In order to be successful against today’s high-powered offenses, and all the skilled personnel they can throw at you, defensive backs must possess incredible physical talent and mental tools. They must be able to run with the fastest, jump with the highest and hit with the hardest. In addition, they must have very selective memories, be without conscience and have no guilt or remorse. Their abilities and guile are tested on every snap; they are constantly under the gun, and even the most uneducated fans know when a DB gets beat. When they succeed it’s because they have been trained to play that way, and when they fail, the game can hang in the balance. A DB’s margin for error is zero, and their mistakes usually result in an opponent’s touchdown. With that said, in your face, man-to-man coverage has been the cornerstone of the defensive success we’ve enjoyed at Garden City
Continue Reading
This article is available to American Football Quarterly subscribers.
Get instant digital access to this issue and the complete archive.