packers11
05-31-2009, 05:09 PM
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090530/PKR01/90530030/1058
New defense doesn't faze Harris
'There isn't a technique that I haven't played'
By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
Al Harris, predictably, was emotional about it.
Dom Capers, just as predictably, was philosophical about it.
Yet the reactions of both essentially said the same thing: Harris, the Green Bay Packers’ veteran cornerback, will be able to play — and play well — in the new 3-4 defense Capers has brought to the Packers.
Almost from the moment Capers was hired in January, there were questions about whether Harris, a predominantly man-to-man cornerback throughout his 11-year NFL career, would be able to succeed in playing in a defense that is defined largely by zone coverages.
During last week’s organized team activities, Harris couldn’t have been much more defiant in his response to those charges.
“Who says that?” Harris said. “I haven’t heard one scout say that. Just for your knowledge, when you ask these types of questions, zone is much easier to play than man. That’s the way it is. That’s why they call it man and zone.”
When asked if he isn’t suited to play zone, Harris responded: “Why, why wouldn’t it suit me? We’re not hacks here. We’re pros. Man, I’m a corner. There isn’t a technique that I haven’t played.”
One person with knowledge of Capers and his system said Capers is one of the most creative defensive minds in the game, and if he feels Harris isn’t suited to zone coverages, he will find a way to mix in more man-to-man principles.
“We want to have the ability to play both,” Capers said. “If you’re locked into one, you can be too predictable, and from what I’ve seen, I think we’ll have enough ability to play what we want, and that might vary from one week to the next.”
The 34-year old Harris developed a reputation as one of the best pure cover corners in the NFC — and made the Pro Bowl in 2007 — while playing under the Jim Bates-Bob Sanders system the Packers ran from 2005 to 2008. That system was predicated on the cornerbacks playing tight, man-to-man press coverage.
Harris’ game never was predicated on speed but rather his ability to be physical with receivers within the 5-yard contact zone. He was adept at bumping receivers off their routes, forcing quarterbacks to throw elsewhere.
In zone or “off” coverage, Harris wouldn’t play as close to the line of scrimmage, and therefore wouldn’t be in a position to bump and chuck receivers.
“I believe everybody has their strengths, and Al is probably the best press corner in the NFL,” fellow Packers cornerback Will Blackmon said. “But Al is also one of the best cornerbacks, period. Al has probably the best feet I’ve ever seen in a cornerback. Everybody has their thing. Charles (Woodson) is probably one of the best players when the ball is in the air. That’s his strength, but Charles can press, too, and play off.”
Capers acknowledged that playing more zone than man coverage would be a significant adjustment for Harris, but Harris’ willingness to attend the voluntary OTA sessions should help ease that transition.
“He’s working hard at it,” Capers said. “I’ve seen a couple plays the last few days where you can see Al’s ability to close on a receiver and get the ball out. I’ve always felt if a guy can play man, he can learn how to play zone. It’s harder if a guy’s been a zone player to turn him into a man player because it takes physical tools to play coverage in this league.”
One change for corners transitioning from a man scheme to a zone scheme is vision of the football. In the past, Harris was so close to the line of scrimmage that he almost always had to turn his head in order to see the ball. Playing “off” coverage would allow him to see the ball longer.
“Now, we’ll be able to see the quarterback, see the receiver and see the ball,” Blackmon said.
Perhaps Harris’ reputation for struggling in zone coverage was more due to miscommunications throughout the defense that hampered the Packers in the rare instances when they played zone in recent years.
“One thing now is we’ve got a lot of communication,” Blackmon said. “That was the main issue we had last year, communication breakdowns. So that’s what we’ve been working on this year. Communication is the key in (zone) because there are times you might pass off (a receiver). You’ve got to be on the same page, and that was our weakness last year.”
Good article... I hope he can make the transition as smooth as he thinks he can... He is very confident that he can easily play both man and zone, that is a step in the right direction...
New defense doesn't faze Harris
'There isn't a technique that I haven't played'
By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
Al Harris, predictably, was emotional about it.
Dom Capers, just as predictably, was philosophical about it.
Yet the reactions of both essentially said the same thing: Harris, the Green Bay Packers’ veteran cornerback, will be able to play — and play well — in the new 3-4 defense Capers has brought to the Packers.
Almost from the moment Capers was hired in January, there were questions about whether Harris, a predominantly man-to-man cornerback throughout his 11-year NFL career, would be able to succeed in playing in a defense that is defined largely by zone coverages.
During last week’s organized team activities, Harris couldn’t have been much more defiant in his response to those charges.
“Who says that?” Harris said. “I haven’t heard one scout say that. Just for your knowledge, when you ask these types of questions, zone is much easier to play than man. That’s the way it is. That’s why they call it man and zone.”
When asked if he isn’t suited to play zone, Harris responded: “Why, why wouldn’t it suit me? We’re not hacks here. We’re pros. Man, I’m a corner. There isn’t a technique that I haven’t played.”
One person with knowledge of Capers and his system said Capers is one of the most creative defensive minds in the game, and if he feels Harris isn’t suited to zone coverages, he will find a way to mix in more man-to-man principles.
“We want to have the ability to play both,” Capers said. “If you’re locked into one, you can be too predictable, and from what I’ve seen, I think we’ll have enough ability to play what we want, and that might vary from one week to the next.”
The 34-year old Harris developed a reputation as one of the best pure cover corners in the NFC — and made the Pro Bowl in 2007 — while playing under the Jim Bates-Bob Sanders system the Packers ran from 2005 to 2008. That system was predicated on the cornerbacks playing tight, man-to-man press coverage.
Harris’ game never was predicated on speed but rather his ability to be physical with receivers within the 5-yard contact zone. He was adept at bumping receivers off their routes, forcing quarterbacks to throw elsewhere.
In zone or “off” coverage, Harris wouldn’t play as close to the line of scrimmage, and therefore wouldn’t be in a position to bump and chuck receivers.
“I believe everybody has their strengths, and Al is probably the best press corner in the NFL,” fellow Packers cornerback Will Blackmon said. “But Al is also one of the best cornerbacks, period. Al has probably the best feet I’ve ever seen in a cornerback. Everybody has their thing. Charles (Woodson) is probably one of the best players when the ball is in the air. That’s his strength, but Charles can press, too, and play off.”
Capers acknowledged that playing more zone than man coverage would be a significant adjustment for Harris, but Harris’ willingness to attend the voluntary OTA sessions should help ease that transition.
“He’s working hard at it,” Capers said. “I’ve seen a couple plays the last few days where you can see Al’s ability to close on a receiver and get the ball out. I’ve always felt if a guy can play man, he can learn how to play zone. It’s harder if a guy’s been a zone player to turn him into a man player because it takes physical tools to play coverage in this league.”
One change for corners transitioning from a man scheme to a zone scheme is vision of the football. In the past, Harris was so close to the line of scrimmage that he almost always had to turn his head in order to see the ball. Playing “off” coverage would allow him to see the ball longer.
“Now, we’ll be able to see the quarterback, see the receiver and see the ball,” Blackmon said.
Perhaps Harris’ reputation for struggling in zone coverage was more due to miscommunications throughout the defense that hampered the Packers in the rare instances when they played zone in recent years.
“One thing now is we’ve got a lot of communication,” Blackmon said. “That was the main issue we had last year, communication breakdowns. So that’s what we’ve been working on this year. Communication is the key in (zone) because there are times you might pass off (a receiver). You’ve got to be on the same page, and that was our weakness last year.”
Good article... I hope he can make the transition as smooth as he thinks he can... He is very confident that he can easily play both man and zone, that is a step in the right direction...