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Learning about football in all of this down time


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Hi folks, 

Like most of you here, I am rather obsessed with the Bills and the sport in general. The more I watch and the longer I am a fan, the more I realize just how complex football is from a strategy standpoint. And I barely grasp any of this - different blocking schemes, offensive personnel packages, defensive coverages and disguises, general strategy, the history of its development and all that. I can barely recognize when a defense is in zone or in man coverage, and that's about it. The rest of my time watching football is just cataloging the obvious things - That was a first down! what a bad drop! what a nice run! And so on. I don't know how to think through a play I see, and find where it failed, when something is Daboll's fault versus Josh etc. 

What I'm asking is if anyone has recommendations for resources to begin to learn all of this stuff. Something that can teach me how cover 2 and cover 4 differ, and all of the other coverages, with diagrams/film examples. If possible, if there are any books or internet sites out there that are quite thorough and don't leave much out. I don't care if it's 1000 pages long, I'm ready to commit to a long term studying project, especially sitting at home in quarantine. 

For example, I found this long reddit post that is impressive: https://www.reddit.com/r/footballstrategy/wiki/index but I don't see a lot of photos or video and I worry that it'd be hard to connect to what I see on the screen. 

If anyone has suggestions, and stories of how they learned, it would be much appreciated! 

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Madden has tutorials on identifying coverage and stuff that can be helpful. A lot of my learning has come from my brother who is a football coach, there are plenty of good follows on twitter than can teach you a lot. Dan Orlovsky, former NFL quarterback has a twitter and he break downs film.  Brian Baldinger has "Baldy's Breakdowns" that are pretty good too. Cover1 on youtube is fantastic as well!

 

I'm sure there are some good books out there too. I know one called take you eye off the ball (something like that) is supposed to be a good read. 

Edited by Captain Hindsight
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Start with reading The Art of Smart Football by Chris B. Brown. Good insight on coverages, and the history of how those things came about on both the offense and defensive side of the ball.

 

Warren Moon also has some decent Youtube videos that detail how a Quarterback goes through his progressions.    Understanding the way a QB reads defenses is a big help when watching the game.   You can even decide pre-snap if you agree with where the QB goes with the ball.

Edited by thenorthremembers
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1 minute ago, Captain Hindsight said:

Madden has tutorials on identifying coverage and stuff that can be helpful. 

Madden is quite genius at learning the starting aspects of a lot of defensive stuff. 
That’s honestly how I taught my wife, showing her the plays and personnel etc etc then seeing it acted out on the field. 
Tight end and wide receiver and 4-3 and 3-4 was hard for her to learn, madden taught her and she can see it in real games now. It’s a great way for the younger generation to pickup a lot of stuff. 

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https://coachtube.com
 

I am a varsity football coach and I use coach tube all of the time. There are some free resources and some for pay. I bought Mouse McNally’s complete offensive line guide for like 90 dollars. Its awesome. You have videos on there and diagrams, powerpoints etc. 

 

https://www.xandolabs.com

 

X and O labs is another good one. 


https://www.glazierclinics.com

 

Just to add, I attend Glazier clinics each year, where coaches from all over the country speak. its an amazing ing experience, but may only be open to coaches...not sure. They have a ton of info online as well. 

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8 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

While we're at it, what has happened to the drop kick?

The NFL hates the kicking part of the game... ?

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I remember Pat Kirwan coming out with a book called Take your eye off the ball: How to watch football by knowing where to look.  Unsure if it's any good but the Sirius NFL guys pushed it hard for a while (because he is one of those guys). 

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1 hour ago, arcane said:

Hi folks, 

Like most of you here, I am rather obsessed with the Bills and the sport in general. The more I watch and the longer I am a fan, the more I realize just how complex football is from a strategy standpoint. And I barely grasp any of this - different blocking schemes, offensive personnel packages, defensive coverages and disguises, general strategy, the history of its development and all that. I can barely recognize when a defense is in zone or in man coverage, and that's about it. The rest of my time watching football is just cataloging the obvious things - That was a first down! what a bad drop! what a nice run! And so on. I don't know how to think through a play I see, and find where it failed, when something is Daboll's fault versus Josh etc. 

What I'm asking is if anyone has recommendations for resources to begin to learn all of this stuff. Something that can teach me how cover 2 and cover 4 differ, and all of the other coverages, with diagrams/film examples. If possible, if there are any books or internet sites out there that are quite thorough and don't leave much out. I don't care if it's 1000 pages long, I'm ready to commit to a long term studying project, especially sitting at home in quarantine. 

For example, I found this long reddit post that is impressive: https://www.reddit.com/r/footballstrategy/wiki/index but I don't see a lot of photos or video and I worry that it'd be hard to connect to what I see on the screen. 

If anyone has suggestions, and stories of how they learned, it would be much appreciated! 

 

Pat Kirwan "Take your Eye Off the Ball" is good, original and 2.0

I can't keep my copies, someone is always borrowing and bogarting (obviously I don't really care or I wouldn't lend)

 

One of the best tools IMO is Gamepass coach's film, especially if you find a game that someone good has broken down some plays.  Watch the play, identify the offensive set, try to identify the defensive coverage etc etc. Then look at what was broken down.  I like Cover1 and Brett Kollsman (The Film Room)

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1 hour ago, arcane said:

Hi folks, 

Like most of you here, I am rather obsessed with the Bills and the sport in general. The more I watch and the longer I am a fan, the more I realize just how complex football is from a strategy standpoint. And I barely grasp any of this - different blocking schemes, offensive personnel packages, defensive coverages and disguises, general strategy, the history of its development and all that. I can barely recognize when a defense is in zone or in man coverage, and that's about it. The rest of my time watching football is just cataloging the obvious things - That was a first down! what a bad drop! what a nice run! And so on. I don't know how to think through a play I see, and find where it failed, when something is Daboll's fault versus Josh etc. 

