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AFM Magazine


In The Line of Fire

Carroll Colleges\' Pass Rush Defense
by: Mike Van Diest
Head Coach, Carroll College
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A good pass rush is at the core of good pass coverage. A defensive scheme must choose between maximum rush or maximum coverage. When the Front 4 can pressure the QB on their own, this will allow the defense to commit 7 players down the field to be in position to intercept the ball. This will then allow the linebacker blitzes to become more effective as an element of surprise rather then the norm.

The ultimate goal of any pass rush is to sack the passer. However, our philosophy goes beyond this. Not every snap and rush move ensures a sack, so we shave set up goals for our defensive linemen. While sacks are our main objective, we strive for constant pressure. Hurries, tip passes, knocking the QB down, forcing the passer our of his rhythm, these all lead to a successful pass rush. At the University of Wyoming, where I coached for the previous eight seasons, and now here at Carroll College, we stress rush lanes every day in our drills and group work. It is the defensive tackles aim to collapse the pocket in front of the QB and penetrate the pocket of protection to at least 2 yards within the QB set-up (this being a 5 or 7 step drop). Defensive ends must squeeze the pocket, forcing the passer to step up into the inside rush men. We work to have our ends within at least 1 yard of the QB on every pass play. The combination of our pass

rush and our pass coverage is two-fold; (1) to disrupt the vision and (2) to disrupt the timing of the pass play. It is very important that with a 4-man rush we stress rush lane integrity.We do not want to create a throwing alley or a scramble lane for the QB.

As a defensive line coach, I sincerely believe that your players must have great enthusiasm and determination as well as the techniques that will allow them to be successful. Pass rush is the most physical aspect of the game. Players must develop strength, quickness as well as be in the best physical condition possible.

There are a number of great coaches and pass rushers over the years that I have read and studied film on. I have tried to incorporate a lot of their principles in developing my philosophy toward pass rush.

Listed below are the 12 most important fundamentals I believe in and teach early:

1. Stance and alignment.
2. Have a pass rush move ready.
3. Know the down and distance.
4. Get-off and quickness of initial move.
5. Know the depth the QB sets up.
6. Take the most direct line to the QB - never rush wider than you line up.
7. Keep shoulders forward and feet moving upfield; get your near hip past the blocker.
8. Be active with your feet, hands, and eyes.
9. Stay in rush lanes and close to the QB. Don’t get pushed beyond
10. Get your hands up - don’t jump until the ball is thrown - unless it is a 2-step or 3-step drop, then it is acceptable to leave your feet to disrupt the timing and vision of the route.
11. Tackle QB high, stripping the ball.
12. Turn and sprint in direction of pass once ball is thrown - a) short pass, b) fumble, c) interception.

I teach a variety of moves but I encourage each player to develop only a couple of straight moves and one or two counter moves. Early in camp, I try to watch and see what each player will or can do naturally. Each player must work to take advantage of his own abilities and strengths. Trying to perfect a large number of moves will prevent a player from perfecting any of them because of lack of time and repetition.


Diagram 1

Speed Rush:

This is the first move you need to use against the OT to set up your other moves. It is important to line up 3 to 4 feet outside the blocker’s shoulder. On the snap of the ball, sprint straight upfield. Never rush wider than your first step. Run hard to the edge of the outside shoulder of the OT. Sprint to get your inside shoulder slightly ahead of the blocker and keep your pads low. Keep your head up and bear in under his pads.Fight his pressure to help you turn the corner to the QB. Turn your inside knee and hip to the QB. Make the blocker move his feet, do not allow him to get set.

Butt and Swim:

One of the best moves that I still teach today is the swim move off of the butt and grab. Del Wight, former defensive line coach at Wyoming and John Levra, of the Buffalo Bills, have been two of my mentors and I have learned a lot about this move from these two coaches.

This is a strong move used vs. an aggressive, quick set offensive guard or tackle. The success of this move depends on a player’s quickness and power on the snap of the ball. Attack the blocker on his outside half, butt his breast plate with your inside hand and grab his shoulder with your outside hand at the same time. As you butt and grab, stop and pop your hips open as you pull his shoulders toward the L.O.S. By opening up your hips, you take away your chest blocking surface from the blocker. Bring your inside arm over the top of his arm and clear your inside hip.


Diagram 2

Club and Rip:

This is a hard up-the-field rush move initiated by exploding off the ball and attacking the outside edge of the blocker. Club his outside shoulder as you drive your inside shoulder through the near armpit of the blocker and rip your inside arm through to the sky. As you squeeze into the blocker, you must turn your inside knee and hips into the QB. You can now use your outside hand to lift off the blocker’s near arm so you can clear his hips.This is a good rush for both defensive tackles and ends.

Spin (Counter Move):

Line up tight to the blocker and drive hard upfield on the snap of the ball. Throw your inside arm through his outside shoulder (club and rip move) and get the blocker to over commit. Then, execute a discus spin by coming back under control and sitting back into the blocker. Use his body to spin off of. As you spin, drive your off hand (outside hand) into the back of the blocker and pin his arm at the same time. This will allow you to bring your hips around tight and get upfield. This will also keep the blocker from turning back into you.

Games:

The next phase of pass rush that we teach allows our defensive ends to have a free rush. They do not have contain responsibilities now and will push the pocket with an inside rush. This will be accomplished by a defensive call. These are called in passing situations. In the first of these games the defensive end will rush inside first and the defensive tackle will loop behind and be responsible for contain. The defensive end must set this move up by making his get-off look the same to the offensive tackle as a speed rush. If you are in a right handed stance on the left side, you will plant hard on our second step and come under; if you are in a left handed stance on the left side then it will take place on your 3rd step. Now drive hard and rip your outside arm and leg through the inside arm of the blocker and collapse the pocket. Do not get driven by the QB. On the snap of the ball, the defensive tackle will drive to the inside shoulder of the guard. He does not want to rush upfield but get two yards depth. He will “feel” the defensive end’s inside move and then loop outside and contain the QB.

The next game between the defensive end and tackle involves the tackle going first and the end second. In this scheme, the defensive tackle will still have contain and the defensive end will delay and come inside to collapse the pocket. We want the defensive tackle to come off the ball hard into the gap and work for width as he gets upfield. This stunt is an excellent call on drawdowns.

It is important to set aside individual time each day to work on these techniques. The most important phase of all these moves is the get off on the snap of the ball. It is not as much about a player’s 40-time as it is his reaction to movement. That is why we use a football in all of our defensive line drills.






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