How to Play Cornerback Like Champ Bailey

Champ Bailey is so suffocating on his defensive coverage that teams rarely even try to throw a pass in his direction. While his physical skills are great, Bailey is one of the most fundamentally sound cornerbacks in football. These fundamentals are applicable to anyone from youth league to the professional level.

Instructions

    • 1

      Take the coverage of the receiver personally. Champ Bailey takes it as an insult if the opposing team completes even one pass on the receiver he is defending. It is not just a job for Bailey; it is more of a mission to take one side of the field away from the other team.

    • 2

      Keep your body square to the line of scrimmage until the receiver makes his break on a route. Bailey is renowned for his patience as a defensive back. He will not bit on fakes and makes sure the receiver commits to a move before he makes his turn. Therefore, keep square, watch the receivers mid section and pay no attention to fakes to play proper coverage defense.

    • 3

      Close on the receiver once the ball is in the air. Sometimes, players will wait on the ball and allow it to come to them. However, a player must meet the ball because if they don't the pass will be complete for a big play. This is one of Champ Bailey's strengths in that he just closes on any pass that is near him.

    • 4

      Maintain your concentration despite not many plays happening in your area. Champ Bailey has never had a high interception total during a season and this is primarily because teams refuse to throw on his side of the field. Despite this inactivity, Champ maintains his concentration and rarely gives up any big plays when other teams dare to throw a pass in his direction.

    • 5

      Be physical with the wide receivers at the line of scrimmage. In football, it is legal to push and make contact with a wide receiver within five yards of the line. Champ Bailey uses this to his advantage as one coach of his observed in an article from the Sporting News, "During training camp practices, Bailey's strong jams at the line regularly knock receivers toward the Wyoming border."