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  • Cover 0 Defense (Coaching Guide With Images)

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cover 0

Cover 0 defense is simply a fancy term for man-to-man coverage.

The 0 in the name of the defensive scheme refers to the fact that there’ll be no deep help over the top from either the free safety or strong safety.

There are various "Cover" defensive schemes, and the number after that word generally refers to how many players will provide deep over-the-top help.

In this way, all of these defenses are referred to as zone coverage, since players will be responsible for covering a zone on the field rather than a specific offensive player.

This is where Cover 0 differs greatly from the other zone defenses such as Cover 2 , Cover 3 , Cover 4 , and more.

With no extra deep help over the top, Cover 0 is a true man-to-man defensive scheme.

Every defender has a specific player on the offense that he’s assigned to cover.

All other players are tasked with blitzing the quarterback.

This is why Cover 0 defenses are often used in passing situations in which the defense wants to put extra pressure on the quarterback.

While this extra pressure is a great thing, it also comes with its downfalls as well.

Let's take a closer look at the Cover 0 defense, including who should run it and how it's run.

Cover 0 Diagram

Who Should Use the Cover 0?

Cover 0 defense can be used by any defensive team. It's an extremely simple defense to teach, as it's simply man-on-man.

As a coach, you don't have to teach more complicated zone defensive schemes.

You only need to tell each defender which offensive player they're responsible for covering and let them do their job.

Again, all other defenders who don't have a man coverage assignment will just blitz the quarterback.

To run a Cover 0, though, you’ll need quick and speedy defenders, especially defensive backs , who can keep up with fast wide receivers.

You'll also often need at least one of your linebackers to have the ability to keep up with tight ends and running backs who can go into coverage.

With no extra help over the top, all your defenders must be able to cover their assignments.

If they don't, the offense could gain a big play.

1. Simple to Teach

Again, Cover 0 is very simple to teach and install.

There aren't complicated reads you need to teach.

You don't need to have players cover all offensive players who enter their zone.

Instead, simply give each defender an offensive player to cover, and let all other players blitz freely.

2. Forces Quarterbacks to Make Quick Decisions

With many defenders blitzing him, quarterbacks have to make quick and accurate decisions against the Cover 0.

Many young quarterbacks especially don't face a lot of pressure, so they might not be as good at responding. 

3. Doesn't Allow for Deep Patterns

When the defense is blitzing at least six defenders, it doesn’t give the quarterback a lot of time to wait for longer passing routes to develop.

As such, he often has to dump the ball off on shorter routes and hope his receivers can make a move to gain extra yardage.

1. Puts Pressure on Defensive Backs

Each defensive back on a team that runs Cover 0 must be very good at pass coverage.

There really can't be a glaring weakness here, as a mistake by one player can result in a huge offensive play since there's no extra help over the top.

2. Clears Parts of the Field

When defenses decide to blitz in Cover 0, they’re sacrificing coverage on the field.

That means there’ll be more space, especially over the middle of the field, for receivers to run routes, catch passes, and make moves to gain big yardage.

3. Requires "Sure Tacklers"

Because of the one-on-one nature of Cover 0, defenders need to be solid at tackling.

When passes are completed against Cover 0, the defender covering the receiver who caught the ball is often the only one around him.

It's important that he makes the sure solo tackle or at least slows the ball carrier down long enough for help to arrive.

How a Cover 0 Defense Is Run

Stage 1: the defensive line.

Cover 0 Defensive Line

For our example, we'll say that the offense is lining up with four wide receivers, no tight ends, a running back, and the quarterback out of the shotgun formation.

The defense, meanwhile, will counter with four down defensive linemen, two linebackers (a Mike and a Sam), a free safety, strong safety, two cornerbacks, and a nickelback.

The defensive linemen have a fairly simple job in Cover 0 schemes.

On almost all plays, their job is to get into the backfield as quickly as they possibly can.

They’ll all be assigned one-gap coverage and will do everything in their power to get through that gap en route to the quarterback.

The defensive ends will line up on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle to try to spread out the offensive line a bit.

They’ll have C gap responsibilities.

In addition to bursting through that gap, they must also keep outside contained, in case the offense runs a pitch or a quick screen to the running back.

The defensive tackle on the weak side of the field will line up on the offensive guard's outside shoulder, toward the offensive tackle.

He’ll have B gap responsibilities on that side of the field.

If he can also get a little chip on the offensive tackle to free up some room for the defensive end, that’d help, too.

The nose tackle will line up on the outside shoulder of the center. He’ll have A gap responsibilities on his side of the field.

His job is to blow up the interior of the offensive line.

If he can make contact with the other offensive guard, that's even better, as it’ll open up space for a blitzing linebacker.

Stage 2: The Linebackers

Cover 0 Defensive Line and Linebackers

In this defensive example, we'll have a Mike (middle) and Sam (strong-side) linebacker on the field.

The Will (weak-side) linebacker will be subbed off for a nickel back.

Some defensive coaches will decide to take their normal Will linebacker and ask him to play the Sam position on this play, as he might be the better blitzer.

The Mike will align himself between the center and the offensive guard to his left.

He’ll have responsibilities for blitzing through the A gap on that side of the field.

He won't have a coverage assignment at all, so all he has to worry about is getting through the line of scrimmage as quickly as possible.

The Sam linebacker will line up between the offensive guard and the offensive tackle on the other side of the field.

He’ll have B gap responsibilities.

Again, just like the Mike, he won't have a pass coverage assignment, meaning he can just worry about getting through the line of scrimmage as quickly as he can.

Stage 3: The Secondary

Cover 0 Defensive Line, Linebackers, and Secondary

The pass coverage matchups will all happen in the secondary, which will consist of five players in this case.

Each defender in the secondary will match up man-to-man with one of the five eligible receivers the offense has (the four wide receivers and one running back).

The two cornerbacks will line up out wide against the X and Z wide receivers, who’ll align themselves on the line of scrimmage.

These two cornerbacks will play an inside shade, trying to force their receivers to run routes toward the sideline.

This will cut down on the area of the field they have available to run.

The free safety and the nickelback will have coverage responsibilities over the Y and H wide receivers.

Both of those receivers will be lining up off the line of scrimmage, about halfway between the outside wide receivers and the offensive tackles, from sideline to sideline.

The nickelback will often have coverage responsibility on the Y wide receiver since he's often the "third best" receiver on the offense.

The nickelback will line up a little closer to the line of scrimmage than the free safety will, in almost press coverage.

This is to make it a little tougher for the Y to get off the line.

The nickelback will line up around the same depth as the two linebackers.

The free safety, meanwhile, will give himself some extra depth of about a yard or two behind the linebackers.

This will give him some extra time to backpedal if the H runs a deep route.

The H also will often run shorter routes, allowing the free safety to use his forward sprinting ability to make up the extra ground he's giving up by lining up deeper.

The strong safety will have coverage responsibility over the running back.

He’ll therefore line up on whatever side of the field that the running back does. In our example, this will be his right.

The strong safety will give himself some extra depth, just like the free safety.

He'll also need to make sure he lines up between the Sam and the defensive end so that he can keep his eyes on the running back at all times.

Unlike the other defenders in the secondary, he’ll need to look over and through offensive and defensive players before and after the snap to keep an eye on his coverage assignment.

Offenses will often try to sneak the running back behind the offensive linemen and then quickly out for screen passes against Cover 0.

They're hoping to take advantage of the fact that the strong safety has a more difficult job of picking up and staying with his coverage assignment.

Cover 0 is an extremely simple defensive scheme to teach players.

That's because it's a man-to-man defense in which each player in the secondary is given a specific receiver to cover.

All other players are usually just asked to blitz.

While there are variations that can be made to the Cover 0 defense to include some zone coverage for linebackers, the easiest version of the scheme is a blitzing defense.

It's a great defense to run against a spread offense because it puts pressure on the quarterback and forces him to make a quick decision.

At the same time, if you want to run the Cover 0, you need to make sure that all your defenders in the secondary can cover really well since they won't have any extra help over the top from safeties.

They also need to be sure tacklers, as they won't have help in that department, either.

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What is a PBU in Football? (Full Explanation)

What is a Sack in Football? (Full Explanation)

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cover 0

Cover 0 is an aggressive coverage that is usually tied to heavy blitz packages . It leaves zero deep defenders and utilizes man coverage. It’s a high risk and high reward play. The goal being to pressure the quarterback and force a sack or mistake.

Cover 2

Cover 0 Philosophy

The philosophy of Cover 0 is to create as much pressure and pass protection confusion as possible to disrupt rhythm and timing throws, create a sack, or force a bad pass. While not always paired with blitz packages, Cover 0 does always have zero deep help and use man coverage. By showing all-out blitzes, the defense can force the offense into predictable situations with hot routes and pass protection rules that they can then schematically exploit. Offenses will try to combat Cover 0 with quick hitters, crossing routes, bunch formations, and deep shots.

cover 0

Cover 0 Assignments

  • Inside or off alignment on #1
  • No run responsibility
  • Man-to-man on #1
  • No deep safeties
  • Part of blitz package or man-to-man on #2 or #3 receiver to their side

Nickel / Outside Linebackers:

  • Outside contain run support
  • Part of blitz package or man-to-man on #2 receiver to their side

Middle Linebackers:

  • Inside gap run responsibility
  • Part of blitz package or man-to-man on running back to their side
  • Can also be used as plugger in the middle of the field to wall crossers and prevent hot routes

Inside Zone

C over 0 Variations

While there are almost an infinite number of blitz packages off of Cover 0, the most common coverage variation is to drop first and second level defenders into zone coverage. Those players drop to the middle of the field to congest the passing lanes for the offense’s hot routes. This coverage is called Cover 0 Plug.

Cover 0 Plug:

Cover 0 Plug can drop any player in the front seven in an effort to take away the quick throw from the offense. Often, the defense will play off-man coverage outside so that the offense can’t take a quick deep shot down the field with no safety help. As a result, that leaves space underneath. Cover 0 Plug tries to occupy that space underneath, but at the consequence of bringing less people on the blitz.

cover 0 plug

This Cover 0 blitz look from the Chiefs against the Broncos is a great example of the secondary understanding what’s happening up front. The two safeties are deep and disguising the coverage, but are actually in man coverage on the receivers they’re lined up over. With the Broncos in an empty formation, the Chiefs know that they’ll have six rushers for the Broncos’ five blockers and get a free runner. That allows the safeties to play more flat-footed and aggressive since they’re in off coverage at ten yards. They know the ball will need to come out quickly, so the safety to the bottom of the screen jumps the route as soon as the receiver makes their first cut. The pressure gets home and forces the ball to be slightly behind which allows the safety to under cut the route and take the interception back for a touchdown.

The Dolphins are also in Cover 0 and are green dogging their nickel and corner to the bottom of the screen. As soon as those two players diagnose that the tight end and running back are staying in on protection, they join the blitz and rush the quarterback. The other Dolphins defenders are playing off coverage to prevent the Chiefs’ from taking a deep shot. The pressure forces an off-target throw and incompletion.

what is cover 0 in football

Cover 0 isn’t without its risks. If you get beat quickly in man coverage , teams can break off big chunks of yardage on you or take advantage of poor coverage by the secondary. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles here make a quick decision and read the leverage of the corner outside. With the corner on top of the route, he quickly throws a back-shoulder ball before the blitz gets home and scores a touchdown.

Teams will also make defenses pay by running quick screens outside against the off coverage and blitz looks. With almost all the defenders inside, that means nobody is outside to prevent screen passes and quick outlet throws. All those players on the rush now have to change course and chase things down out on the sideline. With a missed tackle outside, that can turn into an easy throw and catch and a big gain.

As mentioned in Cover 0 Plug, defenses will drop guys into coverage after showing a heavy blitz look to take away slant and quick throw windows. That’s what the Dolphins are doing here. They’re showing blitz with everyone at the line and then drop two guys into the slant window. The 49ers want to hit the quick slant over the middle, but the plug from the linebacker takes away that window and the pressure gets home for the sack.

cover 0

Cover 0 Beaters

Cover 0 will have similar beaters as Cover 1 or any man coverage, however, the emphasis here is getting the ball out before the blitz gets home. As a result, some longer developing man-beaters won’t have time to get open before the quarterback is sacked. Teams will often run:

Pick routes

Mesh Concept

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Cover 0 brings pressure, big play potential, and forces the offense into predictable route concepts and plays. However, if one player misses a tackle or gets beat in man-coverage, it’s a big play opportunity for the offense. There’s no deep help or extra run support if someone is out of position, but the potential for a sack or errant throw can make the risk worth it.

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Football’s Ultimate Guide To Cover 0 Defense

Teams that often use cover 0 defenses are looking to generate a quick turnover or sack. Cover 0 can be a super effective way to pressure the quarterback into making a mistake. But it also leaves the defense vulnerable to a big play if the quarterback finds an open receiver.

You may also know it as the zero blitz or all-out blitz. But what does it entail?

A cover 0 defense is an aggressive, all-out defense in which the defensive backs don’t drop back into coverage. They instead come up to the line of scrimmage to defend the pass, leaving no deep help.

This guide teaches you everything you need to know about cover 0 defense, including key concepts and best use cases. By the end, you’ll have a thorough understanding of this complex yet highly profitable strategy.

So let’s get started.

What is the Cover 0 Defense in Football?

Cover 0 is a defensive scheme in football involving no deep defenders . Instead, a team relies on a solid pass rush to pressure the quarterback into making a mistake.

There are limitless amounts of cover 0 blitz packages. The most typical coverage variant is to drop 1st and 2nd level defenders to zone cover. These players move to the center of the field to clog up the passing opportunities for the offense’s hot paths. The name of this coverage is the “cover 0 plug.”

Any member of the front seven can get dropped by the “cover 0 plug” to keep the offense from making a quick throw.

The defense frequently plays off-man defense outside. This way, they help prevent the offense from making a quick deep shot across the field without any safety help. Therefore, there’s room underneath. This variant makes an effort to fill this space, but as a result, fewer people join the blitz.

Advantages of Cover 0 Defense

The cover 0 defense can force the quarterback to make quick decisions with the ball. This pressure can lead to turnovers if the quarterback isn’t careful. 

The terror of witnessing six defenders attack the quarterback, especially at lower levels, is enormous. Quarterbacks untrained in these cases frequently panic and toss the ball into the air to rid themselves of it in blitz scenarios.

Often, untrained quarterbacks attempt to flee the blitz, which costs them a significant amount of yards. When facing this kind of quarterback, the defense has the upper hand.

The Defense Advantage on Pass Rush

Another benefit is that a cover 0 can put pressure on the offensive line and force them to make mistakes. It can disrupt the offense’s timing and make it difficult for them to execute their plays.

The blitz of six defenders is frequently used with cover zero. If a team uses a spread offense, they often keep six blockers to safeguard their quarterback. This formation makes it possible for each blitzing defender to face one opponent.

For defensive linemen, one-on-one situations are superb since they relieve them of the worry of one opponent blocking them. Additionally, it significantly increases the burden on each lineman to maintain their block.

Teams leave the running back to impede a blitzing linebacker or defensive lineman when they send six members on a pass rush. Running backs are seldom effective blockers, which favors the defense based on a pass-rush perspective.

