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{{Short description|Strategy in American football}}
{{Original research|date=December 2019}}

'''Bump and run coverage''' is a strategy formerly widely used by [[defensive back]]s in [[NFL|American professional football]] in which a defender lined up directly in front of a [[wide receiver]] and tried to impede him with arms, hands, or entire body and disrupt his intended route.

== History ==

'''Bump and run coverage''' is a strategy formerly widely used by [[defensive back]]s in [[NFL|American professional football]] in which a defender lined up directly in front of a [[wide receiver]] and tried to impede him with arms, hands, or entire body and disrupt his intended route. This originated in the [[American Football League]] in the 1960s, one of whose earliest experts was [[Willie Brown (American football)|Willie Brown]] of the [[Oakland Raiders]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=STRAUB |first=LUKE |date=2018-01-09 |title=Raiders' legend Willie Brown recalls glory days |url=https://www.petaluma360.com/article/sports/raiders-legend-willie-brown-recalls-glory-days/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Petaluma Argus-Courier |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-22 |title=Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown dies at age 78 |url=https://apnews.com/article/c7f5fcdc45124731b8d9d8296a0ba1f8 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> Brown was a rookie with the [[Denver Broncos]] in 1963, and played there through 1966.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Willie Brown Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrowWi01.htm |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Jack Faulkner]] was head coach for the Broncos 1962-64.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jack Faulkner {{!}} Pro Football History.com |url=https://pro-football-history.com/coach/122/jack-faulkner-bio |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=pro-football-history.com}}</ref> While Faulkner was the [[Los Angeles Rams]] defensive backfield coach in 1958, the team tried out future [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer]] [[K.C. Jones|K. C. Jones]] as a defensive back. Using his style as a basketball defender, Jones would cover receivers at the [[line of scrimmage]] and hand check them as they ran down the field. Jones decided on a basketball career, but Faulkner took the knowledge of what he had scene, which came to be known as the bump and run, with him when he became an AFL defensive backs coach with the Los Angeles Chargers; and then to Denver, where Willie Brown became a pro player.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 21, 2017 |title=Bump and run, or just boxing out? K.C. Jones left impact on NFL {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/blogs/2017/11/blogs-stories-from-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame-archives-bump-and-run-or-just-boxing-out-kc-jones/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1963 Denver Broncos Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/1963.htm |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

In one view, the bump and run originated in the [[American Football League]] in the 1960s, one of whose earliest experts was [[Willie Brown (American football)|Willie Brown]] of the [[Oakland Raiders]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=STRAUB |first=LUKE |date=2018-01-09 |title=Raiders' legend Willie Brown recalls glory days |url=https://www.petaluma360.com/article/sports/raiders-legend-willie-brown-recalls-glory-days/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Petaluma Argus-Courier |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-22 |title=Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown dies at age 78 |url=https://apnews.com/article/c7f5fcdc45124731b8d9d8296a0ba1f8 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> Before playing for the Raiders, Brown was a rookie with the [[Denver Broncos]] in 1963 and played there through 1966.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Willie Brown Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrowWi01.htm |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> In another version of the bump and run's origins, Brown created the bump and run defense as a linebacker at [[Grambling State University|Grambling University]], and then first brought it to professional football in 1963, when he was a defensive back with the Denver Broncos.<ref name=":2" />

'''BumpIn andyet run coverage''' is a strategy formerly widely used by [[defensive back]]s in [[NFL|American professional football]] in which a defender lined up directly inanother frontversion of apossible [[wide receiver]] and tried to impede him with armsorigins, hands, or entire body and disrupt his intended route. This originated in the [[AmericanJack Football LeagueFaulkner]] ingets thesignificant 1960s,credit onefor of whose earliest experts was [[Willie Brown (American football)|Willie Brown]]development of the [[Oaklandbump Raiders]].<ref>{{Citeand web |last=STRAUB |first=LUKE |date=2018-01-09 |title=Raiders' legend Willie Brown recalls glory days |url=https://wwwrun.petaluma360.com/article/sports/raiders-legend-willie-brown-recalls-glory-days/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Petaluma Argus-Courier |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-22 |title=Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown dies at age 78 |url=https://apnews.com/article/c7f5fcdc45124731b8d9d8296a0ba1f8 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> BrownFaulkner was ahead rookiecoach withfor the [[Denver Broncos]] infrom 19631962–64, and played there through 1966.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Willieduring Brown's Stats,first Height,two Weight,professional Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrowWi01.htm |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Jack Faulkner]] was head coach for the Broncos 1962-64years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jack Faulkner {{!}} Pro Football History.com |url=https://pro-football-history.com/coach/122/jack-faulkner-bio |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=pro-football-history.com}}</ref> While Faulkner was the [[Los Angeles Rams]] defensive backfield coach in 1958, the team tried out future [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer]]r [[K.C. Jones|K. C. Jones]] as a defensive back. Using his style as a basketball defender, Jones would cover receivers at the [[line of scrimmage]] and hand check them as they ran down the field. Jones decided on a basketball career, but Faulkner took the knowledge of what he had scene,seen whichfrom came to be known as the bump and run,Jones with him when he became an AFL defensive backs coach with the Los Angeles Chargers; and then to Denver, where Willie Brown became a pro player.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 21, 2017 |title=Bump and run, or just boxing out? K.C. Jones left impact on NFL {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/blogs/2017/11/blogs-stories-from-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame-archives-bump-and-run-or-just-boxing-out-kc-jones/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1963 Denver Broncos Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/1963.htm |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

