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.

Man to man coverage consists of matching defenders with specific receivers and following them around the field throughout the play. Zone coverage assigns portions of the field to each defender. Each defender is then responsible for stopping any passes from being completed in their area.