Cover 4

With Cover 4 reads, the coverage for us would be as follows:

#1=Vertical-Corner reads #1 and takes him man on the vertical.
#2=Deep out/short corner-Safety and OLB read #2 Once he clears 8 yards, Safety
has him man.
#2(weak)= short drag to flat,-SOLB reads #2, collisions him on vertical release and
checks Curl to flat.
Most of this type of pattern reading is explained in detail in John Durham's book
"Football's match-up Coverage" ( not sure if this title is correct )
brophy, cover 2 and 4 are totally different coverages for us. i do not like pure 4 vs. 4
wides. i would rather be in cover 2. vs. a pro team i love cover 4. miller described cover
2 to a t. i like cover 2 press. the corners need to beat the hell out of #1. i also like cover
4 with pressed corners. cover 4 is a pattern read coverage. if you have your kids just
getting depth you are going to get killed. 8 yards vertical you are man.
I think we are having some terminology mixups. Our quarters coverage isn't a 1/4 zone
coverage, it is a match-up pattern read that for the most part turns into man. The Corner
reads the #1 receiver to determine whether he will get help from the safety or not, but
he will be playing him man-to-man. The Safety will read the #2 reciever to determine
who he is going to cover. If the #2 breaks on a cross or out, the Safety will go to the #1
receiver and will rob the curl or the post. If the #2 runs an intermediate out, the OLB will
get under it. If the #2 releases Vertical, the Safety has him man-to-man The OLB is also
reading #2 and will jam any vertical release, then gain depth and play Curl/Flat.
This coverage, as with most, has it's weaknesses and it takes quite a bit of drill, but we
like it because it does a great job taking away the Curl and the Post.(patterns we see
the most)
Here is TEMPLE's "ROBBER". Nick Rappone (Sec. Coach at Temple) played for
Beamer at Tech:
ROBBER COVERAGE

CORNERS:
ALIGNMENT: 2 yards inside & 9 yards deep - #1 receiver.
Key: QB
Run Responsibility: 2nd contain alley support.
Pass Responsibility: Must stay inside #1 (C.P. if you are Corner to FS side, you can

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play much tighter because the free safety is controlling #2. The split side corner must be
aware of #2).

FREE SAFETY:
ALIGNMENT: 8 yards deep, inside foot back. Cheat over OT to #2 side late.
KEY: #2
RUN RESPONSIBILITY: 1. TE blocks down fill outside. Think toss or power. 2. TE
blocks out think ball away. 3. TE cuts off DE think A gap.
PASS RESPONSIBILITY: 1. #2 vertical FS must lock on. 2. #2 drag FS work over
top. Look up #1 opposite side. 3. #2 flat look up #1 for curl or post.

ADVANTAGES OF ROBBER:
1. Able to get FS to both sides of the ball.
2. Able to get control of #2 deep on any vertical routes.
3. Lets inside LB play run because #2 is always controlled vertically to TE side.
4. Able to use 5 DBs as a base package, which gives us better team speed.
5. Alignments blend in with playing our other two coverages (Cov. 0, and Cov. 1).

OUTSIDE AND INSIDE LINEBACKERS: (ROBBER COVERAGE)

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (ROVER & WILL):

ALIGNMENT: 2 yards outside TE & 2 yards deep (if NO TE 2 yards outside OT & 2
yards deep).
KEY: Triangle (flow-TE-QB).
RUN RESPONSIBILITY: 1. Flow to sky support. 2. Flow away check reverse, then
fold.
NOTE: On split end side if both backs flow into B Gap, then you must fill B Gap. Flow
away, B Gap.
PASS RESPONSIBILITY: Once you read pass, work the #s. You have flat, and any #2
receiver that goes flat and up.

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INSIDE LINEBACKERS (SAM & MIKE):

