Corner 2 to 1 Palms Read

In Palms, our Corners play what we refer to as a #2, Q to #1

Read.

While you can align in press and Bail, we prefer to align 7x1

Off #1 and utilize Divider Rules to adjust our horizontal

leverage based on his split relative to the divider.

If he aligns inside the divider, we will align a full yard

outside.

If aligns outside our divider, we will align a full yard inside.

If he aligns directly on the divider, we will play head up.

The stagger of our stance is outside foot up, inside foot back.

There should be about a 6-8” stagger between our front heel and

back toe. Our front foot should remain flat. Our back heel will

be slightly off the ground. About 60-75% of our weight will be

on our front foot, with the weight distributed on the balls of

our feet. We will have our knees slightly bent, our shoulders

over our knees and knees over our toes. We want our core active

and back flat, with our elbows bent at 90°. Our arms will remain

tight our framework, and hands will stay open, close to our

thighboards.

On the snap, we will take a Push Step and a Slide Step into a

slow, controlled Tempo Pedal and key through #2 to the QB with

peripheral vision of #1. The rules and progression for our #2, Q

to #1 Read are as follows:

If #2 eliminates himself inside/underneath within the first 5

yards of the down, we will match #1 and stay on top with divider

leverage.

If #2 is out within the first 5 yards of the down, we will play

Soft Cover 2, split the zone, drop into a low shoulder trail on

#1 with proper horizontal divider leverage, and hi lo #1 as the

new #2 to the original #2 as the Final #1 through to the flat.

If #2 is out and up, we are responsible for Wheel Control and

will stay inside/on top. In addition, we will exchange immediate

switch releases.

If #2 is vertical and #1 is vertical, which we define as

anything beyond 5 yards, we will play Cover 4, match #1 and stay

on top with proper divider leverage.

If #2 is vertical and #1 runs a Hitch or releases radically

inside/underneath within the first 5 yards of the down, we will

make a Hide Call for a Hitch, an Under Call for a radical, play

Cover 4 and zone our Quarter. We will zone turn and sink with

eyes through #2 to the QB.

If #2 runs a 7 route, which is often accompanied by a Hitch in

Smash or a Replacement route in Snag, we will sink

outside/underneath the tip of the 7 Cut with the Safety high and

inside protecting the MOF.

If #2 runs a Basic route, which often associated with a Drive

route by #1, releasing radically inside/underneath #2, the

Safety will nail down on #2 and the Corner will build high,

close the MOF and look for a Post coming back from the back

side, as well as any potential Wheel route out of the backfield.

In the run game, just like Cover 4, and unlike Cover 2, we are

Secondary Force defenders, who fit outside #1 vs. flow to.

Against flow away, we will play RBCCR and take the proper

pursuit angle inside/out once the run is confirmed.

 Curl #2/Arrow-Swing of #3

In Palms, our overhang defenders play what we call Curl

#2/Arrow-Swing of #3 techniques.

We align 5 yards off the LOS in a true apex between the EMLOS

and the #2 Receiver.

Our stance is inside foot up, outside foot back. Our stagger is

slight, just toe to instep. Hips square to the LOS.

Our eyes are inside reading run/pass through the surface to the

ball, expanding our field of vision and playing with big focus

to see through the 2 or 3-man surface to our side to the

backfield set and mesh as our triangle with awareness of the

location and release of #3, as well as the direction of flow.

It is a flat foot read that does not utilize a predetermined

first step or initial footwork.

If we read run/pass, see flat backs firing off the ball, and

diagnose run, we must distinguish flow to from flow away. We

should alert pre-snap the side to which the Back is offset, as

most run game occurs away from the side of the offset Back.

If the Back is in the Dot, we will read the QB to determine the

side to which he opens. If he opens to us and is facing us, we

are anticipating flow away; if he opens away from us and we see

his back, we are thinking flow to us.

If the Back is offset away from us and we get flow to us, we are

the aggressor. We are in the fit and will aggressively press the

LOS to play the outermost gap in Zone Run Game, leverage Pullers

in Man Schemes and Gap Schemes and play Pitch vs. Option.

If we read run, but the Back is offset to us and we get flow

away from us, we are the protector. We will be out of the fit,

play pass first, hold our ground, pat our feet, see ball-see

man, go from action to coverage, and serve as an RBCCR player –

RPO, Boot, Counter, Cutback, Reverse.

Typically, constraints, Key Screens and RPO’s take place to the

side of an offset Back and away from the side of flow. As such,

if the QB is facing us and reading us, and we see flow away, we

must be ready to hold the RPO window of #2. We must hold Stick

and Glance windows by #2, but are not responsible for #2 to the

Flat, like we are as a 2 Match player in MOD. Instead, in Palms,

we deliver #2 to the Corner in the flat, and would look for #1

crossing face inside as the new #2.

If read flow away, the mesh clears and Boot develops, we go from

action to coverage and transition our eyes to our secondary

(pass) key, #2. If #2 runs a Pivot or a Whip route, opening

inside, before exiting out to the flat, we will match him and

take him through. If #2 is immediately out, we will deliver him

to the Corner and push for width, and depth as needed, looking

for #1 crossing face as the new #2.

If we read run, see flow away, the mesh clears and the handoff

is confirmed, we will remain outside the Tackle on the back side

of flow until the ball carrier truly punctures through an

interior gap and begins to accumulate yardage towards the second

level. This prevents us from folding over the tackle box

prematurely, which leaves us vulnerable to cutback. In addition,

leveraging the back side allows us to handle the QB off Zone

Read. Furthermore, if the ball carrier pitches it to a Wide

Receiver on a Reverse, we have not overpursued and are

positioned to cap the flat path back to us.

