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Oregon\'s Defensive Line Prep vs. the Shotgun Spread Offense

by: Michael Parker
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In recent years, there has been a major shift back to the old-school principles of the past. More and more teams at the high school and college level are turning to athletic QBs and more option based systems to take advantage of the way defenses play against multiple WR formations. For coaches like Oregon D-Line Coach Michael Gray, it means new drills and rules to work on with his linemen.

The premise behind these spread-type systems is that an offense can account for defenders by using the QB as an extra ball carrier. And by utilizing several WRs in the initial alignment, the defense is forced to commit defenders to cover more ground. By so doing, the offense can create mismatches with the defense since a QB and RB standing next to each other in the shotgun are basically the same as having two RBs behind the QB in a more traditional Pro-style offense.

So while this new intricate offense is becoming more and more common, the challenge for defensive line coaches, like Gray at big schools like Oregon, is that every week preparations must be made to face different offenses. And so Gray prepares his linemen to play against the spread only once in a while. “From the read option to those tunnel screens, you are chasing everything downhill,” he says. It is a little different than many of the other more tried and true schemes.

In the olden days, the teams that ran the option, such as the Split-back Veer and Wishbone and Wing-T, did it with closed-in formations. There were usually only one or two WRs out in space to worry about. This put less pressure on the defensive line since they had more LBs behind them for support. Gray focuses on a few basic rules that are different for teams that employ the spread offense and use the QB as a viable option in the run game. “Your defensive linemen really (if they’re a true spread team) probably don’t want to be trying to play vertically too much. You know, up the field. And that is basically just because of the plays that spread teams’ offenses run,” says Gray. “We are most concerned about staying in our rush lanes, screens and draws rather than just straight pass rush.”

It is important to remember that these spread-shotgun offenses are usually operating with the intention to get rid of the ball quickly. “The ball is out so quick. You have got to understand that first. And you don’t get a lot of sacks. You may get some hurries and pressures on a guy, but you don’t get a lot of sacks,” says Gray. “You are in no man’s land if you are more than a couple yards upfield.” Gray emphasizes to his players that they should not be focused on getting sacks. It just isn’t that realistic. The ball is being released by the QB too fast for that.

PASS GAME - SCREENS AND DRAWS

The most important thing in the pass game is that the linemen stay in their passing lanes and break down in case of screens and draws – two of the spread’s offensive staples. Gray teaches his linemen to get upfield only about three to four steps and then has them bend at the knees. Since the ball is usually gone before a pass rush puts pressure on the passer, the defensive linemen’s major contribution is to make sure that the QB can’t get through the pass rush and run for yardage. After all, the major reason that today’s offenses have turned to the spread is to take advantage of athletic QBs (See Diagram 1).

Diagram 1

Much of what Gray teaches depends a great deal on the upcoming opponent’s tendencies. During film study and meetings, he will point out to his players the various blocking schemes to watch for and some of the telling signs that can make for quick reads by the D-Line. “I want them to see how many RBs are back there. What is the formation? That tells us a lot before the ball is snapped,” says Gray. “The offensive line’s splits and the angles that they are setting up can also tell us a lot about what the offense is going to try and do.”

RUN GAME - ZONE READ

One challenge that spread offenses present to the defense – especially a traditional 40 front team like Oregon – is that there are fewer LBs in the game to play the spread formations. The LBs are required to play outside the box with WRs which gives the offense more room to run triple option type plays.

Probably the most prominent play that is run from this system is the Zone Read. Typically, at least one DL (usually the backside DE) is left unblocked; then depending on what that DL does, the QB has an option to keep the ball and carry out an option with another player.

Like most schools, Oregon has different schemes and strategies that will vary whether or not the DL is asked to squeeze when the OL in front of him blocks down. In that case, a LB or other second level defender will exchange responsibilities with him. But in most instances, the DL’s responsibility will be to break down and ensure that no option or counter play is carried out. His man is the QB. And just like on pass rush he is asked to bend his knees at three to four steps downfield and prepare for contact.

