Stifling the Screen Pass

There are other things than pursuit & hustle that add to stopping the screen pass
by: Mike Kuchar
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Why do offenses run the screen pass? Very simple – it’s a high risk, high reward play. It’s an easy completion percentage for the QB and if the timing is right and the play gels, it could be potentially devastating to the defense. The high percentage of the throw builds confidence for your QB and gets him through a tough set of downs. Plus, the screen play gets the ball into your playmakers’ best hands and gives them plenty of room to run. Just a few months back in the April issue of AFM, Phil Longo, the offensive coordinator at Southern Illinois University, promoted the bubble screen because of its high efficiency rate. “The numbers advantages that we created when defenses loaded eight, and sometimes nine, defenders in the box to stop the run are no longer as readily available when you start to go to the screen game,” Longo says.

It’s important to understand the philosophy of offensive coordinators as to why they would run the screen. A major reason is to get defenses out of those eight or nine men boxes that are common today. Obviously, there are a couple of ways to do it. One may do it formationally by coming out in spread offensive sets, forcing defenses to expand – horizontally in order to cover ground. The second way offenses may be able to do so is by keeping their base formations and inviting a pass rush up field, then dumping the screen underneath. Either way can be effective as long as the defense does exactly what the offense wants them to do.

Types of Screen Passes

Before we begin to introduce different ways to stop, or slow down the screen, it’s important to identify types of screen passes. Generally, most screen passes fall into two types of categories: quicks and delays. A brief synopsis on what they consist of and how they can attack defenses is listed below.

Quick Screens – These are very quick hitting screens such as a bubble, rocket or swing screen. The idea is to get the ball on the perimeter of the defense in a hurry and let better athletes run with the ball. Most spread teams will utilize this type of concept. Defenses must stop these screens with leverage, matching each area by covering as much ground as possible.

Delay Screens – These types of screens need timing to be effective. They are used mainly to slow down a heavy pass rush or negate an effective pass rush. They can be slip screens to backs or jailbreak type screens to WRs. This can be devastating to a defense unless they are able to quickly retrace their steps and run to the football.

How to Stop it

Trying to stop the screen pass has become a main concern for defensive coordinators throughout the country, especially with the popularity of the spread offense where three or four receivers can be deployed onto an area of the field at the same time. Most coaches will enforce the mantra of pursuit and running to the football but sometimes that plays right into the hands of the screen pass Since there is relatively no set down and distance anymore where a screen can be anticipated, tendencies go out the window. Gone is the conventional wisdom that a third and long down is a dead ringer for a screen or draw. In fact, talk to any offensive coordinator and he will tell you that first and ten is as good a down as any other to throw a screen pass.

“As far as I’m concerned, the screen pass is by far the best play in football,” said Brett Holgorsen, the defensive coordinator at Elkins High School in Texas. “It’s so underrated. I don’t think high school coaches utilize it enough. It can be thrown in any situation or down and distance. It’s a high percentage throw. I’m reluctant to make a call sometimes bringing pressure because a screen may be coming. It affects play calling on a constant basis.”

Out Leveraging the Quick Screen

In many offensive packages – like the one Urban Meyer uses at Florida and the one new head coach Rich Rodriguez will use this season at Michigan – a bubble screen pass is already built into the offensive play call. Rodriguez, who runs a no huddle attack, will deploy up to three receivers to one side of the formation while looking to see how defenses will react. If the defense does not ‘cover down’ or match as many defenders as there are receivers, he will immediately check out of the play designed and throw the bubble screen (See Diagram 1). If the defense over shifts to cover the trips, he may go back to another scheme like a downhill option or run. So, it may seem that the defenses guess wrong whatever they do.

Diagram 1: Bubble Screen

But, there are ways to gain a leverage advantage pre-snap to those trips formations. Holgorsen, for example, can play it one of two ways. In his normal base 4-3 alignment (See Diagram 2), he will ‘boss’ or shift his three linebackers over to the trips side using what he calls a five-yard rule. “If we have two or more quick receivers to a side, we will widen no more than five yards from the outside foot of the offensive tackle,” said Holgorsen. Elkins High School’s base coverage is a quarters scheme, which means the outside linebackers are responsible for carrying flat responsibilities. Deploying three receivers to one side of the formation makes that extremely difficult for the linebacker to do so an adjustment must be made. “The Sam linebacker will make a ‘help’ call, alerting the safety that he may be out-leveraged to the flat. In that case, the free safety will cover down the hot receiver.” In this case, Holgorsen will often use his combo technique. He executes a cover two principle with both the free safety and corner reading the number two receiver to the flat. If he goes to the flat right away, both are in good position to make the play.

