DEFENDING THE SPREAD
RANDY BATES
LINEBACKERS COACH
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
NORTHWESTERN
DEFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY
1) DON’T GIVE UP BIG PLAYS – (ROPE-A-DOPE)
2) CREATE TURNOVERS
3). BE AS MULTIPLE LOOKING AS POSSIBLE
(BUT PLAY FEW DEFENSES.)
CALL = ALIGNMENT – DEFENSE – MOVEMENT – COVERAGE
A) OFFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY REVERSED
(PRE-SNAP LOOK)
B) MULTIPLE FRONTS / COVERAGES FROM
OVERLAPPING TECHNIQUES.
C) FORCE OFFENSES TO ADJUST TO MULTIPLE
LOOKS, (DON’T LET OFFENSE DICTATE)
EX:
- CHECK WITH ME PLAYS (QB CHECKS)
- OL CALLS
- READ ON RUN (WR / QB)
DEFENDING THE SPREAD
OFFENSE
1) Pre Snap Looks – Force QB to Read on Run
a. 2 Shell
b. Man Free ( 3 Deep look some)
When Stemming From Base
(teach players what to expect)
a. QB Checks
b. Routes Run by Receivers
c. Run Checks
ex: check fade man free look
2) QB Pre Snap Tendencies (when to BLITZ)
a. Hands Out
b. Lift Leg
c. Hand Down For Center
d. Centers Hand
DEFENDING THE SPREAD
OFFENSE
3) TEACH ADJUSTMENTS AS PART OF THE PACKAGE
A. HAVE CALL TO CHANGE SUPPORTS/COVERAGE
B. TEACH THESE CALLS AS CONCEPTS
C. LET THE PLAYERS LEARN THE HARD WAY HOW TO
USE THE CONCEPTS ON THE FIELD
•
HAVE A REASON FOR THE CALL
•
GUIDED DISCOVERY
•
YOU WON’T BE ON THE FIELD IN GAME
•
HELP WITH COMMUNICATION FROM BOX
•
3 DEEP CALLS
•
•
•
•
SS
1. SKY
2. BUZZ
3. CLOUD
•
•
•
•
FREE
1. STAR
2.BOLT
3. BENCH
NORTHWESTERN
DEFENSE
FORMATING YOUR GAME PLAN
1) Personnel Tendencies 12, 11, 10,
2) Down / Distance Tendencies
70% OR BETTER
3) Weak OL Player to Single out
( STUNTS ECT.)
4) Type QB Playing: Runner, Drop Back, Option
(BULL RUSH/ SPEED)
5) Tendencies by Coverage Look ( BAIT THEM)
3 Deep – Flats? (3 step)
2-Deep – Fade/Down Middle?
Man Free – Fade?
6) Specific Player to Stop
#8 – WR MACLIN
#1 – TB WELLS
#1 – QB PRYER
EX: CHOICE CALLS
7) COMP. % FOR BLITZES
5 MAN, 6 MAN, 7 MAN
OPEN vs 11 Per
R
“Right”
S
Z
X
E
N
T
R
M
30
W
20
S
LB Call Rule:
· Make RT/LT call opposite the TE.
· Vs. Balanced Formation – Call to bench on hash or right in the middle.
· SLB / MLB align to field. WLB opposite
POS.
ALIGN
TECH
KEYS
RUSH
Foot 5
5
NOSE
Crotch
TKLE
RUN TO
RUN AWAY
PASS
Tackle
C-Gap
to Alley
Squeeze
Trail
Contain
Shade
Center
A-Gap
Squeeze
Chase
Rush
A-Gap
Crotch
3
Guard
B-Gap
Squeeze
Chase
2 Way Go Inside Rush
Lane
END
Heads
6
Tight End
C-Gap
Squeeze
Trail
Contain
SAM
Midpoint
Mix
Back ▲
Spill if in Help
call
B-Gap
box
B-Gap
Coverage
to Pursuit
Called
MIKE
30
Read
Back ▲
Fit According
to Flow Rules
B-Gap
to Pursuit
WILL
20
Wheel
SUPPORT
Back ▲
Coaching Points:
·
·
·
·
·
Vs. TE Trade – LBers recall front – stay in Open.
Ability Alignments for LBs according to back set and
formation.
LBs use “Help” calls or “Gone” calls depending on formation
when moved outside box.
Possible check “Wide” vs. TE to Call (Rush)
Check “Pirate” vs single width away from call
Coverages:
· 4
·
· 2 Seam ·
Opp A-Gap
to Pursuit
Coverage
Called
Spill if in Box
A-Gap
A-Gap
Coverage
Leverage if
to D-gap
to
Pursuit
Called
Out
Alignment Variations:
· Ed (Open “Ed”) = E – 9 Tech.
