak
• Cover 1- man free coverage. We are man underneath and our free safety is
playing centerfield.
• Cover 4- true quarters coverage.
• Cover 3- three deep zone coverage
• Man- true man to man coverage.
• Sam and Will- our two Outside linebackers
• Rover and Bandit- our two inside DBs
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3. Cover 3
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C
•3

4. Cover Man
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C
Corners have #1
Rover has # 2
Free has #2 strong, #3 weak
Bandit has #3 strong
•4

5. Cover 1 (man free)
•5
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C
Corners have #1
Whip has # 2
Free has #3 either way
Stud has #2 strong

6. Cover 3 (sky)
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C
“Sky” tell us that we are going to show cover three and on the snap roll to cover 4
(quarters)
Free safety will slide to the strong hash
Rover will sprint to the weak hash.
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7. Cover 4 (Quarters)
E N E
W M S BD
C RO FS C
In cover 4 Mike will not rush, he will settle in the middle of the field.
Rover will move back as a true safety.
Will will play weak hook/ curl to flats.
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8. Formation adjustments against the
spread.
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9. Shotgun spread W/TE
Cover 3
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C
•9

10. Shotgun spread W/TE
(man free)
•10
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C

11. Shotgun spread W/TE
Man
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C
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12. Shotgun spread W/TE
(Sky)
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C
“Sky” tells us that we are showing cover 3, but rolling to cover 4
with the Rover and free safety. Will OLB has hook/curl/flats weak.
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13. Shotgun spread trips W/TE
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C
•13

14. Shotgun spread trips W/TE
Man
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E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C

15. Shotgun spread trips open
roll to Sky (4)
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E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C

16. Shotgun spread trips open
1 (man free)
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E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C

17. Shotgun spread double twins
Cover 3
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E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C

18. Shotgun spread double twins
option 2.- check 1 (man free)
E N E
RO W M S BD
C FS C
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19. Shotgun spread double twins
check cover 4
E N E
W M S ST
C WP FS C
•19

20. Defending empty sets
•20

21. Shotgun spread empty pro trips
(cover 4)
E N E
W M S BD
C RO FS C
•21

22. Shotgun spread empty trips twins
cover 4
E N E
W M S BD
C RO FS C
•22

23. Shotgun spread empty quads
cover 4
E N E
W M S BD
C RO FS C
We will bump our coverage to the quads to
even out our numbers
•23