Disadvantages Cover 0 Defense

A cover 0 defense is exceptionally aggressive. Hence, it can lead to big plays being given up if the defense doesn’t get to the quarterback or ball carrier in time. Timing can be a problem against quick offenses that have many playmakers. 

Another disadvantage is that cover 0 leaves the middle of the field wide open. Good quarterbacks and receivers can exploit this loophole to earn their team points. 

A defensive player who isn’t as competent as the receiver may find themselves in a match-up disaster when playing cover 0. Teams frequently have wide receivers that can overwhelm defensive backs emotionally and physically. It’s asking for trouble to leave such receivers alone with less-skilled defensive players.

Defense coaches must insist that linebackers and defensive linemen run at full speed to impede the quarterback. Swiftness prevents the defensive backs from spending too much time covering quick receivers.

Finally, cover 0 can be super tiring for the defense. They have to be constantly on the move and ready to make a play.

Positions Needed In Cover 0 Defense

Cover 0 is a defensive scheme in which there’s no free safety. All defensive players are responsible for covering an area of the field. This technique allows the defense to be more aggressive, as there are no players deep to help prevent big plays.

Each team has its own set of specialized guidelines and methods for playing cover 0. Typically, the defensive backs and secondary stay engaged in coverage. Meanwhile, the linebackers exert pressure from the box and push the quarterback into making a split-second decision.

Here’s what each player deals with during a cover 0.

  • Left and right cornerbacks – Man-to-man coverage on the end receivers. Prepare for anything short and don’t count on any safety assistance.
  • Free Safety : Covering the slot receiver man-to-man. Prepare to break on any short distance.
  • Strong Safety: Covering the tight end man-to-man. Prepare to break on any short distance.
  • Weakside inside linebacker: Rush through the left gap. Use the late pre-snap blitz.
  • Middle linebacker: Rush through the right gap. Use the late pre-snap blitz.
  • Strongside linebacker: Cover the running back man-to-man. If the back is capable of providing protection, apply pressure.

Who Should Use the Cover 0 Defense?

The cover 0 defense can be excellent for any team when executed right. This defense is superb when facing an offense that’s unable to establish a consistent running game.

The cover 0 defense allows the defense to put extra defenders in the box to stop the run. This pressure can force the offense to throw the ball more than they want to.

The cover 0 defense can also be effective against a quarterback who isn’t able to make quick decisions. This defense can pressurize the quarterback and force him to make mistakes. The cover 0 is also good against mobile quarterbacks who may take off and run with the ball instead of passing.

There’s no need for intricate zone defensive strategies in a cover 0. Simply specify which offensive player each defense is in charge of defending. Every defender not assigned to man coverage can blitz the QB.

However, quick players, particularly defensive backs able to keep up with speedy wide receivers, are necessary for a cover 0. At least one linebacker must keep up with running backs and tight ends that can go into coverage. All defenders must complete their tasks without any more assistance.

However, if the offense can establish a consistent running game, the cover 0 defense spells trouble. Moreover, an offensive quarterback with quick, superb decisions makes this defense ineffective.

How to Run the Cover 0 Defense

Executing the cover 0 defense is an all-around effort. The defensive linemen, the linebackers, and the secondary unit should all be in proper positions.

Defensive Linemen

Let’s assume that the offense lines up with the QB out of the shotgun, four wide receivers, a running back, and no tight ends. The defense responds with sam and mike linebackers, free plus strong safeties, a nickel back, two cornerbacks, and four defensive linemen.

The defensive linemen should enter the backfield as soon as they can on nearly all plays. They all get one-gap coverage and must use every effort to cross that gap and reach the QB.

The defensive ends position themselves on the outer shoulders of the offensive tackle to stretch the offensive line a little. They need to sprint through the C gap. They also need to keep the outer area under control in case the offense executes a quick screen or pitch to the running back.

The field’s weak defensive tackle queues in the offensive tackle’s direction on the offensive guard’s outer shoulder. The defensive tackle is in charge of the B gap. The defensive tackle getting a small chip on the offensive tackle helps make space for the defensive end.

The nose tackle positions themselves on the center’s outer shoulder. He’ll handle the gap on his part of the field. His responsibility is to destroy the offensive line’s interior.

It would be best if he makes contact with the opposing offensive guard. That allows a blitzing linebacker to move into the open field.

Linebackers

Let’s have Sam and Mike linebackers and sub Will for the nickel back. You may also use Will instead of Sam if the former is better at blitz.

The Mike linebacker should be between the offensive guard on his left and the center.  He must quickly move through the A gap on that end of the field.  He won’t handle any coverage. So, his only concern is moving beyond the scrimmage line as swiftly as he can.

On the opposing side of the field, the Sam linebacker should stand between the offensive tackle and the offensive guard.  He’ll deal with the B gap. He won’t handle pass coverage as well. So, he can focus on moving as rapidly as possible beyond the scrimmage line.

The Secondary

All pass coverage matches occur in the secondary, which in this instance, consists of five players. Each of the offense’s five eligible receivers will align against one defender in the secondary in a man-to-man matchup.

The extreme-end wide receivers should organize themselves on the scrimmage line. Meanwhile, the two cornerbacks should be out wide in opposition to them.

The two cornerbacks should play an inside shade to compel their receivers to take paths toward the edge.  Their available running space on the field reduces due to this.

The coverage duties for the wide receivers second-closest to the edges on either side fall on the nickel back and free safety. Both receivers will queue up off the scrimmage line about midway between the offensive tackles and outside wide receivers, from one side of the field to the other.

The wide receiver second-closest to the left sideline is typically the offense’s “third best” receiver. Hence, the nickel back should be responsible for his coverage. In man coverage, the nickel back should be a little closer to the scrimmage line than the free safety. This formation makes it a little more difficult for the above receiver to cross the line.

The two linebackers and the nickel back should be at roughly the same depth. The free safety should position himself a yard behind the linebackers.

The strong safety will cover the running back. Like the free safety, he should give himself some more depth. He must also position himself between the defensive end and Sam to have constant sight of the running back.

The strong safety must scan the field pre and post-snap to keep tabs on his coverage duty.

How To Beat Cover 0 Defense

For a better chance to beat a cover 0 defense, identify it in time and plan for it. Only then can you execute your move right and exploit the defense’s vulnerable deep position.

Determining a Cover 0 Defense

There are a few ways to tell if a defense is in cover 0. First, look at the alignment of the defensive backs. If they are all lined up close to the line of scrimmage, that is a good indication that they are in man coverage.

Should you put your running back on a route, one of their six to seven defenders splits off during a cover 0. The defensive backs cover the remaining space. Because of this, your attack lacks sufficient blockers to effectively neutralize every defense.

Even if you don’t instantly detect seven defenders displaying aggressiveness at the scrimmage line, you’re likely receiving cover 0.

There are several pre-snap orientations that give away a cover 0. Sometimes you’ll see all defenders in press-man. Some can be in the press and some of. If all are within five yards, but there’s no safety, you’re up against the cover 0.

Planning for a Cover 0 Defense

Because it’s challenging for a wide receiver to escape a jam, the defense frequently succeeds with a cover 0 scheme. Players can’t move too far because of crowding at the scrimmage line.

This jamming alters the timing of the courses and places the quarterback in an undesirable throwing situation. The time needed to toss the ball is often between one to two seconds, and when a blitz is approaching, every second counts.

Train your skilled players to adapt their approaches on passing downs and to recognize cover 0 defenses in the pre-snap. If several of your plays include cover 0 adaptations, run those plays against defenses that are using zero coverage. Only execute those until you pull them out of it.

Since every failed tackle results in an exciting play, there is an equal probability that you’ll score if you obtain the ball against cover 0.

Attacking a Cover 0 Defense

One way to beat a cover 0 defense is to properly train the quarterback to stay calm during the blitz. The quarterback needs to make quick, yet sound, decisions under pressure and be accurate with his passes. If the QB stays collected and makes good decisions, the offense can move the ball down the field and score.

Another way to beat a cover 0 defense is to have an excellent running game. If the offense can run the ball effectively, it’ll take some of the pressure off of the quarterback and make it easier for him to make plays.

The offense needs to have good playmakers who can make plays when the quarterback gets them the ball. If the offense has receivers who can make plays after the catch, they can pick up yardage even if the quarterback is under pressure.

Football Cover 0 Defense FAQ s

Is cover 0 a zone coverage.

Cover 0 isn’t zone coverage. Defenders in the zone focus on the QB. In cover 0, players check the running back, tight end, and wide receivers.

What’s Better Zone or Man Coverage?

None is better between zone or man coverage as choices depend on a team’s skill and opponents. Each of these two has subcategories, which further have specific merits and cons.

When Should I Use Cover 0?

Use cover 0 during longer down and distance scenarios. Also, ensure your cover defenders are superb, as this technique is high-risk.

When it comes to defensive football, there’s no more feared strategy than cover 0. This aggressive style of defense leaves no margin for error, as it relies on a complete offense shut down by the defensive backs. Even if one player is beaten, it can often result in a touchdown.

If you’re looking to add some excitement to your defense, then the cover 0 defense is worth a try. But get prepared to give up some big plays if the quarterback is able to find an open receiver.

Need more tips on defenses? Check out our guides on cover 2 , cover 3 , and cover 4 defenses.

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what is cover 0 in football

Cover Zero Defense: The In-Depth Guide

Cover zero defense.

Cover Zero Defense is an aggressive defensive strategy in American football that involves sending all available defensive players (including linebackers and defensive backs) into the opponent’s backfield to pressure the quarterback. In Cover Zero, there is no deep safety in the secondary to provide help in coverage. Instead, all defensive players are engaged in either blitzing the quarterback or playing tight man-to-man coverage on the opposing receivers.

Table of Contents

The Origins of Cover Zero Defense

The origins of Cover Zero Defense can be traced back to the early days of football, but its modern iteration gained prominence in the NFL and college football in the 21st century. Defensive coordinators began to experiment with this strategy as offenses became more pass-oriented and intricate. The goal was clear: disrupt the quarterback’s rhythm and limit his options by overwhelming the offensive line with blitzers and locking down receivers in man coverage.

The Principles of Cover Zero Defense

To better understand cover zero defense, let’s break down its core principles:.

Blitzing is a fundamental aspect of  Cover Zero Defense . In this strategy, multiple defenders, often including linebackers and defensive backs, rush the quarterback. The goal is to apply relentless pressure, forcing the quarterback to make quick decisions under duress. Effective blitzing requires well-timed and coordinated rushes to create vulnerabilities in the offensive line. Read more:  What is 5-3 Defense

Man-to-Man Coverage

In Cover Zero, defensive backs are responsible for covering specific offensive players in man-to-man coverage. They shadow their assigned receivers closely, attempting to disrupt their routes and prevent them from getting open. This tight coverage can lead to quarterback sacks or hurried throws, increasing the likelihood of turnovers.

Gap Control

Gap control is essential to prevent running plays from breaking through the defensive line. Defensive linemen and linebackers must maintain gap integrity to stop running backs in their tracks. While Cover Zero is primarily designed for pass defense, defenders must remain disciplined against potential rushing attempts.   Also, read about   What is an Edge in Football

Cover Zero Defense

Advantages of Cover Zero Defense

Cover Zero Defense offers several advantages for a defense:

Increased Quarterback Pressure:  By sending multiple blitzers, Cover Zero can overwhelm the offensive line, making it difficult for the quarterback to find open receivers or make accurate throws.

Disruptive Pass Rush:   The aggressive nature of Cover Zero often leads to more sacks, hurries, and quarterback hits, increasing the chances of turnovers.

Quick Decision-Making:   With no deep safety to assist, quarterbacks are forced to make rapid decisions, which can lead to mistakes and turnovers.

Versatile Play Calling:   Cover Zero can be used in various situations, such as third-and-long or late-game situations when the defense needs to force a turnover.

Disadvantages of Cover Zero Defense

While Cover Zero Defense has its merits, it also comes with inherent risks and disadvantages:

Vulnerability to Big Plays:   Without a deep safety, a single missed assignment or blown coverage can result in a long touchdown pass.

Tiring for Defenders:   Constant blitzing and tight man coverage can be physically demanding for defenders and lead to fatigue in the later stages of the game.

Limited Margin for Error:   Any mistakes in execution can be costly in Cover Zero, making it a high-risk, high-reward strategy.

Cover Zero Defense

Key Components of Cover Zero Defense

To successfully execute Cover Zero Defense, coaches and players must understand the key components involved:

Defensive Line

The defensive line plays a crucial role in applying pressure to the quarterback. Defensive linemen must work together to create lanes for blitzing linebackers and defensive backs. Their primary objective is to disrupt the pocket and force the quarterback into quick decisions.

Linebackers

Linebackers are often heavily involved in blitzing schemes in Cover Zero. They must time their rushes well and use their athleticism to get to the quarterback. Additionally, linebackers are responsible for maintaining gap integrity against the run.

Cornerbacks

Cornerbacks are tasked with playing tight man coverage on opposing wide receivers. They need exceptional coverage skills, agility, and the ability to disrupt routes. Cornerbacks must prevent receivers from gaining separation and make it challenging for the quarterback to complete passes.

In Cover Zero, safeties do not have traditional deep coverage responsibilities. Instead, they may blitz or provide support on shorter routes if necessary. Safeties must be versatile and capable of adapting to changing situations.

How to Execute Cover Zero Defense

Executing Cover Zero Defense effectively requires careful planning, communication, and execution. Here’s how it can be done:

Play Calling

Coaches must choose the right situations to call Cover Zero Defense. It is typically used in obvious passing situations, such as third-and-long or when the defense needs to force a turnover. Proper play calling sets the foundation for successful execution.

Pre-Snap Adjustments

Defenders need to communicate and make pre-snap adjustments based on the offensive formation. This includes identifying potential threats, adjusting coverage assignments, and confirming blitz responsibilities.

In-Game Adaptations

During the game, coaches and players must be prepared to adapt to the opponent’s strategies. If the offense starts exploiting weaknesses in Cover Zero, adjustments must be made to counter their tactics.

Famous Examples of Cover Zero Defense

Cover Zero Defense has been used successfully in various high-stakes situations. Here are a few famous examples:

Bill Belichick’s Patriots:  The New England Patriots, led by head coach Bill Belichick, have frequently employed Cover Zero in critical moments, confounding opposing quarterbacks and securing victories.

Cover Zero Defense remains a captivating yet polarizing aspect of football strategy. Its aggressive nature adds an element of unpredictability to the game, making it a topic of constant debate among fans, analysts, and players. As teams continue to push the boundaries of defensive innovation, Cover Zero will undoubtedly play a central role in shaping the future of football .

Q. What is Cover Zero Defense?

A. Cover Zero Defense is an aggressive defensive strategy in American football where all available defensive players blitz the quarterback or play tight man-to-man coverage on receivers. It’s designed to apply immense pressure on the quarterback and disrupt the opposing offense.

Q. When is Cover Zero Defense typically used?

A. Cover Zero Defense is typically used in situations where the defense needs to stop a passing play, especially on third-and-long or when trying to force a turnover in late-game situations.