· √ Ed vs TE/WG to E
· G (Open G) = N – 2i Tech.
· Wide (Open Wide) = N – 2i Tech., Rush – 6i Tech.
Movements:
·
· Rub
·
· Tim
· Tango
· Pirate
1-1
Slant
Thumbs
NORTHWESTERN
DEFENSE
FRONT DECISIONS
SET THE BUBBLE (SHADE AND 5)
• TO OR AWAY FROM THE BACK
ACCORDING TO TENDENCY/COVERAGE
( Do they run option)
2. TO OR AWAY FROM WIDE RECEIVER
(bubble screens)
3. TO OR AWAY FROM FORMATION- TRIPS
AND EMPTY
E
T
W
Possible check
T
E
M
S
NORTHWESTERN
FRONT OPTIONS
1). MULTIPLE FRONT OPTIONS
A. OPEN - TO OPEN SIDE
B. FIELD - TO FIELD
C. TIGHT - TO TE
D. APACHE - AWAY FROM BACK
E. CHIEF - TO BACK
F. GATOR – AWAY FROM BACK LB TO RB 2 X 2
E
W
CHIEF
T
T
E
M
S
READ CONCEPTS
• GAP CALL
Q
R
T
E
M
S HELP
• DIVE
Q
R
T
E
M
S GONE
READ CONCEPTS WITH FIELD
GATOR
• HERE CALL AND GAP CALL
Q
R
T
E
MGAP
• TIM CALL
R
S
HERE /QB
WITH MIX CALL
Q
N
M
T
E
S TIM
READ CONCEPTS
• GONE CALL
Q
R
T
E
MGAP
S
HERE /QB
WITH MIX CALL
• QUEEN CALL
Q
R
T
E
M QUEEN
S
GONE
FRONT ALIGN AND
READ CONCEPTS
VIDEO
3-4 FRONT
50
FIELD
R
W
S
Z
X
S
N
E
T
E
W
30
M
30
LB Call Rule:
·
·
·
·
LB’er makes RT/LT call to Field or Passing Strength.
E to Field is 5, Nose is 0, Tackle is 5T to Bench. E to Bench is 9 or walk 9 .
SLB to Field is 9 or walk 9.
Used with line stunts or zone blitzes.
POS.
ALIGN
TECH
KEYS
Loose 5
By Call
NOSE
0
TKL
RUSH
To field
RUN TO
RUN AWAY
PASS
Ball
SUPPORT
By
Coverage
C-Gap
Trail
Pursuit
Contain
By Call
Ball
By
Coverage
By Stunt/
Blitz
By Stunt/
Blitz
By Stunt/
Blitz
Loose 5
By Call
Ball
By
Coverage
By Stunt/
Blitz
By Stunt/
Blitz
By Stunt/
Blitz
9 or Walk 9
By Call
Ball to
#2
By
Coverage
By Stunt/
Blitz
By Stunt/
Blitz
To bench
END
To bench
SAM
9 or Walk 9
MIKE
30
WILL
30
Coaching Points:
Pressures:
By Stunt/
Blitz
3-4
VIDEO
NORTHWESTERN
COVERAGE PHILOSOPHY
1). AGGRESSIVE TECHNIQUES
A) CONTACT WR’S AT MANY DIFFERENT
LEVELS
B) CHALLENGE EVERY PASS (YAC YARDS)
(CLOSE TO ROUTES - CHEAT ZONES).
C) MAKE WR’S CONSTANTLY ADJUST ROUTES
(POST SNAP).
D)
GIVE QB’S MULTIPLE PRE-SNAP READS
(MOVE ON RUN).
E) TEACH TECHNIQUES THAT CROSSOVER
TO OTHER COVERAGES.
