Tips on playing Free safety? 10 pts.?

Question

I am playing high school football (freshman), and I would appreciate it if you could give me tips on playing free safety. Like tips on hitting, Reading the QB, playing better coverage, and playing the posistion free safety better and getting better at the posistion. Thanks a ton for all who answered/helped =)

Answer 1

Just try not to get beat over the top. If a QB stares down a receiver he is usually not going to throw to him. It's just distraction. If you need help on hitting look to see if the guy is following the football. Try to hit him just after he catches it and doesn't get a chance to take off running. Don't go for picks unless its double or triple coverage. You don't wanna get beat over  the top or you might get benched. If you're fast and have good wrap-up ability you should be good with stop the WR. Try to see where the ball is going to go if its a floater and don't let him get there and keep your hands up when the ball is coming down.

Answer 2

Study the QB position. This is where all your reads come from the better you know the QB's tendency the better read and reactor you will be!

1st read is always pass make sure b4 you come up for run support there are no WR on delay routes for playaction passes.

SAFETIES GOLDEN RULE= Always be the deepest man on the field nobody ever gets behind you! NEVER!

Answer 3

Watch the QB's eyes and body language, if he commits to one specific receiver sprint in that direction, but always at an angle you still want to watch the QB, in case it's a pump fake. As far as tackling, if you're a FS, you want to go for the legs, lower your shoulder pads, lower your body, straighten your back, grab some cloth to ensure he doesn't escape if he manages to shake you off, and DRIVE, drive HARD. Don't stop moving your legs. And if he already has possesion of the ball, drive your shoulder or helmet into the arm that's carrying the ball, and make him fumble. Hope that helps you.  

Answer 4

Hitting is simple head on the ball and shoulders go into his waist.  

When you read the QB don't bother trying to watch his eyes, instead watch his shoulders.  Where his front shoulder is pointed is where he will throw the ball.  

When you are responsible for picking up a recievers deep route, slightly lean into him as you are running.  It slowly pushes him to the sidelines and away from the ball.

Watch the O-lineman, as the ball is snapped take one step back.  If the O-lineman go forward its a running play, is they take a step back its a pass then you should continue to back pedle

Answer 5

A lot of it depends on the defense you're running.  The defense I played in and coached the most was a 5-2 (or 3-4) invert.  The free safety had the second receiver on the weak side, which was usually the tailback or halfback.  The FS's reads were the guard and his man. If it was a running play and the FS had the tailback that was usually the guy with the ball and the safety was right on top of him.  If it was a pass the back usually blocked or ran a flair.  If he ran a pattern the safety had to cover him man-to-man but most of the time he didn't so the FS played deep in the middle of the field.  It was a great place to intercept tipped passes.  

If a receiver jumps for the ball in front of you, hit him just under the butt.  He'll do a cute little flip and land on his back.  He'll never want to jump in front of you again.