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AFM Magazine


Red Raider Run Stunts

by: Ron Harris
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Defensive football today is characterized by a wide variety of philosophies and styles. Some teams are committed to a front that penetrates, while others hit and read along the line of scrimmage. A team may have multiple fronts and personnel packages designed to both maximize its personnel as well as to offer differing looks to an offense. But no matter what your preferences and beliefs are, almost all defenses utilize line movements to help both attack the run and pressure the passer.

The following is an overview of what we do here at Texas Tech based upon the system of defensive coordinator Greg McMackin.

Overall Philosophy

We are committed to having our players know what our philosophy is on three levels:

A) Team; B) Defense; and C) Defensive Line

Team
There are three cornerstones to our team philosophy at Tech:

1) Get better everyday.
2) Compete with yourself.
3) Play the next play.

Defense
Coach McMackin's philosophy for our defense is to be an attacking, swarming defense that gang tackles and makes big plays with emotion.

Defensive Line
For our d-linemen (D-Line Assistant) we use the following to define our philosophy:

A) B.E.S.T (Burst, Explode, Swarm, Tackle)
B) Formula: P3 + PR2 (Penetrate, Pursue, Punish + Pass Rush, Pressure)
C) Creed: No excuses, No alibis, No regrets, Be physical, Keep your poise, and Finish everything.
Our use of line movements help us to live up to the qualities and characteristics we've established in these philosophies.

Purposes of Line Movement

No matter your team's philosophy and goals, line movements can be either a mainstay or a compliment to any defensive package.

Against the Run
Versus zone scheme teams, you can help protect linebackers with movement as blockers aren't sure which gap a down lineman will be attacking. This causes O-linemen to stay along L.O.S. long enough for linebacker's to scrape and fill with minimal resistance.

Against rule blocking teams or offenses that like to pull people on traps, powers and counters, movement allows for penetration of gaps and disruption of the pull course along with eliminating running lanes. Another distinct advantage against assignment or rule blocking teams is the opportunity to "out-athlete" your opponent, and cause disruption at the point of attack.

In addition, line movement can serve as an alternative to any stemming your defense may employ.

Against the Pass
Whether your opponent is a man protection or slide protection based team; pass rush games, rush lane exchanges and movements at the snap can be effective in helping pressure the passer. But, in developing pass rush games, it is more important to focus on defeating the protector not the protection.

It is the purpose of this article to focus on the line movements we employ at Texas Tech to help stop the run and execute in mixed down situations.

Stunts vs. Runs or Mixed Downs

Stunts are our line movements designed to help attack the run or to execute in first or second down situations. They are movements that are huddle calls and are executed at the time of the snap. The following are our stunt calls:

BAT (B Gap to A Gap)

Our three technique or "B" gap tackle sparking the "A" gap. (See Diagram 1)


Diagram 1.

This stunt is useful against trap, inside zone, lead against MLB, to penetrate against power and counter along with short yardage situations.

TATOO (A Gap tackle outside)

Our two technique or "A" gap tackle sparking the "B" gap. (See Diagram 2)


Diagram 2.

Very effective stunt against teams that utilize a weak side running game.

TRIGGER / TALLAHASEE (Both tackles with direction Rt. or Left) (See Diagram 3 & 4)


Diagram 3.


Diagram 4.

Can be useful hash mark call if opponent has strong tendencies off the hash. Also very disruptive against trap, power, counter and inside zone.

SUCKER (Strong End under to "C" gap) (See Diagram 5)


Diagram 5.

Effective stunt vs. off tackle plays such as strong lead and power.

VAMPIRE (Execution of both "Bat" and "Sucker" stunts). (See Diagram 6)


Diagram 6.

Good vs. inside running game and short yardage situations.

BLOOD (Weak side end stunting into "B" gap) (See Diagram 7)


Diagram 7.

Effective vs. weak side running game or disruption to pulling game (trap, counter)

Stunts vs. Runs, When Pass Shows or Other Situations

These are stunts designed to be called in running or mixed down situation. And, as most offenses today try to have a somewhat balanced attack, what if a "run" stunt is called and pass shows?

