THE BEST SYSTEM FOR

DISTINGUISHING &
COMMUNICATING ZONE
DROPS IN PASS COVERAGE
The system that we use to distinguish and communicate zone drops in the pass
game, goes off the premise that a football field is fifty-four yards wide.  Obviously,
the playing field is fifty-three and 1/3 yards wide but we rounded up to illustrate our
teaching and keep fractions out of the description.  We start by disregarding the
outside three yards from both sideline’s working in.  With the football in the middle
of the field, the disregarded area is the farthest throw for a QB to execute.  We feel
our under-coverage will have the time and ability to expand to those outside three
yards when needed.   By eliminating the outside three yards on each side, this
gives us a field width of 48 yards that we will defend.
30 DEFENSE OVERVIEW
I want to begin by saying that when I started using this system I was coordinating a
3-4 defense.  Within the 3-4 defense, we used a lot of cover 2, cover 3 and cover 4
schemes.  We were a very active 3-4 defense that brought at least one of the four
LB’s on every snap.   We needed to find a way to communicate to each other who
was responsible for each drop zone verse the pass when we were bringing
pressure.  We also want to create ways of switching up those responsibilities to
give the QB different looks in the coverage scheme and to the side of the
pressure/blitz we were bringing.  When we would bring a LB on a pressure, while
maintaining the four-underneath coverage integrity, we replaced the voided zone
with a safety.  With the base rules of the system, the safety to the side of the
pressure would give an “A” call and roll down to the A-drop zone if the OLB was
the pressure.  He would give a “B” call and drop down to the B drop zone if the ILB
was the pressure.  We were able to give false reads to the QB by “showing” a
safety rotation to a side with every intention of running the pressure to the opposite
side.  We also would bring the opposite safety to replace the B drop zone on pass
downs to disguise where pressure was coming from.  We have since transitioned
to a 40 defense but have brought the same philosophy of zone drop defense
responsibilities that this system provided us out of the 3-4. The system is illustrated
below.
40 DEFENSE OVERVIEW
We have since transitioned to a 40 defense but have brought the same philosophy
of zone drop defense responsibilities that this system provided us out of the 3-4.
The system is illustrated below.

If we are playing a one-high safety coverage and dropping four defenders into
under- coverage, we will divide those 48 yards by those four defenders. With that
being said, each of the four underneath defenders will be responsible for a drop zone area
of 12 yards. We will identify these zones as A, B, B, A working from outside towards the
middle of the field.

A DROP DEFENDERS: ONE-HIGH SAFETY

RULES
When we are playing a one-high safety coverage, the  A drop zone is roughly four
yards from the bottom of the numbers to roughly five yards outside of their hash,
with a depth of 15 yards.   These landmarks describe a window of 12 yards wide to
defend.  A drop defenders are taught to identify the potential #3 receiver in every
formation.  We call this the A drop TO/AWAY rule. The A drop defender that gets
the #3 receiver out their way (TO) is responsible for violently rerouting any vertical
route by a #2 receiver that is not attached to the core of the formation to a depth of
15 yards, and deliver him to the deep player.  After the #2 is rerouted and
delivered, the A drop defender will get his eyes to the #1 receiver on his side
looking to defend the A drop zone.  He will also be responsible to keep outside and
vertical wheel leverage on the #3 receiver.

The A drop defender on the two receiver side (AWAY) has the same reroute and
delivery responsibilities and will identify any route coming to him from the other
side of the formation.  His #3 receiver threat will take much longer to develop so he
will focus his attention on the #1 to his side and hang on him longer.

B DROP DEFENDERS: ONE-HIGH SAFTEY

RULES
When we are playing a one-high safety coverage, the B drop zone is roughly five
yards outside of their hash to the middle of the field, with a depth of 15 yards. 
Again, these landmarks describe a window of 12 yards to defend.   The B drop
defenders will also identify the potential #3 receiver in every formation.  The B drop
defender that gets the #3 receiver out his way (TO) is responsible for rerouting any
vertical route by a #2 receiver that is attached to the formation or from the backfield
to a depth of 15 yards and deliver him to the deep player.  If there is not an
attached or backfield #2 receiver running a vertical route, he will continue to get
depth and width looking for the first outside threat trying to work back inside and
defend the B drop zone.

The B drop defender on the two receiver side (AWAY) has the same reroute and
delivery responsibilities, and will also look for the first outside threat working back
inside.

If we are playing a two-high safety coverage and only dropping three

defenders into under-coverage, we will divide those 48 yards by those three
defenders. With that being said, each of the three underneath defenders will now
be responsible for a drop zone area of 16 yards.   We will identify these zones as
A, C, A, working from outside towards the middle of the field. We will use a
FREEZE CALL when playing with three underneath defenders.  This call will tell
the corners that the A drop defender on the two receiver side will not expand to #1
as fast.
A DROP DEFENDERS: TWO-HIGH SAFTEY
RULES
When we are playing a two-high safety coverage, the A drop zone is roughly four
yards from the bottom of the numbers to roughly two yards outside of their hash,
with a depth of 15 yards.  These landmarks describe a window of 16 yards wide to
defend.  We will acknowledge the three underneath scheme by echoing a FREEZE
call to remind everyone their responsibilities are different now.  Again, the A drop
defenders are taught to identify the potential #3 receiver in every formation.  The A
drop defender that gets the #3 receiver out his way (TO) is responsible for violently
rerouting any vertical route by a #2 receiver that is not attached to the core of the
formation to a depth of 15 yards, and deliver him to the deep player.  After the #2
receiver is rerouted and delivered, the A drop defender will get his eyes to the #1
receiver on his side while maintaining outside and vertical wheel leverage on the
#3 receiver.

The A drop defender on the two receiver side (AWAY) will now reroute ALL #2
vertical receivers regardless if it’s from the core of the formation or not.  He will
squeeze or expand and hang on that #2 route if it is not vertical because the C
drop defender will be cheating to the three-receiver side.  The FREEZE call is the
indicator to hang on the route.  The FREEZE call will also inform the corner to the
two-receiver side that the A drop defender will not expand to #1 as fast.  This will
be illustrated in diagram 3.

C DROP DEFENDERS: TWO-HIGH SAFTEY

RULES
When we are playing with a two-high safety coverage, the C drop defender will
defend the area roughly two yards outside one hash to roughly two yards outside
the other hash with a depth of 15 yards.   Again, these landmarks describe a
window of 16 yards to defend.  The C drop defender will identify the potential #3
receiver side of the formation and will always drop off of that #3 receiver.  He will
hang on that #3 receiver anywhere inside of the C drop zone.
CONCLUSION
This system, as simple as it is, has proven to be one of the most important
contributing factors to the success we have had over the years.  It has allowed our
players to play fast and play with confidence.  It has also allowed our players to be
interchangeable as they all learn the rules of each drop zone responsibility.  We
are able to get into different defensive packages such as nickel/dime without
having to re-teach responsibilities.  With the ever-changing landscape of offensive
football, we need to have something in place that our guys can hang their hat on. 
We feel that this system allows us to do just that.  I would again like to thank the
AFCA for this opportunity and hope that there was something in this article that
was beneficial to your program.