Indiana Football Defense-Bryant Haines and Curt Cignetti Disguise Coverage Concepts
Indiana is one of the best football defenses in college football and currently 10-0. They are coached by Brian Gaines, who came over with Coach Cignetti from James Madison last season.
Some Key Stats about the Defense:
7th in scoring, 15 points allowed per game
6th in opponent’s yards per game, 270
2nd in run defense, 78 yards allowed per game
2nd in rushing yards per attempt, 2.7
5th in opponent’s yards per play
Let’s look at some schemes they run from a coverage and pressure standpoint which highlights how they disguise. We will look at several examples of them disguising coverages and making life difficult on QB. They go both from a split field to single high concept as well as single high to split field so it makes it very hard on your QB.
#1 Pre Snap cover 1 Post Snap Cover 2 with a 5-man pressure
In the first example, they present a single high look and rotate to cover 2. They bring the Sam and Mike to the field and play cover 2
#2 Pre Snap-Cover 1 Post Snap 24(to the field 4 to the boundary)
In the 2nd example, they show single high and rotate and play 4 to the boundary. The free safety makes a great play as he is moving on the snap. They are playing 4 to the boundary and 2 to the field. The Sam LB to the field is the deep 1/2 player.
#3 Pre Snap cover 2 Post Snap 6 Screw or roll. CB to the flat with 1/3 with other DB
The next clip is what some people call 6 screw. You see this vs trips, but they run it vs 2x2. The CB plays the flat and it’s a cover 3 rotation. In the film they play it to the passing strength. REDRAW IT
#4 Pre snap Cover 1 Post Snap Cover 2 Hole
In the next example they start in single high and rotate to cover 2 hole. The pre snap picture is cover 1 and then they rotate to cover 2 hole.
#5 Pre Snap 4 Move late and rotate to cover 3 strong on the snap.
Indiana is in and over front vs 12P. The safety starts creeping down late to the boundary and the Anchor to the field safety rotates to cover 3. They push strong with the will LB and do a great job passing off the route’s underneath.
#6 Pre snap 1/3 to cover 2
They look like it’s cover 1/3 vs empty. When the offense motions back in it eliminates cover 1 but they still present a cover 3 pre snap look. Then on the snap they rotate to cover 2 hole(Tampa 2 with the safety) The pressure gets home and forces the checkdown.
These are just some of the diguise looks you will see from Indiana! I hope you enjoyed this post!