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AFM Magazine


Philosophy of Pass Protection

by: Russell Gaskamp
Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach • Angelo State University
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Being both the OC and OL coach allows us to have a “Protection First” view to the offense. I always stress two things to the offensive unit – first, we must protect the QB at all costs, and second, if you cannot protect the QB, you will not play. This philosophy has been a big part of our success in protecting the QB over the past several years. Over a three year period from 2008-2010 our offensive groups gave up 32 sacks in 1274 attempts (3% of all throws) and were in the top three every year statistically in Fewest Sacks Allowed in the Lone Star Conference over that span.

Let’s give credit where credit is due: NO O-LINE OR THE COACH THAT WORKS WITH THEM IS AS IMPORTANT TO PROTECTION AS A QB AND HIS POSITION COACH. A QB that makes quick decisions and has an understanding of what “makes them hot” is more valuable than any lineman in front of him. In the 7-on-7 world we live in sometimes it is easy to want to throw a million pass concepts. As the OC, I think it is important to install protections first. This accomplishes two things - it helps the QBs understand how to protect themselves within the progression of the pass concept and it puts the emphasis on protection. Great pass protection starts first and foremost with the QB and his position coach.

Off-Season and Summer Development

Offensive and defensive skill players will start practicing 7-on-7 competitions early in the winter and will continue up until the start of camp. It is really difficult to get quality run game work in the off-season, so it makes sense to spend that time developing pass protection skills and saving the run game for when you put the pads on. It is also important to develop those skills in the off-season because, as the OL coach, you are going to spend more of your individual time during the season in the run game and scheme / front review. I show them the drills I want them to do with the techniques I teach, make it a part of their off-season conditioning, and let the upperclassmen “be the coaches” through the summer. I also include a lot of med ball work with protection drills. They are a great tool for helping me teach proper movement with punch and hand placement, and a great warm-up drill in pre-practice. Put a 14-16 lb. med ball in their hands and it will really show flaws in their sets, movement, and punch.

Schemes and Communication of Responsibilities

We teach our protections in “Families” which basically means this: we use a few schemes (Families) but then slowly teach three to four variations within those schemes. If the unit understands the foundation of each family, then the variations are easy to pick up. For example, if we are installing our most basic six-man protection, we will eventually add a quick game and play action variation, a TE check release, and an audible out of our 2 x 2 formations. However, for the OL and the back(s),  nothing has changed from a responsibilities stand point. So by teaching one “Family” we are teaching four or five different protections. This has been a great approach for us.

Another important aspect is the communication of responsibilities in protection on the field. While the other offensive coaches do all the signaling for our no huddle and substituting of personnel, this is my biggest challenge during practice. I am near the LOS for most of practice, making sure that everyone is communicating our calls and responsibilities. I believe that the OL, primarily the center, needs to be in charge of the verbal and non-verbal communication. That is not to say that the QB is not part of the process, but he has enough on his plate. The only things our QBs will call in our scheme at the LOS are audibles, and we only give them 1-2 protection audibles a week. Keep your protections simple, use terminology that is short and concise, and hold everyone accountable to understanding all aspects of the scheme.

Four Foundations of Our Protection Schemes

Regardless of the protection scheme used, I feel like there are four techniques that are critical to our success. They are as follows:

1. Changing your backs insertion by alignment, assignment, and action.

2. Chipping through defenders by back(s) and tight ends on check releases.

3. Setting the nose/rules for helping others.

4. Butting and cutting.

As an offensive staff, we are very aware of where our backs insert in protection and we look at our tendencies. Even as a Pistol offense with our back directly behind the QB, we check strong and weak insertion by formation every week. I also believe that it is important to change who your back has to pick up. Although we try not to make a living on it, we will slide our OL on the back insertion side to take his responsibility at times and put the back on the DE.

