Cover 2 QB Spy: 7v7 high school flag football defense

Cover 2 QB Spy is a 7v7 high school flag football zone defense built to stop a running quarterback. Two safeties split the deep field, three defenders cover the short field, one rusher comes on the snap, and M mirrors the quarterback. High school rules let the quarterback run, and the spy is the answer.

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 LOS LS RS LC RC N M R
Two High

How to run it

  1. LS lines up 12 yards deep, left of center, and drops to the deep left half, about 15 yards.
  2. RS lines up 12 yards deep, right of center, and drops to the deep right half, about 15 yards.
  3. LC lines up 5 yards off the widest receiver on the left and takes the left flat, 0 to 6 yards.
  4. RC lines up 5 yards off the widest receiver on the right and takes the right flat, 0 to 6 yards.
  5. N lines up 6 yards deep over the center and takes the short middle, 5 to 10 yards.
  6. M lines up 5 yards deep across from the QB and spies the QB, mirroring side to side and attacking if the QB crosses the line.
  7. R lines up 3 yards off the ball, outside the slot on the left, and rushes from outside in on the snap.
  8. Center: N.
  9. Run fit: R rushes from outside in to push the quarterback toward M, M attacks the moment the quarterback crosses the line, N fills on a handoff, the safeties stay home.
  10. High school fields are 40 to 53 yards wide, so line the corners up wider and add 1 to 2 yards to the deep depths.

The coverage read

M stays 5 yards off the line and mirrors the quarterback side to side. If the quarterback crosses the line, M attacks. If the quarterback throws, M drops into the nearest throwing lane. R comes from outside in so the quarterback can't escape to the edge.

  1. M QB SPY
  2. N SHORT MIDDLE
  3. R RUSH

When to call it

  • Against a quarterback who scrambles or runs keepers.
  • When your rusher keeps getting beaten to the edge.

Tags and formation

Two Highzonespyintermediate

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Common questions

How do you line up Cover 2 QB Spy in 7v7 high school flag football?

Safeties 12 yards deep, corners 5 yards off the outside receivers, N 6 yards over the center, M 5 yards deep across from the quarterback, and the rusher wide on the left.

What beats Cover 2 QB Spy in 7v7 high school flag football?

Throws into the short zones beside N, since the spy stays home, and a back who releases late. N has to widen when nothing comes over the middle.

Do you need Cover 2 QB Spy if the quarterback can run in 7v7 high school flag football?

Yes. Under NFHS flag football rules the quarterback may run, so a quarterback who scrambles can hurt any defense without a spy. Some states add their own limits, so check your state's rules.

Video transcript

Cover 2 QB Spy. Two safeties split the deep halves, and three defenders cover the short field. M mirrors the quarterback and attacks the moment they cross the line. The rusher comes from outside in. Build your plays free on Flag Fifty.

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