What do cornerbacks do

In terms of defending passing plays, a corner will be typically assigned to either zone or man-to-man coverage.

The most effective cornerbacks are typically called "shutdown corners," because they can cover an offensive receiver so effectively, on either side of the field, that the quarterback doesn't bother to throw towards or target the receiver being covered by a "shutdown corner" any longer. A "shutdown corner" is most often used to identify a cornerback that "lines up" on either side of the defensive zone of the field of play.

This term, "shutdown corner", is typically used to refer to only an elite few players in the game of American Football. In zone coverage, the cornerback defends an assigned area of the field. Many schemes and variations were created to provide defensive coordinators great latitude and flexibility which aim to thwart offensive schemes.

When a team is using zone coverage, some areas of the field require special attention when defending against specific pass plays. These are basic terms perhaps the most generic for the basic zones and routes which vary system to system, league to league, and team to team. Advanced forms of coverage may involve "quarterback spies" and "containment" coverages, as well as various "on field adjustments" that require shifts and rotations; the latter usually initiated by the captain of the secondary typically the free safety during the quarterback's cadence.

At this time the captain attempts to "read" the alignment pro set, split set, trips, etc. He will base his decision on past experience, game preparation, and a sound comprehension of his teammates strengths, abilities, and tendencies. These adjustments may change on a play by play basis, due to substitutions or even evolving weather or field conditions. For example, defensive coordinators may favor a tendency to play a less aggressive containment style zone coverage during wet or slippery field conditions to avoid problems associated with over-pursuit when a defender takes a poor angle on a ball carrier and cannot redirect in time due to poor footing.

The cover 1 defense has just one defender playing in a deep zone downfield. Normally the one defender playing the deep zone downfield is the Safety. The corner's primary responsibility is to play on or off the receiver, and not let him release vertically.

Often defensive coordinators will not use Cover 1 unless the cornerbacks for that team are very good at man-to-man coverage. The cover 1 defense is normally only used when offenses are just trying to gain a short amount of yards. An aggressive defense, Cover 1 is employed because it provides for a safety net over the top, but gives the other safety the freedom to rush the line of scrimmage or drop back into coverage.

The Cover 2 is popular among defensive coordinators in the National Football League because it implements two safeties to defend the deep routes instead of one.

This coverage allows the safeties to watch the play develop in front of them thus allowing the corners to pursue a more aggressive style of play. Cover 2 is a "2 Deep Zone" that uses four defensive backs.

Two safeties line up deep, around 11—15 yards off the line of scrimmage usually each safety stands on or a few feet from his hash mark , while the cornerbacks line up around five yards from the wide receivers which are nearest to each sideline.

In Cover 2, the cornerback is usually responsible for "containment". This is where he does not allow anyone to run outside of him between him and the sideline.

He then funnels or jams receivers towards the middle and within five yards, reads the quarterback, and finally drops back to defend the void if there is not a throw to the flat or a running play.

This is also known as the "Catch and Run Technique". Typically with the Cover 2, cornerbacks mirror each other's zone responsibilities. However, sometimes they play a "man-up" style bump and run, a form of bump and run designed to eliminate the short pass, where the receiver is forced to the near sideline, which is the opposite of the run oriented "containment" style of Cover 2. Usually if one corner is in man to man coverage, the other is in man to man coverage as well.

The two safeties act as a security blanket for deep routes. In a "Cover 3", the two corners and free safety defend their assigned deep thirds of the field, where the corners defend the outside third, hence the term corner while the safety defends the middle third. This allows the strong safety to address a full range of duties depending on what reads he makes coupled with the coverage called.

These duties may simply include single or zone coverage, being a quarterback spy, providing extra run support in short yardage situations, or to stunt or blitz through a gap or from the end.

Most of the time, cornerbacks line up opposite of wide receivers on the offense and guard them to prevent a completed pass. It can be a challenging position to play as it can be very hard to guess where a receiver or tight end may go to catch a pass.

Cornerbacks line up in what is called the secondary as in the second line of defense. If an offensive player can get past the secondary, they will most likely score. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Jobe Lewis. Updated April 13, Featured Video. Football Basic Positions on Defense. Understanding the Cover 3 Zone Defense in Football. Understanding the Cover 2 Zone Defense.

Wideout - a Definition and Explanation. The Slot in Football - Definition and Explanation. Stay calm. Judge your receiver's speed. You shouldn't be in a rush to open up, because that gets you on your heels and that's when receivers will take advantage. If he does break your cushion, gets you to open up, and then breaks into a route, its okay.

Don't panic; read his hips and use your great technique and transition speed to break on the route. At the same, you want to make sure you don't get beat deep. Here's something to remember this rule by:. Hey, he's cheating and refs don't call most push-offs anyway , so its okay even the playing field by using this little tactic. I would be doing you a disservice if I told you to just tell the ref about the pushing off. Most times they won't even notice, and they might ignore your complaints, anyway.

Sometimes in football as in life you're gonna have to get a bit dirty. Just don't get caught ;. This bends the rules a bit, but its better than getting scored on, and I've never seen a flag thrown for it. This tactic slows the receiver a bit so you can make up ground and break up the pass or make a play on the ball.