Diagram 2: Base Alignment

Another method that Holgorsen uses is called a ‘slide adjustment’ (See Diagram 3). In this alignment, the Sam will ‘apex’ or split the difference between the number two and number three receivers without asking for help from the safety. Now, Holgorsen is able to keep the two deep shell and still play a quarters scheme. The difference is the Sam is in good position to play the flat because of his outside alignment. “What you really need to teach is for the Sam to rip through the outside block of the number two receiver on the bubble,” said Holgorsen. “He must even cheat closer to the number two receiver so he’s not out-leveraged and can’t be blocked. It doesn’t matter what type of scheme you run. In order to adequately defend the quick screen you MUST stay outside any block encountered and butt, separate and run feet through the outside shoulder of blocker. The flat player, whether it is the corner or the Sam linebacker, must set the edge and let pursuit come from the back side.”

Diagram 3: Slide Alignment

Chasing Down the Delay Screen

This is where intangibles like pursuit and hustle come into play. Because of its timing, the delay is a much harder play to diagnose defensively. It’s a very deceptive scheme for a couple of reasons. First the protection scheme by the offensive line is identical to a slide or drop back pass protection scheme that offenses would use on a regular basis. Secondly, many times the player that is receiving the screen pass – whether he is a running back, wide receiver or tight end – will simulate some sort of blocking assignment before executing the screen. Often times, defenses see a pass block and make the assumption that the player will not be involved. By the time they realize it, it may be too late.

There are certain clues that a defense could pick up on when identifying a particular slip screen, especially to the running back. One of the tip offs that Boise State defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox gives to his unit is the action of the running back in any type of slip screen. For the most part, the running back will set-up and pass block outside the edge of the offensive tackle for a two count, then peel off into the middle of the field. “The trick is watching the back’s offensive shoulders.” says Wilcox. “If the back turns his shoulders square and gets lost in the line of scrimmage, it will usually mean he will vacate the area into a screen. If he keeps his shoulders perpendicular, he will usually assume his pass blocking responsibilities.”

Aside from technical adjustments, there are some schemes that can help negate a potential big play from a delay screen. New Coffeeville Community College head coach Darian Dulin works a ‘defending the screen and draw period’ for ten minutes twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He teaches his defensive linemen especially to re-direct and chase down a delay screen if they ‘smell a rat’ or realize that they are not being blocked hard. But, as Dulin mentions, what makes a screen so effective is that it makes the defense less aggressive and start to play on its heels. “It all goes back to reaction,” said Dulin. “You want to always coach your front four to get off the ball and get some penetration, but then you start to tell them to be cautious. You’ll be double talking them.”

So, Dulin assumes the responsibility and makes all the calls himself. He has a ‘screen call’ (See Diagram 4) that he’ll utilize when he feels a screen is coming based on tendency. In his 4-3 scheme, a screen call tells the two defensive ends to rush up field for two quick steps, then peel off and play the flat area anticipating a screen. The nose and defensive tackle will come across the line and hold up both offensive guards – the two players who will usually release and block on a delay screen. For contain purposes, he’ll bring his Sam and Will off the edge to account for a pass rush in case it is in fact a drop back pass. He’ll play quarters coverage behind it.

Diagram 4: 'Screen' Call

Another adjustment Dulin will make to a heavy screen team is implement a ‘spy call’ (See Diagram 5) which he will mix into his defensive play calling. In the spy call, Dulin will designate one player, usually a down lineman, to give away any suspicions, to keep their eye on the back. On the snap, the ‘spy’ defender will come up field again for two steps simulating a pass rush, then peel off and keep his eyes on the running back in case he releases. “It really confuses the QB and makes him not want to make the throw,” said Dulin. “We’ll have that spy player run immediately to the back to tie him up. More often than not, it will result in either an incomplete pass or intentional grounding. Either way it is a win/win situation for the defense.”

Diagram 5: 'Spy' call

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WHAT IF?

Q1. What is the best way to teach D-linemen how to react to a screen?

Holgorsen implements a “react on me” drill to work with his defensive linemen. He'll set up three cones five yards apart in a line, with the middle cone representing the line of scrimmage. He'll be fifteen yards in front of the first cone to simulate a QB. On the snap, the DL will get their usual takeoff then watch his actions. He'll exaggerate the movement of a QB on a screen by dropping back to five to seven steps inviting the DL up. Once the DL sees this, they will turn and retract their steps to either of the cones that started the drill.

Q2. What if the slip screen to the running back is affecting the aggressiveness of the pass rush?

It is the goal of the offense to slow down the rush of defensive linemen by running slip screens or delays. On slip screens, Holgorsen teaches his play side rushers to continue their pass rush despite the offensive line inviting them up field. He does this to try to get hands up and knock the ball down, or what he calls HBS (Hand Ball Separation). His backside rushers will discontinue their rush and pursue the football by replacing their steps.

Q3. What if teams come back and run the rocket screen where the outside receiver will take two steps up field then come back for the screen and they will block the corner with the number two receiver?

Holgorsen stresses his theory of having the outside corner “set the edge” on every screen pass so nothing can get up the sideline. He’ll have to butt, separate, and run feet through the outside shoulder of the blocker. Any outside linebacker should “punch to the sky” without getting out leveraged to the sideline. Your help is always inside to pursuit.

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