Good article on 1 vs 2 gap defensive line philosophy

[CaneSince4Ever]

What isn't shown in a still photo is whether they filled their gap by penetrating or because they made the right read on that play.

Play's at :29 of this video. You're right, Pierre made the right read on the play, but their still shouldn't have been 2 guys in 1 gap. Matter of fact, the 1st 2 plays illustrate that point (2 guys in 1 gap).

[video=youtube;FVtSo9nfZaw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVtSo9nfZaw[/video]

 

[DuffleBagYoda]

At the end of the day we all agree that players are being misused

 

[Cane Dynasty]

You're teaching your D-linemen to read and step versus simply getting off the ball and penetrate.

How can anybody not see how the 2-gap is harder to teach?

Fair enough. I guess the word "hard" is being misused here. OK It's "harder" to teach 2 gap than one. But the most significant limitation of playing 2-gap is physical NOT mental.

It's not like the corches have to teach a guy particle theory FFS.

 

[561Cane]

1 gap, 2 gap, just please, please don't have our LB's covering slot WR's!!!

 

[DuffleBagYoda]

1 gap, 2 gap, just please, please don't have our LB's covering slot WR's!!!

That's not the problem. Unless you come out in DIME personnel every down you will always have LBs in coverage. and even then u still might. but the problem is that guys weren't penetrating for whatever reason... and that makes the mismatch even worse.

If U are playing zone then LBs on Wrs isn't the worst thing. it all comes back to pressure. average QBs and WRs look great with TIME. against man or zone DB or LB

 

[LuCane]

1 gap, 2 gap, just please, please don't have our LB's covering slot WR's!!!

It's the amount of time they're expected to play in space or hold coverage that should be really concerning.

In a pinch, I'll play a decently athletic LB over the slot if the QB is facing a double A-gap blitz that is designed to force the ball out of his hands in a matter of milliseconds. The opportunity for accuracy from the QB decreases. The opportunity for the LB to lose leverage decreases.

In a more realistic scenario, playing fast, attacking and upfield up front and forcing typically low percentage throws is how DCs turn average athletes into decent looking players and units. We've taken good to great athletes and made them look like they're stuck in the mud.

 

[Coach Macho]

Saw Hurlie Brown give a short clinic on Linebacker play and I can tell you right now that we're NEVER gonna excel at zone coverage our coaching.

Miami teaches their Linebackers to watch the QB and "find the receiver once the ball is thrown."

That's why we always see short/intermediate passes completed with our LB's standing 3 feet away covering grass.

Prehistoric zone coverage.

 

[Paranos]

Saw Hurlie Brown give a short clinic on Linebacker play and I can tell you right now that we're NEVER gonna excel at zone coverage our coaching.

Miami teaches their Linebackers to watch the QB and "find the receiver once the ball is thrown."

That's why we always see short/intermediate passes completed with our LB's standing 3 feet away covering grass.

Prehistoric zone coverage.

How should zone defense be taught?

LB Zone Fundamentals Article
http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2011/4/28/2130452/linebacker-fundamentals-zone-coverage

Go Canes

 

[Barboni]

Saw Hurlie Brown give a short clinic on Linebacker play and I can tell you right now that we're NEVER gonna excel at zone coverage our coaching.

Miami teaches their Linebackers to watch the QB and "find the receiver once the ball is thrown."

That's why we always see short/intermediate passes completed with our LB's standing 3 feet away covering grass.

Prehistoric zone coverage.

How should zone defense be taught?

LB Zone Fundamentals Article
http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2011/4/28/2130452/linebacker-fundamentals-zone-coverage

Go Canes

Used to tell my OLBs to drop underneath to inside of number 1 and collision the receiver if he tries to cross your body. ILBs drop underneath number 2's. Makes it more of a "man/zone" concept. Instead of making backers spot drop, make their target the actual receiver. Obviously, the result is a smaller window to throw to, and it's easier for the backers to cover.

 

[Coach Macho]

^Spot on dude.

 

[Coach Macho]

Quarterbacks don't throw the ball to zones, they're throwing to their receivers. If you're sitting there starring at the QB then receivers will actually stop their route and "hitch up" in a window/vacancy. We see this happen all the time with our linebackers. Five yard routes are completed right next to our LB's and then we tackle them right after they catch it. (easy gain of 7 yards)

Miami is teaching their linebackers ***-backwards. They should be finding the receivers FIRST and then snapping their eyes back to the quarterback after the routes are distributed. Your primary read (closest receiver) determines your pass drop, not a piece of grass.

It's basically zone that turns into "man" after route distribution.

If I'm an inside linebacker then I drop towards my nearest WR and I "apex" his route. I break off my drop when he breaks off his route.

 

[CaneSince4Ever]

I taught the SCiF progression...Seam,Curl, & rally to the Flats.

 

[DuffleBagYoda]

Pretty much nothing left to say after that Coach

 

[CaneSince4Ever]

What tripped me out was the bowl game...3rd & 9 I think it was, Elder gives His man a 10 yard cushion, WR catches the ball at the sticks for a 1st, and Elder jumps up celebrating...I was like WTF!

 

[LuCane]

Quarterbacks don't throw the ball to zones, they're throwing to their receivers. If you're sitting there starring at the QB then receivers will actually stop their route and "hitch up" in a window/vacancy. We see this happen all the time with our linebackers. Five yard routes are completed right next to our LB's and then we tackle them right after they catch it. (easy gain of 7 yards)

Miami is teaching their linebackers ***-backwards. They should be finding the receivers FIRST and then snapping their eyes back to the quarterback after the routes are distributed. Your primary read (closest receiver) determines your pass drop, not a piece of grass.

It's basically zone that turns into "man" after route distribution.

If I'm an inside linebacker then I drop towards my nearest WR and I "apex" his route. I break off my drop when he breaks off his route.

Beside the frustration of watching guys seemingly "cover air," the bigger issue is that it makes our players look far slower than they are in reality. The other extreme being Man Under, which often fails for the exact opposite reasons. One middle ground is pattern matching.

 

[Coach Macho]

I thought pattern matching was basically universal at this point but apparently it's not. Many high school coaches don't run it and even some college teams still spot drop.

It's a more aggressive way of playing zone coverage. It gives you the benefits of man coverage (tighter windows) without the weaknesses (vulnerable against the run).