Defensive Line Fundamentals and Drills vs. the Run ANTHONY GRAZZINI ELMHURST COLLEGE Frank Glazier Clinic--Madison Our defensive philosophy is simple: • Stuff the run • Attack the QB Necessary Defensive Components 1. Be aligned properly 2. Know and understand your assignment 3. Swarm to the football This is Swarming to the Football Advantages of the 4-2 • Simplicity • Shades and one-gap responsibility • Speed and agility are necessary Philosophy of the 4-2 Defense • “Attack” • New LOS • “Spilling” the ball – Build a wall – Force the ball East/West rather than North/South Defensive Organization Defensive Alignments and Techniques 8 6 9 7 0 4 2 2 4 6 5 4I 3 2I 1 1 2I 3 4I 5 7 9 8 Defensive Gaps D C B A A B C D S.A.K.R.A.T.S. • • • • • • • Stance Alignment Key Reaction Attack Technique Sustained Effort Run Maxims One Man Cant Block Me Two Men can’t move me Take off with hips, hands, and feet to gain the heel line Shoot, separate, shed, and tackle Bend and Spill Beat the inside hand on transition pass rush Base Stance And Alignment • Attack Stance • Inside Hand Down & Inside Foot Back • Weight On Down Hand And Ball Of Front Foot • Off hand out in front with thumb turned out • Crowd Ball = Credit Card • Align On inside eye on outside eye of the visual key GAINING POWER through the “MASTER MIND” PRE-SNAP READY PROCESS • • • • • • • Down and distance Time and score Stance of offensive linemen Splits of offensive linemen Eyes of offensive linemen Hand pressure of offensive linemen Personnel and formations S.I.P.R Pre-Snap Ready Process – – – – S= Scan I= Interpret P=Predict R=React SCAN Down And Distance 1. What Are Their Scouting Report Tendencies 2. What Are The Trends During The Game Offensive Line Tells Splits 1. Wide Splits Denote Inside Run 2. Narrow Splits Denote Outside Run Or Pass Scan Says Pass or Outside Run •Line splits are narrow •Offensive line is in off-alignment •Green Call on the Right Depth Of Offensive Line 1. Deep Denotes Pulling Or Pass 2. Shallow Denotes Fire Out Or Run Block Offensive Linemen Stance Weight Distribution For Run Key Weight Distribution For Pass Key 1. White Knuckles 2. Elbows Bent 3. Foot Back 1. Light Hands 2. Balance Stance 3. Weight On Heels The Stance As A Key Says Run (Think Pullers) •Weight distribution is on heels •Light hands to the left heavy hands to the right •Feet are balanced •Head and eyes are up Eyes • Is he pointing? • What direction is he looking at? • Are eyes high or low? Eye Keys—Say Run •The Tackle’s eyes are pointing to the OLB •He is looking to his right •The OLM has his head and eyes up INTERPERT • What Do You Know Based On The Scouting Report • What Does Scanning Tell You • What Has The Offensive Lineman Done In Similar Situations PREDICT • Make A Hypothesis • Formulate Your Plan With The Hypothesis In Mind (Move/Counter Move) • Hypothesis: Attack Based The Play Your This Is On A Running •The DHypothesis &D is 2rd and 7 and they have ran counter GT previously in this situation. •The line splits, OLM stance, and OLM eyes tell me run •I will get in my attack stance to play the counter gap; I will react to pass if it shows using my power rush technique REACT React To The Movement Of The Offensive Lineman • If Key = PSR, Then Make A Play • If Key not = to PSR React and begin your pass rush My prediction was correct: The play is a counter GT •The Front side spilled the pullers •I ran the heel line and I am in on the cutback tackle Run Game Fundamentals Stance • Inside hand down, inside foot back with toe-to-heel stagger. (DE’s can be staggered slightly more) Alignment and Assignment • Defensive Ends – Jam 7 technique is responsible for strong Cgap – 5 technique is responsible for weak C-gap • Defensive Tackles – 3 technique is responsible for strong B-gap – 1 technique is responsible for weak A-gap STANCE Loose and Jet • • • • LOOSE Inside toe to outside toe of OLM you are shaded on Flexed of the ball 6-10 inches off the ball Know assignment and technique Attack and Penetrate • • • • • Jet Align 1 to 1 ½ Yards outside EMOL Take tilt out of stance— Get in the blocks Attack OLM set point and beat them to the spot React to run (Interior linemen will align in gap) Ball Get-Off Coaching Points •Explode with your Hips •Shoot your hands—Steel Rods •Bring your feet Replace down hand Get your second foot in the ground C T N B Contact Fit HAND PLACEMENT HAT PLACEMENT • Deliver blow into • Eyes shoot to the “V” inside of near numbers of the neck and outside shoulder • Head up • Thumbs up--Grab cloth • Keep head lower then • Lock out and turn OLM chin-strap OLM shoulders Leverage Two kinds of leverage are essential: • vertical leverage- the defender gets his pad