Kean University Applying Pressure and Controlling Your Blitz from the 3-4

Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Dan Garrett 908 737 0628 Dgarrett@kean.edu

I. We commit to some type of pressure in our philosophy * Pressure Mindset = Aggressiveness, Play Fast! A. 5 man pressure 1. Zone blitz 2. Man free (cover 1) 3. Tagged or locked B. 6 man pressure 1. No safety help (cover 0) 2. Tagged or locked C. Our game plans are based on pressure 1. REACT 2. ADJUST 3. COACHto the offenses response to it!

I. Must be able to get after the QB Without pressure packages as well (DL/4th Rusher) II. Do what you know or what your are comfortable with A. Know the RISK involved with pressure game plans 1. Especially mantoman coverage; the risk is high B. Must be able to play efficiently vs. the RUN C. Mix it up 1. Zone blitz 2. Pick and choose your spots to man blitz 3. Show pressure, drop 8/7 into coverage 4. Change up 4th rusher in the scheme 5. Keep the offense guessing

I.

Get your people (HC/coaches/players) excited about being a pressure defense and get them to buy into it. A. HOW? 1. Believe in what you are doing 2. Fit your personnel around the pressure scheme 3. Then be confident in your decision (but not foolish) 4. Be Fundamentally sound in what you are doing

I.

Defensive FOCUS for our players (We Stress) A. Make the offense go the long, hard way 1. No FREEBIES 2. Make them line up again make them earn it B. Know that the offense has the advantage mathematically 1. ONE mistake on DEFENSE = 6 points 2. ONE mistake on OFFENSE = 2nd down 3. TWO mistakes on OFFENSE = 3rd down 3. ZERO room for ERROR C. Identify your strength and weakness D. Poise Under Pressure (P.U.P) E. Rules when Blitzing

Understand that we are a pressure defense. With pressure comes RISK. TEAM EFFORT ACROSS THE BOARD As a defense YOU must believe in what we are doing. It is a mindset and requires desire and excitement to play hard and fast.

C.P.S THAT THE COACHES STRESS CONSTANTLY WITH OUR PLAYERS

Blitzing is just as good against the run as it is the pass, if;
1. Never run past a potential ball carrier (BC); when in doubt tackle it 2. Angles are the key when blitzing vs. the run. The shortest distance between 2 points is straight! No wasted steps, especially LBs. 3. Know where everyone else is going know the big picture. If someone must vary from their path up front, they must know which way to vary so they do not RUN into someone else and know them off course. We do not want to have a gap unaccounted for. 4. Understand the MOVING GAPS your gap may move based on the play or the blocking scheme. A Down block moves your gap in tighter. A Reach block widens your gap. 5. Keep the BC INSIDE. Do not give up the outside perimeter of the defense. Especially with man coverage, if the BC gets outside it is away from our pursuit. 6. When Blitzing, expect to make the play! DO NOT be surprised when you come home free. 7. Take a GREAT pursuit angle to the ball.

C.P.S THAT THE COACHES STRESS CONSTANTLY WITH OUR PLAYERS

Blitzing against the pass;
1. Put yourself in good position to accomplish your goal (when coming from the secondary or outside the box). Maximize your potential to get there (time it out, close down alignment, cheat alignment, movement). 2. We must make sure we contain the QB! No missed opportunities when we are in man coverage keep him in the pocket. 3. Everyone plays hard with great intensity and does their job first. Shot out of a cannon sack, pressure, contain, big play, PBU. 4. Take the proper angle, stay in your rush lane. 5. Know which way to vary with the pass protection, do not get blocked out of your rush lane into another defender. We NEVER want to trade two of our guys against ONE blocker. Just like pursuit drill NEVER chase same color. 6. Right handed QB blindside from our RIGHT. Left handed QB blindside from our LEFT. Work the LT, secure sack with up-field arm and go for the strip with the inside arm.

A. DL/4th rusherthe desire to get it done with ONLY 4 rushing 1. Understanding situations (D/D, pressure or NO pressure, tendencies, etc) have a plan! 2. Getting them to know that we must win certain one-on-one match ups; especially on the edge or with a RB blocking our DE 3. They MUST do their job first Get Off = need to develop explosiveness. Good Jump! (keys, reads, technique, execute) 4. Create excitement when moving them (stunting, stemming, blitzing, or certain alignments/ability alignment or move calls) 5. Discipline with their gap responsibility

A.

LBs/Strong Safetyvocal signal callers on field (communicators) 1. Knowledge of knowing where everyone is going or what gaps they are committed to (know the BIG picture) 2. Understanding that we are a gap blitz team. With gap responsibilities we do not commit them on an all out blitz and abandon our responsibility. We can make a call or have certain blitzes that might require them to read the flow first and then go. (game planned situations) it is read flow first and then go. 3. Discipline with the gap responsibility (flow at them) and knowing which way to vary their path if they have to 4. Leveragevs. the run (keep it inside) vs. the pass (contain) we rep the blitz on the garbage cans vs. the flow for their leverage; 5-7 minutes everyday (longer in camp) vs. plays for that week

A.

