Need help with baic defense questions...

[davidjp3]

When should I use zone coverage and when should I use man?

What does moving the defenders close to the recievers do and in what situations should I do that?

Should I always use some type of rush?

Is zone better for stopping running plays?

[Operation Ivy]

When should I use zone coverage and when should I use man?

What does moving the defenders close to the recievers do and in what situations should I do that?

Should I always use some type of rush?

Is zone better for stopping running plays?

I tend to use man when I'm not sure what my opponent is going to do, once I figure out his tendencies I switch to zone and stop him.

Moving defenders closer to receivers is better at stopping short passes, but leaves the deep ball open.

If you know he's going to pass, yes, make sure you get some pressure or else he'll have all day in the pocket to find an open guy. You want to force quick decisions.

Zone or man doesn't seem to make a difference against the run - it's all about position. Generally more defenders in the box (at the line of scrimmage) make it harder to run.