level lower than the blocker • horizontal leverage- the defender gets his hands inside those of the blocker. KEY PROGRESSION • • • • Visual key man I am aligned on Pressure Pressure key—adjacent OLM Key Movementkey—knee of OLM Movement Key Reaction key—block of OLM – High hat = Pass – Low hat = Run Visual Key • Ball key—backfield flow Clear Minds Equal Fast Feet Three Questions •Question #1 –Is he trying to block me? •Yes, Push through my gap and control it •No, go on to question #2 •Question # 2 –Is the “V” up? •Yes, hit your pass rush move •No, go on to question #3 Question #3 – Is the “V” is away with an inside threat? –Yes-Spill all trappers or Kick out blocks, Tackle all backs in your path –No—Down block coming; feel pressure ricochet back and control 1 ON 1 KEY PROGRESSION Key Drill – Reaction #1 Trying to Block Me • Push through my gap and Control – Reaction #2 Not Trying to Block Me—V is Up • Execute pass rush move – Reaction #3 Not Trying to Block and –V is Away • Attack inside threat—Tackle all backs/Far Arm K.O. Blocks • No inside threat—Ricochet back—Down block coming Single Blocks •Base •Reach •Down Base Block • Blocker fires ahead, trying to drive you off ball • Explode hands through breastplate on 2nd step • “Squeeze”, or leverage him back, keeping your gap • Lock out, find ball, and shed DT DT will drop right shoulder, and rip through with right arm to shed---then make tackle DT DT will drop left shoulder, and rip through with left arm to shed---then make tackle Reach/Scoop Block • Blocker steps outside to reach • Re-direct on 2nd step as you explode hands • Press the outside pec of blocker and pull inside pec • Find ball, shed, and make tackle • If DL can’t make play, he should at least make ball bubble deeper B C T Veer/Down Block • Blocker steps inside, not attempting to block you • Re-direct hard inside on 2nd step (bend) • Look for trap or kick-out block • Far-arm trap or kick-out block • Force ball to spill outside and run it down if cutback DE DT DE far-arm long trap DE DT DT far-arm a quick trap Double Blocks • DOWN/PULL • REACH/SCOOP DOUBLE • TRUE DOUBLE Down/Pull • Blocker turns his shoulders to pull inside or outside • Re-direct hard on 2nd step, expecting Down block •Penetrate, bend, and water ski •Compress down block, squeeze, cross-face • Shed block and make tackle C T C T Scoop /Reach Double Team Block • Scoop Double Visual key steps away Defender feels the pressure key scooping him Grab far breast plate of visual key, Re-direct feet, hips, butt and bend towards the ball while staying engaged on blocker (Slingshot) • Reach Double Visual Key steps toward you Defender feels pressure key coming down on him Steer Visual key, direct feet, hips, butt into the hole and escape. You will get a run through…find the ball and get a TFAKL (Run Through) N T will leverage to his outside, and “slingshot” to make a play after slip leaves C T T will steer and wipe through his gap and “run through” to make a tackle True Double Team Block •Explode off ball--fit hands-knock OLM back •Press the post blocker •Squeeze your hips to the wheel blocker drive feet while reducing blocking surface •Execute split, or corkscrew and hot stove to make the tackle •Keep feet alive and do not loose ground C T DT will split, spin, or "corkscrew" the double team block C T T will split the double team Combination Blocks •TRAP/INFLUENCE TRAP •POWER/COUNTER Trap/Influence Trap Veer Trap •As blocker veers or blocks back, Re-direct (Bend) •expect a kick out block; snap eyes inside, plant outside foot, drive far elbow around •Attack trapper, explode with far arm through the inside thigh of the OLM and rip up through the rib cage drive your feet vertically and make the tackle. Influence Trap • Never believe a front-side puller •As Visual Key pull outside; plant your outside foot and re-direct (Bend) •expecting a kick out block; snap eyes inside, plant outside foot, drive far elbow around •Attack trapper, explode with far arm through the inside thigh of the OLM and rip up through the rib cage drive your feet vertically and make the tackle. N T C T Kick Out-Insert •As locker veers or blocks back, Re-direct hard on 2nd step, expecting a kick out block •Snap eyes inside, plant outside foot, drive far elbow around •Attack trapper, explode with far arm through the inside thigh of the OLM • Spill two (never one for one) cause the ball to bounce to the leverage player hot stove and make a tackle B N T C C T DEFENSIVE END SPECIFIC TECHNIQUE •READ •RABBIT •BOOT/NAKED Read Technique between DE and Linebacker • Defensive End is the Bend player • Linebacker is the book Player • Linebacker makes a Tank call when 3T is to back C s