Cover 3: 6v6 flag football defense

Cover 3 is a 6v6 flag football zone defense. Both corners and the safety each take a deep third, two underneath defenders cover the hook and curl areas, and one rusher pressures the quarterback. Nothing gets over the top, so the offense has to work short and in front of you.

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 LOS LC RC S W M R
Single High

How to run it

  1. LC lines up 7 yards off X and bails to the deep left third, about 15 yards.
  2. RC lines up 7 yards off Z and bails to the deep right third, about 15 yards.
  3. S lines up 12 yards deep in the middle and drops to the deep middle third, about 18 yards.
  4. W lines up 5 yards deep over the left slot and drops to the left hook and curl at 7 to 8 yards.
  5. M lines up 5 yards deep over the right slot and drops to the right hook and curl at 7 to 8 yards.
  6. R lines up 10 yards off the ball and rushes the QB.
  7. Center: W or M takes a center release, by side.
  8. Run fit: W, M and R attack, the corners keep contain, S stays home.
  9. For younger divisions, shorten the deep depths by 3 to 5 yards.

The coverage read

The safety reads the quarterback and drives on any throw in the middle. The corners stay deeper than the deepest receiver on their side. W and M sink under the first receiver into their area, then rally to the ball.

  1. LC DEEP THIRD
  2. S MIDDLE THIRD
  3. M CURL

When to call it

  • Against an offense that likes go routes and posts.
  • On long downs when a short completion is fine.

Tags and formation

Single Highzonethree-deepbeginner

More 6v6 defenses like this

Common questions

How do you line up Cover 3 in 6v6 flag football?

Corners 7 yards off the outside receivers, the safety 12 yards deep in the middle, two underneath defenders at 5 yards over the slots, and the rusher 10 yards off the ball.

What beats Cover 3 in 6v6 flag football?

Quick throws to the flats, since only two defenders play underneath, and four verticals that put two receivers in one deep third. The underneath defenders have to widen fast on any flat route.

Is Cover 3 good for beginners in 6v6 flag football?

Yes. Every defender has one area to protect, so it is easy to teach, and it keeps the ball in front of the defense.

Video transcript

Cover 3. Both corners and the safety bail into deep thirds. W and M drop underneath to the curls. The rusher chases the quarterback. Keep everything in front of you and rally to the catch. Build your plays free on Flag Fifty.

The rest of the 6v6 playbook

Browse every 6v6 play in the free Flag50 playbook, with a diagram and a coaching point for each.

All 6v6 plays →

Coach Lite

Keep score and stats for your team with Coach Lite, then send parents one link to follow live.

Get early access. Leave your email and we'll email you the moment your spot opens up.

Coach in a league that still runs on paper? Flag50 scores it live, and the playbook comes with it.

See pricing →Run your first event free →