Defensive Backs Who Have Been Beaten by a Receiver Must Run Like Crazy to Catch Up Without Looking Back at the Quarterback

Football (Video Link) - Defensive Back Strategy When Outrun by a Receiver

Dick Moss, Editor, Physical Education Update.com

Here's a defensive back tip that's appropriate for both your varsity football team and your girls' flag football squad.

The tip is on what to do when your defensive backs get beaten by a fast receiver. It happens every game: a speedster blows by your defender, leaving your player with a large gap to make up in order to cover the potential pass.

Avoid the Biggest Mistake
The tendency is for your player to look back at the quarterback to see if the ball is on the way. That's the most common mistake made by inexperienced defensive backs. The key is not to turn to look for the ball. Your player must focus on sprinting as fast as possible to catch the receiver because if he's not in position when the pass is thrown, nothing else matters.

Turning the head will slow your player down and leave him disoriented if the receiver changes direction. And if the receiver slows down, there's the possibility that your defender might run into him, causing an interference penalty.

Once your player has caught up, he still shouldn't look back because his job is to maintain position on a receiver who is running full speed. Once the receiver jumps, brings his hands up, or turns for the ball or it's an indication that the ball is on the way. At this point, your player must attempt to get his hands between the receivers' hands and the ball.

You can see a video of Tim Gardner describing this technique at the following link:
Defensive Back Tip

Reference: Tim Gardner, "How to Play Football: Advanced Football Tips & Techniques: How to Defend a Pass to Wide Receivers When They Outrun You." Expert Village.com, 2006.

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