We teach our players that this stunt converts to a pass rush game and we add the element of a "looper" to our movement. The linemen nearest the stunt playing a base technique, after reading pass, converts his assignment to a loop technique outside the stunt. (See Diagrams 8-14)


Diagram 8.


Diagram 9.


Diagram 10.


Diagram 11.


Diagram 12.


Diagram 13.


Diagram 14.

As you will note, these provisions allow us to convert our run stunts into a pass rush game. This allows us to have "the best of both worlds" in our defensive call. But this is not the only time we will convert the original stunt and add the loop element to the stunt. Against any type of pulling scheme we will also convert these stunts to gain an additional defender at the point of attack. (See Diagrams 15 & 16)


Diagram 15.


Diagram 16.

In most cases, defensive lineman should be able to read pull pre-snap by a change in the offensive lineman's stance or weight distribution.

A final "what if" deals with quick counts or teams that go on sound to try to counteract stemming or limiting the effectiveness of slants by catching you before they are set. In these scenarios, we will sometimes pre-align our front into the gap they will end up in by giving an "early" call. This simply tells our stuntman to go ahead and align himself into his gap. In addition to countering any quick counts the use of "early" calls helps a defense present more fronts. Also, it acts to counter any quick counts by the use of "early" calls; helping a defense present more fronts or looks for an offense to prepare for. Post snap, all responsibilities and conversions vs. pass or pull remain the same.


Diagram 17.


Diagram 18.

Teaching the Slant Technique

As coaches, we all know that it's not enough to tell the player what to do, but more importantly, how to do it. The following is how we teach our slant technique.

First-Step Progression

This is the most vital part of the technique because there are four key elements that must happen simultaneously on that first step.

1) Pre-snap we must adjust our stance so that our base is a bit narrower than normal and decrease the stagger so that the feet are almost parallel.

2) At the snap take a 15-18" lead-step directly at the hip of the next lineman in the direction we are slanting. Making sure that if we are gaining 15-18" with our foot, we are gaining the same 15-18" with our eyes focused on that lineman's hip. (This allows us to both attack the L.O.S and also keeps our pad level down with our torso positioning itself to spark the adjacent gap.)

3) At the same time of executing the lead step, the D-lineman must collapse or dip his backside shoulder. (This helps to ensure the D-lineman will have his pads underneath the O-lineman.)

4) The final element of the first-step is to position the backside arm in a parallel relationship with the backside leg. (This is to have maximum power in the rip movement that is the second step...this also has carryover to pass rush technique where the same arm / same leg must work together.)

In teaching the first step, it is broken down into these three areas.

A) Line up your defensive front against an offensive line comprised of trash cans. (30 gallon cans are great because their height at top is approximately hip level which is our target.)

Using the cans as targets, start in a two-point stance and have D-Linemen take lead-step only. Repeat this numerous times so athletes get the feel of both proper length of step and gaining ground with their head and eyes as well.

B) Next, progress to having players take the step and collapse (dip) their backside shoulder. Repeat this numerous times making sure that the lead-step and eyes to hip are still being executed properly.

C) Finally, have players position that backside arm parallel with backside leg. Repeat over and over to create muscle memory of proper first-step and body positioning.

Second-Step Progression (Rip Technique)

In teaching this step, have players pre-set themselves in the proper body position at the conclusion of the first step. On command, have players execute rip movement of back side arm and leg. Key point on this step is to have backside foot pointed up field when it is in the ground. This will help keep player's shoulders square to L.O.S and keep them from getting washed down the line. It also ensures they are ripping and penetrating up field and not parallel to L.O.S. We want to penetrate to heel depth. After numerous repetitions from this pre-set position, have players then execute both first- and second-steps together.

Finishing Technique

The final element to the movement is pursuit reaction. After the conclusion of the slant technique, a coach will give a direction indicating location of ball / ball carrier and then players must either continue down the line in direction they were slanting or re-direct and pursue to the ball.

After players have mastered technique from a two point stance we will then put their hands on the ground and execute the technique from our stance.

Conclusion

Hopefully these movements can assist you in your package by adding another dimension to your defensive attack.






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