Undersized? No Problem
Thiel College\'s attacking techniques of an undersized front four in the 4-3 scheme
by: Jack LeipheimerHead Football Coach, Thiel College©
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Our
defense finished the 2002 season with the following President’s
Athletic Conference rankings: No. 1 in scoring defense; No. 2 in
pass efficiency defense; No. 2 in sacks; No. 2 in turnovers created;
No. 3 in total defense. I firmly believe the most integral reason
for this success is the play of our front four. Our defensive ends
were 6-foot-2, 225 pounds and 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, while our defensive
tackles were 6-foot-2, 235 pounds and 6-foot-1, 215 pounds. In
every game we were overmatched in size, but not in speed and heart.
We pound into our front four one thought and one thought only – make
the quarterback have a bad day! Every snap we want our front to
think about getting after the quarterback, therefore we align on “the
edge” in a three-point pass-rush stance.
Stance
Everything starts with the stance. We want our guys to feel comfortable and at
the same time be able to explode off the ball. We put our inside hand on the
ground and slightly in front of our eyes. Our inside foot is back with the knee
bent at an angle of approximately 120 degrees and the weight is concentrated
on the ball of the foot. Our outside foot is placed below the waist with the
knee almost at a 90-degree angle and the weight is again concentrated on the
ball of the foot. The outside hand is cocked in front of the outside knee. Our
feet are slightly narrower than shoulder width and the butt is higher than the
shoulders.
Get Off
Once we get comfortable in our stance then we concentrate on the “get off,” the
first step, our initial key is the football for movement. On the snap our first
step replaces the down hand and we lead with our hands keeping the shoulders
down and the back flat. We want to gain penetration so that our head and shoulders
are as deep as the hips of the offensive lineman. We call this getting “your
hat in the crack.”
Reaction Progression
As we attack and gain penetration our reaction key is the man we are aligned
on, from there we will take our reaction off the backside lineman and then the
near back. Our emphasis is to react with as flat an angle as possible. Any block
that comes at us from the inside we will attack it with our outside shoulder
coming “under” the block. Some people refer to this as “wrong
arm” ... we call this technique “cross hat.” We always want
to have our “hat in the crack” between any two offensive players.
The idea is to disrupt and take away the point of attack.
Alignment
As I stated in the opening we are going to align our front four “on the
edge,” that means we are going to be shaded either inside or outside of
an offensive player. Our shade alignment is to put our foot just inside the foot
of the offensive lineman that we are shaded on. At times we will utilize a “loose” alignment;
now our foot will be outside the foot of the offensive man.
Basic Techniques
There are five basic techniques that our front four must master in order to defeat
blocks and will put them in a position to make plays.
1. Rip Technique
a. Push the outside shoulder and pull the inside shoulder of the blocker to get
him turned.
b. Dip your inside shoulder and step with your inside leg and rip the two together
past the blocker.
c. You must get your hips past the blocker’s hips.
d. If the blocker is still engaged continue to rip your arm and point your elbow
to the sky as you continue to gain ground.
2. Swim Technique
a. Grab and pull the blocker’s shoulder down with your outside hand.
b. Take your inside arm and swim (punch) over the blocker’s shoulder at
the same time bring your inside leg past the blocker.
c. You must get your hips past the blocker’s hips.
d. Use your elbow to the back of the blocker as you accelerate to the ball.
3. Spin Technique
a. Use this move when you are engaged with a blocker that is giving you heavy
pressure.
b. When you feel the blocker’s weight committed to you; plant your near
foot, lean into the blocker, and spin.
c. Whip your opposite arm and leg around; using your elbow and butt to push off
the blocker.
d. Locate the ball and accelerate to it.
4. Wipe Technique
a. Use this move when an adjacent man is trying to block back on you to cut you
off and his head is in front of you.
b. Take your near arm and club the blocker’s far shoulder shoving him past
you; use his momentum against him.
c. Rip or swim your far arm and leg past him.
5. Flip Technique
a. Use this move when a blocker’s body is between you and the direction
you want to go.
b. Grab the back of the blocker with your far hand.
c. Flip your hips open by using a reverse pivot.
d. Swim your opposite arm and leg past the back of the blocker.
