In youth flag football most defenses play a mixture of man coverage and zone. With that said, you will need 7v7 flag football coverage beaters. Most defenses play cover 1, cover 2 man, cover 2 zone, cover 3, and/or cover 4. You will need passing plays that can beat all of those coverages. Below are the flag football plays that beat those coverages.
These passing plays can be executed on any age level of flag football / 7v7 football. Most of our passing concepts have a zone beater to one side and a man beater to the other. This will allow us to always have an answer for what the defense does.
This is important because they may show man coverage pre-snap, then actually play zone post snap- or vice versa. Also, some leagues do not allow the center to go out for a pass. If you coach in one of those leagues, disregard the center’s route.
7v7 Flag Football Coverage Beaters
Beating Cover 1 in Flag Football
Cover 1 is a defensive coverage were all the underneath defenders are playing man and there is one middle safety playing zone. That safety is usually playing deep and in the middle of the field. Many man free (cover 1) teams will have their safety read the roll-out / shoulder of the QB.
Cover 1 Beater (off / press man): Slant-Arrow & Post-Out
Play Calling QB Read Note: This is a great concept against press or off man coverage. If you are facing press man, have the QB look to the slant-arrow side. If you’re facing off man, have him look to the post-out side.
Slant-Arrow (right side)
Slant-Arrow is a great passing concept that is quick hitting and will allow you to take advantage of off man coverage defenders. Most defensive backs aren’t good at driving on the football out of their backpedal. The slant and arrow routes are easy to execute and are very easy throws for the QB. It’s pretty good against press man as well- especially if your receivers are good at beating press coverage.
QB Progression: Look to hit the slant first. Read- (1): slant. (2): Arrow.
Coaching Points: If the defense is playing off man, but the CB is playing with inside leverage you can have the QB look arrow first. It really depends on the match up. They’re pretty much the same routes, slant is in-breaking, the arrow is out-breaking. Make sure the wide receiver cheats his split out pretty wide. This will give him room and space to slant inside. This is a catch the snap, and throw the football concept!
Post-Out (left side)
The Post-Out Concept is one of the best passing concepts in football. It’s a great man to man coverage beater, as well as a zone coverage beater. With that said, the post-out concept is deadly against off man. This is a 3-step drop.
QB Progression: (1): Out. (2): Post.
Coaching Points: Make sure the inside receiver cheats his split in- this will give him more space to execute his out route. This is especially important on flag / 7v7 football fields (usually the fields are smaller). The post player is driving his route 8 yards then breaking to the post. The out player is driving his route 8 yards and breaking on the out route. Make sure your receivers execute great route stems.
Bonus Play! Flag Football Coverage Beater- Post-Out and Up
Once you beat the defense with the out route, hit them them with the post-out & up concept!
Coaching Point: On the out and up you will want your player to break on his out route at no more than 5 yards (instead of 8 yards on the post-out). This will force the defensive back to drive on the out right away, and have no time to recover when he realizes it’s an out and up. You can also have a double move to the slant-arrow side- do a slant-arrow & up. The inside receiver will run an arrow route, show hands and run a go. Out of all of our 7v7 flag football coverage beaters the Post-Out & Up is one of my favorites.
Cover 2 Man-Under Beater (off & press man): The Mesh Concept
Cover 2 man under is a coverage where the defense plays with 2-high safeties, splitting the field in half. The 5 underneath defenders are all playing man. They will be playing either off man or press man coverage- mesh is good against both. This is a coverage that will be used in leagues where the center isn’t eligible.
The mesh concept is one of the best man coverage beaters in football. It’s utilized on all levels of football- from youth to the NFL. Mesh is a great way to allow your athletes to work in space and utilize the width of the field. This version of the mesh concept is fantastic because the outside receivers are going vertical, which will hold keep the two safeties deep- not allow them to roll down or jump / rob the crossing routes.
QB Progression: (1): 4. (2): 2. (3): 6 ‘check down’. You can change the QB’s progression to reading the 2 (underneath crosser) first, then looking for the 4 (over mesh) second. I recommend seeing where you have the best match and have the QB look for that player first.