Q. What are the advantages of using Cover Zero Defense?

A. The advantages of Cover Zero Defense include increased quarterback pressure, a disruptive pass rush, quick decision-making by the quarterback, and versatile play calling for defensive coaches.

Q. What are the disadvantages of using Cover Zero Defense?

A. The disadvantages include vulnerability to big plays if a coverage assignment is missed, physical demands on defenders due to constant blitzing and tight coverage, and a limited margin for error.

Q. How do defenders in Cover Zero Defense maintain gap integrity against the run?

A5: Defenders, especially linebackers and defensive linemen, must maintain their assigned gaps and work together to stop running plays. Gap integrity is crucial to prevent running backs from finding openings in the defense.

Smith (Author of footballdynasti.com)

Smith, the passionate author behind footballdynasti.com, a dynamic football blog. With a love for the game and insightful analysis, Smith brings the world of football to life through engaging content and a personal touch.

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what is cover 0 in football

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ITP Glossary: Cover 0

Football is littered with specialized terminology. from onside kick  to veteran minimum benefit , commentators rarely get to explain everything you need to know before the next play. inside the pylon’s glossary was developed to give fans a deeper understanding of the game through clear explanations, as well as image and video examples. please contact us with any terms or phrases you’d like to know more about., related: check out the primer on reading defensive coverages ..

Cover 0 is a coverage scheme with zero deep defenders. This is an entirely man-to-man coverage shell that involves a heavy pass rush ‒ normally six or more defenders. Accordingly, Cover 0 is also called a “zero blitz.” The goal is for pressure on the quarterback to disrupt the timing and progressions of the passing game, resulting in a sack or an errant throw.

Here the Bengals send eight rushers ‒ four defensive linemen and four blitzers ‒ at the Titans, forcing Tennessee quarterback Jake Locker to make an early, inaccurate throw on a wheel route to the left side:

Teams often use Cover 0 in goal line situations, where there is no deep field to defend. It is rare in other situations, as the risk of giving up a big play is great with no safeties deep:

On 3rd and 10 on their own 20-yard line, Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald (#11) lines up in a stack on the offensive right with Ted Ginn Jr.  (#19) just inside him. Ginn fires out while Fitzgerald runs a slant behind. Cornerback Bradley Fletcher (#24) doesn’t drive on the slant aggressively and Fitzgerald secures an easy catch.

Ginn’s route walls off safety Malcolm Jenkins (#27) and Fletcher takes a poor angle, springing Fitzgerald open to the end zone. This is the risk of Cover 0: a missed tackle resulted in an 80-yard touchdown rather than a more modest catch-and-run.

Dave Archibald created this entry; you can find his primer on identifying pass defensese here .

Follow us on Twitter @ITPylon .

Inside The Pylon  covers the NFL and college football , reviewing the film , breaking down matchups , and looking at the issues , on and off the field .

All video and images courtesy the NFL and NFL Game Pass.

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what is cover 0 in football

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What are all those different coverages you hear about?

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NFC Divisional Playoffs - New York Giants v Philadelphia Eagles

The New York Giants ran more Cover-0 than any other team in the NFL last season, but what does that mean? What do any of the coverages actually mean? Here is a simple breakdown of coverage terminology that is used frequently:

Man coverage

Cover-0: Man-to-man coverage with no safety help over the top. Is frequently paired with a heavy-pressure package.

what is cover 0 in football

( from vIQtory Sports )

Cover-1: Man-to-man coverage with one safety deep. This would be considered a middle-of-the-field-closed (MOFC ) type of defense.

what is cover 0 in football

Cover-5: Also known as 2-Man Under , a two-deep coverage with five underneath defenders playing man-coverage. This would be classified as middle-of-the-field-open ( MOFO ).

what is cover 0 in football

( from Pro Style Spread Offense )

Zone coverage

Zone: There are several types of zone coverage with different styles of executing the coverage. The traditional zone coverage is usually called Spot Drop or Country zone , which means certain players are assigned to certain areas of the field. This is not to be confused with pattern or zone match - that’s a post for another day.

Cover-2: A two-deep zone coverage with five underneath zone defenders. This is a middle-of-the-field open ( MOFO ) coverage.

what is cover 0 in football

Tampa-2: A two-deep zone coverage with five underneath zone defenders - sort of. The MIKE linebacker drops to a deeper depth to remove the open vulnerability between the split safeties.

what is cover 0 in football

( from National Football Post )

Cover-3: A three-deep zone coverage with four underneath zone defenders. This is a MOFC coverage. This coverage can be accessed in several different ways:

  • Cover-3-Sky: Two cornerbacks and a safety take the deep thirds with the other safety assuming the curl/flat

what is cover 0 in football

  • Cover-3-Cloud: Two safeties and a cornerback assume the deep thirds. This is typically used to Cloud a dominant wide receiver. The cornerback with jam and sink at the line of scrimmage and is responsible for the receiver underneath, while the safety assumes the deep outside third ( right side of the picture ). In theory, the defense should have the receiver covered underneath and over the top with two defenders.

what is cover 0 in football

( from Bleacher Report )

  • Cover-3-Buzz: A coverage with two cornerbacks ( they’re aligned in press below ) and one safety assume deep third responsibilities with the strong side safety buzzing to a middle hook, acting like a robber while assisting in run support.

what is cover 0 in football

  • Cover-3-Mable: A zone and man mixture coverage with Cover-3 to one side and man coverage on the other side. The backside cornerback is in MEG ( Man Everywhere he Goes ).

what is cover 0 in football

( from Pats Pulpit )

  • Cover-4: A zone coverage with four players assuming deep fourths - two safeties and both outside cornerbacks - with three defenders underneath. There are many match variations based on the framework of Cover-4 ( Palms, Quarters). These coverages essentially evolve into man coverage based on the distribution of routes run by the receivers. They also allow for more natural double teams and bracket coverage to develop.

what is cover 0 in football

( from Inside the Pylon)

  • Cover-6: Also known as Quarter, Quarter, Half. This coverage is a mixture of Cover-4 and Cover-2. Half the field plays Cover-4 ( the quarter, quarter half ), and the other half plays Cover-2 ( the half with one defender deep ).

what is cover 0 in football

( from Weekly Spiril )

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What Is Cover 0 in Football? The Basics Of Man Coverage

Cover 0 is a coverage that’s often played by teams at all levels. It requires a high level of skill to play effectively. Cover 0 is a type of coverage that requires no deep help.

Cover 0 is man coverage. It’s called cover 0 because there is 0 help deep. Players will play man-to-man coverage against the receivers while the other player’s blitz. It’s high-pressure coverage that forces the quarterback to quickly get rid of the ball.

In this article, we’re going to break down cover 0 and how it’s played across the landscape of football.

Table of Contents

What Is Cover 0?

As the name states, cover 0 is a coverage with 0 deep defenders. If we’re looking at the other coverages, cover 1 has one deep defender, cover 2 has two deep defenders, cover 3 has three deep defenders, and so on.

Cover 0 has no deep defenders that act as a safety valve. Each player covering one of the five eligible receivers is simply on an island by themselves. They will have to mirror the receiver wherever he goes.

Often when teams play cover 0, they are blitzing the quarterback. The reason for playing cover 0 is to disrupt the quarterback’s timing, which we’ll explain later in the article.

Cover 0 is often played in longer down and distance situations, as it has a high risk and high reward outcome.

Teams must have good cover defenders to play man coverage successfully. It’s one of the hardest coverages in football to play, especially with the explosion of the spread offense. Teams have athletic players as receivers more than ever.

Why Teams Play Cover 0

Cover 0 is often paired with the blitz of 6 defenders. Teams will often elect to keep six blockers in to protect their quarterback if they run any spread system.

This allows for all of the defenders that are blitzing to have a one on one situation.

One-on-ones for a defensive lineman is ideal because it lets them worry about one player blocking them. It also puts a tremendous amount of pressure on every lineman to sustain their block.

When teams bring six players on a pass rush, they leave the running back to block either a defensive lineman or a blitzing linebacker. Running backs are rarely good blockers, so this puts the situation in favor of the defense from a pass rush standpoint.

Cover 0 is a lot more high risk than playing cover 1, cover 2, or cover 3.

Another reason teams will elect to play cover 0 is to force the quarterback to make mistakes. Especially at younger levels, the fear of seeing six defenders rush towards the quarterback is maximized.

Quarterbacks who are not trained on handling blitz situations will often panic and throw the ball up in the air to get rid of it.

Also, quarterbacks who aren’t trained will try to run away from the blitz, resulting in a major loss in yardage. This is a complete advantage for the defense if they face this type of quarterback.

Disadvantages Of Playing Cover 0

The lack of support deep can hurt cover 0. If a player happens to beat a player playing man-to-man football coverage, the quarterback can miss anywhere deep.

This is where we often see the ball being floated in the air, as the quarterback knows there’s no help or support deep.

It allows the quarterback to be free on his releases, as he doesn’t need to worry about fitting the ball away from the safety.

Another reason playing Cover 0 can be a match-up nightmare is for a defensive player that isn’t as skilled as the receiver. This is where the quarterback can take advantage.

Teams often have a wide receiver that can physically and mentally dominate defensive backs. Leaving this player alone with another defensive player is asking for bad things to happen.

Defensive coaches need to enforce that defensive linemen and linebackers must move at full speed to disrupt the quarterback. That way, the defensive backs aren’t left covering speedy receivers for too long.

Giving a quarterback time to throw the football in Cover 0 is a nightmare for defenses.

Teams have chosen to use robber coverage (also known as palms) to make it even harder for quarterbacks.

How To Beat Cover 0

As with all of the coverages we teach, we also need to teach our players how the coverage is beat; that way, we can cover up the holes if we’re exploited.

There’s nothing worse for a defensive play-caller than consistently getting beat on coverage and not being able to fix it. If something is broken, immediately put a patch on the defense or show players how not to expose it.

Beating cover 0 requires two things, skill and patience.

The skill aspect comes from the receivers. Often cover 0 is successful for the defense because the wide receivers don’t know how to get off a jam. Players are jammed at the line of scrimmage and don’t get very far.

This throws off the timing of the routes and leaves the quarterback in a bad position to throw the football. The average time to throw the football is 1-2 seconds, and time is extremely precious when a blitz is coming.

The second attribute is patience. The quarterback can’t panic when a blitz is happening. A scared quarterback will often make poor decisions and throw the ball to the other team if not careful.

We recommend having an immediate action plan for the quarterback to go through pre-snap. This will help the quarterback think more clearly about where to deliver the football, so they don’t get confused when the ball is snapped.

If you’re unsure how to teach cover 0 and the progressions for the quarterback, Chris Johnston from Complete QB gave a great clinic on the different ways to approach man coverage here.

Once you understand how the offense will beat you playing cover 0, it’s much easier to defend against it.

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Last updated: Feb 06, 2024

Football Man to Man Coverage

Football Man to Man Coverage

In the sport of American football , teams will play different types of defensive coverages in order to try and outsmart the opposing offense . The two main types of defensive coverages in football are zone and man-to-man. Read on to learn more about man coverage in football, including what it is, when it should be used, and the different types of man coverage.

Table of Contents

Man-to-man coverage, pros and cons of man coverage, types of man coverage, usages of man-to-man defense, man-to-man strategies, skills needed for man-to-man coverage.

Man-to-man coverage (also shortened to man coverage) in football is a defensive coverage strategy where defensive players are assigned to defend against individual offensive players.  Typical man coverage assignments might see defensive backs paired against the wide receivers , while the linebackers are matched against tight ends and running backs .

Defensive linemen still perform the same role of rushing the quarterback and defending against the run. Man-to-man is different from zone coverage, in which each defensive player occupies a specific section, or zone, of the field .

The main pros of man coverage are that the defenders in man coverage have fewer things to focus on.  Each defender’s task is simple: to cover the player they’re assigned to. If a  defense is confident that they can do this, they can send more bodies at the quarterback instead of keeping them back in a safer coverage.

Additionally, man-to-man coverage puts pressure on the offense that no other defensive formation does.  It makes it much harder for offensive members to get breakaways and slip past their opponents. The defensive member stays with their man the next play. It can be easier for a defensive player to focus on one member of the other team instead of covering an entire zone.

One con of man coverage is that it is easier for a receiver to beat a defender one-on-one (in man coverage) than in a zone.  Man coverage often results in more touchdowns for the offense because of this deep passing threat. It is also harder for defenders to read and react to a play if they are chasing their man around the field.

The two main types of man coverage are Cover 0 and Cover 1. Cover 0 is the riskier option but is more lethal if used correctly.

Cover 0, or straight man coverage, refers to a defense with no extra safety . While straight man coverage is easiest to understand, it is also the easiest to exploit. Receiver patterns and offensive schemes will thwart even the best defenses in Cover 0, often having a receiver simply outrun a defensive back and catch a deep pass.

Because of the deep threat inherent with a Cover 0 defense, many teams will leave an extra safety in a man-to-man scenario to make sure no offensive players get behind the defense. Also called man-free coverage, as a result of one man being “free” to pursue any player, the Cover 1 defense is much more common than a straight man coverage and often prevents big plays for the offense.

Combo Man Coverages

Combo man coverage refers to a defensive strategy that puts some defenders in man coverage and assigns others to zone coverage. For example, when a defense double-teams (puts two defensive backs on one receiver), they are likely playing a combination of man and zone coverage; thus, the label “combo man” is used.

Man-to-man coverage is used primarily when the defense has an advantage against the offense, such as bigger and stronger defenders than the receivers on the field.  Man-to-man defense also allows the defense to blitz the offense and get big stops in crucial short-yardage situations. Goal-line defenses are almost always in man coverage because there is no deep passing threat. 

Overall, man coverage is more common at lower levels of competition because of its simplicity but is less common than zone coverage at the highest level. Man coverage carries a higher risk compared to its rewards than zone defense does because while man coverage is better at preventing short and medium passes, it is more susceptible to deep passes.

Man-to-man coverage is designed to prevent the offense from gaining even the smallest amount of yardage. In third-and-short and red-zone situations, man coverage can be effective at shutting down  options for runs and short passes.

The most important attribute for running man coverage is to have fast feet so you can keep up with your opponent.  Running and changing directions can trip up the defender. Keeping your body square to the offensive member is key when you are on defense. Reading what your opponent’s next move could be can help you prepare for the play. Also of importance is focusing on your assigned player. Never lose sight of them, predict their route , and never let them get behind you.

What is man coverage in football?

Man coverage in football is a defensive strategy in which defensive backs and linebackers are assigned to cover specific offensive players.  The offensive players most often covered in zone coverage are running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. Man coverage, also called man-to-man coverage, is one of two main types of defensive schemes. The other is zone defense, in which defenders cover zones of the field rather than individual players.

How do you play man coverage in football?

You play man coverage by focusing on the player you are assigned, recognizing the route they are running, and never letting them get behind you.  While other defensive schemes may have you looking at the quarterback or the ball, in man-to-man defense, you should focus only on your assigned player. In man coverage, you should always defend from the inside of the field, making the run or throw travel a longer distance along the outside of the formation.

When should you use man coverage in football?

