Defending the Pass with Football’s 3-Deep Zone Coverage

The 3-deep 4-underneath zone coverage, often referred to as Cover 3, is one of the oldest coverages in football. It is still widely used today at all levels of the game. Cover 3 is geared to stop the run while controlling the pass. It easily aligns to any offensive formation and is simple for coaches to teach and for players to learn. This simplicity enables the players to play confidently. Confident players play faster with fewer mistakes. Fast teams that don’t make mistakes win more football games. This coverage can be utilized from any defensive structure or personnel grouping. The position names and player archetypes may be different, but the responsibilities and techniques described in this book are universal.