4-2-5 Defense Cover 2 Variations: Using your LB and DB in versatile Ways

Playing Cover 2 is very common in both the NFL and college football. Teams play it standard at both levels with the basic cover 2 rules, but this article looks at some variations in a 4-2-5 defense. Traditional cover 2 plays the defense with the Sam LB as a curl defender and the Strong safety to the field as a deep 1/2 defender and the Mike as a middle hook/hole defender. This article looks at a nice variation in which your Sam is the field 1/2 safety the Deep 1/2 safety is your hook defender and the the Mike linebacker also adjusts and plays the curl.

In order to play this variation you need a Sam LB that is more of a DB type that can be a deep 1/2 player. This allows a more athletic field safety player to play the middle of the field and cover more ground than a traditional Mike LB would.

Let’s look at this concept vs 2x2 formation and vs 3x1.

vs 2x2

When you play your Mike outside with a wide 2 like Indiana does below, it allow you to be more versatile in cover 2. Indiana does it below. On run that Mike can fold back inside on plays away.

Again the Sam aligns outside #2 and the Mike cheats outside the box vs a wide 2.

The rules are as follows:

CB-Flat 2 to 1 reads

Sam LB-Deep 1/2 Player Mike-Curl Defender Will-Curl Defender

Anchor or Strong Safety is your hole, tampa 2 defender

Free Safety-Deep 1/2

Here’s another example of the concept below and how the defense will align and move vs 2x2 formation. The field and formation call is to the defensive right.

Film Clips

Vs 3x1

The Chiefs run the concept vs the Bengals. The Mike to the trips side plays the curl.

2 more clips from the Chiefs

Indiana is in a load front/ The Mike is aligned head up on #3 and gets to the curl. The Field Safety (anchor) lines up inside # 3 and is reading 3 to 2 and plays the middle hole.

Film

On the next version they show pressure but bail on the snap. They play the safety as the middle hole player and give the offense a different look.