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On Target

Transforming Your Defense into a \'Smart-Weapon, Guided-Missile\' Attacking Defense
by: Dr. Joe Hollingsworth
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During the 1990s many defenses were transformed from "read and react" defenses into attacking defenses. An effective attacking defense is not just a loose cannon, it's a guided missile. To be effective you have to know when and where to attack. Sophisticated scouting software of an opponent's offense through statistical analysis gives the defensive coaching staff the tools they need to create a "smart-weapon, guided-missile" attacking defense.

Creating Defensive Call Sheets to Base Your Attack on Situations

"If you've done your homework, during the game you should be making your defensive calls from a call sheet. That means you have to know (based upon scouting) what your opponent is likely to do according to down and distance, hash mark or different field zones (e.g., in your red zone).

Figure 1
1st & Long
(7 or More Yards)

Total Plays: 56

Run: 39 Times, at 70%
Pass: 17 Times, at 30%

Sweep: 9 Times, at 16%
Iso: 8 Times, at 14%
GivOpt: 6 Times, at 11%
QckOut: 4 Times, at 7%
Strtch: 3 Times, at 5%
Out: 3 Times, at 5%
Drag: 3 Times, at 5%
Hook-Go: 1 Time, at 5% 3rd & Long
(7 or More Yards)

Total Plays: 20

Pass: 19 Times, at 95%
Run: 1 Time, at 5%

Fly: 4 Times, at 20%
Post: 4 Times, at 20%
Out: 4 Times, at 20%
Delay: 3 Times, at 15%
Flare: 2 Times, at 10%
QBSwp: 1 Time, at 5%
Cross: 1 Time, at 5% 3rd & Short
(3 or Less Yards)

Total Plays: 8

Run: 7 Times, at 88%
Pass: 1 Time, at 12%

GivOpt: 4 Times, at 88%
QVSnk: 1 Time, at 12%
Sweep: 1 Time, at 12%
Iso: 1 Time, at 12%
Fly: 1 Time, at 12%

Figure 1 shows three down-and-distance situations extracted from an entire report for a Midwestern NCAA Division III team. The entire report was generated by software that analyzed a total of about 175 plays from two games.

Quick Analysis:

• 1st & Long - The defense needs to be able to stop the run, particularly sweeps, isos, and options. When there's a pass, it appears that they run primarily short routes: Quick Out, Out and Drag.

• 3rd & Long - In two games, this team only ran the ball one time on 3rd and long. So what kind of defense are you going to be in? Are you going to have seven or eight in the box? Probably not.

• 3rd & Short - In two games this team only threw the ball once on 3rd and short. Would you want to have your Nickel or Dime package in? Probably not.

Taking Advantage:

• Take advantage of these situational tendencies by creating a comprehensive defensive call sheet based on situations (down, distance, hash, etc.).

• Get your opponent into poor down-and-distance situations by aking advantage of their tendencies. For example, by getting them into a 2nd and long situation.

• When you get them into poor down-and-distance situations, you can play more downhill at them.

• You'll want to take advantage in at least three ways: 1) by calling particular fronts and coverages based on the situation; 2) by changing the personnel used (e.g., substituting in quickness); and 3) by calling stunts and blitzes at the right time.

• Finally, you have to know when to put away the defensive call sheet. If you get a two- or three-touch - down lead, you will force their offensive coordinator out of his gameplan. His situational tendencies will not be the same - particularly down and distance - and the calls you have on your defensive call sheet will be wrong.

Transforming Your Attacking Defense into a Smart-Weapon

When your defensive personnel have been trained to recognize off-field situations, they can make adjustments to the situational calls sent in from the sidelines. Your sent-in calls (based on situations) turn your attacking defense into a "guided-missile"; the on-field adjustments (made by your players) can turn it into a "smart-weapon, guided-missile" attacking defense.

Figure 2

Formation: Slot Right, Split Left, I Backs

O


O


O

O


O

O

O

X O

O

O


OLE LE LTLG
1x
7.7%
TB
GivOpt
1x LCRC
2x
15.3%
TB
Strtch
1x

TB
Iso
1xRG
5x
38.5%
TB
Iso
3x

TB
Strtch
2xRT
1x
7.7%
TB
GivOpt
1x REORE
4x
30.7%
TB
Sweep
4x

Figure 2 shows a formation report extracted from an entire report on a Midwestern NCAA Division III team. This was the analyzed team's No. 1 running formation; they rarely passed out of it. Note: This is the same team analyzed in Figure 1.

