Man-Match Cover 2: Other Tools and Defending the Run

Playing good pass defense is difficult. That’s why you’re reading the description for this course, and that’s what this coverage is designed to address. Playing Man-Match Cover 2 gives your pass defense three distinct advantages: it allows you to take pressure off your corners, it allows for tight coverage without playing pure man-to-man, and it is the best way to defend the middle of the field from a two-high coverage structure.

This coverage is a variation of cover 2 man (Saban verbiage Buster/Cougar/Cut/Clip) and also pairs well with man-match quarters. It is a tremendous third-down concept to take pressure off of your defensive backs while still playing tight coverage on all routes.

This is the third course of Coach Merfeld's Man-Match Cover 2 Bundle. In the first presentation, Coach Merfeld does an in-depth installation for each position and focused on 2x2 formations and split adjustments. In the second presentation, he covers the specifics of defending 3x1 and empty formations.

In this third presentation, Coach Merfeld discusses other tools to help make this coverage even more effective: motion adjustments, adapting the coverage for simulated pressures, a coordinated disguise package, QB scramble control, and fitting the run. The first tool covered is motion adjustments. It is important to practice motion adjustments against all coverages and especially against man-match coverages where it only takes one bad route matchup to leave a receiver wide open.

The second tool is how to make some small adjustments to use this coverage as part of a simulated pressure package. The techniques carry over between positions, allowing for simplified teaching in your simulated pressures.

The third tool discussed in this course is the disguise package. Coach Merfeld focuses on presenting one-high looks pre-snap before running the Man-Match Cover 2 post-snap. He discusses coaching points for the disguise and how it ties in to the coverage package as a whole. 

The fourth tool is quarterback scramble control. Given the nature of the coverage, with underneath players turning to run with receivers, it is important to have QB scramble control answers. Coach Merfeld presents several different options to get extra pressure while keeping the quarterback under control and keeping his scrambling to a minumum. There are diagrams and examples of different interior and exterior defensive line stunts, as well as recommendations on spying the quarterback. 

Finally, Coach Merfeld turns his focus to defending the run in Man-Match Cover 2. He presents general principles for defending the run using middle of the field open coverages, and discusses specific tools using both even and odd spacing front concepts, 'now' stunts, read stunts, "slinging" the fit based on RB location, and more! 

As an added bonus, Coach Merfeld has included a Powerpoint presentation which contains all the diagrams from all three Man-Match Cover 2 courses. This includes all formation adjustments, as well as the position responsibility charts from each coverage check. The Powerpoint is editable, so coaches can download it and change what they need to, in order to best suit their team's needs!

Coaches are also encouraged to contact Coach Merfeld and he will send the Hudl film used in these presentations.

These are the only Coachtube courses solely focused on Man-Match Cover 2, and are some of the best resources on this coverage that you can find anywhere online. These presentations include everything you need to install and play great pass defense using this scheme!