DBsgetting them used to the pressure put on them 1. Getting them used to being on the island a. bump and run at the LOS b. off man technique c. bail technique d. Zone coverage could become man in situations/routes e. work on in group vs. #1 offense or in INDY vs. the WR one-on-ones 2. Preparation with footwork drills for hips and feet a. to be able to put their bodies in a capable position to succeed 3. Getting them to understand their techniques and assignments 4. Knowledge of coverage a. Leverage (cover zeroinside leverage/no safety help) b. Alignment c. Strength and weakness of the coverage (cover 2 - weakness=vertical, strength=underneath coverage)

ZONE COVERAGE
A. DBsgetting them their eyes trained on their initial key 1. We key the QB first at the corners for 3 or 5 step (Split second read) Our EYES DO NOT STAY in the backfield!!! a. Big Little = 3 step b. Ball comes up high now i. Big Big = 5 step ii. Ball stays in the cradle c. 3 step game quick, no critical area breaks d. 5 step game 12-15 yards =critical area where route breaks at e. Fade deep ball 3 step still no break area 2. Train them to get eyes out of the backfield for initial key to their READ a. The WR b. Learn to expect certain routes by WR alignment i. Inside numbers out cut ii. Outside numbers inside route c. By the release or route of their READ, usually tells them or gives them a good idea what is developing

When we are NOT BLITZING, the points of interest:

DL

Must WIN the one-on-one match ups Have a Plan (S.A.C.K.R.A.T) = Stance, Alignment, Charge (get off), Keys, Reads, Assignment, Technique Execute and Finish the plan, STOP THE RUN
Keys and Reads- FUNDAMENTALS Play an effective zone coverage Do NOT cover air; be active in your zone Pattern READ have a reason for your drop and discipline your eyes Swarm to the ball and FINISH

LB/DB

I.

Pressure scheme advantages A. Preparation or game planning 1. Flexibility of the 3-4 a. Only have 3 DL locked in b. Leaves unknown for OL 2. Uncertainty of where your coming from a. Coming with 4? b. Coming with 5? c. Coming with 6? d. Dropping 8?

A. Only gives offenses 3 working days to prepare for the pressure 1. Amount of Blitzing (snaps/percentages) 2. Where your Blitzing from 3. Type of Blitz Package (5 man, 6 man, 7 man) 4. Number of different Blitzes shown or have 5. Coverage's; MAN, ZONE B. Try to IDENTIFY/ATTACK their Weakest link 1. Is it a protection we think we can attack? 2. Or a certain match up on the OL we think we can attack? C. Know what their favorite screens/draws are- expect to see them 1. Put your kids in the worst spots all week, so Saturday will be easy

I.

The things we do, we feel can offset any lack of talent on our end a. The multiplicity of things we have the availability to do with our fronts. Tie in the front and coverage b. Stem/movement of fronts or individual players c. Where we can come from with only having 3 DL on the field d. 5/6/7/8 man blitz scheme, depending on the team that week e. Mixing in the ZOME/MAN blitz scheme; pick and choose our spots f. The availability to show blitz and play multiple zone coverage's off of the disguise. Constant secondary movement g. Focus on what they do best and try to limit the amount of success the offense can have STOP what they do best (GAME PLAN) h. With the scheme it upsets the timing and consistency of an offense i. Get to the QB; 1. CONFIDENCE in what he thinks he sees 2. MENTALLY 3. PHYSICALLY

I.

Weekly Change Ups A. Sometimes more, sometimes less B. There will be something in there designed to specifically to stop what they do best C. We Want to Force game time adjustments 1. Whether by the fronts youre using (or moving to) 2. Come at them in certain situations with stunts they havent seen 3. Press/mug LBs up at the LOS in their gap blitz or drop from there 4. Blitz variations/change ups 5. Wacky' coverage's-a variation of 8 guys in coverage 3 deep/man under, 3 deep/5 under, 2 deep/6 under, etc.

I.

To be an aggressive BLITZ Defense we stress pattern read in our zone coverage when we are NOT blitzing. A. Instill it in camp teach it off of cover 2 and cover 3 1. Put it up vs. formations (2/1 personnel to 1/0 personnel) 2. Draw up the universal cover 2 and cover 3 beaters (routes) 3. Example = cover 2 well tell them to expect the SMASH route 4. Example = cover 3 well tell them to expect the out or the Curl/Shoot combination 5. Then well draw up route combinations vs. each coverage and explain position by position, how and where their eyes should be 6. Explain how to squeeze the zone that they are responsible for without chasing or leaving the zone

A.

During 7-on-7 or group period, we will not use a football. The scout team will run the normal play/routes; the QB will execute his drop and go through his normal progressions. Forces our defenders (with NO football involved) to focus on their KEYS and what they see

B.

C.

