Tennessee will kick off the 2020 season at South Carolina on Sept. 26.
The contest will be the third meeting between Jeremy Pruitt and Will Muschamp since 2018. South Carolina defeated Tennessee, 27-24, in Pruitt’s first season as the Vols’ head coach in 2018 and UT was victorious last season, 41-21, against the Gamecocks.
Muschamp and Pruitt are defensive coaches and both play CLIP within a split safety coverage.
In STUBBIE and STUMP, the cornerback to field side is playing by himself. CLIP is way to flip the field. On the backside, 3×1 is still the same in playing CONE or CONNIE. This is determined by the split of the X-receiver. The field cornerback will play a CUT technique. The safety will play wider off the hash, carrying the inside man.
The STAR plays CUT on the No. 2 wide receiver, having him up the field and back towards the ball. If the No. 2 goes out, then he is responsible for the No. 1 receiver. The MONEY has CUT on the No. 3 wide receiver, again up the field and back towards the ball. If he goes out, he then goes to the No. 1. If the No. 3 wide receiver is fast, then the backside safety poaches him in a look like CONE.
Since the No. 2 and No. 3 are going vertical, safeties can get four yards outside of the dividers and six yards outside of the hash. If the No. 1 wide receiver is going vertical, CLIP is usually not played.
The coverage is good to also take away inside breaking routes.
Understanding CONE, STUMP, SMASH, POSTER and FIT within the split safety coverage
Understanding Jeremy Pruitt’s split safety coverage: CONNIE
Understanding Jeremy Pruitt’s split safety coverage: STUBBIE
Fall training camp: Derrick Ansley details Tennessee’s defensive backfield