Coaching Points: Make sure that your crossing route players do not collide. The 2 comes underneath and the 4 is over the top of the 2. When they cross you want them tight. Also, make sure they do not slow down- make the defender chase them- use the width of the field, run to the outside- the outside receivers are clearing out. The two outside WRs (1) & (5) need to outside release and get vertical. They need to clear out the CBs and keep the safeties deep! This is critical.
Cover 2 Zone Beater: Scissors / Post-Corner
The best way to beat zone coverage is to flood an area! You can flood vertically, or horizontally. These zone coverage beaters below are nasty!
The Post-Corner / Scissors Concept is the best cover 2 zone beater. This concept isolations the safety- if the QB sees the Safety play the post, he throws the corner route to the 2. If the S plays the corner route, Q throws the post to 1. The 6 will swing, which should hold the CB and not allow him to climb / carry the 1 on the post. There is a man to man coverage beater to the other side(slant-fade). Keep in mind, you can swap the concept sides- meaning run the post-corner on the right and the slant-arrow to the left.
QB Progression: (1): Corner Route to the 2. (2) Post Route to the 1. (3): Swing Pass to the 6. The QB is reading the post-corner side FS. He covers the post, throw the corner. If he covers the corner, throws the post. If it’s man coverage or they check to man coverage, have him look to the slot fade / slant side.
Coaching Points: Make sure your receivers (1) & (2) cheat their splits in, this will help open up the corner route and give the (2) more space for his outbreaking corner route.
Download: Lightning 7v7 Playbook
Beating Cover 3- Zone Beater: Flood Concept
The Flood Concept is what we call an any zone coverage beater! It’s good against cover 2, cover 3, and cover 4. It’s particularly good against cover 3. When the defense plays cover 3, they will only have 2 outside zone defenders- a deep 3rd CB and a CB that is responsible for the flat. When you send 3 receivers, they can only cover 2 of them.
If the defense is coached properly, they will have the CB get depth and get underneath the out, and then rally down to the 3 on the swing- which is fine, just throw the swing. However, most of the time the out will be open.
Coaching Progression: (1) Corner route from 1. (2) Out route from 2. (3) swing pass from 3. Most of the time the out will be open, but make sure your QB works high to low. You don’t want him to miss the deep corner route if it’s open for a touchdown or a huge gain.
Coaching Points: It’s very important that your receivers cheat their splits in, so they give themselves room on their out break. The 1 will drive his route 8 yard and break for the corner- this is a vertical route to the corner of the endzone- not an out. The 2 will drive his route 8 yard and break on the out. The 3 will swing wide, look for the football. If it’s a late throw, the 3 should be facing the QB (square up to him). Going 4-verticals is also a very good cover 3 and cover 2 beater.
Beating Cover 4 Zone: Drive Concept
Cover 4 in flag football is really just 4 deep zone defenders (quarters) and 3 under defenders. Cover 4 is mostly used in situations were they want to defend deep. That’s why the Drive Concept is great- it has the potential to hit deep even though the defense is playing 4 defenders deep.
QB Progression: The QB is reading the middle linebacker- that’s who this concept is high-lowing. If he sits or stays flat, hit the deep dig from 3. If he gets depth on his drop, hit the shallow cross underneath. If the safety drives on the dig, you can hit the post to the (1) behind the safety. Most of the time the deep dig is open.
Coaching Points: Make sure the receivers line up a little wider, this will give themselves room for their in-breaking routes. This is basically just a flood, but down the middle of the field with in-breaking routes.
The (3) will drive his route up field for 10 yards, then break on the dig. The (2) will get right into his shallow route, with a slight climb as he crosses. You can also have him sit between the M and the W. The (1) will drive his route up-field for 8 yards, then break on the post. The (5) will outside release and get vertical (clear out). The 4 will attack the flat- pull that W outside.
See Also: Free 7v7 Playbook
See Also: 6v6 Flag Football Plays
See Also: 10 Best Flag Football Plays
Conclusion
These 7v7 Flag Football Coverage Beaters are all easy to execute and will work well on all age levels of youth football. These plays can be executed out of any formation really. If your center isn’t eligible, then just disregard their routes.