With spread teams continuing to become more prevalent in offensive football, the use of safeties and corners in defending the run and screen game has also increased. The secondary players are continually drilled in getting “downhill” to stop the run or “being fast” to beat the quick outside tunnel and bubble screens. Without proper consideration and preparation, a defensive secondary can quickly become vulnerable to double moves. We do need our secondary to help effectively defend the run, but not at the expense of a quick and easy score by the offense. At Southern Arkansas University we drill double moves, educate our players on the when’s and why’s of double moves, and incorporate double moves into all of our drill work.
Our first priority is to drill the proper defense of double moves. Understanding the different types of double moves, recognizing double moves, and developing a comfort level in playing double moves proves to be an effective start. A key component is making certain our eyes are always focused on the inside hip of the receiver. Next, we drill proper angles when defending double moves. We never want to undercut an “out” cut or an inside move. We will drive on the upfield shoulder of both cuts. Our priorities are to first make sure we are in position to make the tackle, then to break up the pass, and finally to make an interception. By drilling these proper angles, we place ourselves in a less vulnerable position against double moves and cheap scores. We will drill double moves just like other cuts, but understand we can all play the double move when we know it’s coming.
Our players know what double moves are long before we ever hit the practice field. Early in camp, the when’s and why’s of double moves have been introduced in the meeting rooms. We try to help our players understand when double moves are coming. Our safeties echo “watch for double moves” after any tackle is made by a secondary player on a run play. If we are in a great position on a screen or drive hard on a short ball and get a pass break up, the secondary again echoes the same reminder. We try to keep verbal cues present during practice as well as games. When blocking schemes of favorite run plays are discussed in meetings, the potential spots for double moves are always introduced.
We try to help our players develop an understanding of what people see and what they are trying to accomplish against their techniques over the course of a ball game. If we get double moves on tape, we focus on any clues that may help us know what’s coming. Variations in route depth, variations in route speed, breakdown distances before a stalk block, and variation in splits are several hints we look for when trying to identify and recognize the when’s of double moves.
The element of surprise is an effective tool for working on defending double moves. Every drill that we work as a secondary can potentially become a double move drill. Our players are focused on the inside hip of a receiver when we drill any cut. The receiver has the option of moving on any rep. If the receiver wiggles, the secondary player defends the double move. Our guys learn through repetition that every route is potentially a double move and it can happen at any time. By allowing this freedom in our drills, we are not only emphasizing proper eye placement, but training our players to defend a double move at all times.
About the author: David Reeves serves as both defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Southern Arkansas University. 2010 marks his fourth season at SAU. He previously was a graduate assistant at Alabama where he coached cornerbacks. Reeves has an extensive background coaching on the high school level in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. He is a graduate of Athens State and received his Master’s Degree from Alabama.