Man Free Hole Coverage at the NFL & College Level

Man Free Hole Coverage at the NFL Level

The Man free Hole or lurk concept is a very popular defense in today's NFL. It used by man teams and has a few variations which you will see often on Sunday.

The lurk or hole concept starts as as 2 man look with one safety diving to the hole to take away crossing routes rather than stay over the top as a deep half player.  Teams will often do this opposite 3x1 sets as the safety will be in position to take any deep crosser. You at times will see the safety do this to the 3x1 side with the weak safety over the top.

Another part of this package is defensive db passing their deep crosser off to the safety and then sitting and looking for other work. This is another popular part of the hole/lurk concept. It is a good concept and highly effective against those speedy slot WR running those deep crossing routes. 

2 man hole concept opposite 3x1

Bucs ran man free lurk/robber concept vs the Saints in the playoffs.

#1 passes off the wr to the safety and takes crosser to the single wr side.

Here the Bengals do it in the AFC championship game vs Chiefs

Film clips from above

Example #2 Man free with a robber/lurk concept.

The Patriots are great at calling coverages by recognizing splits and formation. Here they recognize the Jets in their stack set. The Jets run a shallow cross with the dig concept and the safety is in perfect position to take away option 1 and 2, which is the shallow cross to the dig. 

This is 3rd and 5. They play man free with the safety looking to jump crossers.

The Bills run an option route with Beasley underneath. Beasley wins the 1x1 matchup but the coverage downfield was very good. #14 Diggs was taken by the safety playing the crosser and double teamed.

Here they run it vs 3x1 vs Kittle and the 49ers.

Take away kittle as the safety is looking for him crossing. Really the game plan looked like your guy doesn't release, help on Kittle. 

It's 3rd and 2

The QB tries to force it to kittle instead of the check down vs man free lurk concept.

The coverage starts as a 2 high look with the safety helping on any deep crossing route. The single cb is on an island in man to man. 

Saints run it vs the Bucaneers 

3rd and 9

They play 2 man with a weakside lurk concept(safety to the weakside comes down and plays 2/3 weak. The Bucs design a nice play to free up the slot wr with the pick route but the weak safety comes down and makes a great play. 

Other Variations:

hole player to the 3x1 same side of formation

The Bengals on a key 4th and 3 run the safety hole concept to the 3x1 trips side. Raiders try to run #1 on a crossing route and the safety is their to pick up the wr. 

Steelers play man free lurk vs the Browns but drop the safety to the 3x1 side. 

They bait Baker into a pick 6 on 3rd and 3. They show 2 high and the safety to the side of the 3x1 comes down and robs the slant route. The lb blitz engages the rb when he blocks.

Watch the free safety on the right anticipate and get the pick!

Patriots play with 2 lurk defenders looking for crossers

3rd and 5 vs the Dolphins,

They play both dime safeties on curl/crossing routes. Notice the outside leverage by the db in underneath man and perfect positioning by the safeties. The Dolphins get the reception but the tackle should be made before the sticks.  The safeties do an excellent job playing curl and driving hard on crossing routes.  Both lurk defenders in position.

Colts 3rd and 3 vs the Raiders Offense

They drop the strong safety down to the 3x1 side to play the shallow cross routes and the free safety down to play the deep crosser. This allows the Raiders to take the 1x1 matchup. The CB makes a great play and makes the interception. 

Raiders 

Raiders play with 2 lurk defenders in essence doubling both outside wr. They do a nice job and force the incompletion on 3rd and 9.

Another example is Michigan 

Michigan is playing Penn state with the Nittany Lions coming out in empty. The #1 wr is off the ball and runs a mesh concept out of empty. THE Cb and safety exchange responsibilities on the crossing route. The Safety takes the crosser and the CB ends up playing the hole. Nice job on 3rd and 6 as they hold Penn State to a 3 yard gain.

The CB #24 makes an in call, the strong safety #20 takes #1 and the CB now becomes the hole defender.

The Safety reads it and makes a great play on the crosser up top for a 2 yard gain.

