Secondary Keys
BASIC KEY
THE MOST IMPORTANT, SINGLE, FUNDAMENTAL THING YOU CAN DO AS A DEFENSIVE BACK IS TO:
READ YOUR KEYS
READING YOU KEYS WILL PUT YOU INTO POSITION TO MAKE THE PLAY FASTER THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE ACTIVITY YOU CAN DO. MANY OFFENSES WILL GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO "FAKE YOU OUT" WITH GREAT BACKFIELD MANEUVERS. IF YOU STAY DISCIPLINED AND "READ YOUR KEYS," YOU WILL BEAT THEM WITH YOUR BRAINS AND ABILITIES.
THE BASIC KEY FOR DB'S IS THE END-TACKLE-NEAR BACK TO YOUR SIDE OF THE FORMATION. THE END IS YOUR PRIMARY AND FIRST RESPONSIBILITY. IF HE RELEASES FOR PASS YOU MUST GET TO YOUR PASS RESPONSIBILITY ASAP AND PLAY THE RECEIVER IN YOUR AREA IF WE ARE IN ZONE COVERAGE. IF THE END BLOCKS ON THE LOS, YOU ARE TO EXECUTE YOUR RUN SUPPORT RESPONSIBILITY ASAP. IF YOU DO, YOU WILL BE IN POSITION TO MAKE THE TACKLE OR TURN THE PLAY IN TO THE COMING PURSUIT.
IT CANNOT BE STRESSED ENOUGH THAT READING YOUR KEYS WILL PUT YOU INTO POSITION TO MAKE THE PLAY BETTER THAN ANYTHING YOU CAN DO. PROPER READING OF YOUR KEYS WILL LEAD YOU TO SUCCESS.
THE FOLLOWING FOUR SITUATIONS ARE THE ONES YOU WILL SEE 95% OF THE TIME. PRACTICE AT READING YOUR KEYS WILL ENABLE YOU TO REACT AT EVER FASTER TIMES AND PUT YOU INTO BETTER POSITION TO MAKE THE PLAY. READ AND REACT TO THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS AS FAST AS YOU CAN.
PROPER ANGLES OF PURSUIT
PROPER ANGLES OF PURSUIT ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE DEFENSIVE SECONDARY. DB'S MUST KEEP THE PLAY IN FRONT OF THEM WHILE PURSUING TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FORMATION. THE DEFENSIVE SECONDARY IS THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE. NO BALL CARRIER CAN GET DEEPER THAN THE DEFENSIVE SECONDARY. DB'S MUST ALWAYS MAINTAIN LEVERAGE ON THE BALL CARRIER.
WHEN YOUR KEYS INDICATE A PLAY TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FORMATION, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU AND YOUR SECONDARY TEAMMATES MAINTAIN A "DEFENSIVE UMBRELLA" AHEAD OF THE BALL CARRIER. THIS MEANS THAT THE BACKSIDE DB MUST ROTATE THROUGH DEEP MIDDLE WHILE PURSUING TO THE BALL CARRIER. THIS BACKSIDE DB MUST ALWAYS BE IN POSITION TO MAKE THE TACKLE ON ANY CUTBACK THAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE.
DISCIPLINED,PROPER ANGLES OF PURSUIT ARE PART OF A WINNING TEAM. WHEN A BALL CARRIER IS ABLE TO MAKE A DRAMATIC CUTBACK FOR A BIG RUN, YOU CAN TRACE THE REASON TO POOR ANGLES OF PURSUIT. WHILE TAKING A FLATTER ANGLE OF PURSUIT MAY GET YOU TO THE PLAY SOMEWHAT QUICKER ON A PARTICULAR PLAY, IT WILL NOT GET YOU THERE ON ALL THE PLAYS, ESPECIALLY THE CRUCIAL ONES. YOUR TEAMMATES ARE COUNTING ON YOU TO BE IN POSITION TO DO WHAT YOU ARE COACHED TO DO; TO BE WHERE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE. WHEN YOU ARE NOT, YOU HAVE BROKEN FAITH WITH THE TEAM AND THE RESULT IS A DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN.
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