Stop the Screen Pass and Save Your Sanity

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The title to this article is a little misleading. It probably implies that I have managed to save my sanity. Let me clarify, what is on paper does not always happen on the field. Screen passes have had me tearing my hair out for years!

Between defending the run, and stopping the pass, from multiple fronts and coverages, it is easy to run out of time to teach defending the screen pass. But you have to! If you can read it, you can stop it, and get back to defending all the things you designed your defense for.Screen to the ReceiverHere we have a pretty basic screen. The Quarterback is faking a Sprint Pass to the right, with the sprint side receivers running typical flood routes. This gets the Linebackers flowing, and the free safety as well. Of course, your Defensive Line is also pinning their ears back to get to the QB out there. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: 3-5 Defense, Coverage, Defensive Line, Linebackers, Pass Rush, Secondary

Defeating Blocks on the Defensive Line

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The Defensive Line is not just about getting off the ball first. If all we ever taught was that, we would constantly be getting up field. Trap blocks would destroy us. Defensive Linemen have to recognize the action of their Offensive Line key and react accordingly.

In an even front, a 3-Technique lineman, aligned on the outside shade of the Offensive Guard, will face the following blocks:

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Filed Under: 4-2-5 Defense, 4-3 Defense, Defensive Line

Effectively Using Defensive Line Stunts

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Using line games on the defensive front can give you an advantage on the offensive line. By employing movement up front, your defense will confuse blocking schemes and create indecision and slowness in the offense.

Many coaches in high school and lower levels are cautious about moving their front because they feel that it takes a ton of quickness to get from one gap to another. Do not look at stunts as a way to get a free rusher, or clog up every gap. Again, the biggest benefit is creating indecision. Make the offense find you! [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Defensive Line

The 8 Keys of Defensive Line Play

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If you are preparing to teach your Defensive Line next year, make sure you cover all of the bases. We need to be sure that we are teaching everything our defensive linemen will really need, and nothing that they do not.

You should make a position manual for every position with great detail on the techniques, drills, and coaching points for the position. Take time and take pride in producing this manual. Position coaches should each make their own position group’s manual, if at all possible. Then the DC or OC, and Head Coach, need to look over them in detail.

There are 8 things that a Defensive Linemen must do in order to be successful. I am sure to include these whenever I have put together a Defensive Line manual. Other techniques can be taught, but they are not absolutely necessary.

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Filed Under: Defensive Line

Wrong Arm Technique for Defeating a Trap Block

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One of the most important points of running a spilling defense is teaching defeating a trap block to your front players. We teach wrong arming the trap block to force ball carriers to the outside.

In the 4-3 Defense, the Safeties are unaccounted for in most running plays. By wrong arming trap blockers we force ball carriers outside. There, they should be met by an unblocked, hard hitting safety.Defeating a trap block with a wrong arm [Read more...]

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Filed Under: 4-3 Defense, Defensive Line