Quick Analysis:

• Imagine you're a Mike LB standing in front of the center.

• All the plays (except one) run to your right, or toward the slot side.

• The TB is the only ball carrier used.

• Your opponent runs sweeps to the outside, and isos and stretches up the middle.

• Now, what defense would you call against this formation? Probably not a pass defense, right?

Hypothetical Situation - "The right call by situation, but the wrong call by formation."

• It's 3rd & long (see Figure 1), and because you did your home work, you've got a pass defense called with a blitz.

• Now, their offense lines up in the slot formation shown in Figure 2.

• What do your defensive players do? There are a number of alternatives, such as:

1. Do not change anything, and execute the defense and blitz you have called.

2. Call the blitz off, but remain in a pass defense.

3. Call the blitz off, and adjust the defense based upon the knowledge that this is their No. 1 formation for running the ball.

Taking Advantage - Transforming your attacking defense into a "smart-weapon."

• Teach your players to recognize on-field situations.

• Teach them when and how to get you out of a bad call - when it's the right call by situation, but the wrong call by formation.

• You have to know exactly which formations they are going to run and which plays and personnel they are going to use.

• You absolutely must have this information compiled by Sunday night so that you can effectively prepare your players during the week's practice.

• Scouting software makes this job doable.

Increasing Effectiveness During Practice

Here are two ways to utilize practice time more effectively

1. Spend time making sure your defense knows how to correctly align itself into their formations.

2. Develop specific drills to get your players ready for the type of plays they're likely to see.

Proper alignment

• Scouting software cannot tell you how to align your defense, but it can make your job easier when trying to figure out what formations your opponents are running.

• You would have few worries if everybody on your schedule ran out of the same formations, but they don't! With today's wide- open offenses, you need scouting software to help analyze formations.

• Starting with Monday's practice, it is absolutely imperative that you know which formations your opponents are going to use so you can teach your players how to correctly align your defense.

Developing specific drills

• Computer scouting cannot tell you which drills to develop and run, but it can make your job easier when figuring out how your opponent is getting the ball to the hole.

• Does their offense try to outflank you? Or trap you? Computer scouting software can easily analyze hundreds of plays to help you figure this out.

• Each week you can develop specific drills that teach your players how to disrupt blocking schemes and stop your opponents from getting the ball to the hole. For example, if they like to outflank with sweeps, work drills that reinforce the ends not getting hooked.

Summary

The old days of calling the game from the "seat of the pants" are quickly fading into the past. To become more effective, you must know when and where to unleash your attacking defense by making calls based upon situation. And to put the icing on the cake, you need to teach you players how to make adjustments to your calls based upon on-field situations. All of this can be more easily accomplished if you utilize a good scouting software package. Dr. Joe Hollingsworth (Dr. Holly) has been working with scouting software since 1992. He regularly gives talks at clinics around the country, including coach-of-the-year clinics. This article was excerpted from Dr. Holly's soon-to-be-published book on scouting. He can be reached at sports@hollysoftware.com or (800) 347-3880.

Scouting Software Considerations

• The software must include reports based on situations: down and distance, hash mark and field zones (e.g., in your red zone).
• It must include extensive formation-based reports that analyze the formation's running and passing play, QB-action on passes, motion, etc.
• It must permit you to make adjustments to these reports. For example, you should be able to adjust the distance for a long situation.
• The reports must be easy to read and shouldn't contain clutter. If the reports are hard to read, the value added by the software is marginal.
• It should be easy to enter play data. Typing is out; point-and-click is in.
• The software should come to you, rather than you being forced to come to it. For example, you think in terms of Xs and Os; a good software package should do the same by understanding formations and knowing how to diagram them and knowing the personnel involved. For example, knowing that a pro-set has a flanker, tight end and split end.
• If cost is a consideration, the software should run on general-purpose desktop computers and not require extra, specialized and expensive hardware.






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