Cover 4 (Quarters) Coverage

The quarters concept is based upon the safeties reading the release of the #2 receiver to their side. Quarters should be considered a part of the robber family of coverage’s, as the safeties are “robbing” depending on the route combo.

There are many advantages with quarters coverage:

• Quarters provides a 4-deep look to take away four verticals from the offense.
• Safeties can be heavily involved in the run game, providing 9 run defenders.
• There is not much adjustment to different offensive formations and motion.
• It forces offense’s to throw short and outside or deep to the outside. If the ball is thrown deep, the goal is to have the ball traveling in the air as long as possible, using the sideline as the twelfth defender.
• It is easy to get into other coverage’s from a similar look.

BASE QUARTERS COVERAGE RULES:

The flat defender who is typically an outside linebacker or slot defender basically covers the outside portion of the #2 and #3 receivers from an inside alignment and must be taken to the flat by a receiver. If the #1 receiver runs a smash route, the flat defender drives hard to it. The reason for the inside alignment is to secure the inside release by the #2 receiver if the #3 goes away or the #2 receiver runs a shallow crossing route.

The hook/curl defender, typically the Mike linebacker covers the #3 receiver and must be alert to crossers becoming the #3 receiver.

The safeties basically cover deep to short quarter coverage and the #2 or #3 receivers. Covers any seams by the #2 or #3 receivers man-to-man. If the #2 or #3 receivers are on short routes, the safety will double on the #1 receiver. The safety covers any route of +12 yards downfield by the #2 receiver in man-to-man.

The cornerback is responsible for the deep-outside quarter, keying the #1 receiver. At times, this coverage will be man-to-man. The corner must maintain inside leverage on the #1 receiver as there is no guarantee of help inside. The reason for the inside technique is to take away the post route since no help is a good possibility. In essence, the corner will be late on out breaking patterns and will cover the #1 receiver man-to-man on any route of +10 yards.

There are a few coverage calls the safeties make in order to get into the correct coverage based on the offensive alignment. I am only going to cover the basic adjustments in this article.

First in its basic form, quarters can be played against all formations except for any trips. When the offense presents the defense with trips, the defense should check to cover 3. There are certainly coverage calls that will allow for quarters to match-up against trips; however playing Cover 3 is a great adjustment.

That aside, once the defense is set a call must be made on each side of the defense. This call is made independently by each side and tells each side of the defense which style of quarters is being implemented. The four basic calls are:

• Read: Made when there is a tight end and flanker or a single wide receiver.
• Alert: Made when there are two receivers and the defense is receiving help from a linebacker.
• Combo: Made when there are two receivers and linebacker help is not possible. This call allows the defense to also keep the linebackers in the core of the defense to better assist versus the run.
• Sky: Made when there is a single tight end.

Examples of offensive formations and their corresponding coverage calls:

• I-Form Normal: the strong safety would call “Read” as he has a tight end and flanker to his side. The free safety would also call “Read” because he only has a split end to that side.
  
  
• I-Form Slot: the strong safety would call “Alert” because he has two stand-up receivers to his side. The corner back to the weak side would call “Sky” because there is a single tight end.
  
  
• Ace-Slot: The weak side safety would call “Combo” because the Will linebacker needs to remain in the core of the defense.
  
  
• I-Form Tight: the strong safety would call “Read” as there is a tight end and flanker to his side and the weak corner would call “Sky” because there is a single tight end.
  
  

READ CALL RULES

Corner

• All of #1 vertical , cushions versus smash and any shallow inside release. Will pass off the shallow inside release. He can squeeze the post route.
• Drives on 3-step routes.
• Is late to the five-step hitch. Will call hitch to get help from inside.
• Plays the #1 receiver inside and over the top.

Strong Safety

• If the tight end blocks he will play his run responsibility.
• If the tight end releases vertical he will utilize man-to-man technique past linebacker depth with an inside leverage.
• If the tight end releases outside he will rob the #1 receiver.
• If the tight end releases inside he will melt to his third, making sure the tight end doesn’t drive vertical, then thinks post.

Weak Safety

• Plays the same as the strong safety except if #2 releases inside, he plays high to low. This modification is made because without it the weak safety and the strong safety would end up in the same spot if the offense ran both #2’s underneath (mesh route).

Outside linebacker or Slot defender

• Maintains outside leverage on #2.
• If #2 expands, plays flat/wheel.
• If #2 doesn’t expand, plays the curl and listens for a hitch or in call from the corner and watches for the #2 and #3 exchange.

Mike linebacker

• Walls, collisions and carries any #3 vertical.
• If #3 outside releases, watches for any inside complementary routes to the side of the #3 release, watches for the #2 and #3 exchange.
• If #3 blocks, he will stack and play under digs. This rule can be adjusted in the game plan: Blitzes, spies the quarterback, plays screens and draws.

Here are a few examples:

TIGHT END OUTSIDE RELEASE


The Sam linebacker must maintain outside leverage on #2. He should initially drop to the curl area to stay over the top of #2 in the event he would run a wheel route. The corner can squeeze the post or curl because the Sam has a read call. The safety should play under the #1 receiver.

