Beyond Quarters - The Need For Additional Coverage Concepts

• By Keith Grabowski

We all know that Quarters is a sound concept that provides many benefits.

For as good as it is, the Head Coach at Mars High School Eric Kasperowicz believes that a team needs more than quarters or it becomes vulnerable. 

In his recent presentation on Hot Coverage he said, 

“It's a great middle of field closed to complement to quarters, which we need. There's no way you can sit out there and line up and run quarters coverage, in my opinion, every snap of defense. It's too much pressure. Eventually you're going to run into a team or a player or a quarterback or a receiver that's able to take advantage of that. So in my opinion, for as good as quarters is, you have to be able to change it up and close the middle of the field and protect the post.” 

As he points out, one of the most effective methods is the three deep-two under under hot coverage philosophy. This approach, which he adapted from Coach Narduzzi's teachings, can help you level up your defensive game. Note - Coach Kasperowicz spent a year on Coach Narduzzi’s staff so he knows this coverage well.

Understanding the 3D2 Under Hot Coverage Philosophy

At its core, the 3D2 under hot coverage philosophy involves three deep defenders, two underneath defenders, and six Blitzers coming in for the attack. The objective is to close the middle of the field, keep the offense off balance, and allow the defense to play zone coverage. 

The key to this approach is effectively disguising the 3D2 under coverage to create a strong defensive strategy. This includes:

1. Blitzers going hard and fast: Blitzers must attack with speed and intensity to make the quarterback feel pressured and get rid of the football quickly.

2. Edge Blitzer peeling with routes crossing their face: This allows the edge Blitzer to cover any running back that crosses their path while maintaining zone coverage.

3. The tackle wiping out to the C gap: In situations with a three-man surface, the tackle will wipe out to the C gap, squeezing behind the action to maintain a strong defensive position.

Coach Kasperowicz shares those ideas in this video:

Benefits of Gap Sound Blitzing

Gap sound blitzing is a crucial aspect of the 3D2 under hot coverage philosophy. Being gap sound means defenders are responsible for a specific gap and maintain their position throughout the play. This approach offers several benefits:

1. One-on-one pass rush matchups: Gap sound blitzing can create opportunities for one-on-one matchups between defenders and offensive players, increasing the chances of a successful defensive play.

2. Closing the middle of the field: This approach helps protect the post and keep the offense off balance.

3. Preventing quarterback pumps or fakes: The pressure from the Blitzers should prevent the quarterback from having time to pump or fake, ensuring they cannot effectively utilize these tactics.

He explains those in detail in this video:

Building off of a Quarters concept will allow you to stop many concepts that an offense can throw at you, but having a change-up like Hot Coverage can make your defense much more difficult to attack and put the opponent’s QB and receivers in uncomfortable positions.