Challenging and Eliminating An Isolated Wide Receiver Part II

By Ryan Jirgl, Defensive Coordinator

Whittier College

The second example of what we can do to disrupt an isolated receiver and give a separate look is what we call a “Cheat” adjustment. We can do this both in our Nickel (sub package and noted as 5c in diagrams) and our Base 4-3 defense. First we will look at it from our base personnel. Ideally, the more multidimensional we can be out of base personnel and be able to give multiple looks, the more difficult we will be as a defense to scheme against. See Figure: E

What is different in our “Cheat” adjustment is what takes place post snap. Our weak side corner now becomes a sit and flat defender. He no longer is playing press man on the #1 receiver. This simple adjustment will still allow the corner to disrupt timing, take away quick game, and help physically reroute the receiver. Our weak side linebacker can now focus on being a drag defender only and no longer has to worry about a swing or flare route from the running back.

We have the ability to execute this out of nickel personnel as well. We now use the nickel to press the receiver at the line of scrimmage and disrupt the route. The corner is still playing loose man technique. It now becomes a bracket concept with the corner latching on and playing man after the receiver has disengaged from the bump and press of the nickel. The nickel then becomes the flat defender. This will again help discourage any free release, clean routes and make this an unavailable option for the quarterback to throw the ball. This can be seen in Figure: F

These two variations have been very successful for us. Statistically elimnating receivers that came in to a game averaging 8+ catches per game, were reduced to less than two. Through our “Cop” and “Cheat” adjustments we can remain in the same defense without changing our identity. We are able to play zone coverage concepts with minimal man techniques. Our ability to look the same pre-snap and adjust post snap, while giving several different looks confuses the progression of the quarterback while disrupting the route and release of the receiver. We make sure as a staff to install these concepts both in fall camp and then review again during the spring due to our use of them throughout multiple game plans each season.

The first piece we covered was the ability to take away an isolated receiver through multiple looks and defensive personnel groupings. The last piece I want to introduce is a way of locking on a receiver regardless of his alignment within an offensive formation. We tag these base coverage concepts with a “Lock” tag. This lets our defense know that we are committing one defender 100% of the time, in man to man coverage. The first example is “Base Green Lock.” This is our Cover 3 concept as seen in Figure: G below. We have identified #11 as the offensive player we are going to completely eliminate. We commit our Rover to man to man coverage on him while executing our Cover 3 concept behind it.

This allows us to stay within the rules and guidelines of our defense while still acknowledging and identifying the threat of receiver #11. This is drawn from a 3×1 picture. The Rover would simply adjust in a 2×2 formation and simply find and match #11 where ever he is aligned.

Additionally, we can do this in our nickel personnel as well. Again, we call our defense normal and then adjust by tagging our base defensive call with “Lock.” In this personnel we will use our nickel or best cover player to lock on #11. We can still play our base defensive concepts while eliminating #11 as seen in Figure: H below. In this scenario, we make our normal 3×1 check and play defense accordingly. This would be the same in a 2×2 formation. The only adjustment is made by our nickel defender as he is matching and “Locking” on #11. This is similar to our base package with the Rover being our lock player.

These techniques we believe to be extremely vital in our defensive menu. As offenses continue to develop, tweak and change to create an advantage, defensively we must adapt accordingly. Slot receivers, third down running backs, and hybrid pass catching tight ends are becoming more and more important pieces of today’s successful offenses. There’s an incredible amount of additional detail available for each position as far as feet placement, eyes, hands and the execution of reading their keys. The goal of this was to provide some coverage concepts through multiple personnel groupings while taking away an isolated or an elite