TIGHT END INSIDE RELEASE


The Sam can play underneath the curl until the new #1 threatens. The Sam should play high to low and stay on top of the flat route and not chase until the quarterback commits his shoulders to throw the ball. The corner can squeeze the curl route. The strong safety melts to his third, making sure the tight end doesn’t drive up the middle. The strong safety melts to the third because many teams will have the split end run a post when the tight end drags underneath the linebackers. The Mike linebacker walls his new #3. If the new #3 passes too shallow for the Mike to wall, the Mike helps with any deeper crossing routes.

TIGHT END CHOICE


The Sam can help with the tight end vertical until a new #2 threatens his outside. The Mike can also help with the choice route as the tight end becomes the new #3. The strong safety should play over the top of the choice route. If the tight end continues vertical, the free plays on the tight end’s inside, forcing the quarterback to throw it to the outside.

#2 WEAK OUTSIDE RELEASE


The corner must be on top, and the weak safety robs the curl. The Will linebacker has #2 to the flat. If the Will cannot cover the wheel due to position or athletic ability, check to an alert or combo call.

ALERT CALL RULES

The alert call is made because the Sam or Will cannot or is not in position to cover the wheel.

Corner – Same as read except:

• Plays his forth.
• Covers and squeezes #1 until #2 crosses his face.

Safety – Same as read except:

• Initially aligns at 10 yards.
• Plays over the top of curls and posts because he has underneath help.

Alert Player (Sam, Will, or safety when slot) – Throttle #2:

• Walls and collisions #2. He does not need to carry #2 because he has a safety behind him. He should be especially aware of slants.
• If #2 outside releases, plays under the curl/dig/post. He does not have the wheel.
• Expands to a #3.

Mike or Split Linebacker to alert:

• Controls #3.

Here are a few examples:

#2 OUTSIDE RELEASE, #1 POST


Alert is called because the safety is not in a good position to cover the flat/wheel. The corner squeezes #1 until #2 crosses his face. The corner now has the new #1 man-to-man and would cover him if he turns vertical. The safety sees #2 go out and knows that he needs to be under any curl or make the quarterback put air under the post. The Free is on top or over the post. The Will controls #3, walling and carrying #3 vertical.

#2 AND #3 EXCHANGE, #1 CURL


The safety would throttle #2 then expand to #3 (new #2), playing under the curl by #1 if the new #2 expands far enough. The Will plays under the new #3. The free is on top of the curl by #2.

DOUBLE SLANT


The corner squeezes #1. The corner can stay on him because #2 has gone inside. The safety walls #2, not allowing him to cross his face and should make #2 pay for any slant completed in his area.

BUBBLE/SLANT


The corner must go through #1 to get to the bubble. The safety and the free are now available to help with the slant and can rally up to the bubble. Remember, the goal is to have the quarterback throw the ball to the outside with air under it whenever possible.

JAILBREAK SCREEN


The corner must maintain outside leverage because he is a contain player. The safety and free can now play the screen player.

COMBO CALL RULES

A combo call is made generally to a 2x2 set when you do not want to remove the Will or Sam from the core of the front. The two defensive backs will play some form of man-to-man on #1 and #2. The Will, Sam or Mike will play the remaining #3 if he releases.

• If #1 and #2 are less than eight yards apart, the defensive backs play in and out on #1 and #2.
• If #1 and #2 are greater than eight yards apart, the defensive backs play straight man-to-man.
• Depth of alignment can vary with game plan and ability.

Here are a few examples:

POST/WHEEL, RECEIVERS LESS THAN 8 YARDS APART


The Will needs to remain in the core of the defense to help stop the run. The safety makes a combo call because the receivers are less than eight yards apart. The corner and safety will stay in their zones.

POST WHEEL, RECEIVERS MORE THAN 8 YARDS APART


The safety makes a man call because the receivers are more than eight yards apart.

SKY CALL RULES

A sky call is made to a single tight end side. There will always be a low player and a high player.

Corner – High player

• Plays deep half.

Safety/Sam – Low player

• Plays flat/wheel.

Here are a few examples:

TIGHT END VERTICAL, #2 WHEEL


The corner plays the deep half, and the Sam must run with the wheel.

TIGHT END FLAT, #2 VERTICAL


The safety is now the flat/wheel player because he is to a single tight end side.

You cannot talk about coverages without going over pursuit rules, please check out my article on pursuit rules before proceeding.

Now that we know the coverage calls and how to play the outside run we can label the run responsibilities for each coverage call:

I-Form Normal: the strong safety would call “Read” as he has a tight end and flanker to his side. The free safety would also call “Read” because he only has a split end to that side.
I-Form Slot: the strong safety would call “Alert” because he has two stand-up receivers to his side. The corner back to the weak side would call “Sky” because there is a single tight end.
Ace-Slot: The weak side safety would call “Combo” because the Will linebacker needs to remain in the core of the defense.
I-Form Tight: the strong safety would call “Read” as there is a tight end and flanker to his side and the weak corner would call “Sky” because there is a single tight end.

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