Ohio State’s Three-Deep

Coverage Principles
C ollege football programs across the
country are currently in a huge transi-
tion period, both offensively and defensive-
that the defenders drop to at least 10 yards
depth and break back into the no cover
zone. They are coached to break on the
ly. Offensively, teams are spreading the ball and cover one-third of the distance
field with receivers, creating run and pass from the quarterback to the intended
situations which require defenders to tack- receiver. Our goal is to limit the offense to
le in space. Defensively, zone pressure 5.0 yards or less per pass attempt. It
and eight man front defenses are being insures the ball being thrown in front and or
designed to create pressure and eliminate outside of our coverage. This will prevent
an opposing offense’s run game. In doing the quarterback from throwing the ball “on
this, we are seeing a shift back to the three line” to the MOF (Diagram 1).
deep coverage concept used so regularly
Diagram 1
throughout the history of college football.
Like many of you, my exposure to three-
deep coverages is quite extensive, having
played and coached in it’s environment for
the majority of my football life. My new
appreciation and perspective regarding the
base thoughts, teaching progression and
consistencies are a direct result of working
for Nick Saban at Michigan State beginning
in the spring of 1995. With that in mind, this
article is being written in reference to the
following points of emphasis:
Plan of the Playing Field
No Cover Zone
Seams
Middle of the Field (MOF) Coverage.
Mark Dantonio Dividers / Corner’s Play
Underneath Matches Seams of the Field
Defensive Coordinator One Back Sets The seams of the field are two landmarks
Play Action (Flow/Boot/Webb) of reference for our entire perimeter defend-
Ohio State University 2 x 2 Formations ers. They are three yards wide, begin at a
3 x 1 Formations (Load / Split) point 10 yards from the line of scrimmage
Columbus, Ohio and are located two yards outside the hash.
Plan of the Playing Field (When the ball is in the middle of the field).
The playing field that we defend is 53 Should the ball be placed on either hash, the
1/3 yards wide. It is crucial to our players’ far seam moves two yards inside and begins
understanding that they know the basic on the far hash. It remains three yards wide
landmarks of the field in order that their and again begins at 10 yards depth.
responsibilities can be clearly and logisti- Philosophically, these seams are our weak-
cally defined. The bottom of the numbers est areas of coverage; points of references
on the field is seven yards from the side- Diagram 2
line; the tops nine yards. The college hash
is 19 yards from the sideline (H.S. hash is
17 yards) and is one yard in width. The dis-
tance between the two hashes is 13 1/3
yards. This information clarifies the areas
of responsibility and position of alignment
for our players and gives our teaching pro-
gression true meaning (Diagram 1).

No Cover Zone
The no cover zone is an area of five
yards from the current line of scrimmage
extending across the field. Our underneath
defending players are always to drop clear-
ly out of the no cover zone in their pass
responsibilities. Our philosophy dictates