What I'm asking is if anyone has recommendations for resources to begin to learn all of this stuff. Something that can teach me how cover 2 and cover 4 differ, and all of the other coverages, with diagrams/film examples. If possible, if there are any books or internet sites out there that are quite thorough and don't leave much out. I don't care if it's 1000 pages long, I'm ready to commit to a long term studying project, especially sitting at home in quarantine. 

For example, I found this long reddit post that is impressive: https://www.reddit.com/r/footballstrategy/wiki/index but I don't see a lot of photos or video and I worry that it'd be hard to connect to what I see on the screen. 

If anyone has suggestions, and stories of how they learned, it would be much appreciated! 

I don't have diagrams or anything but I have played , coached and scouted my entire life, still do. If you ever have any questions I'd be more than willing to answer

 

Your first point about cover 4 and 2 are quite simple. Cover 4 is called quarters. Because both safeties and corners are playing quarter's coverage. Or each account for 1/4 of the deep quarter of field. It can also be used as a prevent defense and in either circumstance great for taking away deep ball... McDermott runs a version of it called cover 4 palms which is highly effective but hard to execute

 

A Tampa 2 defense will put both safeties playing the deep half, each accounting for half field while the 2 corners are in a squat technique. Staying strong on their spot to bump recievers of their marks. The corners generally will stay within 15-20 yards of the LoS and read the QBs eyes while taking away the boundaries

 

 

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2 hours ago, arcane said:

Hi folks, 

Like most of you here, I am rather obsessed with the Bills and the sport in general. The more I watch and the longer I am a fan, the more I realize just how complex football is from a strategy standpoint. And I barely grasp any of this - different blocking schemes, offensive personnel packages, defensive coverages and disguises, general strategy, the history of its development and all that. I can barely recognize when a defense is in zone or in man coverage, and that's about it. The rest of my time watching football is just cataloging the obvious things - That was a first down! what a bad drop! what a nice run! And so on. I don't know how to think through a play I see, and find where it failed, when something is Daboll's fault versus Josh etc. 

What I'm asking is if anyone has recommendations for resources to begin to learn all of this stuff. Something that can teach me how cover 2 and cover 4 differ, and all of the other coverages, with diagrams/film examples. If possible, if there are any books or internet sites out there that are quite thorough and don't leave much out. I don't care if it's 1000 pages long, I'm ready to commit to a long term studying project, especially sitting at home in quarantine. 

For example, I found this long reddit post that is impressive: https://www.reddit.com/r/footballstrategy/wiki/index but I don't see a lot of photos or video and I worry that it'd be hard to connect to what I see on the screen. 

If anyone has suggestions, and stories of how they learned, it would be much appreciated! 

 

This one is awesome and he runs a scheme McDermott built from (worth 6 minutes) 

 

Edited by Over 29 years of fanhood
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3 hours ago, arcane said:

Hi folks, 

Like most of you here, I am rather obsessed with the Bills and the sport in general. The more I watch and the longer I am a fan, the more I realize just how complex football is from a strategy standpoint. And I barely grasp any of this - different blocking schemes, offensive personnel packages, defensive coverages and disguises, general strategy, the history of its development and all that. I can barely recognize when a defense is in zone or in man coverage, and that's about it. The rest of my time watching football is just cataloging the obvious things - That was a first down! what a bad drop! what a nice run! And so on. I don't know how to think through a play I see, and find where it failed, when something is Daboll's fault versus Josh etc. 

What I'm asking is if anyone has recommendations for resources to begin to learn all of this stuff. Something that can teach me how cover 2 and cover 4 differ, and all of the other coverages, with diagrams/film examples. If possible, if there are any books or internet sites out there that are quite thorough and don't leave much out. I don't care if it's 1000 pages long, I'm ready to commit to a long term studying project, especially sitting at home in quarantine. 

For example, I found this long reddit post that is impressive: https://www.reddit.com/r/footballstrategy/wiki/index but I don't see a lot of photos or video and I worry that it'd be hard to connect to what I see on the screen. 

If anyone has suggestions, and stories of how they learned, it would be much appreciated! 


Hey Arcane, and good question.  You might like from Pat Kirwan and Bill Cowher, “First Take You’re Eye Off The Ball” versions 1 and 2.  You’ll learn what you need to about the questions you asked as far as Cover 2, 3, 4, 11 personnel, 12, and 13 personnel, etc.

 

It typically helps people to get a deeper understanding of what coaches are thinking and why.  Nothing is perfect, but at least you’ll learn I thin what you’re asking about in terms of strategy and line ups.

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It's all just to deep for me i have enough trouble with punctuation & spelling according to the other fans here if i got into trying to think about all that 3 gap, 1 technique stuff i'd be totally lost so i leave that to you all & i'll just stick to being a goot spiller & getting my punktuation right with all ya'lls help of course !! 

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