You should use man coverage in football when you need a big stop or when your defensive linemen and backs have a significant size advantage over their opponents. Man coverage is great for shutting down passing options and forcing turnovers . It can be a good choice in third down and red zone situations. If you need to slow down the defense in the middle of a big drive, zone defense is usually a better choice.

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Throw Deep Publishing

Five Plays that Beat Cover Zero

Posted by Throw Deep Publishing Staff on January 6, 2023

Defenses with an aggressive mindset almost always employ cover 0, and it’s a sure-fire way to create havoc and get offenses out of their comfort zone. 

Offensive coordinators place a high priority on staying out of 3rd and long situations, and whether they’ll tell you straight-up or not, avoiding cover 0 defensive looks is a huge reason for this.

However, the advantages of the coverage also can work against the defense.

Coordinators don’t have to scheme up any world-changing schemes, and if protection holds up, a disciplined QB has the chance to turn the tables against the defense in a hurry.

As they say, the jimmie’s and joe’s outweigh the X’s and O’s.

Elite play-makers on the edge should beam with excitement – the opportunity to create separation and get the band playing becoming a legitimate possibility.

Keep reading to learn more how offenses like to attack cover zero.

How does Cover Zero Work?

Cover Zero  is an all-out pressure, meaning that the defense will blitz every player that isn’t responsible for an offensive skill player in man to man coverage.  It’s utilized from defenses looking to get quick pressure on the quarterback .

It allows the defense to play fast as the responsibilities are straight-forward, and it forces the quarterback to make a split-second decision to get the ball out of his hands.

However, it means that every player in coverage is truly on an island. Defenses must get home to the quarterback quickly in order to give themselves a chance to be successful with this high-risk/high-reward call.

You can read more about the intricacies of Cover Zero here .

How to Beat Cover 0

Immediate, quick-hitting man beaters are an offenses’ best bet to make a defense pay for bringing an all-out blitz.

Offenses have little time to dial up double-moves or fancy play-action passes when attacking cover 0.  

With this, having an advantage personnel-wise on the perimeter is the icing on the cake. If teams have weapons that can shake free from tight bump and run coverage, an offense can ensure defenses quickly go away from consistently playing cover 0. 

Moving forward, since defenses are bringing as many blitzers as they can, this means that the middle of the field is open. Routes that get the ball to play-makers on the move such as slants, or shallow crossing routes become great answers.  

Along with this, pick plays become lethal regardless of the area of the field an offense is in. In these designs, receivers cross paths within their routes, looking to create natural collisions between defenders as they create space downfield.

#1 Double Slants

This play was taken from 101 Plays from the Ole Miss Offense

Cover Zero Beaters - Double Slants

Cover Zero can be a tough defense to work against, but if the defense is more worried about not giving up the deep ball, you'll find opportunities underneath like this one.

Giving receivers a chance to catch and run against Cover 0 is favorable. With a mirrored slant route concept, the QB can pick his most favorable matchup based on cushion and leverage.

QB Matt Corral wastes little time getting the ball to the ball out of his hands to the field slot WR who picks up a first down and more.   

Watch the play below:

#2 Full-Slide Fade-Out / RB Seam Gadget

This play was taken from 101 Plays from the Oregon Offense .

Cover Zero Beaters - Full Slide RB Seam

This is not a play that's designed for a novice quarterback or running back , but if you have a couple of experienced players and can catch the defense in a bad call, it's going to be wide open.

This gadget from Oregon is a well-timed call against Washington State’s cover 0 look. With full slide protection up front, the RB’s path shows his blitz pickup to the right-edge before he slips up field uncovered for a score.

#3 Trips Bunch Jerk Route

This play was taken from 101 Plays from the Michigan Offense  

Cover Zero Beaters - Bunch Jerk Route

A lot of passing offenses have made a living off of this play, especially in the red zone as we see here from Michigan against soft man coverage.

Natural picks and rubs occur out of bunch releases, as Michigan looks to create just that against Penn State. It’s an all-out pressure from the defense, and while they work to pass off the routes, the Z WR still comes open for a first down. 

#4 Slant-Rub

This play was taken from 101 Plays from the Wake Forest Offense

Cover Zero Beaters - Slant Rub

You need an answer for hard inside leverage man coverage on the goal line, and this play is a great way to get your best guys open no matter which side the defender is playing heavily.

The slot receiver’s route creates a natural rub for the Z WR coming underneath. Both players have an equal opportunity to win in this design, and Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman delivers a pinpoint high ball to the back of the end zone for a score. 

#5 Jerry Rice Motion Slant-Flat

This play was taken from 101 Two Point Plays

Cover Zero Beaters - Jerry Rice Motion

Jerry Rice motion is named for - you guessed it - Jerry Rice. The legendary receiver used this motion all the time when running routes in the West Coast Offense, and used it to get open against cover zero looks like this one on the goal line.

With this style of motion, Dixie State’s slot WR has the chance to lose his man before the ball is even snapped. He does just that, and it’s enough for New Mexico State’s SS to come off of his man to cover the flat, resulting in a wide-open pitch and catch to the TE for a score.

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The confusing language of defensive coverages: NFL loaded with variations of terminology

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 22:  Head coach Vic Fangio of the Denver Broncos holds a play sheet on the sidelines against the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High on December 22, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Lions 27-17. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Generally, we speak about defenses and coverages as if there is a uniform language. In actuality, it’s as if the football gods scattered defensive coaches through languages as punishment for building their own Tower of Babel.

Coaches often convene in clinics or privately to help each other improve in the offseason, but there can be confusion and breakdowns in communication when talking about defense. One coach from the Nick Saban tree can talk about a certain coverage to a coach from the Rex Ryan tree and both coaches could be talking about two different coverages and they might not even realize it until they’re halfway through the conversation. The language of offenses is a little more straightforward and uniform, but defensively there are inconsistencies and nuance.

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Do you necessarily have to know all the different languages to talk about football on a high level? No, but it could be beneficial to acknowledge the differences to recognize when there might be a breakdown in communication and try to bridge the gap. For coaches, this could cut down on misunderstandings. For fans and media, especially those who are curious about schemes, this could help us elevate the conversation.

One principle that extends to every defensive tree is that coverages are numbered from one to nine. There are a few coverages that we can generally talk about, and it would be safe to assume that we’re talking about the same coverage yet there can even be some nuance within those coverages.

Before we begin, I want to acknowledge Brian Vaughn of Blitzology.com , who is a human football encyclopedia when it comes to defenses. Most of this information stems from my conversation with Vaughn and confirmed through looking at various playbooks.

This next section will break down each coverage by numbers and show the differences of each number in different systems. It can be a little confusing, so don’t fret if you don’t get it on your first read. The point is this: One type of coverage can be numbered the same but be an entirely different coverage in different systems.

When most people talk about Cover 0, they’re talking about man-to-man coverage with no deep help, and it’s usually called with a heavy-pressure scheme.

what is cover 0 in football

This diagram is from Pete Carroll’s 2013 playbook. The “0” at the end of “Coast Tuff Saw Dog 0” indicates the coverage is Cover 0.

However, to Saban and company, Cover 0 is actually man-free (man coverage with a deep safety) with no underneath help from a “hole” player. It’s usually called with a five- to six-man pressure.

what is cover 0 in football

In this diagram from Saban’s 2015 playbook, the call is “Even $ 0 Change.” The “0” indicates that the coverage is Cover 0. The money linebacker ($) and free safety blitz, leaving no hole player. The strong safety rotates to the middle of the field and plays deep.

Cover 1, Cover 2 and Cover 3 are universal terms. Cover 1 is man-to-man coverage with deep help from a free safety and underneath help from the “hole” player, with a four-man rush. However, there are many Cover 1 variations and some differences in terminology for the “hole player.”

When a linebacker is a hole player, he’s generally called the “rat.” When a safety is the hole player, he’s generally called a “robber.” Even with this simple concept, there can be a ton of variance with terminology from system to system. The term “robber” can be extremely problematic in football discussions because it has so many varying definitions across the different systems.

what is cover 0 in football

This diagram is from Wade Phillips’ 2003 playbook. The “Mo,” his terminology for a weakside linebacker, is the hole player.

The principles within Cover 1 can also completely change with a tag. For example, coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots made “1 double (jersey number)” famous. So whenever they wanted to double a certain player, they would insert their jersey number in the call. So if they wanted to double Randy Moss (No. 84), they would call “1 double 84.” It was essentially Cover 1 because it’s man-to-man coverage with a deep safety, but instead of having a hole player, they would use the extra player on a double team.

what is cover 0 in football

This diagram from Romeo Crennel’s playbook shows the free safety and star (*), which is their terminology for a nickelback, doubling the slot receiver.

Cover 2 is a two-deep zone with five underneath defenders, usually with two deep safeties and two corners in the flats.

what is cover 0 in football

Variations of it include “2-invert,” in which the corner would play a deep zone and the safety plays underneath.

Cover 3 is a three-deep zone with four underneath defenders, usually with both corners and a free safety playing deep thirds.

what is cover 0 in football

Variations of it include “3-roll,” in which the corner would play in the flats while the coverage would roll to his side to cover each third.

what is cover 0 in football

Saban’s “Cora” coverage is an example of 3-roll. The safeties drop to the deep thirds of the field while the corner to the twins side plays the flat.

After Cover 3, things start to get tricky. Cover 4 is commonly used as an umbrella term for all the different variants of quarters coverage. But the technique and responsibilities within different quarter coverages can vary greatly.

what is cover 0 in football

This diagram is from former Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther’s playbook. “Under” is the front, “Red” indicates that this is a red-zone defense and “44” indicates that they’ll be in Cover 4 against all formations (we’ll talk more about the double-digit call system later in this article). On the diagram to the right is Guenther’s Cover 4 adjustment against slot formations.

In Phillips’ system, however, Cover 4 is quarter on one side of the field and Cover 2 on the other.

what is cover 0 in football

Most know Cover 5 as “2-man,” which is man-to-man coverage with two deep safeties and no underneath help. The man-to-man defenders will usually play with inside leverage and trail technique (purposely play man underneath assignments to be in a better position to take away short and intermediate routes).

what is cover 0 in football

However, in the system of Baylor coach Dave Aranda, who has been highly influential in modern defense, Cover 5 is quarters with eight defenders in coverage and a three-man rush.

Generally, Cover 6 is a combo coverage in which one side of the field plays quarters or Cover 4 to the strongside and Cover 2 to the weakside. Within this coverage can be a ton of variance because of all of the different types of quarters and Cover 2.

what is cover 0 in football

On the left of this diagram from Guenther’s playbook is a standard Cover 6 look against a pro formation with a receiver on each side of the formation. On the right is his standard adjustment to a slot formation.

In Saban’s system, Cover 6 is weak rotated Cover 3 with man-match technique. Man-match coverages are coverages in which defenders play man but can switch assignments after the snap if their original assignment runs a certain type of route.

what is cover 0 in football

In this diagram, the free safety rotates down to the weakside (away from the tight end) and the strong safety rotates into the middle of the field.

In Saban’s system, Cover 7 is a family of man-match coverages but from two-deep alignment instead of one-deep like his Cover 6.

what is cover 0 in football

Cover 7 has split field coverages, meaning the defense can play different coverages on both sides of the field. In the diagram, “7 bracket” is the coverage. Against this formation, the defense plays a “bracket” to the two-receiver side and “cut,” which is Cover 2, to the tight end side.

In other systems, Cover 7 could be quarters variants that may not use man-match techniques. The Saban definition of Cover 7 is not as universal as many may believe.

In Phillips’ system, Cover 8 is quarters on both sides of the field, but in Vic Fangio’s system, Cover 8 is what is generally known as Cover 6, with Cover 2 to the strongside and Cover 4 to the weakside.

In Saban’s system, Cover 8 is a family of zone-match coverages in which defenders are assigned zone but locks into man coverage once an eligible receiver runs a route into their zone.

Cover 9 has vastly varying meanings in different systems. It could be a Cover 1 principle type of defense, a robber principle or fire zone (blitz coverage).

Coverages within the coverage trees

Within each of these coverage trees are variants. Some variants are similar to each other, like within the Cover 3 family is 3-roll. But there are some coverages that can greatly differ from each other within the same family. For example, within the Cover 7 family is “bracket” (diagramed above) and another type of man-match defense generally known as “2-read.” A “2-read” on a two-receiver side in Saban terminology is called “clamp.”

what is cover 0 in football

Diagram above from Saban’s playbook

what is cover 0 in football

This same coverage in TCU coach Gary Patterson’s system is called “blue.”

And if that isn’t confusing enough, although “clamp” and “blue” share the same principles, the techniques and methods that each coach teaches the coverage can greatly vary. So even when talking about a coverage as specific as 2-read, you have to differentiate how you play it, Saban style or Patterson style. The alignment, read and assignment can greatly vary in 2-read.

How coverages are called

Coaches build their coverages around numbers. So why is it that some coaches will call out double digits in their play call? The two numbers could indicate different things in different systems. In most NFL systems, the two digits might indicate two different coverages. The first digit tells the defense to play a coverage against pro formations and the second digit tells them to play another type of coverage against slot formations.

Oddly enough, some NFL defensive coordinators have to make it a point to teach defensive rookies what slot and pro formations are because they just don’t see a lot of them in college with all the spread that they face in college.

Pro formation:

what is cover 0 in football

Slot formation:

what is cover 0 in football

For example, if the call is “63,” the defense plays Cover 6 against pro formations and Cover 3 to the weakside of the formation. This numbering system was originally intended to defend mainly two-back sets. However, it still works in the modern game by just switching out formation types for spread ones. So instead of the first number indicating what coverage to play against pro formations, it would be for two-by-two formations. Slot formations would be swapped out for three-by-one formations.

what is cover 0 in football

In this page from a Jets playbook or install, the call is “Reduce 63.” “Reduce” is the front and “63” is the two coverages. The two diagrams on the left show that the defense would play Cover 6 against pro and trip formations. The two diagrams on the right show that they would play Cover 3 against slot and twin formations.

The reason why calling two coverages is necessary is because the type of stress one set of formations deals with can be completely different than the type of stress that another set of formations can put on a defense. With pro formations or two-by-two formations, the offense is more balanced with two receivers on both sides of the field, but there are some formations that present very specific stresses on a defense that require a different call or adjustment.

what is cover 0 in football

For example, against a three-by-one formation with a nub tight end (inline tight end on the single side), the running strength (to the tight end side) is the offense’s run strength and the passing strength is to the three-receiver side. That type of conflict requires the defense to have an adjustment or different coverage against those types of formations.

This article reveals merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how the languages of defensive football vary. Hopefully, by the end of this, you realize that we all don’t know as much about defenses as we think we know.

When it comes to analyzing schemes, speaking about defensive football as if there are universal terms is totally incorrect. If I claim that a cornerback was guilty of a blown coverage, I wouldn’t know for sure unless I knew the defensive call, which I wouldn’t get a majority of the time. But to make the best-educated guess possible, I would have to investigate details like what coverage he was in, what tree is his coach from and more. I am certainly guilty of oversimplifying, but as an analyst in the media that is presenting my work to football fans with a wide range of football expertise, this vice is often necessary. The aim is to keep learning, be as accurate as possible and keep elevating the general conversion around the game we love.

