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Installing the Defensive Package:

Front 7

Defensive FoundationDefensive Foundation

• Alignment

• Assignment

• Swarm to the football

Defensive Characteristics Necessary

• Attitude

• Concentration

• Effort

Defensive Line Techniques and

Teaching Progressions

• Alignment

• Assignment

• Stance

• Get-off

• Block Reaction

Alignment and Assignment• Defensive Ends

– 9 technique is responsible for strong D-gap– 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• Inside hand down, inside foot back

with toe-to-heel stagger. (DE’s can be staggered slightly more))

Get-offGet-off

T ETE

Block Reaction:Block Reaction:Defeating and SheddingDefeating and Shedding

DT DT

DT will drop right shoulder, and rip through with right arm to shed---then make tackle

DT will drop left shoulder, and rip through with left arm to shed---then make tackle

• 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

Base Block

Reach Block

DE DTDE

• 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

Down BlockDown Block

DTDE DTDE

DE wrong-shouldering a long trap DT wrong-shouldering a quick trap

• Blocker steps inside, not attempting to block you• Re-direct hard inside on 2nd step• Look for trap or kick-out block• Wrong-arm trap or kick-out block• Force ball to spill outside and run it down if cutback

Pull BlockPull Block

DTDE DTDE

• Blocker turns his shoulders to pull inside or outside• Re-direct hard on 2nd step, expecting Down block• Compress down block, squeeze, keep gap leverage• Steer down blocker’s far shoulder back towards LOS• Shed block and make tackle

Double Team BlockDouble Team Block• Blocker comes forward to Base block• Defender feels second blocker coming down on him• Re-direct feet, hips, butt towards Down blocker while staying engaged on Base blocker• Down blocker shoulders toward you, it’s Double team

– Corkscrew• Down blocker shoulders upfield, it is a “chip” block

– When “chip” block leaves, play as a Base block

DTDE DTDE

DT will "corkscrew" the double team block DT will leverage to his outside, and make a play after the "chip" leaves

Defensive Line Stunts

T ETE T ETE

T ETE T ETE

T ETE T ETE

T ETE T ETE

"Zip": good vs. double teams on 3-technique

"Tex": good vs. double team on 1-technique "Twist"

"Strong" "Weak"

"Slant": good vs. TE tendency "Jet": good pass rush stunt; slightly wider alignements

"Knife": linemen will fire-out low at knees of blockers, taking them out of play

Linebacker Techniques Linebacker Techniques and Teaching and Teaching ProgressionsProgressions

• Alignment

• Assignment

• Stance

• Flow Keys

• Block Protection

Alignment and Assignment

• Sam– 50 technique, responsible for strong C-gap

• Mike– 10 technique, responsible for strong A-gap

• Will– 50 technique, responsible for weak B-gap

Stance• Feet under armpits, flat back, arms

loose

• Weight on balls of feet--key backs

Linebackers: Alignment

TE T

S M W

E

TE T

S M W

E

• Key near back

• In “I” formation, Sam and Will key TB

Backfield Keys

TE T

S M W

E

Full Flow StrongFull Flow Strong

T

M

TE

S

E

W

Full Flow to A-gap

When Mike sees both backs coming to A-gap, he is shot out of a cannon, and blows up the FB on inside half. Sam will attack downhill, then squeeze to the inside. Will attacks downhill, then "overlaps", going over when Mike goes under.

T

M

TE

S

E

W

Full Flow to C-gap

Sam sees both backs coming to C-gap, and blows up FB on inside half. Mike attacks downhill, and goes "over" when Sam is "under". Will secures his gap, and flows inside-out.

T

M

TE

S

E

W

Full Flow Outside

Sam flows downhill, then goes over or shoots open window, depending on TE's block. Mike secures his gap, and is running inside-out. Will is running right away.

Full Flow WeakFull Flow Weak

T

M

TE

S

E

W

Full Flow to B-gap

When Will sees both backs coming to B-gap, he is shot out of a cannon, and blows up the FB on his inside half. Mike comes downhill, then goes "over" when Will goes "under". Sam secures his gap, then is flowing inside-out.

T

M

TE

S

E

W

Full Flow Outside

Will attacks downhill, then goes over or attacks open window", depending on T's block. Mike and Sam secure their gaps, and flow inside-out.

Split FlowSplit Flow

T

M

TE

S

E

W

Split Flow Strong

Mike attacks FB dive. Will secures his gap, and flows inside-out. Sam attacks downhill, and goes over or shoots open window, depending on TE's block. He has QB on option.

T

M

TE

S

E

W

Split Flow Weak

Mike attacks FB dive. Sam secures his gap, and flows inside-out. Will attacks downhill, and goes over or shoots open window, depending on T's block. He has QB on option.

Cross FlowCross Flow

T ET

SMW

E

Cross Flow

Will has no near back, so keys far back to come across. Sam's key goes away, so he looks for something coming back towards him as he flows. Mike attacks FB as he does in flow to strong A-gap until he's sure FB doesn't have ball.