For someone in the know, how is a DB trained when it comes to turning his head to look for the ball? On a number of plays it appears the DB is right on the redeiver, in good coverage, but never sees the ball coming down as the receiver goes up for the catch.
How Are DBs Trained?
- Thread starter Tideflyer
- Start date
They're to run with the receiver, not look back for the ball until they read the WRs eyes and see him looking back for it. If the DBs run while looking back for the ball, you'll see the burn percentages skyrocket.
Some DBs (Eddie Jackson on this team) do a much better job of correctly reading the receiver's eyes.
Some DBs (Eddie Jackson on this team) do a much better job of correctly reading the receiver's eyes.
We have practice video on al.com that shows them how to track the ball....We should see those sometime this week... If so, I'll bump the thread up and post the link.
We do the right thing in running shoulder to shoulder with the receiver, but I was always taught that when the receiver turns his head to find the ball, I should turn my head to find the ball as well.
But it's a different game now from when I played so I don't know the current philosophy.
sip
But it's a different game now from when I played so I don't know the current philosophy.
sip
I was gonna ask the same thing. Seems like we have the same problem with this that we had in game 1. It seems like the not looking for the ball should be correctable..
So, are receivers coached to hide their "excitement" until the last possible moment? Or look off in another direction as if they are looking at the ball (just before they jet off in another direction)?
They are taught to watch receivers eyes, hands, and gestures. If you are in position and their eyes go up in the sky the ball is in the air get your head around an find the ball. If there hands reach out then immediately start to swipe arms because it's a split second away. If they start to veer in back toward the qb then it's under thrown. If they get big eyes, start stretching out, and speed up the ball is over thrown. If you are in position these are signs to find ball cause it's coming. If you are behind do not dare turn your head. If you do it will slow you down and the ball may fly right over your head for a td. So you try and catch up and play the receiver not the ball.
You can't really hide your expressions because you have to track the ball, have to reach out to catch, and have to adjust routes. You can fake on a double move especially if the db is between you and the qb. The best double moves come from when the receivers get wide eyed, act like starting to put hands up, and really sell that you are about to catch the ball. Then you roast them.
Heard this same thing, phrased as only he could phrase it, direct from Joe Kines.
He said if the DB was "in phase" (Kines' words, not mine), they're coached to look back for the ball. If they're not in phase, even if it's by a quarter of a step, they're coached to knock the ball away as the receiver tries to catch it. Or, if the receiver makes the catch, minimize the damage by making the tackle immediately.
In phase was defined as being on the receiver, step for step, and in position between the QB and the receiver -- what most of we non-professionals would simply call "blanket coverage."
The reason was just as Jess stated. If the DB isn't in phase, and still looks back for the ball, the distance between the DB and the receiver inevitably increases, and the possibility of a long play increases exponentially.
Kines also said this was one of the hardest points to get across to a young DB, especially a highly recruited one (which would be all of ours under Saban). Too often, they can't admit, even to themselves, that they're beat, even by a minuscule amount.
It's just one of the things that lengthens the learning curve that all freshmen go through.
In some systems, WR's are taught to wait to put their hands up, but you can't 'look off' a db or you will lose the ball. Also, timing patterns are difficult to defend as the ball arrives as the receiver turns around. VT DB's had the same problem finding the ball against ECU, so it happens elsewhere as well.
I will say this , Nick's coverage schemes and reads are very complex. It probably takes longer in Nick's system to train a good DB than anywhere else, and we are very young on the back half. there is a lot going on presnap and off the line. Nick uses a lot of trail technique, so reading a receiver and finding the ball are even more important.
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Thanks guys. Kind of thought that it was true that if you turned your head the receiver could leave you, but just wanted to hear from folks who know a lot more about this than I do.RTR
Flyer.
Flyer.
I think Cornerback is one of the toughest positions to play from a technical standpoint. Few teams have outstanding corner play. We've been spoiled in the past by the likes of Millner, Kirkpatrick etc... Plus most everyone runs a passing fire drill offense now so every team has great receivers and quarterbacks who can put it on a dime.
Coach Saban on DBs and 'phase' via Smart Football
http://smartfootball.com/defense/ni...ow-to-play-pass-coverage#sthash.BBjBMEak.dpbs
http://smartfootball.com/defense/ni...ow-to-play-pass-coverage#sthash.BBjBMEak.dpbs
Whoa!! And you`ve got to do all this reading and reacting FAST to boot ! Tough...
Well there you go, I was following until you threw in "trail technique".
Now I need to know what that means.I think what we have been seeing a lot is our DBs having to play catch up and that eliminates opportunity for playing the ball. Another thing with these read option offenses oftentimes the safeties will also have a run obligation to check out before continuing in coverage. Unfortunately doing this also hampers their ability to be in position to break on the ball when the pass ultimately comes.
I've really noticed most teams struggling more with coverage. I think it is several things leading to this. The HUNH causes quicker decisions to have to be made without the time to read the offensive sets, Teams are having to play more basic coverages, and the rules of the game are more friendly to the WR than it is to the CB.
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