FDPB Quarters Coverage vs Quarter Quarter Half

We spit the verbiage out like it was common lingo. Was that quarter quarter half or Tampa 2? Maybe it was pure quarters coverage? If a normal person were to walk into a coaches’ meeting as they were breaking down video they would think they were on Mars.

Cover 4 is pure quarters coverage in the back end of the defense. FirstDown PlayBook defines cover 6 as quarters coverage to the strong side and two deep to the weak side.

The problem is that as coaches we do it to ourselves too. Coaches have so many different ways to identify things in football. We have dealt with this for a decade now here at FirstDown PlayBook. We communicate with coaches across the globe. Today we want to focus on how we identify the different versions of quarters coverage on FirstDown PlayBook.

The two coverages offer a lot of similarities with how they are played. However, they also offer some subtle differences that will help you defend  an offense based on their scheme as well as where they line up their dominant personnel. Often times theses subtle differences are not revealed until after the ball is snapped.

Solve Quarters Coverage Conflict Of Assignment Problems

The offensive formation will play a major role in how the two coverages play out once the ball is snapped. It is often as simple as how a defensive coordinator wants to play the single receiver in a 3×1 set.

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If the single receiver is a dominant player the defensive coordinator may want to give the corner help. That can be done to that side by playing cover 6. This frees the weak side safety up to play the deep half and focus more on the single receiver. You don’t get that with pure quarters coverage.

Many Different versions Of Quarters Coverage

If the defensive coordinator is comfortable with the corner locking up on the single receiver then cover 4 may be the flavor of the day. The weak side safety can now read number three strong and let the corner do his work alone. As you can see there are subtle but yet important differences in the two coverages.

Learn How To Bring Sam/Strong Safety Pressure Here

This is one of the reasons that FirstDown PlayBook takes the time to draw up so many different fronts, coverages and formation fit combinations. If you skip anyone this then you end up leaving a void that will not show up until you need it most.

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Take a quick look at this short video as it will explain how we designed the FirstDown PlayBook quarters coverage section. This video is a little older but the coaching has not changed. The new FirstDown PlayBook technology makes it so much easier to get to this quarters section. Be sure to check it out today.