• AFCA Summer Manual — 2002 •

where offenses attempt to send No. 2
receivers down the field to threaten the
defense horizontally. We cannot allow these
receivers to run into this area. They must be
re-routed out of the seam at 10 yards depth.
(The No. 2 receivers are receivers posi-
tioned inside the No. 1 receivers for identifi-
cation (Diagram 2).
Middle of the Field Coverage
This is the area our middle of the field
defender must be able to break and cover in
any of our three deep coverages. There is
one such defender and he must remain “deep
as the deepest” possible receiver in the true
middle of the field. He must also be able to
break one-third the distance from the quarter-
back’s throw to the “reception area” on the
intended receiver. Theoretically speaking he
must be capable of covering seam to seam if
receivers are 25 yards or more downfield.
Should they be 18 to 25 yards downfield, we
ask that they be able to go hash to hash. This
can be done when our underneath defenders
drop out of the no cover zone and our safety
anticipates the quarterback’s throw by read-
ing his mechanics (Diagram 3).
Diagram 3
(18) (18)
Dividers / Corner’s Play
Our corners are responsible for cover-
age in the outside one-third of the field
(Diagram 2). As with all of our players they
are taught a stance/alignment/key/respon-
sibility, which make up their individual tech-
nique in respect to a specific defense and
coverage. Our corner ’s alignment and play
in his one-third technique is predicated on
his “divider” rule. A divider is a specific
landmark for each corner that tells him
where the midpoint of his outside one-third
is located. If the ball is in the middle of the
field, the corner’s divider (midpoint) is one
yard above the numbers (10 yards from
sideline).
Should the ball be on a hash the far cor-
ner’s divider is five yards above the numbers
(14 yards from sideline/midpoint between
numbers and hash). The near corner’s
divider moves to six and a half yards from the
sideline (1/2 yard outside; bottom of num-
bers). These dividers remain constant
throughout the play and the corners play off
these in terms of horizontal alignment and
actual play as follows:
Wide receiver initial align inside or on
divider, C horizontally align.
One yard outside wide receiver (Depth
will vary upon technique addendum).
Wide receiver initial alignment outside of
divider, C align one yard inside wide receiver.
As play begins the corner goes through
this progression.
Eye to quarterback. Read the quick three
step route (slow backpedal / eyes from quar-
terback to wide receiver / drive on tackle).
No three step. Eye control to No. 2
receiver. Begin to play in a half turn (tech-
nique). If No. 2 is down the seam, get depth
on your divider (midpoint). Be able to break
one-third the distance to the “reception area”
on intended receiver. Disregard No. 1 receiv-
er’s route but be able to make the play on any
deep throw in your outside one-third zone.
No No. 2 down the seam. (No. 2 is
blocking/short route, etc.) Corner’s eye
control goes hard to No. 1’s hip based on
your divider leverage. Begin to play him
man to man “top down.” Do not allow your-
self to be stemmed off your divider horizon-
tally. Your leverage may change on your
wide receiver based on his route. Maintain
your position of strength and read his lower
body for route indicators.
Underneath Matches
The basic plan of all normal three deep
coverages involves four underneath defend-
ers; three linebackers and one safety. Based
on the specific coverage call, we are able to
insert the one “down” safety into any of the
underneath positions. (Rita/Rt or Linda/Lt
Calls). For this reason, in our teaching pro-
gression, we use four X’s and ask that all of
our linebackers and safeties learn all match-
es on drops underneath (Diagrams 4 & 5).
There are four base spot drops in all
three deep coverages: Weak Flat/Weak
Hook/Strong Hook/Curl-Flat. We match the
patterns as follows:
Weak Flat Defender: Drop out of no
cover zone eyes on No. 2 (1/2 match).
• AFCA Summer Manual — 2002 •
Diagram 4: Cover 3
Cover 3: A rotated deep zone coverage to
the two receiver side of the offensive for-
mation with three linebackers in coverage,
employing tight coverage on receivers in
each zone based on a read route progres-
sion. Linebacker flow rule.
C.P. — Down and distance/2-minute_playe
deeper
Diagram 5: Cover 6
Cover 6: A rotated three-deep zone cover-
age to the one receiver side of a pro for-
mation with three linebackers in coverage
employing tight coverage on receivers in
each zone based on a read of route pro-
gression. Linebacker flow rule. Check sec-
ond coverage call vs. slot.
No. 2 to flat expand through No. 1. Take
away out cut. Break back into no cover
zone on quarterback throw. (Handle No.
2/wheel Rt ).
No. 2 inside or up weak seam. “Close
the window on No. 1.” You are responsible
for No. 1 inside/out (Curl/Smash).
Weak Curl Defender: Drop out of no
cover zone. Eyes to No. 2 (2/1 match).
No. 2 to Flat: “Close the window” on No.
1 inside/out. Break out of no cover on quar-
terback short throw.
No. 2 up Seam: Re-route No. 2 out of
seam at 10 yards. Hold curl area.
No. 2 Short: Stack off on No. 2 out of no
cover. Take him back to ball.
Strong Hook Defender: Drop out of no
cover zone. Eyes to No. 3. (3/2 match)
Match to final No. 3 receiver in strong
hook area.
No. 3 outside/blocking. Find No. 2 (TE).
No. 3 checkdown/stack off No. 3.
Curl Flat Defender: Drop out of no
cover zone.
Drop to seam 10 yards deep
No. 2 in seam/re-route him out of the
seam at 10 yards depth. Expand on any
No. 3 Flat. (Break back to no cover zone)
 No No. 2 in seam. Match final No. 2. Get
width. Again break back to no cover/expand
through curl. (Handle wheel by No. 2).
One Back Sets
(2 x 2 Formations): All 2 x 2 formations are
regarded as a “Double Seam Alert” formation
with the potential of an offense attacking us
with four verticals (Diagrams 6 & 7).
Diagram 6
Diagram 7
Our base matches and theories remain
the same. Re-route the seams at 10 yards.
(3 x 1 Formations): The offense has
flooded one side of the field with aligned
receivers. Coaching decisions will be made
based on an offense’s tendencies and our
secondary’s ability. We may decide to push
our coverage to their strength or remain
with our base concepts. We will play load
and split rules.
Split: Remaining back (No. 4) goes weak.
Load: Remaining back (No. 4) goes
strong.
In both scenarios, we will play either
base rules or push our coverage as follows:
Strong Flat Defender: Push to final No.
1 (Quick reroute on No. 2).
Strong Hook Defender: Push to final
No. 2 (seam).
Weak Hook Defender: Push front-side
to No. 3 (and No. 3 up has to be taken up)
Weak Flat Defender: You have No. 4 or
first crosser (Load). Stay out of no cover
and don’t “undress the corner”. Hold the
curl for him.
Backside C: Squeeze No. 1 weak man.
He will / can use press technique.
Play Action
Diagrams 8-13
Play action passes are put in three distinct
categories.
1. Webb: Both backs flow weak. Base Diagram 12
matches.
2. Boot: Back split with run action.
Quarterback moves the pocket.
Hook players “Radar” (turn, find and carry
crossovers).
Frontside flat player has first to flat.
Backside flat player has throwback.
3. Flow: Both backs go strong (No. 4 is
strong).
Push coverage strong. (see 3 x 1 load)
(Matches). Diagram 13
Should tight end run shallow
crosses/weak side hook “Robot” (turn and
find) Z/X dig.
Diagram 8
In conclusion, it is my belief as a coach
and teacher that players learn best when
given basic principles on which to concen-
trate. Terms such as seams, dividers, no
Diagram 9 cover zone, one-third the distance, recep-
tion area and others help define for the
player their responsibilities. It takes the
gray area out of a coach’s teaching pro-
gression and allows him to pinpoint and
correct many of the very basic problems
that his players will encounter.
Three deep coverage, with it’s good
run support schemes and middle of the
field coverage players, create situations
where an offense must run and throw the
Diagram 10 ball outside. Ideally, this is to the
defense’s advantage. I believe it has, as
Coach Saban used to say, “stood the test
of time.
Improve Your
Professional Image
Ask your sports informa-
Diagram 11 tion director to mention your
membership and invol-
vement in the American
Football Coaches Associa-
tion in your biographical
sketch in the school’s annual
media guide.
• AFCA Summer Manual — 2002 •