Nick Saban: Cover 3 Adaptation (Mable/Skate) To 3x1

Continuing the review of handling one-back spread formations, the next logical step after you've accounted for 2x2, is how do you handle 3x1 (trips/trey)? All your adjustments to 2x2 can be pointless if you don't have a viable solution that can be 'broken' by a 3-receiver formation.

The Saban way of handling 3x1 out of Cover 3 is known as "mable", which is code for 'man'. This is actually a standard adjustment to trips if you're basing out of quarters. "Mable" (the same thing as "skate" in Cover 6), is manning the single-receiver backside, and pushing the zone coverage to the passing numbers. You're essentially playing zone front side and man backside.



The front side players will simply match the receiving threats as they normally would out of Cover 3. A lot can be assumed that the Cover 3 adjustments to spread are philosophical changes in how the secondary is played. Actually, that isn't the case - the 'secondary' teaching is quite subtle. The fulcrum of the Rip/Liz/Mable (3 deep zone) success is going to come with your inside linebackers. Those two players will control the guts of the coverage, and fully support everything that is being handled by the secondary.

As you can see by the diagram, nothing much changes with the secondary players. We will go over how the "alert" players (M&W) are to handle 3x1 formations:


btw - this becomes the "Zeke" adjustment to any trips look


This isn't a different coverage, just a built-in system for handling stressors of the base concept, and doesn't deviate much at all (from the call side) the standard pattern-match rules.

Let's go over the rules.....

In 3x1 (mable)
Will – backer to the single split side.

• Back flow TO – match it (jump the flare)


• Back flow AWAY – cut the 1st crosser

Mike – backer to 3 receivers (final 3 player) Related to #3 receiver after distribution

• #3 is inside - ROBOT, depth and jump underneath inside breaking route


• #3 is outside - push the strong hook

Sam – (to trips) Relate to #2 receiver after distribution.

• #3 inside (M has him) depth and jump #2


• #3 outside carry inside-underneath

Strong Safety – (to trips)Looking to jump the first underneath receiver. Relate to #1 receiver after distribution)

• #2 outside – jump it


• #2 inside (S has it) buzz underneath

Corner (to trips) simply plays old 2-to-1 read Cover 3 because he has to match the 1st vertical threat.


Again, as you see the reaction of the inside linebackers becomes the fundamental under current of Rip/Liz/Mable/Skate, allowing them to aggressively play run (flow) and put them in great leverage position based on this reaction. If those inside backers are trained appropriately, you will have an automatic response to handle most every route combination.

As a footnote, I'll just say that we've covered adaptations, the evolution, of standard zone coverage (by one who has been setting successful trends for a few decades). Saban, himself, doesn't just sit in one coverage throughout a game or rely on these rules / adjustments to beat-all. His defenses and how he uses/employs them is actually quite different. Using a 'pro approach', the defense is purely situational and will handle formations, D&D, areas of the field, differently and on a situation-by-situation basis.