Forces them to understand the ZONE concept squeezing, not chasing and passing off in the zone areas.

A.

Focus is more on the routes of their initial key and communication between defenders. 1. As an ILB in traditional Cover 3, (2 WRs to my side) if 2 goes out right away (shoot) look to number 1 and work more towards the curl 2. As an OLB in Cover 2 (2 WRs to my side) if 2 goes vertical, try to deny him vertical, be physical up to 8-10 yards on his inside hip (wall off) you hear a smash call drive to the hitch (flat area) and let #2 go.

A. We force our guys to cover for a period of 5-6 seconds and again NO Ball is being thrown.

B. Learn to re-act on the fly and proper leverage on the route

C. It is up to the coaches to stress the COMMUNICATION during that period. YOU GET WHAT YOU EXPECT!

Controlling your blitz

How to install it and teach your staff and players You can come up with any blitz combination/variation you like It has to mirror the opposite side To allow you to run it to any tag you want
How to do it Simple Effective

Example of a blitz combo. E ** Mirrors each side x a m OPEN or WEAK p l e o f

CLOSED or STRONG
Qb 2

X X X

Teach the BLITZ first without positions first (we put Xs up). Then explain the TAG concept. Could be either the 2 Xs to the left side or to the right. Depends on the TAG or where we want to attack or come from

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COMBINATION teach same blitz; either the strong side OLB/ILB

or the weak side OLB/ILB. Teach the BLITZ first then explain the TAG concept

Slide Florida Strong or Closed Cover 9 5 MAN TAGGED ZONE BLITZ

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SLIDE FLORIDA Open or Weak Cover 9 5 MAN TAGGED ZONE BLITZ

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SLIDE SOUTH Closed or Strong COVER 9 5 MAN TAGGED ZONE BLITZ

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SLIDE SOUTH OPEN or WEAK COVER 9 5 MAN TAGGED ZONE BLITZ

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OPEN or WEAK
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Could be a TAG where the Strong side OLB is partnered up with the weak side ILB. Or the same blitz with the Weak side OLB partnered up with the strong side ILB. The tag direction is always dictated by the widest LB involved in the blitz. Usually the OLB.

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If we called a weak or open blitz it would be a LEE call. Dictated by the side We are coming from the OLB involved in the TAG. Rover and Mike
If we called a strong or closed blitz it would be a ROY call. Dictated by the side We are coming from the OLB involved in the TAG. Sam and Will

Slide Dodge Open or Weak Cover 9 5 MAN TAGGED ZONE BLITZ

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Slide Dodge Closed or Strong Cover 9

5 MAN TAGGED ZONE BLITZ

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Based off the game plan and scouting

You have a tendency that a team is heavy TE run Closed tagged blitz that week. You have a tendency that a team, out of twins or pro will always run to the 2 WR side Strong tagged blitz that week. You have a tendency that when they off set the full back weak in the I, you can come off the opposite side and beat a protection the tag that week may be RB

You control the blitz 100% of the time Certain offensive coaches do certain things and now you can neutralize or attack those tendencies High percentage of the time you will be right, more than you will be wrong; if you do the proper homework on the opponent

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RULES
Twins Open No TE by alignment The strong side people line up to the 2 WR side They are strong and closed Because the weak side people by rule are weak by formation and have a SE by alignment. Cant have 2 open sides in the tag blitz call system

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RULES
2 TES with a strong and weak side The 2 WR side is where we want our strong side people So, they are the closed and the strong side We cant have 2 closed sides, so by rule, we tell them that the weak side people are weak by formation and open by rule

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THE DEFENSE WAS SET TO THE LEFT OUR STRONG SIDE PEOPLE = Aligned to the left

RULES
When the OFFENSE has 2 TES in a Balanced set The strong side people are closed and strong The weak side people are open and weak We tell them there can NOT be 2 closed sides or 2 open sides (As well as 2 strong sides or 2 weak sides) So, the strong side is strong, as well as closed The weak side is weak, as well as open The side opposite of the closed = is the Open side

3 2 1 Qb 2 1

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RULES
2 by 2 balanced but have a TE side and a SE by alignment The 3 SEAM and 3 HOOK are to the strong side of the defense The TE side in doubles is the closed and strong side. Our strong people align to the TE The twins side of the formation is open (SE) and weak because our weak side people should be aligned there To call the blitz it would either be by closed or open if I have a tendency Or with that personnel group on the field I may want our strong or weak side people to go in the blitz and tag it as such

3 2 1 Qb 2 1

2 SEAM

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CLOSED STRONG
THE DEFENSE WAS SET TO THE RIGHT OUR STRONG SIDE PEOPLE = Aligned to the right

RULES
In a balanced 2 by 2 set Same rule as the balanced 2 TE set 3 SEAM and 3 Hook are to the strong side of the defense Just there is no TE The strong side people are strong and closed even though there is NO TE The weak side people are weak and open even though there are 2 SEs on the field by alignment- the strong side is already inferred by rule as closed

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