ALIGNMENT: Sam is in a 30 technique (straddle outside leg of OG) 4-5 yards deep.
Mike is in a 30 technique (straddle outside leg of OG) 4-5 yards deep.
KEY: Flow, to Guards.
RUN RESPONSIBILITY: (Sam): 1. Flow To stack C Gap, unless both backs are in A
Gap. Flow Away A Gap front side. (Mike): 1. Flow To: - B Gap. Flow away: - front side
A Gap.
PASS RESPONSIBILITIES:
A. Sam: Read #3 (back). Back expands Sam expands to look up #1. Back goes
vertical Sam must take him man to man. Back blocks Sam works to front side hook
zone.
B. Mike: Read #2 (back). Back expands Mike expands to look up #1. Back goes
vertical Mike must take him man to man. Back blocks Mike works straight back to
hook.
John - thanks for VA TECH notebook. I didn't see TECH'S "ROBBER" in there - so here
it is:
1) CORNERS:
ALIGN 1x7, Cheat to 9 yds. KEY #2 to QB. RUN RESPONSIBILITY = Secondary Force
(last man pursuit on flow away). PASS RESPONSIBILITY = Invert 1/2 (MY NOTE:
BASICALLY THAT MEANS THEY STAY INSIDE THE #1 RECEIVER AT ALL TIMES).
2) ROVER (STRONG OLB):
ALIGN 3x5 off TE. KEY #2 to QB. RUN RESPONSIBILITY = Sky Force. PASS
RESPONSIBILITY = Flat/Wheel.
3) FREE SAFETY:
ALIGN OS shoulder of Strong Guard x 10 yds. deep. KEY #2 release. RUN
RESPONSIBILITY = FILL. PASS RESPONSIBILITY = #2 out rob curl; #2 cross rob dig;
#2 vertical - man on him.
4) MIKE LB (WEAK ILB):
ALIGN normal. KEY #2 weak. RUN RESPONSIBILITY = normal. PASS
RESPONSIBILITY = back or curl.
5) BACKER (STRONG ILB):
ALIGN normal. KEY #3. RUN RESPONSIBILITY = normal. PASS RESPONSIBILITY =
back or curl.

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6) WHIP (WEAK OLB):

ALIGN = walk. KEY Triangle (OT/ball/near back). RUN RESPONSIBILITY = Easy force
(fold on flow away). PASS RESPONSIBILITY = Flat/Wheel.
NOTE: Vs MOST ONEBACK setys they check to Cover 3 (3 deep zone).
I didn't see this in the notebook - if it's there, give me the page number.
Thanks!
Phantom - I've had several kids play in the secondary at Tech (over 40+ years), & know
much their staff (including former secondary coach - Phil Elmassian - who INSTALLED
"ROBBER" there). The checks from ROBBER are in the defensive notebook, and in the
secondary coverage TAPE that they give ONLY to their secondary kids to take home &
study in the summer! This tape was never sold, & kept confidential!
I have their coverage sheets in front of me as I type this, & it SHOWS "ROBBER"
adjustments to just about every conceivable formation possible! They are a 8 MAN
FRONT/3 DEEP "ROBBER" (which gives them "9 in the box" on runs), & PREFER the
coverage vs PRO SETS (2 WR/1 TE/2 RB's). Also good vs TIGHT PRO SETS (2 WR/2
TE/2 RB) because they can use DOUBLE ROBBER principles - which amount to "10 in
the box" on runs!
Phantom: "ROBBER" COVERAGE IS DETAILED ON PAGES 604, 605, 606 OF THEIR
DEF. NOTEBOOK IN FRONT OF ME! As John Nicholson will tell you - it was MISSING
from the Defensive Notebook he posted! Page # 604 begins (& I quote):
DESCRIPTION: "This coverage is a 2-Deep, 5-Underneath zone defense that employs
our Free Safety as a "Robber". This coverage allows us to take away certain routes by
the offense (Curl and Dig) with our Free Safety. It also places our Free Safety in a
position to be very aggressive vs. the running game."
ALSO: If you are a member of the AFCA - pull up Bud Foster's (TECH "DC") great
DESCRIPTION OF "ROBBER" in the AFCA journal of 1999. It is VERBATIM to what I
posted earlier!
Do you have their secondary coverage tape they give ONLY to players & coaches? Do
you have the playsheets from their notebook? If so - what do THEY show them
checking "Robber" TO in the copy YOU have? It is drawn vs ALL the major formations
they play against!
How well do you know Phil Elmassian? He INSTALLED "ROBBER" at Tech (& they
haven't changed it one iota). Contact Phil & ask HIM what the "ROBBER" CHECKS are!
Phil is an old friend of mine - tell him I told you to call him (Phil's phone number = 402472-3116). What would YOU check to (FROM "ROBBER")?
Please tell me what you think they check to vs. formations listed BELOW. I am

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interested in knowing your answer!

PS: Here is what is in the Va. Tech. Defensive Notebook (which I have in front of me as
I write this) - pages 605 & 606:
The ONLY 2 checks they show FROM "ROBBER" are:
Vs. "2x2" sets with BOTH 2 TE/2 WR/1 RB, AND 1 TE/3 WR/1 RB , AND 0 TE/4 WR/1
RB personnel - they are checking to THREE DEEP ZONE.
Vs. EMPTY - they are checking to "SILVER" (man to man with no free safety & bringing
SIX).
TEMPLE checks to MAN/FREE (which Tech COULD do), but they prefer the checks I
listed above.
If you wish to discuss this deeper - phone me at 804-740-4479.

------------------------Bill Mountjoy

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