Houston Cougars Cover 2 Trap Variations

The Houston Cougars were a very good defense in college football, although their record doesn’t reflect it. They were #1 in the big 12 in several categories and Nationally, they finished #20 in total defense, #34 in scoring defense, #22 in passing yards allowed and played well despite the offense struggling at times.

One of the concepts I really like is playing cover 2 trap coverage from different fronts. It’s a concept you can use both with pressure by sending 5 and without it by sending 3 or 4. This concept can be utilized to the field or the boundary and from several pre snap presentations. You will see it from a cover 1 pre snap structure as well as a cover 4 pre snap presentation.

Blitzing: This is a nice concept as it allows you to bring 2 blitzers and play trap concepts. It’s a 5 man pressure either out of bear or your base look with the DE to the boundary dropping into coverage.

It is effective as it gives the illusion as a man pressure pre-snap but becomes cover 2 post snap. The teams that do it effectively show a single high look pre snap, then on the snap are playing cover 2.

One thing to keep in mind is this is a pressure accounting for the fact that you expect the team to keep the back in protection. You aren’t accounting for him essentially in the passing game. So teams that are true 6 man or check releasing the back are the teams you want to run this pressure against.

Again it looks like man free pre snap. On the snap your are playing 3 over 2 to the field with cover 2. The Curl defender has to wall #2 and carry him vertically and in.

Another example from an odd front. They bring both LB and play 2 trap to the field.

Again, the rules are simple to the 3 wr side:

CB trapping off #2

FS plays and walls #2 vertically and in

SS must get over the top of #1

From the 4-2-5 look you can disguise it the same way. You give the presentation of man free or single high and then on the snap you are moving.

From the 4-2, you can send the Star and the Mike anyway you want and play the will and blood as your drop defenders. The free safety is coming down hard to play the curl to the 2 wr side. He will wall and carry the #2 WR inside and vertical. This will be the same for the WIll LB. He should wall and carry #2 vertically if he gets that to his side.

The free safety plays the curl again to the strong side.

2 Trap 3 Man Rush

3 keys to trap coverage:

#1 CB tries to jump #2 on the out, doesn’t get it sink

#2 Safety must get over the top of #1 WR

#3 LB to the side must carry #2 WR vertically and in

Without pressure is another variation you will see. Here is a great example of Houston playing 2 trap to the field.

It is presented as a 4-2 with cover 4 pre snap. The CB comes down to the field and plays trap.

The QB sees the CB come down and split #1 and #2 and gets off his read. The Safety rolls over the top to the field. The free safety plays the middle hole in Tampa 2 with the boundary CB becoming the 1/2 player. The DE drops to the flat and the weak CB gets the deep 1/2.

The QB sees the trap player in the field CB

The hole defender reads the QB and reacts well and they get the interception.

Film:

Another variation vs Baylor where they got 2 picks off the same coverage. They showed cover 4 pre snap and this confused the QB when they moved to 2.