Xs and fOes: Where teams will copy Vandy & impact of Brock Bowers’ absence
Vanderbilt did something noticeable last weekend against Georgia. They were the first team that really wanted the Bulldogs to run the football on first and second down (early downs).
How can you tell? The Commodores played Cover 4, or quarters, coverage on almost half of the early down plays and significantly more than any team prior. That and missed opportunities by Georgia led to the Bulldogs offense being at just 30 points and six yards per play (comparatively low) before the late big runs by Daijun Edwards and Cash Jones.
Let’s examine how Vanderbilt played and also the Brock Bowers component. Many of the highlighted plays show where Georgia’s offense will be different without Bowers and his biggest impact outside of great plays with the ball in his hand.
Quarters coverage
As you can see in the above still shots, quarters coverage in its most basic form is pretty straight forward. Four players, usually the two corners and two safeties, each covering a deep “quarter” off the field. There are advantages and disadvantages of this and any coverage, but one can see the ideal goal of the coverage: keep the offense from winning down the field.
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