Chad Wilson
October 9, 2025
Football is watched by millions of fans every week. Some fans are checking on their bets, tracking their fantasy points, or simply rooting for their team. Others are watching purely for the players’ “drip” or the entertainment value.
If you are a defensive back currently playing the game, you should not fall into any of those categories.
Don’t get me wrong, you should still be a fan and watch games for the entertainment, but if that’s the only way you watch, you are wasting a valuable opportunity.
The game is being shown in ways that were never possible before. There are so many camera angles, in-depth analysis, and other crucial tidbits available to educate you. If you are looking to one day be one of the players on the field under those bright lights and in front of the cameras, you can’t be doing what the people in the stands are doing all the time.
With that said, let me give you some helpful tips on how to watch the game and rapidly improve your IQ.
The basic thing you must do when watching the game to learn from a defensive back’s perspective is ask questions. For that, we are going to focus on five major areas.
1. What Do Teams Run on Each Down and Distance?
The rules of the game dictate that a team has four downs to gain 10 yards. There are specific ways that offenses go about trying to accumulate those yards. As you watch the game, take careful note of the plays teams mostly run during different downs and distances.
Try to break the downs and distances down into these categories:
- First and 10
- Second and Long (7–10 yards)
- Second and Medium (4–7 yards)
- Second and Short (1–3 yards)
- Third and Very Long (10+ yards)
- Third and Long (7–9 yards)
- Third and Medium (4–6 yards)
- Third and Short (1–3 yards)
Start with those basic situations and add more as you go along. Observe what teams do in each one. Notice how the play calls change based on field position. The closer they are to their own end zone, the more conservative teams tend to be. As they progress toward midfield and into opponent territory, how do the calls change?
2. What Personnel is in the Game?
Certain players are on the field for a specific reason. Offenses don’t deploy two tight ends for no reason. Similarly, they don’t put four wide receivers and one back in the game by accident. Each personnel grouping matters.
Start to take note of what types of plays are run based on which types of players are in the game. Do teams tend to run more when there are two backs in the backfield? How do the calls change when there are four wide receivers on the field?
3. What Formation Are They In?
An offense’s alignment is designed to give them an advantage versus the defense. Formations are typically designed to overload the defense in one area or to put defenders in conflict.
On each play, take note of the formations and the types of plays that typically get run out of them. Is it 2×2? Is it Trips (three receivers to one side)? Is it I-Formation with two backs in the backfield? Determine the formation and notice what play comes out of it.
4. Check the Splits of the Wide Receivers
Splits tell a story. A football field is not comprised of unlimited space. Therefore, receivers must align in a way that gives them the room to run their routes. With that in mind, where a wide receiver lines up is not an accident.
If a receiver is aligned outside the numbers, it’s for a reason. If they’re aligned inside the hash, understand that this is also an indicator. Take note of where they line up and what routes come out of it.
5. What Does Motion Mean?
Offenses don’t just run receivers, tight ends, and running backs across the formation for the sake of it. They are either trying to find out what coverage the defense is in, or they are trying to out-leverage the defense to gain an advantage for their play.
Some motions happen well before the snap, and others happen during the snap. Some motions go straight across the formation behind the linemen, and others go behind the backs in the backfield. Every motion has a meaning. Take mental notes as to what motion brings out what plays. Ask yourself what advantage the offense gained from that motion.
Conclusion
These are the basics of what you should be paying attention to. Scientists make discoveries by asking questions and conducting experiments. Likewise, you can make discoveries about how offenses work by simply asking these questions repeatedly.
Over time, you will get answers and build your football IQ in the process. If you want to “cheat” a little bit and get ahead, join the All Eyes DB Camp Member’s Area, where I dig deeper into what offenses do to attack the defense. Having a high IQ is essential for any defensive back looking to be a consistent playmaker on the field.
Chad Wilson is the owner of All Eyes DB Camp and author of "101 DB Tips". He played college football at the University of Miami and briefly in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks. Over his 15 year high school football coaching career, he tutored over a dozen Division I defensive backs and as a trainer has worked with NFL All Pros, first round draft picks, college football All Americans and Top 10 ranked high school football prospects.