In the “old days” when the QB was under center all the time, this was built into every protection. But, even in the Pistol, you need to be able to do this variation. This accomplishes three things - it allows the back to not have to take on an A gap blitzer with a full head of steam, it can firmly set the front part of the pocket by allowing the QB to step up, and presents a nice change up to the DEs. There are plenty of times that the DE may be dropping away from a zone blitz, or they freeze because they think something is up or because they are used to having the tackle set them all day. You must practice this communication from the OL to backs in walk-through’s and blitz pick-ups weekly.

Chipping does not happen nearly as much now as it did when you had to buy more time for the QB when he was under center and taking 7-9 step drops. We absolutely put an emphasis on chipping by our backs and tight ends. This is hard to practice versus your own players but we do rep it against our scout team and during individual work. We fit up under the pads while making sure to take care of each other.

This will continue to improve as the season progresses and the backs get game experience doing it. If we tag a TE to check release, we expect him to chip out. Our tackles need to know when this will happen because now they will take a shorter set to the TE side as compared to an open end tackle. As for our backs, we will discuss in preparing the game plan certain players we want to chip. We do not let the backs chip any inside move because the back can get in the way. The OL needs to know which players we have told the backs to chip that week, so if they want help, they better maintain an inside-eye position. It only takes a few knockout shots to get a good rusher’s attention.

The most important things that I can teach our O-Line is how to create a pocket for the QB to step up into and how they can help each other when they are uncovered. This is taught with a drill I call “Setting the Nose”. We practice how to properly fit and stop the interior DL’s pass rush, and then the OL that is going to help shuffles out to “GORE” the next adjacent DL to the side of the identified LB(s). The OL that is going to stay on the interior DL then has to relocate and square up the defender. This is not an inherited skill -it has to be practiced. Ultimately, it allows you to double team two DL with three OL, and it presents an opportunity to get a physical “GORE” on a good pass rusher.

We also emphasize daily the direction that our uncovered O-Line will help per each protection. Essentially, we will always have one tackle that will be one-on-one with his responsibility and he knows that he will not have help. However, we can change that at any time by chipping out with our TE or our back. We try not to have too many “families” of protection so I do fully expect them to know inside and out our “Help Rules”. You must also have a rule for the OL players when their responsibilities drop. Our rule is simple - look outside first and then help back inside. This makes sense because we always tell our backs to work inside out to his insertion side.

The final tool we use that a lot of coaches do not feel comfortable teaching is a “Butt and Cut” technique versus the rushing DL. We have very specific rules for this technique. #1 – no running back is ever allowed to cut! There are reasons not to allow the backs to cut, but it only takes one blitzing LB flying over the top of a cut block by a RB and blowing out your QB’s lead leg to apply this rule. #2 – No protector can cut any LB blitzing from depth.. #3 – No protector cannot cut any inside move. It can get an interior OL hurt but more importantly, because inside moves are usually accompanied by blitz, stunt, or twist, we need to trade off.

I use the term “Butt and Cut” because I do not want the OL to immediately dive at a defender. This allows for a brief second of recognition of an inside move or twist and it cuts down the space to miss. The cutting OL needs to punch to create separation and then cut through the OS leg of the defender with a cross-body cut. This is a great change up versus the speed players we see week-in and week-out. As the OL coach, I do not always love every decision they make when they decide to cut but I have to trust that they will get better at it as the year goes on. Since we do not let them cut our defenders in practice it takes a little time and game experience.

As a staff, we have to be very clear and specific about all the rules, responsibilities, communication, and techniques across all position groups in protecting the QB. I have to create the “Protection First” culture for our offensive unit.

Russ Gaskamp joined the Angelo State staff in 2009. He previously coached for three seasons at Southwestern Oklahoma State. Gaskamp also coached at both Texas A & M-Commerce and Sam Houston State as well as the Austin Rattlers of the North American Football League. A graduate of Texas, he was a second team All-Big XII center in 1999 where he blocked for Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams.







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