STOP Opening the Gate | Coverage Breakdown

You see the frustration on my face in the picture attached to this blog post right? Opening the gate drives a DB coach crazy for the simple fact that he knows that it is not a recipe for success.  However,  what is opening the gate and why do we do it?

Opening the gate is simply opening up right away when we are in press coverage to allow a wide receiver to run straight up the field.  It’s also known as giving the wide receiver a free release.  There’s nothing press in press coverage when we just open the gate.  There’s no bump in bump and run when we just open the gate.  I am sure many of you have been told not to do this yet many of you continue to do it but why?

The number one reason for defensive backs opening up the gate is fear.  This is similar to not looking back for the ball when you are in decent position vs. the wide receiver.  Defensive backs open the gate because they either fear the speed of the wide receiver they are covering or they fear their technique is not on point and they will end up in poor position to run down the field.

While those fears might be legitimate,  opening the gate is not even close to being a remedy for getting rid of those fears.  In fact,  opening the game is a quick way to realize the speed of a wide receiver being to your disadvantage.  By opening the gate you literally turn the route into a race that you have already determined that you can’t win.

When in a situation where we are covering a wide receiver that we suspect my have some speed on him,  it is actually better to try to get hands on him,  disrupt his path and throw off the timing.  I would dare say that doing so at the expense of possibly ending up a step behind may be worth it.  Throwing off the timing,  most of the time,  will lead to an overthrown or underthrown ball that could be a big win for us.

If lack of faith in your technique is the issue then you already know what to do there.  Get to work on your technique.  For information on what your objective should be at the line of scrimmage in press then watch the video complete with both right and wrong examples of press coverage.  From the video + commentary you will get a strong idea of what to do and not to do when you are playing man coverage near the line of scrimmage.

As always,  if you have any questions,  feel free to email me at: cwilson@alleyesdbcamp.com  –  Thank you for being a member.

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alleyesdbcamp

Owner at All Eyes DB Camp

Chad Wilson is the founder of All Eyes DB Camp and a former standout defensive back for the Miami Hurricanes. After an elite collegiate career, Wilson spent a season with the Seattle Seahawks before transitioning into coaching. A 3-time Florida state champion defensive coordinator, he has spent over 20 years developing the "All Eyes" blueprint that has produced NFL All-Pros and stars like Xavien Howard, Patrick Surtain II, Tyson Campbell, Minkah Fitzpatrick and more. His coaching system is proven at the highest levels—his own sons, Quincy and Marco Wilson, both excelled as starters in the SEC before being drafted into the NFL.

Chad is the author of "101 DB Tips"—The Ultimate DB Reference Guide. You can find more information on the manual and how to order your copy in the sidebar and footer of this page.

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