T N B Rabbit Technique between DE and Linebacker • Defensive End is the Book player • Linebacker is the Bend Player C S T N B Vs. QB Boot When the playgoes away, we want you to chase and make a play. However, some teams will attempt to bootleg their QB's backtowards you on a playaway. If you are certain the QB has handed the ball off, continue to chase the back. If you see the QB keep it, or are unsure, you will playthe QB (unless otherwise instructed byweeklygame plan). When playing the QB bootleg, you will alreadyhave come hard inside. Slamon the brakes, and come backflat down the LOS to the outside, taking awayhis run. If a backcomes at you to block, his angle will indicate the type of play. If he tries to kickyou out, the play is to your inside. Wrong-shoulder himand playinside him. If he tries to "chip" your outside shoulder, it is a bootleg pass coming backto your side. Rip through his outside shoulder, and re-direct to come flat outside to prevent the QB fromrunning outside you. DE DT DE DT REACT TO THE INSIDE THREAT OT is not blocking Defensive End & Fullback on “J” Course • Defensive End will bend and spill • Attacks the inside threat and spill through it because the back is on a “J” course thus eliminating the cutback lane C T N B REACT TO THE INSIDE THREAT OT is not blocking Defensive End & Fullback on “P” Course • Defensive End will plant and redirect to pull up boot • Attacks the inside threat and recognizes the “Pin” course, because the back is on a “P” course the D-End will plant and redirect to pull up or force a take-away. C s T N B REACT TO THE INSIDE THREAT OT is not blocking Defensive End & inside threat is off the line • Attacks the inside threat and recognizes the Puller is off the line, because Puller is of the line it means he is on a “Pin and Protect” or “P” course • The D-End will plant and redirect to pull up or force a takeaway. C s N T B REACT TO THE INSIDE THREAT OT is not blocking Defensive End & there is no inside threat • The D-End will bend and attack the opposite “A” Gap • When the D-End recognizes that it is a “Naked” play he will will plant and redirect to force a take-away. C s N T B Every Day Drills •No Fish Hooks •Stab Drill •Stab/Press/Squeeze/Shed •Shrug Drill •Steer Drill •Ski/Cross-face •Slingshot •Split/Screw •Spill Through No Fish Hooks • • • • Explode with Hips, Hands and Feet Recognize stimulus Plant on outside foot with your knee in your armpit Snap your inside elbow in the direction you intend to go • Drive outside Arm and leg – 4 Reactions Right, Left, Pass, Draw STAB DRILL Stab Progression – 5 pt Extension – 4 pt Lock Out/Escapes – 2 pt Hip Strike Press/Squeeze/Shed – 3 pt Stab – 3 pt Stab and Press – 3 pt Stab/Press and Squeeze – 3 pt Stab/Press/Squeeze/Shed and Tackle SHRUG DRILL PUSH/PULL/THROW BY • Fit Hands • Hard pull with inside hand toward you • Violent push with gap hand away from you • Violent Shrug with both hands as you swing hips into the hole and throw the OLM by you STEER DRILL From Defeated – Leverage Steer – Leverage Steer Rip • Execute steer • Push/Pull to turn blockers shoulder • Rip under with inside arm and get hips through – Leverage Steer Wipe • Execute steer • Break elbow by driving saw into outside arm of the OLM and driving wt into OLM • Wipe across nose with a violent circular striking movement and get hips through From Dominant Position – Leverage Steer – Leverage Steer Rip – Leverage Steer Wipe **Pipes Variation CROSS FACE/SKI Ski • Explode with Hips, Hands, and Feet – See to visual key pulling – React to pressure Key • Pressure key up-field at a 45 • ski the puller Cross Face • Explode with Hips, Hands, and Feet – See to visual key pulling – React to pressure Key • Pressure key hard and flat to cut you off • Cross face him SLINGSHOT SLINGSHOT DOWN THE LINE • • • • Pre-Fit Steer/Run Through Pre-Fit Steer/Latch On/Run Through Pre-Fit Steer/Latch On/Runt Through/Sling Shot 3 Pt Latch On/Run Through/Sling Shot SPLIT/SCREW SPLIT • • • • Pre-Fit Press the post Pre-Fit Press the post/Hips to wheel Pre-Fit Press the Post/Hips to wheel/Skinny the hole Pre-Fit Press the post/Hips to wheel/Skinny the hole/Wipe through Screw • • • • Pre-Fit Press the post Pre-Fit Press the post/Latch on inside number Pre-Fit Press the Post/Latch on inside number/Seat roll Pre-Fit Press the Post/Latch on inside number/Seat roll/Hot Stove SPILL TWO • SPILL DRILL – Visual Key Veers • Plant and Bend – Visual Key Veers • Plant and Bend/Spill inside threat with far arm by ripping hip to ribcage – Visual Key Veers • Plant and Bend/Spill inside threat with far arm by ripping hip to ribcage/Drive inside foot vertical and pick off second threat or make tackle