(Photo of Vic Fangio holding a play sheet: Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)

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Ted Nguyen

Ted Nguyen is a NFL staff writer for The Athletic. He breaks down film to uncover the story that the X's and O's tell. He also covers the latest trends around the league and covers the draft. Follow Ted on Twitter @ FB_FilmAnalysis

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what is cover 0 in football

Man Coverage Basics

For this X’s O’s Football Strategy  breakdown, we take a look at man coverage basics, Cover 0, Cover 1, and Cover 2. We also throw in Madden Tips for those of you who like to play Madden football when calling the different types of man coverage in found in the game.

Man Coverage: Cover 0(Blitz)

This, ideally, should be done from an off man position, and the reason for this is clear to see. If your blitz doesn’t get home, the last thing you want is to give up an easy 6. Besides the off man coverage, you should shade your coverage to the inside, and i’ll explain why. You do not want to get beat on any route with an inside vertical stem, it’s an easy read for your opponent, and it can quickly become disastrous for you.

If your cb’s posses high press ratings, coupled with good speed, then you could run this from a press man position. However, before you can even consider a particular play call, you need to settle on what kind of defensive scheme you want to run, and that will be dictated by the strengths and weaknesses of your personnel. Knowing what your personnel does well, or maybe not so well, will also help you select the appropriate defensive playbook.

I want to bring up one very important, and often over looked fact. There is one thing that is as important as knowing your own personnel, knowing your opponents personnel. You must also be aware of how your opponent is using their personnel I.E. are they putting their stud wr in the slot, etc.

Another important part of play calling, your opponents tendencies. You must pick up on what plays(run and pass), route combinations, formations and in what situations they like to run certain plays. It’s a chess match, and if tendencies are telling you to take away a particular play in a given situation, then that’s what you must do. If you are wrong, so be it, you can only play the odds, the tendencies you’ve picked up on throughout the game.

Man Coverage: Cover 1 (Man Free)

man coverage cover 1

One thing to remember, drag routes(think mesh concept) are designed to defeat man coverage, so you must be prepared to jump them.

If you call cover 1 robber, user the robber safety, and break on any shallow in-breaking routes. The same thing applies to cover 1 Hole, with a linebacker(the rat) playing in the low hole. User the rat linebacker, and give help on any shallow in-breaking routes.

I do want to make one thing clear, and this goes for any coverage, you must have the right personnel for the play call. If you do not have defensive backs with high man coverage ratings, along with good play recognition and speed, this should be called sparingly. Also, if you call Cover 1 Press, your DB’s better posses, not only a high man coverage rating and excellent speed, but a high press rating, too.

Man Coverage: 2 Man Under (Cover 2 Man)

The safeties should be able to drive on any deep dig, post, corner, or deep out, and get over the top of any fade. With that being said, user the safety to the side of the passing strength, or to the field side, and be prepared to jump any of the these routes. A quick reminder, make sure you get enough width and depth to stay over the top of any fade or streak route.

The weakness of this man coverage is obvious, the void in the deep middle of the field. Unlike it’s Tampa 2 counterpart, there is no middle run through to cushion the deep middle third. As with any coverage, it comes with it’s weaknesses, but the strengths of this defense outweigh any structural void. Just as in Cover 1, you will need defensive backs with good man coverage ratings, play recognition and speed, but there is a bigger(much bigger) need for a high press rating.

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A guide to tactics involving defensive backs in the NFL

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Brent Grimes saves the Dolphins by knocking down a Hail Mary pass

The purpose of this article is to serve as an easy to understand guide to defensive coverage schemes for those who are learning some of the basics about football. Phinsider overlord managing editor Kevin Nogle wrote a great introduction to defensive line techniques in his post, " Football 101: Defensive line gap techniques ." I recently posted my own breakdown of the linebacker roles in the Dolphins ' 4-3 defense in my creatively named FanPost, " Brief Overview of the 4-3 Linebacker Roles in our Base Defense ."

Those are primers on what defensive linemen and linebackers are generally asked to do. The next group to discuss is the defensive backs, who are the safeties and the cornerbacks. To keep things simple, these coverage shells will be described as if they are being run by the Dolphins in their favored pass-stopping "nickel" package, which features 4 defensive linemen, 2 linebackers, and 5 defensive backs (hence the term, "Nickel"). I will avoid discussing the technical nuances of each coverage shell because the goal is to provide a decent summary of the 6 most popular coverage shells in just one article.

This is the ultimate, "I simply don't respect your ability to throw the ball" coverage. No defensive backs are asked to drop back into zones, so both safeties are free to be aggressive near the line of scrimmage.

The advantage is that it allows every single member of the 7-man coverage unit (safeties, linebackers, and cornerbacks) to be used in man coverage. On any given play, the offense can send up to 5 players to run receiving routes because out of the 11 players, six of them (the quarterback and 5 offensive linemen) stay behind the line of scrimmage on passing plays. Cover 0 allows a defense to assign 5 defenders to cover those 5 players man-to-man. Meanwhile, the 7-man coverage unit still has 2 defenders "left over" to either blitz/track the QB or roam near the line of scrimmage. The 2 leftover defenders could be safeties or linebackers or cornerbacks or a mix of 2 of those 3 position groups.

Defenses almost always blitz with this coverage shell because giving the quarterback too much time in the pocket guarantees at least one receiver will get open against man coverage without safety help. This type of coverage shell is excellent at shutting down shorter routes as well as handoffs because of all the "traffic" it creates with all 11 defenders near the line of scrimmage, but it leaves the defense dangerously vulnerable to deep passes, which is why teams usually only use cover 0 in special situations such in the redzone.

The most recent famous example of a team playing cover-0 far away from the endzone comes from the Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos playoff game in 2012 against the Pittsburgh Steelers . Tebow is a quarterback with many strengths including vocal leadership and running the ball, but "consistent accuracy on intermediate throws" is not one of them, so the Steelers chose to be very aggressive in stopping the Tebow-led rushing attack by using cover-0 sometimes. In particular, they used it at the start of overtime.

(Click on each picture to view a high resolution image if you're having trouble seeing details)

Before this play started, the Steelers had only 1 safety playing deep (red box in the image above). The strong safety (orange box) is lined up next to their inside linebackers. If you look closely, you'll see the free safety (red box) has begun running up towards the line of scrimmage before the snap .

As the image below shows, by the time Tebow gets the ball in his hands, multiple Steelers defenders are matched up man-to-man, and neither safety (orange or red box) is playing deep.

Both safeties are within 4 yards of the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap. If the Broncos run the ball against this front, they're very unlikely to gain yards due to the safeties being nearby to provide run support. The defensive back that is furthest downfield is a cornerback who is matched up man-to-man against the boundary wide receiver (each outlined by a black box), and besides that wide receiver, no Broncos receiver is open soon after the snap because of how aggressively the defensive backs have positioned themselves.

For those who don't know what happened next, Tebow made a nice pass to Demaryius Thomas, who broke one tackle and scored an 80 yard touchdown because the Steelers had no defensive backs playing deep to stop him. You can watch the famous play here .

You'll sometimes see Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle call for this shell if the Dolphins defense is backed up near the end zone, with the logic being that there's not much benefit in playing any deep safeties when the offense is so close to the endzone that they will instantly score a touchdown if they can complete a 5 or 10 yard pass. Otherwise, you're almost always going to see at least 1 defensive back (the free safety) dropping back deep. So what type of coverage shell is it when only the free safety drops back deep?

This is the, "I want to be aggressive in stopping the run and short throws in any direction, while giving my team a last line of defense" coverage. In this shell, the free safety is asked to drop into a deep zone, and his mission is to make sure he stops any players from getting past him. The strong safety, cornerbacks, and linebackers are generally in man-coverage.

Even with the free safety dropping deep, that leaves 6 "coverage" defenders available to play man-to-man, and as I wrote earlier, only 5 offensive players can run routes downfield. That leaves 1 "free defender" to do one of two things - either blitz or drop into zone coverage. Coyle is a defensive coordinator who loves to blitz, so it's not uncommon to see a linebacker or defensive back sent on a blitz as the free safety drops into a deep zone while the remaining 5 linebackers/defensive backs drop into man coverage. That's cover-1.

However, if the Dolphins' 4-man front is getting decent pressure, Coyle sometimes won't call a blitz. When that happens, this is probably strong safety Reshad Jones ' favorite coverage shell. When Jones is not asked to cover a tight end or running back in man-coverage, he can "roam" as a strong safety and try to make big plays using his instincts either in run support or in intercepting passes downfield, as he did against Joe Flacco and the Ravens when he scored a pick-6 last year. Jones was free to intercept the batted pass because he had dropped into an intermediate zone, while Clemons was asked to drop into a deep zone, and the other members of the Dolphins' coverage unit were in man coverage. This type of cover-1 is called "cover-1 robber" because it allows 1 man to act as a potential "thief" on short-to-intermediate passes.

In the screenshot below, you see Jones (#20) standing in an intermediate zone as Dolphins defenders such as Jelani Jenkins (#53) and Phillip Wheeler (Dolphins player closest to Jones) are in man coverage. Misi, Vernon, Odrick, and Jordan are the Dolphins' 4-man rush (Misi was lined up as a DE as part of the Dolphins' "speed package" that features 3 DEs and just 1 DT).  Jordan is about to beat Bryant McKinnie (#78) with a speed rush to force a bad throw by the quarterback.

Yes, Wheeler is clearly committing an illegal contact penalty by grabbing Ravens' #17 far downfield, but the referees thankfully didn't see it. In the next screen shot, you see Jones waiting for the tipped ball to land at the 25 yard line, as Clemons moves forward from his deep zone, with Nolan Carroll in man-coverage near the sideline.

For animated .gif images like the one below, simply move your mouse over the image to begin the animation.

My super-clever way of showing when the ball has been snapped is that the circle representing the Center becomes empty while the circle representing the Quarterback becomes brown, like a football. Genius, I know.

That purple area in the middle of the field is the " Reshad Jones Party Zone. " When Jones is forced to play man-defense, his attempts to gamble have disastrous consequences because the defensive playcall counts on Jones to cover his man. When Jones roams in cover-1 and isn't assigned to any man (meaning he's in his "party zone"), he's able to gamble knowing that he has a free safety playing deep center field to prevent huge plays and that each potential receiver is already being covered by a teammate of his. Jones had a lot of highlight reel plays in 2012 against both the run and the pass since Coyle felt comfortable letting Jones roam. Unfortunately, because our linebackers in 2013 weren't very good in coverage, Coyle needed Jones to play more man-to-man defense. Jones was frequently victimized in man-coverage in the first half of 2013 until he cut down on his gambling tendencies, at which point, he was more reliable in coverage but no longer generated big plays.

Overall, Cover 1 is a good shell if you want to be aggressive without leaving your defense completely exposed without deep safety help. Every receiver gets assigned a defender, and it leaves a defensive player free to blitz or roam. However, against a team with at least 2 threats to go deep, leaving only 1 safety deep means only one of those threats can be contained with safety help. Because of that, some teams choose to play 2 safeties deep.

This is the, "I want to free up my cornerbacks to be aggressive" coverage. By dropping both safeties deep downfield, cornerbacks and linebackers playing "underneath" can play zone, press-man, or off-man coverage, and they can be asked to be aggressive in trying to create interceptions since they have the "safety blanket" of not just one, but 2 safeties playing deep downfield. Wonderful, right? Why doesn't everybody play this?

There are two main weaknesses to Cover 2. First, the best defensive back against the run (the strong safety) is asked to play far from the line of scrimmage, limiting his ability to help on running plays. Second, if you look closely, you'll see there's some space in between both safeties deep downfield. When pointing out the danger in cover-1, I mentioned the possibility of a team having 2 "deep threat" wide receivers that couldn't both be contained downfield by 1 safety. Well, what if a team has 2 "deep threat" wide receivers plus a very athletic pass-catching tight end?

Tight ends who can "stretch the seam" (run well near the middle of the field) are "cover-2 killers." If each safety commits to an outside wide receiver, the "seam threat" tight end is left one-on-one against a linebacker, and most NFL linebackers struggle to defend athletic tight ends. Defending the tight end with a nickel cornerback forces a linebacker to cover the slot receiver if the offense is using 3 wide receivers and 1 tight end, which is very common. Using a dime cornerback on the tight end so the nickel cornerback can guard the slot receiver leaves your defense incredibly vulnerable to the run given that only 1 linebacker is left on the field. With every NFL team trying to use tight ends to stretch the seam like Tony Gonzales or Antonio Gates , the cover-2 shell has become less popular.

Cover-2 teams have tried to improve coverage down the seam by having a third player drop back into a deep zone. When it's a linebacker , it's called a "Tampa 2 defense." An ideal prototype linebacker that even fans new to football should know is Brian Urlacher, who was converted from safety to linebacker in college and was a freak athlete for his size. He was big and strong enough to fulfill the run stopping duties of a middle linebacker while also having enough speed and coverage instincts to effectively drop into deep zone coverage. Urlacher's talent allowed the Tampa 2 scheme of former Bears ' head coach Lovie Smith to remain highly effective even as other teams played less cover-2.

Still, not every team has a Brian Urlacher-type linebacker who can both stop the run and drop back deep downfield, so how do you defend teams with multiple deep threats at wide receiver and tight end while not fatally compromising your run defense by using dime (4 defensive linemen, 1 linebacker, and 6 defensive backs)?

This is the, "I want to take away deep throws and runs up the middle" coverage. It may seem weird for a coverage shell to accomplish both, but once you see it in action, it makes sense.

The two boundary cornerbacks usually line up a few yards downfield before the snap, then at the snap, they drop back into deep zone coverage near each sideline. The free safety drops back into deep zone coverage in the middle of the field. The strong safety moves forward, putting him in position to help on any handoffs. The advantage of cover 3 is that it asks the 3 best players in coverage (the boundary cornerbacks and free safety) to drop into deep coverage, while it has the defensive back who is best in run support (the strong safety) move towards the line of scrimmage to help stop the run. Those strengths are why this is a very popular coverage shell. The strong safety, linebackers, and nickel cornerback can play either man or zone, but more frequently are asked to play zone, as shown above.

However, cover 3 does have 1 key weakness. While the entire deep area of the field is pretty well covered by 3 defensive backs, and the shallow-middle of the field is defended well with the strong safety dropping into support, both "flanks" of the defense (shallow areas near each sideline) are left vulnerable early in each play. Those outside areas near the line of scrimmage are defended either by a linebacker or defensive back who normally begins the play positioned near the middle of the field and has to move to the outside as the boundary cornerbacks run downfield. Quick, short throws to the outside that take advantage of the boundary cornerbacks dropping into deep zones are used to defeat cover 3. Those are high percentage throws, and those drop-backs by the cornerbacks open up the potential for good yards after the catch.

"But wait, don't the Seattle Seahawks play a lot of cover 3? Why don't they give up easy throws to the outside?"

