Zone defense involves players guarding specific areas and staying in position, whereas man-to-man defense involves players each guarding an opposing player. Zone defense focuses on defensive positioning and teamwork, while man-to-man defense requires individual matchups and close guarding.

There are two basic ways to structure a defense: 1) Man-to-Man and 2) Zone. The true difference between these defenses is Coverage, or how they protect against the pass. In Man-to-Man, as the name suggests, the pass defenders are assigned to specific players. But in Zone Coverage, the pass defenders cover a specific area or zone on the field.