Defensive Positions
4-3 PERSONNEL
N = Nose
T = Tackle
E = Defensive End
E = Defensive End
M = Mike (Middle) LB
S = Sam (Strongside) LB
W = Will (Weakside) LB
SS = Strong Safety
FS = Free Safety
BC = Boundary Corner
FC = Field Corner
3-4 PERSONNEL
N = Nose
E = Defensive End
E = Defensive End
B = Buck LB
M = Mike (Middle) LB
S = Sam (Strongside) LB
W = Will (Weakside) LB
SS = Strong Safety
FS = Free Safety
BC = Boundary Corner
FC = Field Corner
NICKEL PERSONNEL
Teams send either a Defensive Lineman or a Linebacker off
the field and substitute in a 5th Defensive Back called the
Nickel Back.
Gaps
D
WR
C B A
TE
A B C
C
TE
WR
QB
Defensive Line Techniques
9 6
TE
5 4 4i 3 2 1 S 0 S 1 2 3 4i 4 5
T
6
TE
QB
**LB techniques/alignments are the same as D-Line except
you add a zero (0) to the end of the number.
i.e. 00, 10, 20, 30, and 40
FRONTS
EVEN
FRONTS
EVEN
(N=2,
T=2)
OVER
(N=Shade,
T=
3)
UNDER
(N=
Shade,
T=
3)
G
(N=2,
T=3)
ODD
FRONTS
ODD
(N=0,
T=4)
EAGLE
(N=0,
T=4i)
STACK
(N=0,
T=5)
COVERAGES
2
HIGH
SAFETIES
1
HIGH
SAFETY
Cover
0
(all
man)
Cover
1
(man-free)
Cover
2
(2
deep,
5
under)
Cover
3
SKY
(3
deep,
4
under)
Cover
2
READ
Cover
3
CLOUD
(3
deep,
4
under)
Cover
4
(4
deep,
3
under)
Cover
3
FIRE
(3
deep,
3
under)
Cover
5
(2
deep,
man
under)
Cover
7/9
(3
deep,
5
under)
Defensive Fronts
4-3 Even
FS
CB
SS
T G C
G T
Y
Z
QB
H
CB
Defensive Fronts
4-3 Over
FS
CB
SS
T G C
G T
Y
Z
QB
H
CB
Defensive Fronts
4-3 Under
FS
CB
SS
CB
S
T G C
G T
QB
H
Defensive Fronts
4-4 Over
FS
CB
CB
W
T G C
G T
Y
Z
QB
H
SS
Defensive Fronts
4-4 Under
FS
CB
CB
W
T G C
G T
Y
Z
QB
H
SS
Defensive Fronts
5-3 Under
FS
CB
CB
M
T G C
G T
QB
H
Defensive Fronts
5-2 Under
FS
CB
SS
T G C
G T
Y
Z
QB
H
CB
Defensive Fronts
5-2 Odd
FS
CB
SS
T G C
G T
Y
Z
QB
H
CB
Defensive Fronts
3-4 (Odd)
FS
SS
CB
CB
S
W
X
T G C
G T
QB
H
Defensive Fronts
3-3 Stack
FS
CB
CB
N
T G C
G T
Y
Z
QB
H
SS
Coverages
Cover 0
SS
FS
W
CB
T G C
H
QB
G T
CB
Y
Z
Iden1fying
Cover
0
1) Everybody
is
playing
man
coverage.
2) No
deep
safe1es.
3) Safe1es
align
directly
on
the
#2
receiver,
instead
of
on
the
hash
marks.
4) Safe1es
have
a
depth
less
than
10
yards
from
the
Line
of
Scrimmage
(LOS).
5) Defensive
backs
look
at
their
WR,
instead
of
the
QB.
Coverages
Cover 1
FS
CB
T G C
X
H
QB
G T
SS
CB
Y
Z
Iden1fying
Cover
1
(One
Deep
Defender)
1) One
safety
in
the
middle
of
eld
(MOF)
playing
deep.
2) Everyone
else
is
playing
man
coverage.
3) Corners
look
at
the
WR,
instead
of
the
QB.
4) Corners
are
aligned
inside
the
WR
with
back
turned
to
the
QB.
Coverages
Cover 2
FS
CB
SS
CB
Flats
X
Flats
T G C
G T
QB
Iden1fying
Cover
2
(2
Deep
Defenders)
1) Two
deep
safe1es
aligned
on
the
hash
marks
at
a
depth
of
10-12
yards.
2) Corners
are
at
a
4-5
yard
depth
with
outside
leverage
looking
in
at
the
QB.
[*This
is
referred
to
as
a
Cloud
corner.]
3) Outside
LBs
play
closer
to
the
box
instead
of
aligning
o
the
#2
receiver.
Coverages
Cover 20
FS
SS
M
CB
T G C
H
QB
F
G T
CB
Y
Z
Coverages
Cover 3
FS
CB
CB
Flats
T G C
X
H
G T
SS
Flats
QB
Iden1fying
Cover
3
(3
Deep
Defenders)
1) One
deep
safety
in
the
middle
of
eld
(MOF)
covering
the
deep
middle
zone.
2) Corners
playing
O
coverage
responsible
for
the
zone
from
the
hash
marks
to
the
sideline.
CB
depth
is
about
7-8
yards
o
the
WR.
3) Outside
LBs
aligned
on
the
#2
receiver
and
are
responsible
for
covering
the
ats.
Coverages
Cover
4
FS
SS
CB
CB
Flats
T G C
H
QB
G T
Flats
Y
Z
Iden1fying
Cover
4
(Four
Deep
Defenders)
1) Safe1es
are
aligned
on
the
hash
marks
at
a
10-12
yard
depth
playing
deep
middle
quarters.
2) Corners
are
O
at
a
7-8
yard
depth
playing
deep
outside
quarters.
3) Outside
LBs
align
on
the
#2
receiver
and
are
responsible
for
covering
the
ats.
Coverages
Cover 6
FS
CB
SS
T G C
H
QB
F
G T
CB
Y
Z