The Seahawks use a variety of coverage shells, but their most common shell also happens to be their most uniquely effective, which is "press-cover 3." That system asks the boundary cornerbacks to first jam the wide receivers at the line of scrimmage before dropping back far downfield into their assigned zones. By jamming the wide receivers, the cornerbacks can prevent the quarterback from attempting a short throw to the outside as well as disrupt the timing on any downfield throws. The potential danger of this tactic is that the cornerbacks, after attempting to jam the wide receivers, could fail to drop back far enough downfield to prevent deep passes from being completed. They don't have the benefit of a "head start" downfield because they began the play very close to the line of scrimmage to try to jam the receiver.

That's where All-Pro free safety Earl Thomas comes in. It's Thomas' job to "bail out" any Seahawk cornerback who fails to jam his wide receiver effectively and allows the receiver to outrun him downfield. Although technically a cover-3 defense, the Seahawks' press cover-3 is a lot like the cover-1 scheme that was discussed earlier because it calls for the cornerbacks to be more aggressive early in the play. Thomas' ability to defend the deep middle third of the field by himself while having the elite range to also bail out his cornerbacks on either sideline if they've been beaten downfield is why some consider Thomas to be the best free safety in the NFL. Just as Brian Urlacher's skillset made the Bears' Tampa-2 work, Thomas' unique talent allows the Seahawks to prevent big plays like a cover-3 defense while also stopping shorter plays like a cover-1 defense.

This is "Prevent Defense." BORING . 4 defensive backs (the two safeties and 2 boundary cornerbacks) drop into deep zones, and their objective is to make sure no receivers get past them. With 1/3 of the defense playing deep downfield, this coverage shell is very good at stopping deep passes but very bad at preventing short to intermediate throws or any running play to the outside.

Assuming the defense has 4 men rushing the passer, asking 4 players to drop into zone leaves just 3 defenders (3 linebackers or 2 linebackers + a slot corner) to defend the short-to-intermediate area, and most of those defenders begin the play near the middle of the field. That positioning issue is why this defense is more vulnerable to outside runs than inside runs. VERY risk-averse defensive coordinators will sometimes only rush 3 defensive linemen to allow the fourth defensive linemen to drop into zone coverage as well. However, Coyle usually rushes at least 4 players, even in late-game situations, which I personally like to see.

Cover 6 is a hybrid shell - Half of the field is defended similar to a cover 4 shell, and half is defended like in cover 2.

Cover 2 + Cover 4 =  Cover 6

The concept behind this shell is that very often, the ball isn't snapped in the middle of the field. It could be closer to the left hashmarks or the right hashmarks. Therefore, if the ball is located closer to the right hashmarks, then the defense is less exposed if they play only 1 deep safety (the free safety) on that side of the field, so this side closer to the boundary will be the "cover-2" side. On the opposite side of the field, the defense will play 1 deep safety (the strong safety) and 1 deep cornerback because there's more space that needs to be defended, and 2 defensive backs playing deep on 1/2 of the field is similar to a "cover-4" look.

In that .gif, you see cover-4 on the offense's left, and cover-2 on the offense's right.

In terms of benefits, the strong safety is more able to provide run support than in cover-2 because he's splitting his deep half of the field with a boundary cornerback. Rather than dropping back downfield AND sprinting towards the sideline, the strong safety only has to drop deep if it's a pass. Meanwhile, the free safety on the other side must drop back deep and get to the sideline because he's the only defensive back on that side of the field. This defense looks almost as good as stopping deep passes as cover 4 while providing more run support than cover 2. So why doesn't everybody use this constantly?

Well, the weaknesses depend on which side of the field you're looking at. First, let's focus on the side of the field that has more space in between the ball and the sideline (the cover-4 side). In a base defense (3 linebackers), a linebacker (instead of a nickel cornerback) is asked to cover the entire shallow area near the sideline because both the boundary cornerback and strong safety are dropping deep, leaving it vulnerable to a quick pass to that area before the linebacker can get there.  Replace the linebacker with the nickel cornerback, and that area is very vulnerable to an outside run because the boundary cornerback on that side drops back immediately at the start of the play, leaving only 1 nickel cornerback in between the running back and the sideline. Last but not least, with the strong safety given the green light to be aggressive in run support, play-action can create a one-on-one coverage situation deep down the sideline if the strong safety gets fooled. As for the "short" side of the field being defended similar to cover 2, the seam is vulnerable between the cornerback and linebacker, just like in the cover-2 scheme, so smart teams will attack that area with a tight end.

There's an incredible amount of additional detail available for each coverage scheme, such as the exact locations of each player on the field (ex. how many yards from the line of scrimmage) as well as the different ways defenses can try to confuse quarterbacks while using each coverage shell. However, this article is designed to be simply an introduction to each coverage shell, and why coaches choose to either use them or avoid them. It's a lot of information to process at first, but hopefully in the future, if you forget some details about each shell, you can refer back to this article and especially the images to refresh your memory.

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About Cover-0

what is cover 0 in football

Cover-0 is devoted to redefining football’s agency business model at both the player and coach level. Football is more than a game, football is a way of life. The game consists of a small community of players and coaches, often working toward similar interests. Cover-0 finds commonality in our communities to improve growth and stability over your career. Cover-0 recognizes that relationships and community are more than buzzwords, and are necessary tools to ensure successes. These relationships, however, cannot be built on a superficial level, but instead on trust, honesty, integrity, and devotion.

For both our players and coaches, we define our success from our clients’ growth and successes. We take all those who care about you, your coaches, family, friends, to find out what is the best fit for you and how to make you the best you for your career and afterward; physically, mentally, and spiritually. On a case-by-case basis we will efficiently build a system to limit distractions, maximize football value, limit stress, and promote family both in our community and in your home. Premium quality and attention to detail is our standard. Our clients are our family.

What is family? Nick and I, and now our families, have been family for years. We grew up as best friends from 6th grade in Woodland Park, Colorado. Like all kids in small towns in America, we competed against each other in youth sports and bled together throughout high school. As Nick went to Princeton and I went to Adams State we never stopped being family. Nick was the officiant at me and Kylie’s wedding, and I was his best man. Family is not a buzz word or recruiting tool. Family is celebrating births, marriages, big wins, and the opening our homes to you. Family is the support through tough times, constantly striving to grow our relationship, and always being available. 

Between George Holley and Nick Brown, Cover-0 is the perfect blend of small agency feel with big agency negotiating  and business experience. With over 30 years of combined college playing, college coaching, corporate ownership, trial attorney, and negotiating experience, Cover-0 delivers the best nutrition and training in the industry, professional advice for long term success, negotiating tools, financial investment tools and mental health strengthening tools available. 

what is cover 0 in football

THE COACH D LEGACY 

Every great player or coach has someone who was their Coach D; someone who was their mentor, loved unconditionally, truly loved the game of football, was selfless and generous to a fault, and acted as the glue of their community. Coach coined the phrase “you know who loves ya,” and he always meant it. Despite leaving this world in July 2011, Coach certainly plays a leadership role in Cover-0. 

Nick and I played high school football for my dad and his defensive coordinator, Coach D (or simply “D”). Of course D was at every summer lift, run, and camp. But Coach’s true gifts were keeping his front door open to any kid in the community, athlete or not, who needed a friend. He gave money when he didn’t have it, time when he had something better to do, and love to everyone. Some of my favorite memories were at Coach’s house, either at pre game where he would make his patented Sicilian spaghetti sauce complete with a hard boiled egg, or watching some game film or NFL ball on Sundays. 

We chose to name our entity Coach D, LLC after Coach D. Although we chose the trade name Cover-0, we chose “Coach D, LLC” as the entity name because of the values he instilled and the love we had for one another. The “window” in our logo is also a “D” shape in honor of Coach. 

He was more than a coach. He was a man of loyalty, trust, passion, and love.  His example helped lay the foundation for everything Cover-0 stands for, and aspires to be.

You know who loves ya.

what is cover 0 in football

George Holley 

Agent/owner.

I love football; always have. My dad was a head ball coach for over 30 years. Since I could walk I was hanging out on the practice field during the week and on the sidelines on Friday nights. This is not a job for me, but a passion. 

God has blessed me with many things. First and foremost my wife Kylie and our four kiddos; Trey (born 11/2013), Brynn (born 11/2015), Wyatt (born 7/2018), and Kase (born 7/2020). I was also blessed to play college ball and be voted team captain, play indoor ball, and then go to law school and pass the bar. In law school, the market crashed in 2007 and shrank the legal jobs market. This was when criminal law chose me, as I took the first paid internship I could land after playing indoor football in the summer, with a prosecutor’s office in Arapahoe County, Colorado. After law school I coached college ball at my alma mater and studied for the bar in the coach’s office, ultimately learning I passed the bar with 5 Adams State coaches looking over my shoulder and celebrating with me. I was grateful and blessed to get three years living out my dream of coaching college ball. 

Criminal law chose me again in 2013. After meeting my wife and getting engaged we learned God had a little baby planned for us in the spring of 2013. With that, I had to resign as a coach and move to be with my bride to be in Grand Junction. Needing a  job, I again took a prosecutor job and commuted 90 miles each way to work until I found employment locally. As a prosecutor had the privilege of speaking for many victims, including child sex assault victims, something near to my heart. 

And finally now in 2021, the timing became right to jump back into the football world that I love and missed.  I am once again blessed, able to open an agency for both players and coaches.

Owner/Advisor 

As a former Colorado High School Football Player of the Year and 4 year starter for Princeton University football, sports have fueled and shaped my life.  I have also had many other interests in life, however, and I like to think of myself as a pure entrepreneur. After being hard hit in the Great Recession of 2008,  I took my last dollars in 2009 and founded High Country Healing (HCH), a medical marijuana dispensary, one of the first dispensaries in a state that was one of the first in the country to legalize cannabis.  The company began small, turning small profits into reinvestments into my company,  to organically build what is now a $20,000,000 in annual sales company featuring 4 stores and an 18,000 sf cultivation facility with over 100 employees in total. 

But cannabis has given me infinitely more, cannabis gave me my beautiful wife Stephanie, and our wonderful family. Stephanie showed up at HCH after moving here from Florida with her son JT, who had epilepsy. No traditional meds had worked, and she needed help for JT from our medicinal CBD oils. While tragedy struck and JT passed away from SUDEP, I found my soulmate and we now have two beautiful kids, Leo and Mac, and one guardian angel. 

In between building this cannabis brand, I have stayed active in the real estate and finance worlds owning multiple properties, loans, and as of today a total of 7 companies. I have negotiated the sale, purchase, or investment in at least 15 deals over $1,000,000.  Owning and operating a cannabis company over the past 11 years has also forced me to develop a deep understanding of accounting, income tax and taxes of all sorts, human relations, contract law, etc.

Further, I am fascinated with markets in general, so I am constantly following and deciphering them from the stock market, to the cannabis market, to the real estate market, to the sports/entertainment markets, and even into the cryptocurrency market.

While I truly enjoy the art of negotiation and building brands and companies, I value family above all. These relationships are the foundation of my companies. After all of this passion that I have for sports and business, I have an even bigger passion to help others.  I care about people, and I believe I contain a gift to be able to listen and understand people. 

what is cover 0 in football

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Who should be on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25 video game?

By kingsley hunter | feb 22, 2024.

2023 Pac-12 Football Media Day

The EA Sports NCAA Football 25 video game will be released in July which is roughly 11 years after the last installment of the game was released (2013). The college football landscape has changed immensely since 2013 due to NIL, what specifics of the game should fans know prior to release and who should be on the cover?

Starting today, 11,000 college football players from all 134 FBS teams can opt into EA Sports College Football 25. Each will receive: • $600 • A copy of the game pic.twitter.com/91fKyTxrQB — Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 22, 2024

Outlets reported that players can now choose to be a playable character in the video game and will recieve monetary compensation and a copy of the game itself. Unlike previous installments of the game, the members of each team were not promoted in any fashion which meant that players didn't have their last names on jerseys.

Fortunately, due to the approval of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) back in 2021, college athletes can be paid by companies aiming to grow their particular product using the athletes name. All 134 FBS schools will be featured in the game.

EA Sports announced that it will release a full reveal of the game in May, which will likely convey information regarding the price, the exact release date in July, the consoles that support the game, and the cover star.

Former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson was the cover star in the last EA Sports NCAA Football video game released in 2013. Prior to Robinson, players such as Robert Griffin III , Barry Sanders, Mark Ingram , and Tim Tebow were all prominent college football players whose faces were on the cover of college football's flagship video game.

Which current player(s) in college football should grace the cover?

1, Carson Beck, QB, Georgia

Georgia football quarterback Carson Beck was one of the more impressive quarterbacks in 2023. In his first season as a starter, Beck tossed for 3,941 yards (led SEC), 24 touchdowns while having completed 72.4 percent of his passes. Beck led the Bulldogs to an undefeated regular season, but fell to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC championship game.

As the 2024 season looms, Beck is one of the premier passers in college football and him being on the cover of EA's newest college football game makes sense.

FanSided

Predicting the EA Sports College Football cover athlete: 11 stars fans would love

T he winter of college football fans' discontent is nearly over. Yes, the College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams, but that news is inconsequential compared to the bombshell that's coming this summer. I'm speaking, of course, of the return of EA Sports to the college football scene, with EA Sports College Football 25 .

Like many college football fanatics, I have fond memories of my time playing the game that some unjustly characterized as Madden's little brother. I remember playing in my room at UNC, naming the entire team after all the guys that lived in my dorm, then dragging my Tar Heels to the national championship through diligent recruiting and an unstoppable spread offense.

Ah, those were the days, but like a graduate senior that has run out of eligibility, they were destined not to last. Ed O'Bannon brought his case against the NCAA for using his likeness without his permission, and just like that, the world of college sports video games was razed to the ground.

It's a different world we live in now, one that would be unrecognizable to the amateur athletes of yesteryear. Thanks in large part to O'Bannon's lawsuit, players may now profit off of their name, image, and likeness without jeopardizing their eligibility, which has changed the landscape of college athletics irrevocably.

Whether you believe that's a positive development or not is something that's best kept between you and Dabo Swinney. For the rest of us, one glorious side effect of this new free market is the return of one of our favorite video games.

EA Sports released a teaser yesterday for College Football 25, its long-awaited sequel. The spot gave a tantalizing glimpse into what to expect from the game, but the best piece of information to come out of the 1:33 video is that the game will definitely be releasing this summer, which means the wait is almost over.

One of the many exciting things to think about now is who might be on the cover. In the past, EA Sports was restricted to athletes that had just left school, but now that we're in the NIL era, there's nothing preventing a current college athlete from being the star.

With that in mind, we're going all-in on the possibilities, from players that will be NFL rookies this year, to some of the favorites to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy. We've even thrown in a couple of wild cards that could be fun, bringing the total to 11 different choices, since we've gone 11 years without the game. So who's it gonna be?

11. Jaxson Dart

You want a star for your cover? I give you Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss quarterback. This guy has rockstar vibes and the game to match, having just led the Rebels to a top-10 end-of-season ranking for the first time since 1969.

Dart was one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC, throwing for over 3,300 yards and 31 total touchdowns, and he saved his best performance for last, a 379-yard, four-touchdown effort to shred Penn State in the Peach Bowl.

