Condensed Splits: Why Offenses Love Them—and How Your DBs Steal the Space Back

Offenses lean on condensed splits—receivers aligned tight to the formation—because they quietly unlock the whole field. From a narrow alignment, a wideout can threaten two-way releases, gain more horizontal room for crossers and deep outs, and manufacture “le...

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How to Find the Ball in Man Coverage: In-Phase vs. Out-of-Phase Rules

If you play DB long enough, you’ll learn this truth: you don’t “find the ball,” you earn the right to find it. That right is based on your phase—your relationship to the receiver as the route develops. Mastering phase turns panic into poise at the...

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Your 10 Year Old Son Doesn’t Need a DB Trainer

It happens to me at least once a week. I get a call from a father whose son is between the ages of eight and eleven. The young tyke is playing defensive back in little league, and dad wants to get him some training to improve his performance. This is 100% logical and noble, bu...

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safety disguising coverage

The Art of Disguising Coverage as a DB

Quarterbacks live on information. Every pre-snap look, every defensive movement, and every alignment clue helps them decide where the ball should go. As a defensive back, if you can control what the quarterback thinks he sees, you can control the play itself. This is where the...

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Safeties! Cover Your Man with These Techniques

When most people think of man coverage, the cornerback immediately comes to mind. Hell, we’ve even named their territory “the island.” But make no mistake — man coverage battles aren’t fought only on the edges. Safeties also play a critical role. ...

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