COVER 4
( AGGRESSIVE QUARTER )
BC
W
FS
FC
S
M
2
3
4
SS
KATHY
KATHY
SAFETY CALL RULES (COVER 4)
2 OPEN WR- KATHY/ AREA CALL
TE AND WR – READ- ( SAFETY) WHEEL- (FREE SAFETY)
MOD TECH – (CORNERS)
3 WR AWAY FROM FS – LOCK SPILL CALL
SINGLE TE/ WING –
KICK ( 2 DEEP CONCEPT)
READ – WITH WIDE SPLIT OF 1 AND 2- - CORNER MAN #1 SAFETY
DOUBLE FROM OUTSIDE #2
TEACH THEM CONCEPTS SO WHEN A UNIQUE FORMATION SHOWS UP THEY WILL
THINK ABOUT WHAT CALL AND WHY
NORTHWESTERN
COVERAGE 4
COV. 4 (3 X 1)
BC
5
4 W
S
M
FC
2
2/1
3
SS
FS
AREA
LOCK
2/1
3
EMPTY
BC
W
S
M
3
FS
KATHY
FC
2
SS
STRESS
1/3
Vs. 3 x 1
CHANGE UPS
SKY CALL – 3 DEEP STRONG RATATION TO TRIPS
BC
W
M
S
2
#4
FC
3
FS
SS
2 TO 1
FLAT
03
M3
03
**POSSIBLE CUP CALL WITH SS/FC (GAME PLAN)
SKY IS A CALL USED TO ROTATE STRONG AND
PUSH THE COVERAGE AWAY FROM THE FIELD
“GAME PLAN CALL”
Vs. 3 x 1
CHANGE UPS
PACKER CALL – OVERLOAD TO TRIPS
BC
MOD
TECH
#4 W
M
S
3
2
1
FC
FS
SS
2 TO 1
FLAT
M3
03
**POSSIBLE CLOUD CALL WITH SS/FC (GAME PLAN)
PACKER IS A CALL USED TO OVERLOAD THE FIELD
AND IS A “GAME PLAN OR EMPTY CHECK
COVERAGE”
COVER 6 ( GREEN )
(QUARTER/QUARTER/HALF)
S
W
BC
CLOUD
FC
M
2
4
SS
FS
3
1/2
KATHY/
AREA
FRONTSIDE COVERAGE- (SS SIDE) PLAYED WITH SAME
RULES AND CALLS AS COVER 4
FREE SAFETY SIDE COVERAGE
PLAYED WITH A CLOUD CALL
CORNER- CLOUD TECHNIQUE ( HARD CORNER)
FREE SAFETY- HALF TECHNIQUE (2YDS. IN/OUT HASH)
WILL- CURL OF #4
3 X 1 WE WILL GO TO AREA
NORTHWESTERN
COVERAGE PHILOSOPHY
COVER 4 AND 6 VIDEO
BUZZ
EMPTY CHANGE UPS
BC
5
E
W
T
T
E
M
4
FS
3
3
FC
S
2
SS
BUZZ
O3
M3
03
THIS IS AN EXCHANGE WITH THE SAM
BACKER AND THE SAFETY
BUZZ TECH- PLAY LIKE SKY BUT ASSAULT AND
STAY IN CURL #3 AS WILL IS IN FLAT
BOLT
EMPTY OPTIONS
E
BC
T
T
S
W
5
E
FC
M
4
3
FS
03
2
M3
DS
03
BOLT TECH- SIMULAR TO BUZZ FS IN CURL OF
#4 AS BACKER to flat
CHECK WITH ME COVERAGES
1. DROP = BUZZ OR BOLT
2.
3-4 FRONT
30 CHECK = 30 CHECK WITH ME
(CLOUD / BUZZ / BOLT / BENCH)
CALLED TO A SPECIFIC WR OR FORMATIONS
• VIDEO ON BUZZ BOLT
• EMPTY IDEAS
(30) CLOUD
5 UNDER/ 3 DEEP
BC
B/E
5
W
4
S
M
3
CLOUD
2
FS
O3
FC
SS
03
(BUZZ/ALLEY)
M3
BC
B/E
5
W
M
(ALLEY)
FC
3
2
4
FS
O3
S
DS
03
M3
(30) BENCH
5 UNDER/3DEEP
B/E
BC
W
4
S
M
FC
1
2
3
SS
FS
O3
03
M3
(BUZZ/ALLEY)
3X1
B/E
BC
W
4
O3
SS
S
M
3
M3
FS
- ALWAYS PROTECT SEAM
- SAM ASSAULT VERTICALS
- RULES FLIPPED FROM CLOUD
FC
2
1
03
(30) ROLL
(BENCH OR CLOUD)
CHECK WITH ME COVERAGE
-
CALL WILL BE MADE IN ONE OF 4 WAYS
-
(GAME PLAN)
-
1) PASSING STRENGTH
-
2) TENDENCY
3) SPECIAL WR
4) BACKS ALIGNMENT
FREE SAFETY WILL DETERMINE CALL
SECONDARY WILL REPEAT TO BACKERS
(DROP DOWN TO MACLIN #8)
LOCKED COVERAGE ONCE CALL IS MADE
(MOTIONS)