The Best Cover 4 Beaters in Football

Before I share with you some of the best cover 4 beaters in football, I’m going to provide an overview of what Cover 4 defense looks like along with it’s strengths and weaknesses. Having a thorough understanding of the defense will help offensive coordinators scheme more successfully by effectively exploiting the weakness of the defense.

Cover 4 defense, also known as quarters coverage, is a popular defensive scheme in football. It is designed to provide a balanced approach to both pass and run defense, making it versatile and effective against various offensive formations. In Cover 4, the field is divided into four deep zones, with each defensive back responsible for covering one of those zones. This allows the defense to prevent big plays while also having the flexibility to come up and support the run.

Key Principles of Cover 4 Defense

1. Four Deep Zones: The primary feature of Cover 4 is the division of the field into four deep zones, each covered by a safety or cornerback. This deep coverage helps prevent long passes and big plays.
2. Support Against the Run: Despite its strong pass defense, Cover 4 allows the safeties to play closer to the line of scrimmage and support against the run. This makes it effective against both passing and rushing attacks.
3. Pattern Reading: Defenders in Cover 4 often use pattern reading techniques, meaning they adjust their coverage based on the routes run by the receivers. This helps them effectively cover various offensive schemes.
4. Flexibility: Cover 4 is adaptable to different formations and offensive strategies. It can be used in various down-and-distance situations, making it a staple in many defensive playbooks.

Strengths of Cover 4 Defense

• Prevents Big Plays: The four deep zones make it difficult for offenses to complete long passes, forcing them to rely on shorter, more methodical drives.
• Run Support: The safeties in Cover 4 are positioned to quickly react to running plays, providing solid run support without compromising deep coverage.
• Adaptability: Cover 4 can be adjusted to defend against different offensive formations and plays, making it versatile and reliable in various situations.

Weaknesses of Cover 4 Defense

• Underneath Routes: With the focus on deep coverage, underneath routes like quick slants, curls, and flat routes can exploit the space left by the deeper defenders.
• Intermediate Middle: The area between the linebackers and safeties, particularly in the intermediate middle of the field, can be vulnerable to passes. This is known as MOFO, or Middle of Field Open
• Requires Discipline: Effective Cover 4 defense requires disciplined and well-coached players who can read patterns and make quick decisions.

The Best Cover 4 Beaters in Football

To effectively attack a Cover 4 defense, offenses should focus on exploiting its weaknesses, particularly the underneath routes and intermediate middle areas. These pass concepts, paired with a solid run scheme, will help you get more first downs and touchdowns. Here are some of the best cover 4 beaters

1. Four Verticals

Concept: Four verticals play is designed to stretch the defense vertically, forcing the safeties to cover deep and creating opportunities for big plays.

Execution:

• Receivers: All four receivers run vertical routes, aiming to split the deep coverage.
• Quarterback: The quarterback reads the safeties, looking for an opening created by their deep responsibilities.
• Target: The goal is to hit one of the receivers in the seam or on the outside, taking advantage of the space between the deep defenders.

Why It Works: Cover 4’s deep coverage can be stretched thin by four vertical routes, creating opportunities for big plays downfield. The quarterback can exploit the seams between the safeties and cornerbacks.

Variations of 4 verticals as cover 4 beaters

2. Double Post Concept

Concept: Double Post concept can be ran from a 2×2 and 3×1 formations. The double post is designed to put the near safety in conflict with a post attacking across his face and into the middle of the field, and another post attacking the safety over the top. This concept is a personal favorite when operating out of condensed sets.

Execution:

• Receivers: This concept can be ran out of 2×2 or 3×1. In a 2×2 formation the concept side has double post. The inside post is ran at about 8 yards, and the outside post in ran at 7 steps. On the backside of the concept, the slot WR will run a corner route to pull his near safety away from the middle of the field. The #1 WR on the backside will run a shallow cross for a pressure relief or a check down at the end of the progression. In a 3×1 formation, I like to make a rule that the two WRs on the outside will run the Double Post and the #3 WR will run a wheel route behind it. The single WR in the concept will run a burst corner to catch the eye of the near safety and pull the defender away from the middle of the field.
• Quarterback: I teach the QB’s to read the concept from inside-out; inside post to outside post. This is based on the movement of the near safety to the concept. In a 3×1 formation we teach the same progression; inside-out, now working inside post, outside post, wheel.
• Target: The target will depend on the post-snap movement of the near safety to the concept. If he jumps the inside post, QB will hitch and throw the big post. If he pedals to stay on top then the target moves to the inside post cutting across his face.