We drill each of these techniques in a progression sequence starting “on
air” and working up to 2-on-1 drills.
Block Reactions:
Progression:
1. Man on (feel the adjacent lineman)
2. Backside lineman
3. Near Back
On the snap get great “get off” and penetrate the offensive line;
get your “hat in the crack” and maintain leverage between the adjacent
linemen.
Diagram 1. |
Drive Block:
Punch with your inside hand to the blocker’s chest and fight the blocker’s
pressure; maintain control of your gap while restricting the running lane with
the blocker’s body.
Diagram 2. |
Reach Block:
As the lineman attempts to reach you use a “rip technique” to maintain
your gap leverage. If contact is made use a push - pull technique to turn the
blocker’s shoulders and then execute your rip.
Diagram 3. |
Inside Release:
As the lineman releases to the inside attempting to block on another
defensive lineman or linebacker plant your outside foot, redirect
flat and tight off the
blocker’s hip. Be prepared for the adjacent blocker from the outside trying
to cut you off in the zone scoop scheme. Maintain your “hat in the crack” and
stay between the two linemen.
Diagram 4. |
Note: if you are a defensive end aligned to the
open end side; check for boot action and be prepared to redirect flat to the
outside for contain.
Diagram 5. |
Pull Inside:
As a defensive tackle aligned on the edge of a guard anticipate
the center trying
to block back on you. Cross the center’s face using the spin or wipe if
his head is in front of you, and if his head is behind use the flip technique
to pursue flat down the line of scrimmage.
Diagram 6. |
Pull Outside:
Immediately redirect to the inside and anticipate the trap. If
you feel pressure on your outside hip then you must avoid pressure
and work to redirect back towards
the outside. You will use the spin, wipe, or flip depending on the location of
the blocker’s head and the amount of pressure you are getting.
Diagram 7. |
Double Team:
Get great penetration, “hat in the crack”, fight to split the double
team by lowering your shoulder plane and using the push - pull technique to turn
the post blocker’s shoulders. At the same time you must lower your hips
and force your butt between the two linemen, drop to your knee momentarily to
obtain the leverage needed. If you feel yourself loosing ground then drop and
pull the post blocker down with you creating a pile on the line of scrimmage.
Trap:
Attack the trapper using a “cross hat” technique. That means turning
towards the trap and closing the distance to him; attacking his inside thigh
by taking your initial outside arm and driving it up through his crotch, thus
coming across his body. Defensive ends will on contact drive the trapper up field
and attempt to knock off any other lineman pulling.
Pass Rush
In addition to being able to stop the run your front four must be able to get
pressure on the quarterback in passing situations. The more pressure you can
generate from a four-man rush the better opportunity you have to be successful
in coverage. We sell our players that the two go hand in hand for great pass
defense. As I mentioned at the beginning of the article our front four line up
on each play thinking “make the QB have a bad day” and then react
to the situation and scheme as the play develops. Once they recognize pass our
guys turn it loose and work to constrict and compress the pocket around the quarterback.
Detailed below are our thoughts on pass rush as well as techniques that we drill
every day.
The ability to rush the passer is a characteristic of every outstanding defensive
team. Rushing the passer is an art that takes constant work and concentration.
A large part of being a great pass rusher also comes from desire. The major objective
of rushing the passer is to hit him before he can throw the ball, however this
is the one place in football where being close does count.
We play TEAM DEFENSE; the better the pass rush, the better the coverage will
be and the better the coverage, the better the pass rush will be! We want to
create pressure with a balanced four-man rush. Thus we will have two rushers
on each side of the ball.
Basic Principles:
1. “Get Off” on ball movement; quickness is the single most important
factor.
2. Use hand counters to keep the blocker’s hands off.
3. Keep your upper body weight forward and your feet moving.
4. Use a head and shoulder fake or a jab step to set up a move.
5. Have a plan ... predetermine a move, but be ready to take what the offensive
lineman gives you. Remember what you saw the last time in order to devise a plan.
6. All moves should be executed from as tight to the blocker as possible. This
will reduce his time to react and counter your move.
7. Always work 1/2 a man; make yourself as thin as possible by turning your shoulders.
Never expose your whole chest to the blocker.