Great defense above as they stop a pivotal 3rd and 6 vs Penn State.

Here Michigan plays the concept away from 3x1

They do a great job with it as they take away the mesh concept with excellent man coverage. THE CB and FS exchange on the crosser. The CB becomes the hole defender.

More to come on the lurk concept and passing off crossers! Hope you enjoyed this post!

Key Components of the kittley Western Kentucky Offense

Western Kentucky had a great year offensively in 2021 and were 2nd in the country with 535 yards per game and scored 44 points per game so they were pretty good on the offensive side. They were led by a highly accurate QB Bailey Zappe and Zach Kittley did a great job with the offense. He is an excellent offensive coordinator who runs an air raid passing system. They do a great job with their play calling.

First, they are very good at reading defenses and taking what they give you. For example, if they go to a double stack formation, and you give them a 5 man box, they will run the ball. They run a little more than most air raid systems. If you give them a soft CB or perimeter # advantage they will throw the screen. Some times they come out in trips to the boundary. If you play the single wr to the field with a cover 3 or 1 look, they will often throw him the ball, so it forces teams to help over the top. Excellent base package from Western Kentucky.

5 things I took away from their offense:

1. Formation into the boundary package

2. Use of stack formations

3. Jet sweep play actio- HB Wheel route

4.  Excellent cover 2 beaters-sneak route to the middle of the field

1. Formation into the Boundary

If they get single coverage or cover 3 they will throw the ball to #1 on the fade or if the CB is off they will throw the ball to #1 on an out cut. 

Any cover 2/4  looks where there is help over #1, they will work the ball back to the boundary side which could be a  twins or trips formation.

If the coverage is 3 they also can throw the ball into the boundary attacking the seem in a few ways which I will get into in this article.

There first 7 times agains Michigan State they were 7 for 7 for 176 yards, averaging 25 yards per play. That's pretty impressive. That's 100% completion rate. 

1st and 10

11 personnel      twins to the boundary and tight, flank to the field

coverage: They get cover 3 with a press CB  and this gives them a  favorable matchup on the outside to the field.

They run a fade on the outside to #1 on the tight end side. The #1 wr has plenty of room to operate.

Result: 51 yard gain

2nd and 10

twins to the boundary , TE and flanker to the field

They get cover 3 with a soft corner.

Route Concept: #1 now runs a deep out cut based on the coverage.

Result: 12 yard gain

For more on this! see my other article on how they used it vs Michigan State, They were 7/7 for 176 yards. 

 2. Stack Formations

Western Kentucky uses stack formations to get advantages and dictate their play calling. Depending on the defense they get to the stack look. they can do 3 things. They have different options. In the pass game, they have a screen, the old wr pop screen that becomes converted to a go route vs man coverage. Nice concept and read type play.

A.  5 man box vs 10 personnel  or 6 man box vs 11 personnel,  run the ball. Vs Old Dominion, they get a 6 man box when they go tight end to the boundary.

they get 3 defenders over 2 and even #'s in the box

They run the wrap play weak with the find block.

Nice design 

A few examples of the run play above

Same concept out of 3x1 with the inside wr stacked. They get a 5 man box so QB checks to a run.

Another 5 man box on 2nd and 2 vs stack, so they run the football again. Good decision making and a nice 12 yard gain.

The light box allows you to check to a run. Even #'s teams will usually run it.

they get a nice run on the play

A few more examples below:

B. Soft perimeter match up throw the screen

Vs. Indiana, they used the screen as a run component, gaining good yardage against exrtemely soft coverage. CB at 8 yards, The WR just have to block the OLB or FS to the boundary to get easy yardage.

If you play off they have the ability to throw the quick now screen.

They have the RPO built in to the play. 

C. Run traditional routes based on the coverage they get.

Here they get a cover 2 look presnap and run the curl with the vertical. Nice cover 2 beater for a 12 yard gain.

They can run some traditional routes out of it.

D. Screen and go vs Man coverage

They have the man beater built into the play as their OLine never release downfield out of their stack formation.

