The most important part of the defense is the secondary.  You are the last line of defense.  The secondary carries the burden of a defense being successful.

Qualifications of playing in the secondary are speed, quickness, peripheral vision, timing, and body control.  There is also a very important non-physical aspect to playing in the secondary, the ego.  In other words, proper confidence, the only way to develop proper confidence is through successful experiences.  Once you realize you have the ability to be successful on a fairly constant basis, the next step is to master your skills, and hone your technique, and work until you can be successful over and over again.

Coaching points

• a) Defensive backs play pass first unless they have run force responsibility
• b) Stay low and maintain your pedal as long as possible when playing off
• c) Focus on the receiver but peripheral the QB
• d) Keep the proper leverage on your receiver as he releases
• e) Know the route tree, as the receiver gets deeper you can eliminate possible routes that can be run
• f) Intercept the ball every opportunity that you have.  Anyone can bat it down!
• g) Eliminate wasted motion
• h) If ball is caught drive on the receiver from outside in and make the tackle.