1. Pattern Read Coverage: Football’s Match-up Zone
Keith Albers
Defensive Coordinator
O’Fallon Township High School

2. O My background Colleyville Heritage HS, Colleyville TX
Galesburg HS, IL
Knox College (NCAA D III)
WRs (2 yrs), including two All Americans
DBs (3 yrs), Special Teams Co-Coordinator O

3. Currently
Defensive Coordinator at O’Fallon Township HS, O’Fallon, IL (7A Southwestern Conference) since 2007
Quarterfinalist in 2009, Back to Back Conference Champs (2009 & 2010)
Defense gave up 133 points in 12 games in 2009 (11 points per game) and 11 ppg again in 2010 O

4. O General Philosophy We are a block react team
We are a single gap control team
We put the fastest players on the field as is responsible for each position
We are aggressive & don’t mind sending people to stop the run or to rush the passer
We match up to cover on almost every down O

5. O What is Pattern Read? Pattern Read begins with alignment
Our coverage matches up with the offensive formation- we make it favorable to us
We can pass off or “bracket” when it is to our advantage
We make sure we have the type of coverage we want based on what the offense comes out in O

6. Rationale
We played Cover 3 for years, and just gave up too many conversions on 3rd Down
Too many players guarding turf instead of opponents
Offensive Coordinators have thick files on cover 2 beaters, cover 3 beaters, etc. but this cover doesn’t fit any of those offensive strategies.
We want matchups that favor us, no matter what the offense does
We can stop the Run O

7. O Rationale Why match up? Stop the Run
Verticals against zone turn into man anyway
We’re never guarding turf, always guarding someone
Trick plays and play action are nullified
Pressure the QB
Risk aversion O

8. O Concerns Three things can beat the match up coverage: Rub routes
Verticals
Crossers
We have answers for each concern
Out Calls
Pressure the QB & practice with the ball in the air
LBs Knock them out O

9. Base Alignment to PRO

10. O Our Calls We make coverage calls based on half of the field.
The safety to either side will make our calls
We may be playing two distinct but complementary coverages on either side of the field O

11. Our 3 Calls Out of Base Cover
Pattern Read Cover 2
Bracketed man to man
Straight man to man with no bracketing or switch calls O

12. Pattern Read Cover 2
We make this call when the #1 receiver has his hand down
Then we change the cover 2 rules a little bit
Any motion that creates a new #1 checks us to man O

13. PR Cover 2 Alignment (Left)

14. Safety Play
The safety is the secondary hammer player versus the run in this coverage.
The Strong Safety ($) is locked on the TE in everything except for a quick out.
If we get a quick out, Safety looks for the second level receiver- either a back side crosser or a shoot out of the backfield
We ask our safety to be on the receiver’s up field shoulder to be in phase O

15. O Corner Play The Corner is the Primary Hammer player in this call.
We ask Corners to get their run read on the EMLOS. If he is zoning or down blocking, we are closing right now. High hat = pass.
Corners “Push the Fade” until a flat threat shows. If no flat threat materializes, we never stop getting depth.
Also allows the freedom to bring him
When a flat threat shows, we break downhill on it only when the QB’s shoulders tell me its time to go O

16. Cover 2 Film O

17. Bracketed man
We make this call when there are two receivers spread out.
We are locked in man unless the #2 receiver runs a quick out
If this happens, we make an “out” call
The Corner jumps the out & the safety switches to the #1 receiver O

18. Bracket

19. Safety Play
The safety is the primary hammer player versus the run in this coverage.
Safeties make the call pre-snap that dictates the coverage he & the corner are in
Safeties make the “out” calls during the play if we have a quick out O

20. Corner Play
The Corner is the Secondary Hammer player in this coverage
Corner should echo the safety’s coverage call to ensure that we are on the same page
The safety is right, even if he’s wrong
I am locked on #1 until I hear the “out” call
Break on the out- rob it or rock him
Pick six O

21. Bracket film O

22. O Straight Man (cover 0) As basic as It gets:
Corner has #1, Safety Has #2 O

23. O Linebacker Play 2 Rules for EVERY coverage: Wall #2, see #1
Back takes me to the flat right now O

24. O Linebacker Play Collision #2, See #1
If no back, must find work from either #1 or #2
Slant or shallow crosser we knock out, but never chase if we are going to miss
Knock out the vertical from #2 on the way to #1 O

25. LB coverage film O

26. Special Circumstances
We game plan week to week how we want to handle special formations trips, heavy sets, empty, quads, based on offensive tendencies
Motion across the formation:
Bump it if there is a TE, keep it if they are spread O

27. PRO
man
man
Man
Man
Free Player

28. Slot
Match up
Cvr 2
bracket
Cvr 2

29. Trips (Open)
man
Match up
man
Match up

30. Y Trips 30 30 20 20 10 10 man F man Match up W M S C $ C bracket E N T

31. Ace 30 30
Man everywhere 20 20
man
man $ F W M S C C 10 E N T E 10

32. Spread
Match up
Match up
bracket
bracket

33. Empty 30 30 20 20 10 10 Match up man Match up W M S F C $ C E N T E
bracket
Man/bracket
Man

34. Double Slot 30 30 20 20
man $
man F
Man W M S C C
Man 10 E N T E 10

35. Power I 30 30 20 20 10 10 Cvr 2 Cvr 2 F $ W M S C C E N T E Cvr 2

36. O Contact Keith Albers coachkeithalbers@yahoo.com
Coach Keith Albers on Facebook & Linkedin
O’Fallon Township High School
Defensive Coordinator O