GAME PREPARATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL DEFENSE

by: Scott Cramer
Defensive Coordinator, Verona Area High School, Verona, WI
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It is an honor to contribute to American Football Monthly and to represent the Verona Area High School football program.

A common challenge faced in preparing a defense for each game is that of making changes and adjustments to defend the opponent, while maintaining the base structure of the defensive scheme. A second challenge is to maintain a manageable level of sophistication in scheme while eliminating player confusion. Many staffs spend the off-season learning new schemes, modifying their existing schemes, and deciding on what new ideas to incorporate. When the season arrives, coaches are excited about the new ideas, while players can be overwhelmed when handed a large playbook filled with multiple fronts, blitzes and coverages - we've learned the hard way!

To combat these challenges, we've developed a Defense Foundation for Success that we present to our players at the beginning of each season. Each player receives one piece of paper; one side addresses the entire defense, the other addresses the player's defensive position group (Defensive Line, Linebackers, or Defensive Backs). We strive to "Play Offense on Defense" and are on the attack as much as possible. We tell our players that we will try to use multiple fronts, stems, slants, blitzes, coverages, etc. in our effort to be a difficult defense to prepare for, but everything we do will fall under the parameters set on that one piece of paper. We spend the first few days of practice explaining our "Foundation" so that players understand how the pieces fit together as we install our defense. By no means is it failsafe, but we've found that it reduces the pressures of scheme installation that we all face, while improving our players' techniques and football knowledge.

We break down our "Foundation" into 7 Categories: Objectives, Communication, Alignment, Stance, Key, Assignment, and Pursuit. Our "Team Defense Foundation for Success" is presented below. As mentioned above, we also have "Foundations" that pertain to each position group.

Team Defense Foundation for Success
OBJECTIVES
* A RELENTLESS PURSUIT Multiple 8 Man Front, Zone Coverage Defense.
* Be known as a physical, pursuing, hard-hitting defense.
* Win critical moments of each game.
o Sudden Change.
o 3rd Down.
o Opponent backed up.
o Goal Line.
* Eliminate self-inflicted wounds.
o No drive-continuing penalties.
o No successful offensive plays from defensive misalignment.
o No missed tackles.
* Practice to increase football technique and knowledge - be "Football Smart."
* Focus on "TAKEAWAY" instead of "turnover."
* Intimidate through style and scheme.
* Make communication our cornerstone.
* Play with EMOTION and TRUST.

COMMUNICATION
* Translate the huddle call, sideline instruction and scouting report into useful information before, during and after each play.
* Identify and present KEY opponent tendencies so we use vital scouting report information at game time.
* Know opponent's Personnel ID (2-digit RB-TE system) and Formation ID (backfield and receivers) and what tendencies they show.

ALIGNMENT
* Numbering terminology for defensive alignments (1-9, 10-90).
* Offensive gap designation (A through D).
* Allow player independence but instruct so disguises and alignments are used effectively.

STANCE
* Winning attitude before ball is snapped.
* Square feet and shoulders.
* Wrists below knees at all positions.
* Athletic stance during stems and disguises.

KEY
* Emphasize a focus on small targets; defenders should be told what body part to key, not just what player to key.
* Must know reactions to five basic flows:
o Hard Flow: Both RBs to same interior of formation.
o Full Flow: Both RBs to same perimeter of formation.
o Split Flow: RBs in opposite direction, each to perimeter.
o Option Flow: Both RBs to same side of the formation with one RB to interior and other RB to perimeter.
o Trap Flow: RBs in opposite direction with one RB to interior and other RB to perimeter.

ASSIGNMENT
* Attack across pressure of all blocks.
* Defensive Linemen: Gap / blocker attack, oppose all pressure.
* Linebackers: ILBs Fill, OLBs Fold or Force. Tempo the ball.
* Defensive Backs: Maintain cushion until ball is thrown, rotate and force based on backfield flow and called defense.

PURSUIT
* Rip across and under all blocks - minimize blocking surface and punch through blockers.
* Run through our mistakes!
* Play with pads over toes.
* Know how to fit vs. opponent's 3 best plays.
* Emphasize closing the distance between the tackler and ball carrier (BC). "Close" instead of "Break down" to run through BC.
* "Club, wrap and run - Bite the ball." (These "triggers" teach tacklers to tackle with head and chest up and to run through BC.)
* Open field tackles - grab cloth and get BC under control. We don't need a big hit - object is to get BC on the ground!
* Tackling teaching progression should start very slow (walking pace) and allow each of our players to succeed so that they are confident tacklers. In drills, do not allow BC to defeat a tackler until we have developed excellent technique.

