The secondary is one of the most misunderstood parts of the defense and usually the most criticized. When a receiver makes a catch downfield, many fans are quick to blame the closest defensive back, as if teams are always in man coverage, or to holler about too big of a cushion being given to a wideout. It is much more difficult to tell who is at fault when there is no pass rush, or when a gap assignment is blown by the linebackers.

In this article, I will offer an outline of what the Virginia defensive backs are required to do in the 3-4 defense and how UVa’s personnel fits within those schemes.

Overall Scheme

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