“The edge guys, especially those DEs, may not have contact on many of those plays. The OT blocks down and nobody blocks him. He has got to sit down,” says Gray. “Our base call is that if the OT blocks down and nobody blocks the DE, then the DE sits on the QB. If there is an option guy coming with that QB, then he has the QB.”

The other DL will then carry out their responsibilities as if it were any other Zone play.

RUN GAME - TRAPS

Another difficult play to defend that has become a standby for spread offenses is the trap. There are several different types that an offense could use. But the most difficult one to defend is probably the influence trap. “Traps haven’t really changed over the years. If you are a 3 technique or a 1 technique, and my man goes down, then I go down. If you stick with that general rule, most down guys will learn it really easily. Now the tough one is the influence trap. The OG might pass set and then run out and block the DE. If teams run it a lot we prepare for it. If the OG stands up, it is either a pass, screen, draw or influence trap. And so we just prepare for that,” he says.

The influence trap has become more and more popular in recent years. Typically on a trap play, the defender being trapped has the lineman in front of him block down, giving him a definite key. The difference with the influence trap is that the lineman blocks out, not in. That gives a different key to the DL. Gray teaches his players to look for that during the week and he makes sure that they see it often in team drills during practice. They just have to be ready for it and not be too eager to get into the backfield.

PRACTICE DRILL - PREPARING FOR the SPREAD OFFENSE

Other than the basic every day drills that Gray uses regardless of his opponent, the Duck defensive line can count on one drill during the week that will be focused on preparation for the spread offense. One of the drills that every DL coach uses is the get-off drill. But Gray varies it to suit the adjustments that a good spread offense forces. “Your get-off drills are really more of a get-off and then get into a knee bent position. After contact you need to figure out where the ball is going because it is probably already determined by then. You may need to retrace your steps,” he says.

He also uses a specific drill variation that helps him monitor the technique that his players are using. Gray lines up his line in their respective positions; then, one at a time he runs them through the following drill (See Diagram 2): Gray has a backup OL and C help him with this drill. The DL lines up. The OL lines up in a stance based on which DL is up next. At the snap of the ball, the OL either blocks straight ahead, down, out or pass sets. The DL then acts accordingly. After the DL’s third or fourth step he is supposed to bend his knees, just as he would in the game. After he breaks down, Gray – who is standing in the QB position – will then signal in different directions to simulate where the play might be headed. The DL then shuffles back and forth, being sure to keep his hips as square as possible. That is crucial to keep the DL in position for any cutback or counter play.

Diagram 2

ADJUSTMENTS WITH MOTION

Other than the rules already discussed, Gray works with his linemen on adjustments based on motion. “We need to be aware of things when a guy is in motion. And depending on where he is, we just look at him like another RB or TE or whatever. And so we key on him. If he gets close to the OT on an open side, we need to watch him. That’s because all a motion guy in that position can do is cut us off or go out for a pass.”

Coach Gray knows from experience. With stops in both the college and pro ranks (including time in the Canadian league), he has seen quite a few offenses. And for the most part, they are largely the same. Offense is still offense. “I’ve been a defensive guy in the Pac-10 for a long time. They all run the same plays, but they do it out of different formations and they disguise it well. When it comes down to it, you just got to understand that it is a lot of window dressing. And so we keep it as simple as we can for them. The offensive guys are really good and they get it so that you can’t totally put your thumb on what they are going to do. But most people come back to what they are good at. Offensive guys like certain plays and they are going to try to find a way to run them each week. We are just going to try and take that away,” says Gray.

GLOSSARY

1 technique: The alignment of a DT on the inside shoulder of the OG.

3 technique: The alignment of a DT on the outside shoulder of the OG.

Influence Trap: The offensive guard influences the defensive tackle into getting trapped by blocking out instead of blocking down.






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