Subject: 3 Jobs: force, flat, fold.
Date: October 21, 2026

On Monday Night’s Chalk Talk Q&A call for JDFB members, one of our coaches asked about a problem he’s been having: getting the other coaches to buy in.

Specifically, they’re pushing back against a 5 by 1 alignment off a #2 slot receiver. Not an uncommon thing to push back against.

So common, in fact, that I included the answer in the appendix of my Coaching Football’s 4-2-5 Defense, 2nd Edition manual. There I answered four of the most common “myths” that keep coaches from buying into our 4-2-5 Defense System.

You can get that manual as part of a special offer this month. Just use the link at the end of this email.

My response on the call was just a chance to rant one more time on something I’ve ranted about over and over. On the Football Coaching Podcast, in blog posts, by email, and on the Chalk Talk calls.

So I want to do it one more time. But I’ll keep this rant short.

Your overhang safeties or outside linebackers - or birds, bats, bees, dogs or whatever else you call them - have three jobs if you run a Cover 3 pass defense.

Job #1: Force a Change of Direction. As the force defender, you must force an outside run to either cut back inside or bubble around you to the sideline. If he doesn’t do either one, tackle him.

Job #2: Flat coverage. On a pass read, sprint to the top of the numbers, 12-14 yards deep. Over-emphasize the depth in practice so you hopefully get them to 10 yards.

Job #3: Fold on inside runs. You are late help on inside runs. You must be sure the ball has declared inside before you can jump into help.

The depth and width we teach the overhang safety (or whatever you call him) is the optimal depth to do all three. It’s been tested and proven, over and over, with our JDFB teams.

Follow Coach Jim Reid’s advice first: “Align where they are going, and meet them on the way.”

Don’t apex just because it’s the way you’ve always done it. Get out there. Get wide. Losing the edge means explosive plays and touchdowns. Protect the edge at all cost.

Have enough depth that you can diagnose the play before the blocker gets his hands on you. Depth gives you a chance to read the outside run, then rip outside the blocker.

Depth also puts you closer to your flat drop. Depth puts you at a better angle to fold and help on inside runs.

Width is your friend. Depth is your friend.

Then be patient. Don’t Go Till You Know.

GO when you know. Be decisive.

Or, keep doing it the way you’ve always done it. Keep losing the edge and giving up long outside runs. Keep giving up easy intermediate passes over your flat defender’s head.

That’s fun, right?

Didn’t think so.

Inside JDFB Premium Coaching Systems, I teach all the coaching points for setting the edge in your defense. There’s a special offer this month to get access for $29:

Get the October special offer for JDFB Gold now >>

​~ Joe Daniel