Football 101: Combination coverage

Updated: November 7, 2003, 1:57 PM ET
By Bob Davie | Special to ESPN.com
Every week in college football, defensive coordinators are faced with the challenge of coming up with a plan to try and defend great wide receivers. Across the country there are a number of wide receivers who are capable of single-handedly dominating a football game.

Wide receivers like Michigan's Braylon Edwards, Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald, USC's Mike Williams, Texas' Roy Williams and Rashaun Woods of Oklahoma State are game breakers. Not only do they have great speed and play-making ability, but they also present matchup problems because of their size.

In today's class, we will take a look at some schemes used to try and control great wide receivers. We will focus on passing-down situations and explain some combination coverages that great wide receivers see on a weekly basis.


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Bob Davie

College Football
Bob Davie, a veteran college football coach of 25 years, most recently as head coach at the University of Notre Dame, serves as an analyst on college football game telecasts and select studio shows.

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