COVER 4 - MAN
COVER 4 IS A MAN-TO-MAN DEFENSE. THE SECONDARY ALIGNS ALMOST AS IF THEY ARE IN COVER 2 EXCEPT THAT THE CB AND THE SS ALIGN ON THE INSIDE SHOULDER OF THE RECEIVER TO THEIR SIDE OF THE FORMATION (UNLESS THEY ARE PLAYING AGAINST A TE). AGAINST A TE OR SINGLE RECEIVER SIDE OF THE FORMATION, THE SS OR MORE LIKELY CB WILL HAVE THE SECOND RECEIVER TO THAT SIDE WHICH WOULD BE A BACK OUT OF THE BACKFIELD.
IN COVER 4, THE SS AND CB PLAY ON THE INSIDE SHOULDER OF THEIR RECEIVER AND MAINTAIN AN "INSIDE AND UNDER" POSITION ON THAT RECEIVER. THEY MUST POSITION THEMSELVES SO THAT THE QB HAS TO THROW THE BALL THROUGH THEM TO THE RECEIVER. PLAYING "INSIDE AND UNDER" PUTS THEM INTO POSITION TO INTERCEPT THE UNDER THROWN BALL OR TO BE ABLE TO KNOCK THE BALL DOWN WHEN THEY GET THERE WHEN THE BALL GETS THERE. ON SHORT PASSES, THE QB HAS TO THROW THE BALL OVER THE DEFENDER AND UNDER THE SIDELINE IN ORDER TO TRY AND MAKE A COMPLETION. ON A LONGER PASS, THE QB HAS TO THROW THE BALL OVER THE SS OR HB AND UNDER THE FS TO TRY AND MAKE A COMPLETION.
IN COVER 4, THE FS HAS NO DIRECT PASS RECEIVER RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE FS ALIGN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FORMATION (NOT THE FIELD); HE IS TO BASICALLY ALIGN AS DEEP AS THE WIDEST RECEIVER IS SPLIT, AND PLAY DEEP PASS RESPONSIBILITY. NO OFFENSIVE RECEIVER CAN EVER GET BEHIND THE FS. THE FS MUST BE THE DEEPEST MAN ON THE FIELD OF PLAY. WHEN THE BALL IS IN THE AIR, THE FS IS TO FLY TO THE SPOT WHERE HE CAN MAKE A PLAY ON THE BALL.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FS, AS WELL AS THE OTHER DEFENDERS, TO INTERCEPT THE BALL AT ITS HIGHEST POINT. WE MUST GET HIGHER THAN THE RECEIVER. MOST HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVERS WILL WAIT FOR THE BALL TO COME DOWN TO THEM RATHER THAN GETTING UP TO MAKE THE CATCH. BY MAKING A PLAY ON THE BALL AT ITS HIGHEST POINT WILL PUT OUR DEFENDERS IN THE BEST POSITION TO MAKE THE PLAY.
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