5 on 5 Flag Football Defense 5 defenses with diagrams
We diagram 5 defenses for 5 on 5 flag football: 1-3-1 Zone, Man-to-Man with One Rusher (Cover 0), 2-2 Zone (Cover 2), Cover 3 Zone (No Rush) and Two-Rusher Zone (2-2-1 zone). 4 are zones and 1 is man-to-man. The table shows how many rushers and deep defenders each one uses and where it is weakest.
| Defense | Coverage | Rushers drawn | Deep defenders | Suggested divisions | Main weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3-1 Zone | Zone | 1 | 1 | 6U, 8U, 10U, 12U | Only one deep defender. |
| Man-to-Man with One Rusheraka Cover 0 | Man-to-man | 1 | None | 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U | The shown pressure version has no deep help. |
| 2-2 Zone (Cover 2)aka 1-2-2 zone or Cover 2 zone | Zone | 1 | 2 | 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U | The short middle is empty. |
| Cover 3 Zone (No Rush)aka 2-3 zone or No-rush zone | Zone | 0 | 3 | 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U | The quarterback has time. |
| Two-Rusher Zoneaka 2-2-1 zone or Double-rush zone | Zone | 2 | 1 | 10U, 12U, 14U | Only three defenders remain in coverage against four receivers. |
Rusher counts describe the drawn version, not permission to rush. Check your league's rule first: see flag football rushing rules. Drawn with no rusher: Cover 3 Zone (No Rush).
1-3-1 Zone
The shown pressure version uses one rusher, three short defenders around 5 yards deep and one safety around 10 yards back. Each defender starts with an area and tracks receivers entering it. Use the written no-rush adaptation where the division prohibits passer rushing.
When to use it: Use the shown pressure version only when the division permits rushing the passer. The NFL FLAG standard rulebook currently linked by NFL FLAG prohibits passer rushing in regular-season 6U, 7U and 8U and grade-based divisions; tournament rules differ. For a no-rush adaptation, RU becomes an extra middle-right coverage defender between M and RC. LC, M and RC retain their short areas and S stays deep. Rehearse all five jobs before using that different call, and check the adopted local rules.
Main weakness: Only one deep defender. Two receivers going deep down both sidelines leave the safety guessing.
Plays that attack it: Flood, Curl-Flat, Spread Verticals, Levels.
Man-to-Man with One Rusher (Cover 0)
The shown pressure version assigns LC, M, NB and RC to the four eligible receivers while RU starts beyond 7 yards and rushes when the division permits it. This is Cover 0, with no deep safety in the diagram. Rehearse coverage and non-contact pursuit; speed alone does not decide whether the call works.
When to use it: Use it when your defenders are at least as fast as the other team's receivers, when the offense throws a lot of quick short passes, or late in a game when you need to take away the easy catch. It is also a good way to find out early which of your kids can really cover.
Main weakness: The shown pressure version has no deep help. Losing a step on a route or missing a flag can allow a long gain.
Plays that attack it: Mesh, Bunch Slant-Flat-Corner, Stack Go-Out.
2-2 Zone (Cover 2)
Two short defenders guard the left and right sides near the line, two safeties split the deep field in half, and one rusher chases the quarterback. With two defenders deep, long passes are hard to complete. It is the go-to defense against a team with a strong arm or one very fast receiver.
When to use it: Use it against teams that like to throw deep, against a single fast receiver who beats man coverage, and at the end of a half when the offense needs a long gain. It asks less of each defender than man-to-man, because every player has a clear area.
Main weakness: The short middle is empty. With only two short defenders, a receiver who settles in front of the center at 4 to 8 yards is often wide open.
Plays that attack it: Smash, Drive, Spread Verticals.
Cover 3 Zone (No Rush)
Nobody rushes. All five defenders drop into coverage: two guard the short left and right sides, and three split the deep field into thirds. The quarterback gets the whole pass clock, but every throwing lane is crowded. It frustrates young quarterbacks who like to throw deep and have not learned to take the short pass.
When to use it: Use it against a team with a strong deep passer, when protecting a lead late in a game, or when the other quarterback is inaccurate and likely to force a throw into a crowd. Leagues that use a pass clock (7 seconds in many leagues) make it stronger, because the QB still has to throw before time runs out. Check your league's clock.
Main weakness: The quarterback has time. A patient QB will find the short, open receiver on almost every down.
Two-Rusher Zone (2-2-1 zone)
Two rushers come at the quarterback from both sides of the center, two short defenders guard the left and right, and one safety guards everything deep. It is a pressure call: the QB gets very little time, and young quarterbacks often throw it away or get their flag pulled. The cost is thin coverage behind the rush.
When to use it: Call it when the quarterback holds the ball too long, on a long-yardage down when the offense needs time for a deep route, or as a surprise once or twice a half. NFL FLAG allows up to two rushers, and both must start 7 yards back with a hand raised. Check your league, because some allow only one.
Main weakness: Only three defenders remain in coverage against four receivers. Quick route combinations can stretch their zones before the rush arrives.
Plays that attack it: Spread Verticals, Bunch Slant-Flat-Corner, Stack Go-Out.
What the offense will call against you
Every defense above gives something up. See the plays coaches use against zone defense and against man-to-man, then run them at your own defense in practice.
Other format: 7 on 7 flag football defense. All formats and the beginner pick: flag football defense. Offense for this format: 5 on 5 plays.