No Skill, No Scheme – The Plight of New Era Defenses
Nowadays, scheme is everything. We’re in an information era where playbooks, ideologies, and theories can be spread rather quickly. With this overload of information, it is very easy as coaches to get bogged down in schemes, checks, and the like. However, if we aren&rsqu...
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DB Drill Progression: Structuring a Defensive Back Practice for Maximum Impact
As defensive back coaches, we all know the mantra: “Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals.” But how do you actually build a practice that effectively teaches, refines, and then tests those fundamentals in a game-like environment? It’s not just about runnin...
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The Most Important Skills for Defensive Backs — And How Parents Can Help Build Them
As a parent of a young defensive back, you don’t need to know every coverage call or technique term to be a valuable part of your child’s football journey. In fact, your support off the field can make just as much of an impact as any coach or trainer. If your child...
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How to Use Coverage Tags to Teach and Execute Match Coverage More Effectively
Match coverage is a powerful blend of man and zone principles that allows defenses to adapt to modern offensive route combinations. But to make it work, your defenders must master two key fundamentals: Read More
Pattern Matching 101: How to Simplify Rules for Young DBs
One of the biggest barriers to running match coverage effectively at the high school level is overcomplication. Coaches install pattern match principles that sound good in theory but fall apart on Friday nights because the DBs are swimming in rules, unsure of what to do post-s...
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Reading Route Triangles in Match Zone Coverage
Unlocking Smarter DB Play Through Route Recognition In today’s pass-heavy game, defensive backs are no longer just covering grass — they’re processing route combinations, reading threats, and making real-time decisions. One of the most important tools a DB ca...
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Teaching Leverage and Alignment Across Multiple Coverages: A Blueprint for DB Coaches
One of the most overlooked, yet critical, components of elite defensive back play is understanding and executing proper Read More
How Safeties Can Identify Run vs. Pass in Under 1 Second
One of the most overlooked skills in safety play is diagnosing run vs. pass — fast. A delay in reading the play can pull you out of position or get you beat over the top. Great safeties don’t just react — they anticipate. This guide gives both players and coa...
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How to Improve Your Open-Field Tackling as a Safety
Open-field tackling is one of the most challenging — and most critical — skills a safety must master. Whether you’re the last line of defense or filling the alley in run support, your ability to get a ball carrier on the ground often makes the difference betw...
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Building Trust with Your DB Coach: Key Steps to Earn Playing Time and Starting Position
As players in the secondary, our first pursuit is playing time and the starting position. To do this, we must earn favor with our coaches. By favor, I don’t mean becoming his pet, but that might be what happens if you follow the steps I will lay out for you in this artic...
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Recent Posts
No Skill, No Scheme – The Plight of New Era DefensesNovember 18, 2025Nowadays, scheme is everything. We’re in an information era where playbooks, ideologies, and theories can be spread rather quickly. With this overload of information, it is very easy as coaches to get bogged down in...
Changing this one thing turned me into a playmaking DB overnightNovember 11, 2025Tip number 9 in my book 101 DB Tips talks about trusting what you see when you’re out on the field. There are a number of stages to becoming a consistent playmaker as a defensive...
The Top 5 Most Interceptions in a College Football SeasonOctober 29, 2025Every defensive back dreams of a season where the ball seems magnetically drawn to their hands. It’s the ultimate measure of preparation, instinct, and raw playmaking ability. In the history of college football, a few...