On the other hand NFL defensive back [[Pat Fischer]], who is closely associated with the bump and run, believes that cornerback [[Abe Woodson]] (who taught Fischer the technique when they both played for the [[St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis Cardinals]]) originated the bump and run while playing for the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in the late 1950s and early 1960s.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Shapiro |first=Leonard |date=October 9, 2024 |title=Undersized cornerback was a fierce competitor |work=Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pat Fischer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FiscPa00.htm |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Steinberg |first=Dan |date=January 12, 2015 |title=Scot McCloughan’s dad, Pat Fischer, and the birth of bump-and-run coverage |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA397114533&sid=sitemap&v=2.1&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E352b4022&aty=open-web-entry |work=Washington Post}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Turney |first=John |date=2024-09-24 |title=State Your Case: Abe Woodson, 'The Willie Mays of Football' |url=https://talkoffametwo.com/state-your-case/state-your-case-abe-woodson |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Talk of Fame |language=en}}</ref> [[Mel Blount]] of the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] specialized in this coverage to such a point as to cause numerous rule changes (see below) strictly limiting when and where a defender may make contact with a potential receiver in order to make it easier for receivers to run their routes and increase scoring.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Mel Blount, NFL 100 |url=https://www.nfl.com/100/originals/100-greatest/game-changers-46 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

On the other hand, NFL[[National Football League]] defensive back [[Pat Fischer]], who is closely associated with the bump and run, believes that cornerback [[Abe Woodson]], (who taught Fischer the technique when they both played for the [[St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis Cardinals]] (1965–66), originated the bump and run while playing for the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In another telling, Fischer said he learned the bump and run in the early 1960s from teammate [[Jimmy Hill (American football)|Jimmy Hill]], at the urging of Cardinals defensive coach [[Chuck Drulis]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Shapiro |first=Leonard |date=October 9, 2024 |title=Undersized cornerback was a fierce competitor |work=Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pat Fischer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FiscPa00.htm |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Steinberg |first=Dan |date=January 12, 2015 |title=Scot McCloughan’sMcCloughan's dad, Pat Fischer, and the birth of bump-and-run coverage |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA397114533&sid=sitemap&v=2.1&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E352b4022&aty=open-web-entry |work=Washington Post}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Turney |first=John |date=2024-09-24 |title=State Your Case: Abe Woodson, 'The Willie Mays of Football' |url=https://talkoffametwo.com/state-your-case/state-your-case-abe-woodson |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Talk of Fame |language=en}}</ref> [[Mel Blount]] of the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] specialized in this coverage to such a point as to cause numerous rule changes (see below) strictly limiting when and where a defender may make contact with a potential receiver in order to make it easier for receivers to run their routes and increase scoring.<ref name=":03">{{Cite webnews |titlelast=Mel Blount, NFL 100Steinberg |urlfirst=https://www.nfl.com/100/originals/100-greatest/game-changers-46Dan |access-date=2024-January 11-27, 2015 |websitetitle=NFL.comFiguring out the coverage |languagework=en-USThe Washington Post}}</ref>

Pro Football Hall of Fame executive vice president Joe Horrigan, stated: "'But if I were to say who generally has been credited for it, Willie Brown is generally historically credited with popularizing the bump-and-run - not inventing it, but popularizing it.'"<ref name=":3" /> [[Mel Blount]] of the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] specialized in this coverage to such a point as to cause numerous rule changes (see below) strictly limiting when and where a defender may make contact with a potential receiver in order to make it easier for receivers to run their routes and increase scoring.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Mel Blount, NFL 100 |url=https://www.nfl.com/100/originals/100-greatest/game-changers-46 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

In contrast, under [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] rules, contact is allowed anywhere on the field as long as contact is in front of the defender and a pass is not in the air.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirshner |first=Alex |date=2018-08-30 |title=College pass interference rules are better for DBs than the NFL's |url=https://www.sbnation.com/2018/8/30/17488358/ncaa-pass-interference-rule-nfl-differences |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2018-07-30 |title=Understanding The 5 Yard Illegal Contact Rule In The NFL - vIQtory Sports |url=https://www.viqtorysports.com/understanding-5-yard-contact-rule/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Technique ==

This play works well against routes that require the receiver to be in a certain spot at a certain time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hatman |first=Dan |date=2017-02-15 |title=ITP Glossary: Bump And Run Technique {{!}} The Scouting Academy |url=https://scoutingacademy.com/itp-glossary-bump-run-technique/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |language=en-US}}</ref> The disadvantage, however, is that the receiver can shed contact and get behind the [[cornerback]] for a big play.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nguyen |first=Ted |title=Explaining the four coverage categories: Man, zone, zone match and man match |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2275485/2020/12/22/defense-coverages-types-man-zone/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> This varies from the more traditional defensive formation in which a defensive player will give the receiver a "cushion" of about 5 yards to prevent the receiver from getting behind him.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top Defensive Back Drills For Practice |url=https://www.glazierclinics.com/football-coach-resources/defensive-back-drills?hs_amp=true |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=www.glazierclinics.com}}</ref> In the [[National Football League|NFL]], a defensive back is allowed any sort of contact within the 5 yard bump zone except for holding the receiver, otherwise the defensive back can be called for an illegal contact [[Penalty (American football)|penalty]], costing 5 yards and an automatic first down, enforced since 1978, and known colloquially as the [[Mel Blount Rule]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

== See also ==

* [[American football strategy]]

==References==

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{{Gridiron football maneuvers}}

{{American football strategy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bump And Run Coverage}}

[[Category:American football strategy]]

[[Category:American football terminology]]

{{Americanfootball-stub}}