Presenting the Scouting Report and Game Plan

We attempt to use the Defense Foundation for Success to present our scheme and philosophy in a clear and concise manner; we similarly try to present to our players a Scouting Report and Game Plan that is usable in the heat of the game. The manner in which we present relevant scouting report information to our players is an area that seems to be under constant review. The amount of relevant data our coaches accumulate between Friday night and our Sunday staff meetings, the amount of this data that we can ask our players to process during the week, and the crucial information that we need to help perform well on Friday night are things we try to continually address and improve on. We found that as we increase player involvement in the scouting report and game plan, player interest and retention increases. Through use of PowerPoint, film cut-ups and other presentation media, we provide information to our players Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday, however, it's the players' day to present information about the next day's opponent and our plans for defending the opponent.

We feel that we've developed a concise Scouting Report and Game Plan that presents relevant information to our players, without overloading them with multiple opponent tendencies. Presented below is the information presented on our Scouting Report and Defensive Game Plan. These forms serve as a guide for players and coaches while watching film and are posted for players to review during the week. On Thursday afternoon, the information is presented to the entire team by one player from each Defensive Position Group (Defensive Line, Linebackers, and Defensive Backs).

Opponent Scouting Report
* Opponent Offense Personnel (A listing of the Opponents' players, jersey numbers, heights, weights, year in school, years starting, etc).
* Characterization of Opponent's Offense (Run or Pass, Power or Finesse, Multiple or Single Formation, etc).
o Opponent's favorite Run Play type (Power, Option, Zone, Trap, etc.)
o Opponent's favorite Pass Play type (3-step, Drop back, Sprints, Boots, Play Action, Screen).
* Opponent's Base Personnel (2 Digit).
o Primary Run Formation.
o Primary Pass Formation.
o Primary Goal Line Formation.
* Opponent Offensive Line.
o Do they tip play by stance?
o What are their line splits? Do they tip plays with these splits?
o Do they flip Offensive Linemen (strong/weak)?
* Opponent Quarterback, Running Backs, and Receivers.
o How are carries distributed?
o How are pass attempts distributed?
o Do they tip play direction by stance?
o Does QB want to carry on passes and/or option?
o Is TE a blocker or receiver?
o Are Receivers' pass and run release efforts the same?
o What are their personnel substitutions?
* What should we look for in crucial situations?
o 3rd and Medium.
o 3rd / 4th and Short.
o 4th and Long, Tricks.
* What should we look for when opponent has the ball:
o After a turnover?
o In the Red Zone?
o On the Goal Line?

Defensive Game Plan
* Defensive Line
o Can we stem to disrupt?
o Will slants work?
o Can we stunt to stop run? To pass rush?
* Linebackers
o Who will LBs key?
o Can we run blitz effectively?
o Should we adjust our base LB alignment because of crack blocks, pulls, etc.?
* Defensive Backs
o Will we double a WR or match a DB on a particular WR?
o Will we blitz with zone- or man-coverage when expecting pass?
o Can we use DBs in blitzes?
* What is our best Personnel / Scheme vs. their favorite:
o Run Formation?
o Pass Formation?
o Goal Line Formation?
* What is our best call(s) against their:
o Base Run Scheme?
o Base Pass Scheme?
* How will we best defend what the opponent does in crucial situations?
o 3rd and Medium.
o 3rd / 4th and Short.
o 4th and Long, Tricks.
* How will we best defend when opponent has the ball:
o After a turnover?
o In the Red Zone?
o On the Goal Line?
* What we will carry into the game:
o Personnel Packages
o Base Schemes
o Coverages
o Checks / Autos
o Stems, Slants, Stunts
o Blitzes

In conclusion, we feel that concentrating on base fundamentals and concepts through our Foundation for Success, then providing a clear, interactive format for our Scouting Report and Game Plan has increased understanding of our defense within our program. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you have at scramer67@sbcglobal.net.

Scott Cramer has been the Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at Verona Area High School (WI) since 2001. He previously coached at two other Wisconsin High Schools, Whitefish Bay and Grafton. He played at Western Michigan University from 1986-1990.

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