8. Constrict and compress the pocket; outside rushers aim for the quarterback’s
deepest shoulder, while inside rushers should aim for the quarterback’s
front side number. Tackle the quarterback high and strip the ball.
9. Get your hand up when the quarterback is throwing through your rush lane;
this may accomplish several things.
a. Obscure his vision; force a bad throw, or make him move and disrupt his rhythm.
b. You may tip the ball causing an interception.
c. Force the quarterback to pull the ball down and run.
d. Force the quarterback to elevate his throw that can result in and incompletion
or interception.
10. Don’t leave your feet until the ball has been released. As a contain
rusher; you should never leave your feet.
11. Don’t be driven past the quarterback; work a counter move to regain
leverage.
12. Versus a scramble or sprint out; change your rush lane to maintain the proper
leverage on the quarterback.
13. Once the ball is thrown sprint down field and make a play.
Remember a large part of being a great pass rusher is desire. You must have the
mind set that you will not be denied from getting to the quarterback. You must
do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Hand Counters
Swat: As the blocker punches toward your midsection block his
punch from the outside in using a sideway swat of the hand with your palm facing
inward. This
will force the blocker’s punch outside your body avoiding contact.
Pop: As the blocker punches toward your upper body block his
punch from the inside out using an upward motion of your hands with your thumbs
pointing in. This will
again force the blocker’s punch outside your body.
Chop: Used against a midsection punch or against a blocker with
long arms. As he punches bring your arm down in a chopping fashion with your
palm facing down
making contact on his wrist and knocking his hands away.
Swipe: Used in conjunction with the swat. As you swat the blocker’s
hand
across your body, use the opposite hand to swipe over the top with a downward
motion while rotating your palm out.
We practice hand counters daily and again use a progression sequence starting
on air and then working in pairs.
Pass Rush Moves
Speed Rush: Used by a wide rusher; sprint to a point four yards
deep and outside the widest lineman. Once you reach that point bend the horn
and accelerate to
the quarterback’s deepest shoulder. Be ready to use a rip or chop to ward
off the blocker.
Rip: Push the outside shoulder and pull the inside shoulder
of the blocker to get him turned. Dip your inside shoulder and step with your
inside leg and rip
the two together past the blocker. You must get your hips past the blocker’s
hips. If the blocker is able to maintain contact with you; push up on his elbow
with your opposite hand while you continue to lift your uppercut and point your
elbow to the sky.
Swim: Grab and pull the blocker’s shoulder down with your outside hand.
Take your inside arm and swim (punch) over the blocker’s shoulder at the
same time bring your inside leg past the blocker. You must get your hips past
the blocker’s hips. Use your elbow to ice pick the blocker’s back
as you accelerate past him to the ball.
Bull: Get your hands inside the blocker’s hands and contact
his numbers. Work to extend your arms while butting your forehead up through
his chin. Drive
the blocker backwards towards the quarterback. As he drops his hips to try and
regain leverage use the chop while stepping to the side and then hit the appropriate
move. If the blocker is pushing hard against you then step to the side and pull
him forward, use his momentum against him.
Spin: This move is used when the blocker is attempting to ride
you past the quarterback. Plant your inside foot and lean into the blocker. Dip
your shoulder and whip
your opposite arm around while using your elbow and butt to push off the blocker
and accelerate to the quarterback.
Hook: This move is used against a lineman that is retreating
quickly to cut off your outside pass rush. Plant your outside foot while freeing
up your inside
arm. Club up through the blocker’s inside armpit and use his momentum against
him to push him backwards. Rip your outside arm and leg across his face and accelerate
to the quarterback.
As a general rule our inside pass rushers will convert to a bull rush if they
have not beaten their man within the first two yards of the line of scrimmage.
We drill our pass rush techniques every day either against our offensive lineman
or against stand up bags with strap on arms. We also utilize a garden hose to
form a half circle to simulate the concept of “bending the horn.”
About the author
Jack Leipheimer
As he enters his third season as the head football coach at
Thiel, Jack Leipheimer has energized the entire program with an aggressive
recruiting strategy and a
total commitment to guiding Tomcat football back to respectability. Leipheimer
carries high expectations for himself, his staff and his players and he anticipates
achieving those goals through effort, dedication and determination, both on and
off the football field.
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