BRIAN BORLAND

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR &

DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER
EMAIL: borlandb@uww.edu phone: (262) 472-1058

 Distance

from receiver can vary generally

crowd the LOS
Feet parallel to slightly staggered with feet
basically shoulder width apart
On balls of feet with bent knees, flatten
down chest angle toward parallel with
ground, arms/hands slightly extended and
ready with thumbs up
Alignment on receiver can vary between
head up or slight shades based on available
help

 PRE-SNAP:

1. ball 2. receiver

POST-SNAP:

1. receiver 2. (to ball)

On the snap, total focus goes to receivers

hips/midsection
Activate feet and soften slightly using a quick
foot motor movement (lose ground from
receiver)
Keep DBs square shoulders on the receivers
square shoulders as long as possible (dont side
step, turn shoulders, and open the gate for
the receiver to run by)
DB mirrors the receivers hip movement as
softening, trying to stay in front of & inside the
receivers framework for as long as possible

 Be

patient! The goal of press coverage is

route disruption while playing close
coveragenot necessarily route elimination
The DB should play first with his feet and
eyes, then with the hands last (dont over
commit to jam too fast or lose
balance/control position by becoming
overextended in an attempt to make
aggressive premature contact)
2 hands = no feet!

 As

the receiver gains ground and declares a

direction of release (WR hips open beyond 45
degrees or he moves outside the framework
of the DBs body), the DB should open his
hips at a 45 degree angle and begin to
shuffle, getting ready to run with the
receiver
At this time, use an opposite arm jam on the
receiver to disrupt (arm opposite of receiver
release, palm of hand to near number, lock
out elbow with thumb up)

 As

a general rule, the DB should attempt to

stay on the high side (downfield) of the
receiver as the route progresses. put the
receiver in your back pocket. Game
situation/field position may dictate
otherwise at times (goal line, etc)

 While

transitioning to cover downfield eye

the hip/thigh of the receiver for his
breakpoints (hip level changing, stride
length changing, arms/hands lowering, etc)
Beyond 15 yards downfield on a vertical
release shift key focus to the receivers eyes
for ball arrival
When in phase with the receiver and
confident the route has fully developed, its
OK to sneak a peek for the ball or see
through the receiver to the ball

a.
b.

Expect double moves play the receivers 2nd step,

think opposite direction of the WR foot that sticks hard in
the ground
Counter punch (explained later)
Whip turn (explained later)
If receiver avoids DB to the inside think curl/post
routes
If receiver avoids DB to outside think out/fade routes
If receiver tries to run through the DB think pressure
in or out after about 1 second of pressure (using 2nd
hand to jam OK here)
Vs. back shoulder fade - ?? As perceive receiver slowing
down and his near shoulder pivoting toward sideline DB
throws outside hand/arm at receivers back shoulder

 MIRROR
a.
b.

c.

SOFTEN:
At a controlled tempo, receiver weaves
back and forth as he moves up field
DB softens and stays square to the
receiver and stays inside the receivers
framework as they work up the field
DB dont use the hands during this drill!

MIRROR SOFTEN

DB

WR

 MIRROR
a.

b.

JAM
Receiver stutter moves one direction, then
redirects the other direction and heads
vertically up field
DB softens and stays square on the 1st
stutter, then once the receiver redirects
and gets outside his framework on the
redirect, the DB uses an opposite arm jam
and moves up field with the receiver
maintaining the proper in phase position

MIRROR JAM
IN PHASE

OPPOSITE ARM JAM

MIRROR SOFTEN
DB

WR

 COUNTER
a.

b.

c.

PUNCH
Receiver angles up field one direction until
the DB executes a jam, then the receiver
redirects up field the other direction
DB softens and throws an opposite arm
jam as the receiver gets outside his
framework moving in the first direction
As the receiver redirects, the DB must
redirect also plant, pivot, and shoot the
opposite arm jam to the receiver as he gets
in phase once again heading up field

COUNTER PUNCH
IN PHASE

JAM #2
JAM #1
MIRROR
SOFTEN
DB

WR

WHIP TURN
a. Receiver angles up field until he sees the DB
attempt to throw a jam, then immediately
redirects up field the other direction
b.
DB softens and attempts to throw the initial
jam toward the receiver. The DB should
intentionally try to be early/overanxious on
the first jam (miss the jam)
c. The receiver will beat the DB clean in the
other direction. The DB must execute a whip
turn technique (plant, throw near elbow
back, turn his back to receiver for an instant,
whip head/eyes back to the receiver), and get
back in phase immediately heading up field

WHIP TURN
IN PHASE

WHIP TURN
MIRROR
DB

WR

MISS JAM

 BEST

POSSIBLE RELEASE: DB applies press

technique on scout receiver. Receiver must
stay within a 5 yard area and works from
sideline through the top of the #s

ON 1 drill vs. actual QB/WRS


a.

b.

c.

d.

FADE - NO LOOK
Simulating the DB being in an out of
phase/disadvantaged position on the receiver as
the ball is thrown down field
DB must catch up and play the ball out of the
receivers hands as it arrives dont look for the ball
in the air
Clue into the receivers head turn, eyes tracking the
ball, and finally his arms/hands extending for ball
arrival
DB should attempt to punch up through the
receivers hands with his inside arm to dislodge the
ball while securing a potential tackle with the
outside arm, as opposed to the stripping down
motion or reaching with the outside arm for the
ball

FADE NO LOOK
#

15 YARDS
BALL

#
#
BALL
#
QB

WR
DB

WEDGE DRILL
a. Simulating the DB being in a dominate/ in
phase position on a downfield route thrown
outside the #s (fade route)
b. DB will zone turn on time and look up for the
ball in the air while using his body position to
wedge/squeeze the receiver toward the
sideline as he maintains contact
c. DB should become the receiver and attack
the ball at the its nearest and highest point.
d. Its important the DB maintains speed as he
turns (step on the gas), as well as continue
to keep his wedge on through out the play
(dont drift toward the inside)

WEDGE
#

15 YARDS
BALL

#
WEDGE

#
BALL

ZONE TURN
#

QB

DB
WR

DOWNFIELD SHOULDER DRILL (both pass knock

down and interception aspects)
a. DB backpedals away from QB, on the look of
the QB the receiver begins to run laterally
b. DB changes direction and heads toward
intersection point with receiver paying special
attention to maintain aim toward the most
downfield shoulder of receiver (dont initially
aim between the receiver and QB)
c. As DB closes to an in phase position at the
receivers downfield shoulder, he sneaks a peak
to the QB for thrown ball

d. Once DB realizes he can make a play on the

ball he will adjust his angle and come in front of
the receiver toward the thrown ball
e. One aspect of the drill is to work on batting
the ball down reach out and bunt the ball
with the near arm while securing tackle with
the arm furthest away (dont swing at it
harder to hit a moving target with another
moving piece)
f.
An additional aspect is to go through same
procedure as previously described except make
the interception instead of the knockdown

DOWN FIELD SHOULDER

#
#
1. START W/ BP

15 YARDS
2. BREAK ON QB LOOK
DB

#
2. GO ON QB LOOK WR
#
QB

BALL