If we see high hat and read pass, we will snap our eyes to #2,

with awareness of #3, the Back.

Since we are in a true apex, we are horizontally stretched from

#2 by alignment. As such, we have to really kick slide and cover

ground laterally to push into #2.

If #2 is in and #3 works away, we will take #2 back

inside/underneath. If #2 is in and #3 is fast to you, we will

make a 3/2 Push; you will push through and Hi Lo #1 as the new

#2, to the Back on the Arrow or Swing of #3 through to the flat.

Hence, Curl #2/Arrow-Swing of #3.

If #2 is out, we will expand with depth and width, as needed,

looking for #1 crossing face as the new #2, for example against

a Dragon (Slant/Arrow) or Hank (Curl/Flat) concept. If #2 is

out, and #1 is out, for example against Omaha (Double Outs), we

will continue to squeeze #2 inside/out, since the Corner is

occupied. As such, we are essentially responsible for the first

in or second out between #2 and #1 if #3 works away.

If #2 is vertical, we will hold our ground, kick slide, push

into #2, junction his vertical stem between 5-6 yards and

reroute him inside/out to displace him out of the seam, ideally,

3+ yards outside of the hash. All the while doing so, we will

have our eyes through to #1 ready for any Hide or Under Call

from the Corner.

Aiming points are near hand to center v, far hand to near

shoulder.

If #2 is vertical and #1 runs a Hitch, we will push through and

match the upfield shoulder of #1 so the Corner can sink Smash.

If #2 is vertical and #1 is radical, we will receive the Under

Call and take #1 back inside/underneath as the new #2, if #3

works away.

If we receive a Hide/Under Call and a Push Call, however, we

will hold the first window of #1 as long as possible, deliver

him to the Hook defender, then push through and leverage the

Back through to the flat as the Final #1.

If both #2 and #1 are vertical, and there is no Hide, Under or

Push Call, we will hinge our hips back inside, turn our back to

the sideline, transition into a basketball shuffle, pack in the

Bender window of #2, deliver him to the Safety, level off at

about 10 yards, and look to cap any low crosser from the other

side or delayed check release by the Back.

 Safety 2 to 1 Palms Read

In Palms, our Safeties play what we refer to as a #2 to #1 Read.

Both the depth and width of our alignment is subject to change

by the flank of #2 and the spacing of the front. If our #2 is an

open Slot Receiver, we align 12-14 x 1 inside #2. If our #2 is a

C Area player, we align 10-12 yards off and the horizontal

leverage is based on the spacing of the front. If the Defensive

End or Outside Backer to our side is in a 9-Technique, we will

align inside foot to outside foot of the “Y”. If he is in a

6-Technique, we will align two yards outside.

Like Cover 4, our stance is inside foot up, outside foot back.

6-8” stagger. 60-75% of our weight on the ball of our front

foot, which should remain flat with our back heel off the

ground. Slight bend in the knees, our shoulders over our knees

and knees over our toes with a flat back, active core, arms

hanging close to the torso and hands open, tight to the

thighboards.

As opposed to reading run/pass, in Palms, we key the release of

#2. The Star is in the apex and does not have #2 to the flat.

Since the Corner does, we must be able to secure the vertical of

#1 if they Hi Lo the Corner on the back side of flow away. We

cannot get caught reading run/pass, seeing flow away, and them

running a Bubble/Fade or Sucker Stalk n’ Go on the back side.

The Corner wouldn’t sink and stay on top like he would in MOD.

The overhang isn’t a 2 Match player responsible for #2 to the

flat in Cover 4 for us, unless we are playing Mix.

On the snap, we take a Push Step and key the release of #2. If

#2 stalk blocks the overhang, we will transition our eyes

inside, and vs. flow to, plant off our already loaded back foot,

Fit Where Needed off the overhang, serve Stack Force and make

him right. The apex player, vs. tight, downhill flow will

generally press the LOS. As such, we will run the alley between

#2 and #1. We do, however, give him a two-way go on the Slot

based on flow and the path of the ball carrier. He does have the

freedom to overlap vs. wide, perimeter flow, like Toss or a

Swing Screen. In the even that he does, we will adjust in flight

as we come off the roof and press the LOS, ultimately really

fitting in what we call the crease, between the EMLOS and the

Slot, with the overhang now in the alley between #2 and #1.

If #2 stalk blocks the overhang but we now recognize Flow Away,

with the overhang out of the fit, holding his ground, patting

his feet, we will serve as the protector. We will Scooch out to

“clear our cleats” and Fox the Post.

If #2 pushes vertical, we will Scooch to give ground. If he is

vertical beyond the depth of the overhang and clears the 5-yard

rule threshold, we will match him and stay inside/on top,

protecting the MOF, not letting him cross our face, and playing

Cover 4.

If #2 eliminates himself inside/underneath within the first 5

yards of the down, we will tilt 45°, transition into a basketball

shuffle, snap our eyes to the low hip of #1, play Quarters and

Rob #1, looking to aggressively undercut any inbreaking route –

Slant, Curl, Dig, Post.

If #2 eliminates himself inside/underneath, we look to Rob #1

but #1 releases outside so there is nothing to Rob, we will

retrace back across our body inside, Trace the other side of the

field, Fox the Post and Close the MOF, with vision of the QB’s

front shoulder indicator.

If #2, however, is out within the first 5 yards of the down, we

will play Cover 2 and push over the top of #1.