Why It Works: In a 2×2 formation, we are putting vertical stress on the near safety as we are trying to make him wrong. If he jumps the inside post, we throw the big post. If he gets ontop and pedals out, we throw the inside post. In a 3×1 formation, we are putting 3 WRs vertical against 2 defenders. I treat this like a 3×2 fastbreak in basketball; throw it to where they’re not!

Variations of Double Post concepts to beat Cover 4

3. Bow Concept

Concept: The Bow Concept can be ran out of 2×2 or 3×1 formations, and it’s designed to put a hi/low on the intermediate defender responsible for the hook zone.

Execution:

• Receivers: Typically the #3 WR or the most inside WR is responsible for occupying the flat and pulling the Curl/Flat defender away from the concept. The #2 WR is on a dig route and the #1 WR is on a spot route aiming about 5-6 yards near the tackle or the zone of the hook defender.
• Quarterback: In a 3×1, the QB has a pre-snap read to throw to the single WR an any given quick pass game concept. To the concept side the QB will read the Hook player (typically the near ILB in cover 4). His movement will determine to throw the dig over the top (if ILB attaches to the spot route) or if he’ll throw the spot route (if ILB gets depth in his drop).
• Target: This is a movement key concept so the target will be determined based on the post-snap movement of the inside linebacker.

Why It Works: This concept works great because it puts horizontal and vertical stress on the defenders responsible for the intermediate zones in the coverage. This puts them in a bind and makes it difficult for them to stay disciplined in their responsibilities.

Variations of the Bow Concept to beat Cover 4 defense

4. Snag Concept

Concept: Snag concept is similar to the Bow Concept but unlike the bow concept that targets the ILB, snag is intended to put the OLB or curl/flat defender in conflict with horizontal stress.

Execution:

• Receivers: Snag can be ran out of 2×2 or 3×1 and has vertical and horizontal stress. Typically the vertical route is a corner route to occupy near safety and/or CB in their deep zones. This can be ran by the #2 or #3 WR in the concept. The #1 Receiver will hook inside the OLB with a depth ranging from 6-8 yards. The third route in the concept is a flat route, either bubble or arrow, to threaten the OLB into the flats.
• Quarterback: Quarterback will read the concept from Corner, Snag, Flat.
• Target: The primary target is typically the snag route because of how often it comes open with the OLB chasing the flat route. However, QB can take his vertical shot if the Corner route has leverage on the near safety and the CB doesn’t bail (post-snap read).

Why It Works: Intermediate level defenders have a difficult time “robbing” routes that are being ran behind them. Most LB’s and 2nd level defenders don’t attach well to these routes as their eyes are glued to the QB. When you pair that with horizontal stress, defenders abandoned their zone responsibilities and lose the integrity of the coverage. Someone is bound to be open!

Variations of Snag Concept for Cover 4 Beaters

5. Stick Concept

Concept: The stick concept is a quick-hitting play designed to attack the underneath zones and create easy completions.

Execution:

• Receivers: In a 3×1 formation, the #1 WR is typically responsible for clearing out the CB with a vertical route. The #2 WR is responsible for putting horizontal stress on the OLB with a bench route. The #3 WR is going to run a stick route, which for us, is 6 yards and to the outside.
• Quarterback: If the CB is down then the QB can quickly throw the go route into the hole shot. Post-snap the QB will read the OLB. If the OLB widens with the bench route, then he will throw it to the stick route on the outside shoulder (away from the ILB). If the OLB splits hairs then he will throw it outside to the bench route.
• Target: The primary target is usually the stick route, but the quick out can also be an option based on the coverage.

Why It Works: The stick concept takes advantage of the space against the three underneath defenders using horizontal stress. It provides quick, high-percentage throws that can consistently gain positive yardage.

Variations of Stick Concept to attack cover 4

Using Your Cover 4 Beaters

Defeating cover 4 defense begins with mastering the strengths, weaknesses, and effective strategies to exploit the vulnerabilities of the coverage. By strategically attacking the middle of the field and intermediate levels with horizontal and vertical pass concepts, you can improve your chances for success against this popular defensive look. With a mixture of quick pass concepts and vertical shots, these cover 4 beaters will help you attack the weakness of the defense with high percentage throws.