Here they get man, fake the screen and run the screen and go. QB looks left to draw the free safety over and it's an easy touchdown.

Screen and go vs Marshall. 

Fake the screen and run the screen and go.

Fake the screen and hit the go route.

They run the same concept vs UTSA in the championship game.
Great route and concept.

They get cover 0 tvs UTSA and hit them for a big play.

The wr wins the battle and hits it big.

 He beats him off the line for the nice touchdown.

3. Jet Sweep RB Seem Route(almost a 4 vert concept with the rb as the seam runner)

They fake Jet sweep and love to hit the RB in the seam. Excellent play vs cover 3 rotations. Teams love to roll cover 3 vs jet and they have a nice answer with the HB seem route off of the jet sweep fake. Puts teams in a bind that like to roll the safeties. They also love running this to boundary which I will show you later.

Here is the concept vs UTSA. He reads the alley player and throws it to the RB.

They will also run this route concept with the #3 wr/te in the seem without the jet motion. Nice concept.

4. Cover 2 beaters

 They run excellent routes vs. Cover 2-Here's a great  cover 2 beater which is also excellent vs special coverage where the safety is reading #3. His eyes never leave #3 and the LB is also walling #3. That delay and go by #2 is wide open!

Lastly, they use an air raid passing system:
These routes will include but aren't limited to:

1. Smash

2. Y Cross

3. Shallow

4. Mesh

5. 4 verticals

These are just a few pieces of the W Kentucky offense that I enjoy watching. Hope you enjoyed this article.

Western Kentucky Offensive strategy- Formation into the Boundary vs Michigan State

Western Kentucky Formation into the Boundary  

Western Kentucky had a prolific offense in 2021. One of their strength was using formation passing strength into the boundary. They have an easy system which is as follows.

If they get single coverage or cover 3 they will throw the ball to #1 on the fade or if the CB is off they will throw the ball to #1 on an out cut. 

Any cover 2/4  looks where there is help over #1, they will work the ball back to the boundary side which could be a  twins or trips formation.

If the coverage is 3 they also can throw the ball into the boundary attacking the seem in a few ways which I will get into in this article.

There first 7 times agains Michigan State they were 7 for 7 for 176 yards, averaging 25 yards per play. That's pretty impressive. That's 100% completion rate. 

Vs Michigan State

1st and 10        10 personnel

3x1 into the boundary                    Michigan State goes cover 3 into the boundary with the sam LB over

Route Concept: 4 verts 

Result: Hit #2 wr for a 23 yard gain.

On the same drive they run the same formation.

1st and 10.     10 personnel

3x1 trips into the boundary     Michigan State goes cover 3 again into the boundary, sam LB over

Route concept: Fake quick screen #3 vertical after he fakes blocking

Result: Hit #2 for a 22 yard gain.

1st and 10

11 personnel      twins to the boundary and tight, flank to the field

coverage: They get cover 3 with a press CB  and this gives them a  favorable matchup on the outside to the field.

They run a fade on the outside to #1 on the tight end side. The #1 wr has plenty of room to operate.

Result: 51 yard gain

2nd and 10

twins to the boundary , TE and flanker to the field

They get cover 3 with a soft corner.

Route Concept: #1 now runs a deep out cut based on the coverage.

Result: 12 yard gain

1st and 10

Twins to the boundary and tight end flank to the field

Michigan State goes cover 1with the sam playing to the boundary and strong side safety coming down. No help over the top for the DB as he is in 1x1.

result: They complete the fade to #1 for a 34 yard game

They blitz the sam and play man free. The Mike not blitzing has the RB. 

2nd and 3

Now Michigan State decides to go cover 2

That tells the QB he can't work the 1 wr side and work the trips side. They get cover 2 and the #3 WR runs a nice shallow slant because the mike goes so deep. Looks like 4 verts but the WR breaks under the mike because of the deep drop. 

Result: 18 yard gain

Nice play designs by Western Kentucky. They were successful for 7 of 7 in the first half. Excellent play design by the W Kentucky coaching staff.