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Let’s keep chipping away at what new Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will bring to the green and gold. Earlier today, we broke down his career resume. This time, we’re going to do a deep dive into the types of coverages that he runs. Spoiler: He loves Quarters/Cover 4.
To set the table, let’s get a couple of terms nailed down so that we can have a conversation about what Gannon is or isn’t. For the most part, we’re going to talk about coverages split into three categories: man coverages, old zone coverages and the quarters family of coverages.
If I had to explain what all these coverages are and their variations, it could take 50,000 words. Instead, I’ll link you to a video that does a good job of giving you the basics on what these schemes are.
The Cliff Notes version is that man coverage is when defenders cover eligible route-runners based on where they line up pre-snap. They do not pass these players off.
Zone coverages, be it old zone coverages or the quarter family, have defenders cover players (or even just grass) based on the route combinations that these eligible receivers run. The old zone coverages are mostly three-deep coverages (most Cover 2 at the NFL level is Tampa 2), while the quarters family generally allocates an extra player to the deeper portion of the field. The exception is when teams play Cover 6, which is Cover 4/Quarters to one side of the field and Cover 2 to the other side of the field.
And here is where things get very confusing. There’s also a whole family of coverages called Cover 7, where the coverages essentially turn into man coverage after a certain depth. There are very specific play calls made to change the ways players sort these route combinations. (This is very much a thinking man’s defense.)
Instead of spot drop zone (old zone coverages where defenders are covering space instead of players and are supposed to have their eyes on the quarterback to make a break on the ball), this Cover 7 family has defenders reading releases and routes to determine who they end up picking up in (at least hypothetically) tight coverage down the field.
If you want to learn about Cover 7, the best way to do so is by listening to this clinic from former Alabama defensive backs coach Karl Scott, who now serves as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive backs coach.
Before we get into Gannon, we have to talk...
