How to Play Man-to-Man Defense in Football
Man-to-man defense is played basically how the title reads. Defensive backs play man-to-man, or one-on-one, coverage for a number of reasons, including when the receiver is not top-tier talent, when the defensive back is top-tier, when the defense focuses on stopping the run or in blitz situations when it needs to apply pressure on the quarterback. This scheme differs from zone in that the defensive back follows the receiver throughout the receiver's route instead of dumping him off to another defensive back as the receiver leaves his zone.
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Instructions
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Playing man-to-man coverage
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Line up across the wide receiver you're covering. In man-to-man coverage, it's safe to give the wide receiver 5 yards of space. This can give you time to watch a short play develop and, more importantly, prevent a big play. However, distance off the line of scrimmage can vary depending on the down and distance. If it's 3rd-and-1, you'll want to play press coverage to prevent an easy slant or cross for a first down.
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Stay on the inside of the receiver's route and the field as the play begins while you release into your backpedal. The inside of the field has more space for the wide receiver to catch and run, so taking away the inside route is the best method. If you have safety help, such as a cover 2, then you can play to the outside.
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Watch the hips. The receiver's hips will give you all the information you need as to where the receiver is going. Also, watching the quarterback as the play begins is a good indicator as to what the play call is. A three-step drop indicates a short pass, while a seven-step drop indicates an intermediate to deep ball.
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Watch the eyes. Instead of keying in on the quarterback as the play develops, watch the receiver's eyes after he comes out of his break or starts to make a move. If you are running him down on a deep route, the receiver will hint at when the ball is coming as he turns his head and extends his hands.
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Make the tackle. It's important to stay behind the wide receiver to prevent big plays. With limited safety help, man-to-man coverage often leads to big plays, so it's important to stay behind the receiver and wrap him up if he makes the catch.
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