also: rat in the hole · hole player · Rat help
The low-hole helper in Cover 1. He starts without a receiver and works inside the man coverage to cut crossing routes.
In Cover 1, the Rat starts without a man assignment and sits in the low middle as help for the defenders playing man. He stays low enough to collect a shallow crossing route and tells the original man defender when he is taking it. If no crosser comes, he gains depth in the middle.
His first concern is crossing traffic, not staring at the quarterback. Some man-match rules can also exchange the job. After the Rat takes a crosser, the relieved man defender becomes the new Rat.
rat in the hole, hole playerRat names the low-hole helper's assignment. Cover 1 Robber may put a safety in nearby space, but the Robber call gives that safety his rules.