BLACK

Continuing on the same theme as Verticals, the "Sail" ("drop out" or "Ohio") concept relies on the same principles, but providing a deep high-low of the outside defender. This can be a difficult throw, but even more difficult to successfully defend. As detailed earlier, be sure to watch the linebacker wall and expand #2 as he vertically stems then drops out to the sideline.

As outlined in previous posts, the (all) verticals concept likely puts a 2-high defense at a disadvantage when 4 receivers go deep. Pay special attention to how the linebackers wall and carry #2 vertically into the seam, as well as how the corner sink and carry #1 vertical. Also, note how 3x1 formations cause a 2-high defense stress with #3 stemming into the deep middle hole.

The last step in this Cover 2 discussion ends with the ½ field safety. Obviously their job is to put the roof over the defense and allow all other defenders to play underneath. To do this job effectively and consistently, they must know how they relate to the pattern distribution. This will reveal how they will compensate for coverage liabilities and better support the coverage shell.

Their first response is to key and recognize the #1 receiver to their side. The position of the #1 receiver will determine the immediate threat to ‘break’ the defense by an outside and vertical throw. The safety should know who the #2 vertical threat is on any given down based on formation (2x2 or (3x1).


At the snap, the safety will key the EMOL for run/pass key. After a pass key recognition, the safety reads #1 receiver – to quarterback – to #2 receiver.

#1 Vertical - #2 To The Flat



With #2 vertical and #1 remaining shallow, the safety should expect the smash or seam concept. He will peddle back and inside read #2 as he presses into the seam. The safety should be defending the seam-to-post-corner route with inside-out leverage.

Double slant


With #2 and #1 breaking shallow inside, there isn’t much help a deep half safety can provide. He should be anticipating the slant-and-go (“sluggo”) and remain over the top of #1, leveraging inside-out.


#1 Vertical - #2 inside or hitch



Since #2 remains shallow, he is no threat to the deep half, so the safety should look to overplay the vertical by #1. With #2 shallow, he should keep inside leverage on #1and anticipate a deep, inside breaking route (dig) from #1.

The Republic of Ireland exited in drammatic style last night as ex-Arsenal favourite Thierry Henry handled the ball in his assist to William Gallas who equalised in extra time to make the match 1-1 in extra time.

Robbie Keane had put the Irish into the lead after 33 minutes and then Trapattoni's team came close on numerous occasions. In particular Damien Duff missed a one on one with the French 'keeper which would have got them to South Africa but it wasn't to be.

Are the Irish right to feel cheated? Well, yes but the rules of the game are that we have a referee who makes the calls with no assistance from tecnhology. So from time to time, teams will not get the result they believe they 'deserved' because of human error. Some of the player quotes show that the Irish boys feel a bit bitter and that is to be expected. However, the bit I can't stand is when people like Platini use these incidents to spring board new arguments for technology as opposed to encorporating viablity studies in the overall World Football strategy.

After reviewing corner responses, we'll work our way outside-in, addressing the outside and inside linebacker responses to pattern distribution in Cover 2.

Outside Linebacker (weak)
The weak side linebacker who responds to the displaced #2 receiver should be playing a "vertical hook technique". This simply means he is controlling the vertical stem of #2 into the hook zone and will treat this area as a priority. He should be thinking vertical-in-the-seam by #2 on pass key, and defend this throw first. On pass, he must relate to #2 receiver. He will peek to #1 receiver to identify the route concept he should play. As the front will vary depending on formation, we'll focus on just the pass coverage of Cover 2 for the displaced outside linebacker.

#2 Vertical - #1 Outside Vertical

If #2 presses vertically, the WLB will wall and carry #2 into the seam, peeking to see that #1 is vertical (and outside). With #1 gaining depth outside, the WLB can expect the "all vertical" and / or anticipate a deep drop out / Sail from #2 (and rob from low-shoulder leverage.

#2 Vertical - #1 Inside Vertical

As with the above situation, the WLB walls and carries #2 vertically into the seam, expecting "all verticals". With an inside/vertical stem of #1, the WLB may anticipate a deep, inside breaking route (dig).

#2 Vertical and Outside - #1 Hitch

With a vertical press by #2, and #1 remaining shallow (hitch), the WLB should anticipate the "smash" concept and push to the flat. Knowing his corner should be sinking to take the "corner" route, he should be robbing the hitch from inside-and-underneath leverage.

#2 Flat

Maybe the easiest throw to respond to for the WLB in Cover 2, once the #2 receiver quickly "shoots" to the flat, the WLB should recognize the flat-curl concept. He should expand and wall to the #1 receiver, looking to rob the inside-breaking curl.

Cover 2 Inside Linebackers

In Cover 2, the inside linebackers, both strong and weak, will be keying for run as their primary responsibility. Their gap assignment and key will vary depending on the formation and defensive front they are in. They are reading run-to-pass, and respond accordingly. For the sake of discussion, we will just concentrate on their response after getting a high-hat pass read.

The inside linebackers will match their respective threat based on alignment. This will typically put the SLB or MLB TO or AWAY from the callside based on the strength of formation. An example would be;

2x2 set

The MLB will relate to the back (#3) strong or weak, based on back flow.
The SLB/Buck become relates to #2 strong and becomes the vertical seam player him.

3x1 set

Here the defensive front would be adjusted to accommodate the passing (number) threats. The MLB now relates to #3 receiver and the SLB/Buck will relate to the back.

This is a rather simple accommodation as I hesitate to call it an "adjustment". The inside (run) linebackers are simply going to cover down their immediate passing threat. An example of matching the backs with the linebackers is shown below;

Its taken a few weeks but finally the 2 bikes i will be racing and riding in 2010 are coming together.

First is my much awaited Titanium singlespeed... to date there is only 2 of these frames in existence but with alot if interest they may see production.. build kit see's all PRO Components top end carbon toys.. the new forks are all carbon and weighing in at a svelte 600g!!!







This will be my main race bike.. it'll see alot of marathons and 12's .. hopefully the odd stage race too:)

Next bike is a bit more specialist... born out of a standard IO 2010 frame this is my 'Half Fat' bike built primarily for Arrowhead 135 in February and will then be my epic multi day bike..

On borrowed Snow cat rims.. thanks Shaggy... the bike runs matching wheels spaced at 135mm front and back, this is only made possible by the forks. Sandman in Italy supplied the fat forks which not only allow my 135mm spaced front wheel but also give near infinite clearance. Just in case anybody wondered the front and rear wheels are identical so they can be swapped in the case of a mechanical but also allow different size cogs to be used on the 2 wheels... quick release with chain tensioners allows a quicker change.

Big Thanks to Conti for their biggest tyre the Diesel 2.5

The bike is set up for comfort.. Jones bars giving alot of hand positions... or alot of different places to hold my bike while i'm pushing it through snow!

Mechanical disc brakes for the low temperatures.

Chainring made by Dan of Homebrewcomponents in America... Dan is also supplying the chainrings and cogs for all my bikes and will get some good images in a seperate blog when they arrive.

Last of all is a handmade product created in the Alpkit Factory by chief seamstress Nick... thanks Nick.. made from recycled Alpkit Gourdons it completes the bike.