Dart will be among a handful of Heisman Trophy favorites next fall, and will have every opportunity to carry his school into the newly expanded College Football Playoff. He also has a head coach in Lane Kiffin that's never been shy on the promotional front, and you have to admit, those sweet Ole Miss uniforms would look pretty nice lining the Gamestop shelves.

10. Blake Corum

The last time EA Sports put out an NCAA Football game, Denard Robinson, a Michigan Wolverine, was the cover model. Robinson joined Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson as former Michigan men to grace the cover, and seeing as the Wolverines just won their first national title since Woodson led them to an undefeated season and a Rose Bowl victory in 1998, the time couldn't be better to bridge the gap from the old generation to the new.

If EA Sports wanted a current collegiate athlete, it could go with Donovan Edwards, the Wolverines' starting running back heading into next year. It would be tough to pass on Blake Corum, though. Corum just finished a phenomenal career, having twice been named an All-American while rushing for nealry 5,000 yards in four seasons in Ann Arbor. This past year, he led the country with 27 rushing touchdowns and was the driving force on the most physical offense in the country, carrying Michigan to the championship over Washington with 21 carries and 134 yards.

9. Lee Corso

This one may seem to be a bit out of left field, but to that I would say, "Not so fast, my friend." Lee Corso is synonymous with college football, and his picks on ESPN's College Gameday have long been must-see TV. The former Florida State coach is universally adored, and there would be no quicker way for someone walking by in a store to realize, "Oh, there's a new college football game out," than to see Corso on the cover with a Brutus Buckeye or Oregon Duck mascot head on.

The trailer released yesterday was just the beginning of the hype train for this game, but if EA Sports really wants to tap into the passion of college football, Corso would make a great choice. This would also get ESPN to throw their full weight behind the game, spreading the word and ensuring it doesn't go away again anytime soon. Plus it would be the perfect way to immortalize one of the game's most beloved figures.

Run a highlight reel of Corso's greatest moments during commercials and the "If it's in the game, it's in the game" intro. Let me see him say about Uga, " That dog is ugly !" Let's see him swap heads at the last second as the crowd boos lustily, or lift the home team's mascot to the sky as thousands of students go wild. On second thought, maybe I can't wait until summer.

8. Michael Penix Jr.

This is an easy one. Penix was a Heisman Trophy finalist and one of the most exciting players in college football last year. The lefty led his Washington Huskies to within a quarter of a national title, wowing the country in two wins over Oregon and a College Football Playoff semifinal win over Texas.

Penix's willingness and ability to fit the ball into impossibly tight windows is emblematic of the way many gamers want to play the game. You may not ever be able to make the throws that Penix can in real life, but grab a controller and the world is at your fingertips.

Seeing Penix on the cover would be inspirational, as he's overcome four season-ending injuries to still become college football royalty, and it would be a fitting send-off for the Pac-12, which will exist only in our hearts and minds beginning next season.

7. Carson Beck

Georgia has become the preeminent program in the country over the past few years, so we have to include a Bulldog on our list. Tight end Brock Bowers would make a great choice if we were looking at former players, but as one of the preseason Heisman favorites on a team that will begin the year ranked in the top three, if not number one, quarterback Carson Beck gets the nod.

Beck recently made waves by purchasing a high-end Lamborghini (is there any other kind?), and while it's doubtful that he'll have any trouble footing the bill, this should help. The redshirt junior stepped in seamlessly for Stetson Bennett last year, leading the Bulldogs to an undefeated record and the No. 1 ranking until the SEC Championship, where UGA was knocked off by Alabama.

Even with the loss, it was impossible to argue that Georgia wasn't one of the four best teams in the country, but they were still left out of the playoff. With Beck returning and another boffo recruiting class on its way to Athens, the Bulldogs should have little trouble getting back to the playoff after one year away.

6. Jayden Daniels

Jayden Daniels faced stiff competition from fellow Heisman finalists Marvin Harrison Jr., Bo Nix, and Michael Penix Jr., but the LSU star still ran away with the award, both literally and figuratively. The dual-threat quarterback was a human highlight reel, accounting for 50 touchdowns while somehow only throwing four interceptions on the season.

Like Dart, Penix, and the next twosome on this list, Daniels is a transfer, having begun his career at Arizona State. With the new game sure to feature the transfer portal, his selection as College Football 25's poster boy would be both symbolic and consequential, as his transformation from a lightly regarded prospect in Tempe into a probable top-five NFL draft pick in Baton Rouge is proof positive for what a chance of scenery can do.

5. Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter

You know what? Let's throw Coach Prime in there, too. Colorado was the talk of the college football world as the season began, riding a tsunami of hype after beating defending national runner-up TCU in a Week 1 thriller, 45-42.

Deion was part head coach and part hype man, but his son Shedeur and fellow Jackson St. transfer Travis Hunter quickly grabbed the public's attention once play began. Shedeur shot up future draft boards with a strong arm and an ability to make plays out of the pocket, while Hunter was the Shohei Ohtani of the college gridiron, playing both cornerback and wide receiver.

The Buffaloes fell off a cliff in the second half of the year, but you know when summer rolls around, so too will the hype train again. As Deion said after Colorado's loss to Oregon, "This is the worst we're going to be. You better get me right now." EA Sports could do a lot worse than hitching itself to that wagon.

4. Marvin Harrison Jr.

It's rare that the football world ever agrees on a "sure thing" coming out of college, but in Marvin Harrison Jr., we may have found one. The former Buckeye wideout is the total package: sure hands, clinical route-running, and prototypical size and speed. He's even got the DNA, as his father was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016 after a decorated career with the Indianapolis Colts.

Harrison has been a model of consistency, posting nearly identical seasons the last two years in Columbus of just over 1,200 yards and exactly 14 receiving touchdowns. He found the end zone in all but two of Ohio State's games this past season, and he went over 100 yards eight times.

Harrison would be only the second wide receiver to have the cover all to himself, joining Larry Fitzgerald in NCAA Football 2005. Ohio State has produced an inordinate amount of fantastic pass-catchers, but Harrison could be the best of the bunch.

3. Nick Saban

With everyone expecting an athlete on the cover, this choice would be like the Statue of Liberty play of cover model fake-outs, but it's entirely justified. Nick Saban has left no doubt that he's the greatest coach in the history of college football, and just last month he announced his retirement .

Saban won seven national championships: one at LSU and six at Alabama, and it seemed that every year he was in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide were the favorites. He coached four Heisman Trophy winners and had an .806 career winning percentage, and in the final 13 years of his career, his teams never lost more than two games in a season.

There's precedent, of course, for a coach to be on an EA Sports cover, with John Madden appearing on his namesake game, and Bill Walsh (then of Stanford), featured on the cover of EA Sports' NCAA Football predecessors, Bill Walsh College Football '94 and Bill Walsh College Football '95. Saban would be a fitting heir.

2. Caleb Williams

Now we're getting into the thick of it. The presumed No.1 pick in the upcoming NFL draft is probably the most likely person to get the cover, but I like the idea of a current college player having it, so I'm slotting Caleb Williams in at number two.

Williams won the 2022 Heisman Trophy by displaying an array of talents that has seen him plausibly compared to Patrick Mahomes. He followed that showcase up with another season of incredible play, but he was mostly overlooked (though not by NFL scouts) due to USC's defense being amongst the worst in the country. He'd be the third Trojan to appear on the cover, joining Carson Palmer and Reggie Bush in 2004 and 2007.

Williams is no stranger to stardom, even off the football field, as he's appeared in commercials for Wendy's, Fanatics, and Dr. Pepper, with the soda even depicting him on a video game cover in one of its "Fansville" ads. The NFL is hyped for Williams' arrival; it makes sense that College Football 25 gamers would be, too.

1. Jalen Milroe

Alabama has a proud history of EA Sports cover athletes, with Mark Ingram and Shaun Alexander having gotten the gig in the past. Milroe would be the first Alabama quarterback to do the honors, though I do like to imagine a black-and-white version of NCAA Football 1965 with Joe Namath on the cover.

Milroe overcame a slow start to the year to turn an incredible season, one which featured his impossible 4th-and-goal throw from the 31 to beat Auburn, a victory over two-time defending national champion Georgia in the SEC Championship, and a near-defeat of Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinal that was the closest anyone came all year to beating the Wolverines.

After Nick Saban retired last month, Milroe announced that he was staying in Tuscaloosa under new head coach Kalen DeBoer. Whether that means he can keep Alabama on the top rung of the college football leader remains to be seen, but as one of the college game's most intriguing returning athletes, he'd be a great choice for the cover.

This article was originally published on fansided.com as Predicting the EA Sports College Football cover athlete: 11 stars fans would love .

Predicting the EA Sports College Football cover athlete: 11 stars fans would love

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A Beginner’s Guide to American Football Positions

Sports & activity.

Looking for a breakdown of all 22 players on the football field? Check out this guide to learn the basics of football positions.

What Are the Positions in American Football?

In football, every player on the field has a distinct role and specialized set of skills. For example, the quarterback is (usually) the only one to throw the ball. Receivers catch it; offensive linemen don’t. All these positions have to work together in order for the intricate plays designed by the coaches to work.

“Everyone has to be doing their job, and everything has to be in sync,” said Craig Karahuta, vice president for football and cheer operations at American Youth Football . “Eleven people [on each team] have to do their jobs at all times. There is no ‘most important’ player on the field. That’s why, as far as I’m concerned, football is the ultimate team sport.”

If you’re not familiar with the game, understanding all the critical positions in football can be confusing. Don’t worry: If you’re new to the game, this guide is for you.

What Are the Positions in American Football?

What Are the Offensive Positions in Football?

There are 11 players on the field for the offense, working together on running and passing plays to move the ball toward the other team’s end zone. Once in that end zone, the team can hopefully score a touchdown or settle for a field goal, the two primary ways to score in football. Those 11 offensive players can come from these groups of positions:

What Are the Positions in American Football?

1. Quarterback (QB)

On most plays, the quarterback gets the ball from the center and controls the play. The QB might hand the ball off to a running back on a rushing play, or they might pass it to a running back, tight end or wide receiver on a passing play. The QB might even run the ball. But being a good quarterback is about more than just being able to throw good passes, said Karahuta.

“The quarterback has to know everybody’s position on the field. The lineman just needs to know to block here, and a receiver knows to run here. But the quarterback has to know everything,” he said. “There’s a big responsibility to see the whole field and know the whole field, not just play your own position.”

The QB must know where all those players are in order to know where the receivers will be before throwing a pass. And when the pass isn’t caught — or if it’s intercepted by the defensive team — the quarterback needs another important skill: quick mental recovery.

“He has to come back from making mistakes and recover from that,” said Roman Oben, a former U.S. National Football League (NFL) offensive tackle and the NFL’s vice president for football development.

Quarterbacks need to quickly make that recovery and respond positively , Oben said, because they need to lead the team before the next play in the huddle, where the team discusses the upcoming play.

“A QB has to set the tone for what everyone else has to do. So, the quarterback has to be, to some degree, a coach on the field,” Oben added.

2. Offensive Linemen

With some offensive positions, the number of each player type on the field can vary. There can be one, two or even five wide receivers on the field, but there must always be five offensive linemen. From the quarterback’s point of view, those five are: the left tackle, left guard, center, right guard and right tackle.

The center is the most important member of the offensive line, said Oben.

“Every single play, the center touches the ball,” he said. That isn’t true for any other position on the field. When a play starts, the center snaps the ball, handing it or tossing it between his legs to the quarterback or another player. This starts the play.

The center is often the captain of the offensive line, said Andy Ryland, senior manager of education and training for USA Football .

“[The center is] responsible for a lot of the communication and inter-play play calling,” he said. What that means is that when the team gets ready for a play to start, the center may look at the defense and make adjustments to the way the line will block (in other words, which of the other team’s players to stop from tackling the quarterback or running back).

After the center snaps the ball, the offensive line is usually not allowed to touch the ball again, unless a pass is tipped or the ball is fumbled (Note: A “fumble” is when a player carrying the ball drops it). Instead, the linemen either act as bulldozers, pushing the defense out of the way on a running play, or protectors, forming a circle — or “pocket” — around the quarterback to keep the defense away from him, said Ryland.

“[Offensive lineman] are the ultimate teammates,” Ryland said, because their job is to make their teammates succeed. By blocking the defense, the offensive line makes it possible for the running back to gain yards or the quarterback to make a touchdown pass.

3. Running Back

The running back’s primary job is to take the ball from the quarterback and run with it on rushing plays. Running backs also block for the quarterback on some passing plays and may run out to catch a pass. They’re fast players who are powerful enough to shrug off linebackers who try to tackle them, but running backs need more than just speed.

“Vision is very important,” Karahuta said. When running backs get the ball, they don’t just run forward. They need to identify the best place to run and be agile enough to get there. “A play might be supposed to go [in one place,] but it’s jammed up. They have to be able to stop on a dime to make the right move [somewhere else].”

Running backs usually line up in the back of the offense, which is why they’re sometimes called the “tailback.” Offenses usually have one running back on the field at a time. If there are five receivers on the field, there will be zero running backs. And sometimes there might be two.

4. Fullback

A fullback is another kind of running back — kind of a mix between an offensive lineman and a running back. They usually line up behind the quarterback and in front of the tailback and are often tasked with blocking for the running back, who is typically the primary ball carrier. For this reason, fullbacks are sometimes called “blocking backs.” They are allowed to carry the ball, though, and sometimes do.

If they’re not all the way back, then why are they called a “fullback,” you might wonder? Ryland said the name has been kept from the earlier days of football. In fact, it actually goes back before football. “Fullback” is a name for a position in rugby, the game’s predecessor.

Many offenses do not use a fullback very often in the modern, more pass-focused game, instead, they swap in another receiver.

5. Tight End (TE)

The tight end usually lines up right next to the offensive line — that’s the “tight” part. These players are usually bigger than wide receivers but smaller than offensive linemen, and their job is a hybrid of the two.

The tight end combines “the strength , power and blocking ability of an offensive lineman with the pass-catching and running abilities of a wide receiver,” said Ryland. “They have to run-block like an offensive lineman. They'll also have to get out in space and block like a wide receiver. They'll have to pass protect like an offensive lineman. But they also have to run routes, catch and run with the ball.”

Tight ends, Ryland said, are like a middle-of-the-road character you might create in a video game. They are pretty good at everything and don’t have any glaring weaknesses. They can block (but not as well as an offensive lineman can) and can run and catch (but not as well as a wide receiver can).

6. Wide Receiver (WR)

Wide receivers line up at or near the line of scrimmage (the line where the ball is before the play), outside of the offensive line and the tight end. Being on the edges is the “wide” part of their position’s name.

While they can be used to carry the ball like a running back and may have some responsibility to block on running plays, wide receivers are known for catching passes. They’re skilled at plucking passes out of the air, jumping to catch the ball and using their sticky gloves to grab the ball with one hand. They are usually the fastest players on the offense, and they often run predetermined routes on each play, so the quarterback knows where to throw the ball.

Wide receivers also have another special skill, Ryland said: deception.

