The Riverboat Defense: Coverage Package

with Anthony Pratley,
former Concordia University (Ann Arbor) Offensive Coordinator;
innovator of the Pistol Spread Option Offense

One of the primary objectives of the Riverboat Defense is to disrupt the offense. But it not only disrupts an offense - it dismantles it! This defense will help coaches at all levels confuse quarterbacks while providing multiple ways to disguise coverages, press, and disrupt receivers routes. You'll force offenses into making mistakes, leading to turnovers and empty possessions.

Though a huge part of the Riverboat coverage package is an in-your-face press coverage, it's complemented by a vast zone concept that is simplified because of rules for each coverage. Anthony Pratley walks you though his incredibly versatile coverage package for the Riverboat Defense. The unique cover scheme allows you to adjust to the opponent and move from bump and run to a zone in which players listen to colors to determine the side of the rotation. Multiple ways of playing Cover 2 and Cover 3 are presented, which allow you the flexibility of taking away the strength of any offense.

Pratley uses a color-coded PowerPoint presentation to give you a clear picture of the drops and responsibilities of each coverage. All 13 possibilities create an incredibly confusing defensive package for any quarterback to execute the passing game against.

Coverage Overview

Coach Pratley categorizes coverages into man, zone, and special coverages. He utilizes a Cover 0, Cover 1, and a Banjo coverage in which defenders match routes in their area rather than running past each other as in traditional man coverages. Additionally, Pratley diagrams the zone coverages that he teaches players. The coverages presented are several variations of Cover 2, Cover 3, Cover 4, and Cover 5 and 8. The Cover 5 and Cover 8 are "prevent" type coverages that can be utilized at the end of a half or the end of a game.

Special Coverages

You'll learn Pratley's "robber" coverage, which changes the free safety's responsibility to match the route of a specific offensive player. Directional tags are used to tell the free safety which offensive player to read. Robber technique by the free safety is discussed in detail, as well as the other defenders that have different assignments due to the robber call. Robber can be called with Cover 3 and with Cover 0 coverages, and Pratley discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each variation.

Coach Pratley concludes the video by describing the technique that he teaches to his corners when executing the various coverages. He discusses how he has his defense show a Cover 0 man-to-man look on every snap and move after the snap to execute the coverage called. You'll learn the "bail" technique that he teaches to his corners that enables them to play zone coverage from a man-to-man alignment. Also, Pratley describes the press technique he teaches to his corners from the same man-to-man alignment. By varying the corner's technique from the same alignment, the defense can confuse the opposing quarterback and coaching staff.

Spread offenses rely on multiple formations and tempo to confuse the defense. The problem of defending the spread is solved by using the Riverboat Defense! Because of simple alignment rules, players are allowed to confuse the offense, leading to negative plays and turnovers.

59 minutes. 2017.