Playbooks
Tampa 2 Show 3 is a disguised coverage play out of the Grizzly 3-4 Base 5-2 personnel that shows a Cover 3 shell pre-snap before rotating into a true Tampa 2 look at the snap. The Mike linebacker walls off the middle hook zone while the free safety flies deep down the pipe to close the seams, and both corners sink into deep quarter or deep third landmarks depending on the disguise trigger. This is a zone beater deterrent rather than an offensive concept, so your primary read as the defense is watching for the quarterback to attack the deep middle or seams, then triggering underneath zone defenders to squeeze in-cutting routes before the deep safety help arrives.
Watch the free safety pre-snap alignment, if he is aligned deep and centered the disguise is already showing its hand to sharp offensive players Key the quarterback eyes at the snap, if he looks to the deep middle hole immediately be ready to user the Mike into the seam This shell beats vertical seam shots, deep post routes, and skinny posts that rely on Cover 3 or single high spacing It is vulnerable to quick flat and curl combinations underneath if your linebackers do not get depth fast enough in their zone drops Watch for corners sitting too flat footed at the snap, aggressive route runners can stem outside and stack them before the safety rotates over the top
Hold your disguise as long as possible before the snap so the quarterback commits to a Cover 3 beater instead of a Tampa 2 beater
Use this call on early downs when you expect play action or shot plays targeting the deep middle since the extra deep safety help discourages those throws
Manually control the Mike linebacker after the snap to drop him deeper into the middle hook and close throwing lanes to slot seam routes
Mix this in after running Cover 3 or Cover 2 Invert from the same set so the pre-snap picture looks identical and the offense cannot key on safety rotation
Avoid using this on obvious passing downs against spread formations since the extra defender in the middle can leave you light underneath against quick flood concepts