Great receivers “can make the opponents think I'm doing one thing before I do the other thing, not give away my intentions and then lean one way and go back to the other,” he said. By doing this, these receivers can trick the players who are defending them, giving the receiver more room to catch the ball and run with it after the catch. Some receivers even wear face shields over their eyes, which can keep the defender from seeing where they’re looking for the ball.

What Are the Positions in American Football?

What Are the Defensive Positions in Football?

The 11 players on the field for the defense want to stop the other team’s offense from moving the ball or scoring a touchdown. They try to tackle the player who has the ball, knock down passes or even catch the pass themselves (a play called an interception). The defense plays these positions.

What Are the Positions in American Football?

1. Defensive Linemen

The defensive linemen tend to be the bigger players who start the play at the line of scrimmage, which is the imaginary line where the ball is placed before the play starts. There are normally three or four defensive linemen on the field, and they tend to put one or both hands on the ground before the play.

Unlike on the offensive line, where the outside players are the tackle, the defensive linemen in the middle are called defensive tackles (DTs). When there is only one defensive tackle, that player is sometimes called a “nose tackle,” because they start over the nose of the ball.

The defensive linemen on the outside are called defensive ends (DEs). In the past, these linemen were tasked with getting past the offensive line to stop a running back, put pressure the QB to throw sooner than they want to or tackle the quarterback — a play called a “sack.”

But in the modern game, Oben said, defensive linemen need to do even more. They might need to drop back into coverage to stop a receiver, get their hands up to block a pass or even cover receivers who are near the line of scrimmage all the way to the sideline. With all these responsibilities, defensive linemen today need to be more athletic than ever before.

2. Linebacker (LB)

Linebackers play behind the defensive line. If the defense has three defensive linemen, there are usually four linebackers. If there are four defensive linemen, there are usually three linebackers. Linebackers are usually smaller and faster than defensive linemen.

In the past, linebackers were responsible for stopping a running back who had run through a hole in the defensive line, tackling receivers on a short or medium pass and running at the quarterback to try to pressure them to throw or to sack them.

But like many other positions, Ryland said, linebackers have more roles now than they did in the past, as the game has become more pass-focused. Modern linebackers need to be able to cover speedy tight ends and even some wide receivers.

Linebackers also have important communication roles on many defenses, Oben said. The middle linebacker, specifically, is often “the quarterback of the defense,” he said.

That means that the middle linebacker may be responsible for looking at the offense before the play, predicting what they think will happen and telling the other defenders what to do on the upcoming play

3. Cornerback (CB)

Cornerbacks and safeties are called the “defensive backfield,” or “defensive backs,” because they play in the back of the defense. Cornerbacks are lined up on the outside of the defense and are usually tasked with covering the offense’s best receivers.

“A corner is usually assigned a man or an area,” said Karahuta. When he’s covering a player, the cornerback will shadow the offensive receiver to try to keep them from catching the ball by batting it down or just getting in the way of the ball. When covering an area, the corner defends any player or pass that comes into that area. Cornerbacks are usually faster than safeties and tend to be better at covering receivers.

Sometimes, you’ll hear a defensive back called a “nickel back” or a “dime back.” When a defense has five defensive backs on the field at once — by having one less linebacker or defensive lineman — the fifth defensive back is called a “nickel back.” This can be a cornerback or a safety, and is often done when the offense has more receivers on the field or when the offense has further to go and is more likely to pass. If there are six defensive backs on the field, the sixth is called a “dime back.”

4. Safety (S)

Safeties are the last line of defense. They usually play all the way in the back of the defense and are responsible for making sure no offensive player gets past everyone else on the defense. Safeties are usually not as fast as cornerbacks, Karahuta said, but they’re often better at reading and patrolling larger areas of the field.

There are usually two safeties. One is called the “strong safety,” and the other is the “free safety.” The strong safety would be on the “strong” run side of the offensive formation, which is where a tight end is lined up.

The strong safety used to be known more for supporting the run defense and coming closer to the line of scrimmage, while the free safety was known more for pass coverage and the back of the defense. But there’s less difference between the two in the modern game, Ryland said. Both safeties are usually skilled at both jobs.

What Are the Positions in American Football?

What Are the Special Teams’ Positions in Football?

Kickoffs, extra point tries (PATs), field goals and punts — and defending all four — aren’t done by the offense or the defense. These special plays are done by units called “special teams.”

What Are the Positions in American Football?

1. Kicker (K)

Kickers kick the ball off the ground on a kickoff, field goal and point after touchdown (PAT), also called the “extra point.”

2. Punter (P)

On fourth down, an offense sometimes won’t try to get the first down, because if they fail, the other team will get the ball right where the offense was stopped. Instead, the coach may call on the punter. This player can punt the ball to the other team, hanging it high in the air to try to keep the opposing team farther away from the end zone.

Some punters also hold the ball for the kicker on field goals, and they may kick off after a safety, when the rules allow the kickoff to be a punt.

3. Kick Returner (KR)

When the kicker boots a kickoff, the kick returner catches it and runs toward the opposing team’s end zone. These players are usually speedy and are often also wide receivers or defensive backs.

4. Punt Returner (PR)

When the punter punts to the opposing team, the punt returner catches it. This player may call for a “fair catch,” which means that they will not return the ball because the other team’s special teams are going to tackle them right away.

The PR may also choose to return it; like a kick returner, the PR runs toward the other team’s end zone. Just as with kick returners, punt returners are fast and are often also wide receivers or defensive backs.

5. Long Snapper

The long snapper is a special kind of center who snaps the ball on punts and kicks. They snap the ball between their legs to the punter on a punt or to the player holding the ball for the kicker on field goals and PATs.

Words by Greg Presto

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Final cover announced for hardcover book commemorating the iconic career of coach Nick Saban

The final cover has been selected for our upcoming hardcover book, Nick Saban: A Career That Changed Alabama Football Forever.

what is cover 0 in football

The cover features a handful of highlights from Coach Saban’s tenure. Photos at right, from top:  Coach Saban’s introductory press conference in January 2007; Hoisting the AFCA Coaches Trophy after beating Texas at the Rose Bowl in 2009; Celebrating after the Crimson Tide rolled 21-0 to upend LSU in the rematch to take the 2011 BCS national title; A back-to-back champion, Coach Saban holds the signature crystal trophy; Celebrating Alabama’s first College Football Playoff national championship in a 45-40 shootout win over Clemson in 2015; Coach Saban’s fifth national title at Alabama and sixth overall; Showing off the 2020 season’s grand prize after Alabama won its 18th national championship; Nick Saban’s bronze statue, first unveiled for Alabama fans on April 16, 2011.

This all-new, updated edition includes coverage of all of Coach Saban's Alabama career, including the 2023-24 season, and a special foreword from Miss Terry Saban.

This limited-edition book is the perfect gift for your loved ones for any occasion. Click the link below to purchase!

what is cover 0 in football

$33.71 $44.95

IMAGES

  1. Cover 0 Defense (Coaching Guide With Images)

    what is cover 0 in football

  2. Cover 0 Defense (Coaching Guide With Images)

    what is cover 0 in football

  3. What Is Cover 0 Defense In Football? Learn The Basics

    what is cover 0 in football

  4. Cover 0 Defense (Coaching Guide With Images)

    what is cover 0 in football

  5. Football 101: Cover 0

    what is cover 0 in football

  6. Understanding Zone Coverage & Man Coverage In Football

    what is cover 0 in football

VIDEO

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  3. Replacing Klopp & Rashford’s Big Night Out

  4. Naming PLAYERS WHO HAVE PLAYED for RIVAL TEAMS (challenge) 💥 #shorts #soccer #footballcap

  5. 🔥THIS ARTETA CHANGE SEEMS TO BE WORKING! RAYA, HAVERTZ, KIWIOR, FLUID STYLE, SET PIECES, TACTICS 🔥

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COMMENTS

  1. Cover 0 Defense (Coaching Guide With Images)

    With no extra deep help over the top, Cover 0 is a true man-to-man defensive scheme. Every defender has a specific player on the offense that he's assigned to cover. All other players are tasked with blitzing the quarterback.

  2. What Is Cover 0 Defense? Learn The Basics Of Man Coverage

    Cover 0 is man coverage that's often played by teams at all levels. It requires a high level of skill to play effectively. What is cover 0 defense? Cover 0 is man coverage. It's called cover 0 because there is 0 help deep. Players will play man-to-man coverage against the receivers while the other players blitz.

  3. Coverage School: What is Cover 0 in Football?

    In the coverage known as Cover 0, there are 0 safeties over the top of the coverage helping the underneath defenders. Those defenders are in man to man with no extra help to rely on. Cover 0 is a man to man defense. Every player that is not a defensive lineman (and sometimes lineman) has a job.

  4. Football 101: Cover 0

    Cover 0 is an aggressive coverage that is usually tied to heavy blitz packages. It leaves zero deep defenders and utilizes man coverage. It's a high risk and high reward play. The goal being to pressure the quarterback and force a sack or mistake. Also Read: Cover 2 Cover 0 Philosophy

  5. Defensive Coverages In Football

    Cover 0 is a man-to-man coverage when the defense does not play zone. The defense's goal in cover 0 is to prevent yards after the catch for the offense. The defense will be responsible for each eligible receiver on the offense (5 receivers). This means the defense will likely be blitzing six players toward the quarterback.

  6. What Is Cover 0 Defense In Football? Learn The Basics

    What Is Cover 0 Defense In Football? Learn The Basics vIQtory Sports 23.8K subscribers Subscribe Subscribed 227 13K views 3 years ago Defensive Coverages In American Football Cover 0...

  7. Football's Ultimate Guide To Cover 0 Defense

    Cover 0 is a defensive scheme in football involving no deep defenders. Instead, a team relies on a solid pass rush to pressure the quarterback into making a mistake. There are limitless amounts of cover 0 blitz packages. The most typical coverage variant is to drop 1st and 2nd level defenders to zone cover.

  8. Cover Zero Defense: The In-Depth Guide

    Cover Zero Defense. Cover Zero Defense is an aggressive defensive strategy in American football that involves sending all available defensive players (including linebackers and defensive backs) into the opponent's backfield to pressure the quarterback. In Cover Zero, there is no deep safety in the secondary to provide help in coverage.

  9. RECOGNIZING COVER 0 DEFENSE

    Similar to the way many of the other coverages in this series have been named, Cover 0 is named due to the number of deep pass defenders. As you can see in Figure 1 below, there are no defenders playing deep zone coverage, as all players are playing man coverage on one of the eligible skill players. Figure 1: Cover 0

  10. ITP Glossary: Cover 0

    Cover 0 is a coverage scheme with zero deep defenders. This is an entirely man-to-man coverage shell that involves a heavy pass rush ‒ normally six or more defenders. Accordingly, Cover 0 is also called a "zero blitz."

  11. Defensive pass coverage terms explained

    Cover-0: Man-to-man coverage with no safety help over the top. Is frequently paired with a heavy-pressure package. ( from vIQtory Sports) Cover-1: Man-to-man coverage with one safety deep....

  12. Zone defense in American football

    Cover 0 refers to pure man coverage with no deep defender. [1] Similar to Cover 1, Cover 0 has the same strengths and weaknesses but employs an extra rusher at the expense of deep coverage help leaving each pass defender man-to-man. [1]

  13. Football Coverage Types

    What is Coverage in Football? Coverage in football is the alignment of the defense on the field. A good defense will adapt their coverage strategy based on the opposing team. There are two basic kinds of coverage: Man to man Zone Man To Man Coverage With man to man coverage, every defensive player is assigned an offensive player to cover.

  14. What Is Cover 0 in Football? The Basics Of Man Coverage

    The Basics Of Man Coverage Cover 0 is a coverage that's often played by teams at all levels. It requires a high level of skill to play effectively. Cover 0 is a type of coverage that requires no deep help. Cover 0 is man coverage. It's called cover 0 because there is 0 help deep.

  15. Football Man to Man Coverage

    Cover 0. Cover 0, or straight man coverage, refers to a defense with no extra safety. While straight man coverage is easiest to understand, it is also the easiest to exploit. Receiver patterns and offensive schemes will thwart even the best defenses in Cover 0, often having a receiver simply outrun a defensive back and catch a deep pass.

  16. Five Plays that Beat Cover Zero

    Cover Zero is an all-out pressure, meaning that the defense will blitz every player that isn't responsible for an offensive skill player in man to man coverage. It's utilized from defenses looking to get quick pressure on the quarterback.

  17. Football: What is Cover 0?

    © 2023 Google LLC To view the Cover 0 info sheet, click https://snip.ly/uzg66jThere are many different Defensive Coverages that football teams will use to try to slow down the...

  18. The confusing language of defensive coverages: NFL loaded with

    The "0" indicates that the coverage is Cover 0. The money linebacker ($) and free safety blitz, leaving no hole player. The strong safety rotates to the middle of the field and plays deep.

  19. What is Cover Zero?

    What is Cover Zero? - It's Big-Play Time The QB School 330K subscribers Join Subscribe Subscribed 252 15K views 5 years ago #NFL #HoustonTexans In today's video, we will look at what is cover...

  20. Man Coverage Basics

    Just as in Cover 1, you will need defensive backs with good man coverage ratings, play recognition and speed, but there is a bigger (much bigger) need for a high press rating. For this X's O's Football Strategy breakdown, we take a look at the basics of man coverage, Cover 0, Cover 1, and Cover 2. We also throw in Madden Tips.

  21. Football 101: Coverage Shells

    Cover 0 allows a defense to assign 5 defenders to cover those 5 players man-to-man. Meanwhile, the 7-man coverage unit still has 2 defenders "left over" to either blitz/track the QB or roam...

  22. About Cover-0

    Cover-0 is devoted to redefining football's agency business model at both the player and coach level. Football is more than a game, football is a way of life. The game consists of a small community of players and coaches, often working toward similar interests. Cover-0 finds commonality in our communities to improve growth and stability over ...

  23. Cover 2 Defense In Football Explained

    Updated: February 12, 2024. Cover 2 in football is a popular coverage played by almost all teams that need to defend both the run and the pass. Teams will use this coverage to protect themselves against underneath coverage. Cover 2 in football means the defense has two deep defenders and five underneath the defenders.

  24. Who should be on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25 video game?

    The EA Sports NCAA Football 25 video game will be released in July which is roughly 11 years after the last installment of the game was released (2013). The college football landscape has changed ...

  25. Predicting the EA Sports College Football cover athlete: 11 stars ...

    The trailer released yesterday was just the beginning of the hype train for this game, but if EA Sports really wants to tap into the passion of college football, Corso would make a great choice.

  26. What Are the Positions in American Football?. Nike.com

    "Eleven people [on each team] have to do their jobs at all times. There is no 'most important' player on the field. That's why, as far as I'm concerned, football is the ultimate team sport." If you're not familiar with the game, understanding all the critical positions in football can be confusing.

  27. Final cover announced for hardcover book commemorating the iconic

    The final cover has been selected for our upcoming hardcover book, Nick Saban: A Career That Changed Alabama Football Forever. The cover features a handful of highlights from Coach Saban's tenure. Photos at right, from top: Coach Saban's introductory press conference in January 2007; Hoisting the AFCA Coaches Trophy after beating Texas at the Rose Bowl in 2009; Celebrating after the ...