Developing a 7-Technique C Gap “Bully”

Defensive Ends: Using Your 7-Technique to “Bully” Tight Ends

By Jared Pospisil

Defensive Columnist

X&O Labs

Jared Pospisil, Defensive Columnist, X&O Labs

Researchers’ Note: Please welcome Jared Pospisil to the X&O Labs’ team.  Coach Pospisil is the Defensive Coordinator at Union High School (IA) and will now also serve as a monthly defensive columnist for X&O Labs.  His previous report on his Cover 4 Run Read Drill is one of the most read and commented reports in X&O Labs’ history. As you’ll read in his first column below, Coach Pospisil brings a unique perspective to solving problems on the defensive side of the ball.  And every month, Coach Pospisil will bring you unique – but proven – ways to better your defense. Please welcome Coach Pospisil by posting in the Comments section below.

One of the main things that has helped our defense improve over the past few years is the development of our defensive end play, particularly as it pertains to maintaining a solid C gap defender.  What we do with our defensive ends is not groundbreaking; still, we are happy with our “Bully” method that we use to package and teach a particular DE concept in our Over 43 defense.

Ironically, it took getting a thumpin’ in the first round of playoffs four years ago to bring about the positive change.  In that game, we played Crestwood High School (IA), a very physical, two-tight end, full-house backfield offense, whose main plays ran off the tight end’s rear.  Crestwood routinely caved down our DEs so quickly that our linebackers and defensive backs did not have an opportunity to fill before the running backs were already five yards downfield.  The next day, as I replayed the events of the game over and over in my head, I became sick thinking of how effective the off-tackle play was for our opponent and how ineffective our defense was at stopping it.  Then I realized our defense faced many teams in our district whose main offensive plays ran off-tackle, and we did not defend that play well all year!  From that day on our defensive staff set out to find a way defend the C gap better.

At the time, we utilized two 5-technique (outside shade of the offensive tackle) defensive ends in our Base Under front (Diagram 1).  We taught them to key the ball and attack the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle across from them at the snap.  Unfortunately, this left them extremely vulnerable to a down block from just an average tight end, notwithstanding some of the bulldozer types we regularly faced in our district.  After talking to a few college coaches and watching film of a number of college and professional games, we decided that we would ask our DEs to widen to 7-techniques (inside shade of the TE) in an attempt to give our defenders a better chance to fight off the down block.

 

Still, we did not want to tell the defensive end “just line up wider.”  Instead, we set out to develop a concept labeled with a tag word for our new DE play, a tag word that would encompass the required alignment, key, responsibility, and technique.  We settled on the term “Bully” because that is what we wanted our DEs to do to TEs: We expected the DEs to harass, beat up, and knock down TEs.

The “Bully” Technique:

7-Technique Defensive Ends

Now, any time our DEs see a TE align to their side, they are to utilize the Bully technique.  We tell our Bully DEs to align their outside nostril to the TE’s inside nostril, as close to head-up as possible without actually being head-up (Diagram 2).  The DE’s movement key is now the TE, not the ball.  We used to be a ball-key team.   However, we felt that when the DE looked down at the ball or the offensive tackle he was an easy blind side target for the TE.  Now when the DE focuses on the TE, he has a fighting chance to maintain the C gap.

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Offensive Line: 4 Ways to Improve Pass Protection

By Justin Iske

Offensive Line Coach

Fort Hays State University

Justin Iske, Offensive Line Coach, Fort Hays State University (KS)

One of my favorite sayings is “you never stop learning.” That is why we try to do as much research as possible every off-season and why we remind ourselves often that there are many ways to do things. We do not claim to have all the answers, but our hope is that this article gives you a pointer or two that will help you.  Most of the ideas that appear below have been stolen from other coaches. However, we have also gotten many great ideas from our players as far as what is productive for them and what is not. We have exit meetings with our players after every season and every spring practice to ask them questions about what they like and don’t like about what we do.  While we don’t suggest making major changes every year, there is always something that can be improved upon.

General Fundamentals:

We wanted to share a couple of general thoughts on pass protection before we get into the nuts and bolts of our pass pro technique.

  • Eyes on the target (middle of chest):  We use the phrase “Aim small, miss small.”  We work to keep our eyes open throughout the duration of the play in order to react to pass rush moves, slants, twists, etc.
  • It is important that our steps mirror each other (and are the same distance) so that we maintain our base at all times. We must lead with the foot in the direction we are going.  For example, if setting to the right, the right foot must move first.
  • We want to keep both feet on the ground as much as possible. You wouldn’t throw a punch in a boxing match with one foot in the air, just as you don’t want to make contact with a defender with one foot in the air. That is why we drag our second step to keep in contact with the ground.
  • If you have a player that is having a problem with false steps (stepping with the wrong foot or not gaining width on that first step), have them shift their body weight opposite the direction they are going to force the first step. For example, if most of your weight is on your right foot, it is impossible to step with that foot and vice versa.
  • Finally, we teach our players the concept of the pocket. It is our center and guards’ responsibility to ensure the depth of the pocket (keeping defenders on the line of scrimmage) and our tackles’ responsibility to ensure the width of the pocket (pushing rushers as wide as possible). Obviously, if you are a turn or slide protection team, the guard to the slide side has some gray area on this in terms of staying on level with their tackle, but that is the general idea that we want to get across to them.

The Punch:

 

We teach our linemen to set with their hands low. In our kick or post set, the thumbs are together with the hands at belt level six inches from your stomach with the elbows in tight to the ribcage. When the defender is within range, the punch should be executed on the rise at the bottom of the defender’s numbers.

  • We talk about “lifting him out of his shoes.”  As the arms are extended to a lockout, the head and shoulders must be kept back and there is a slight roll of the hips.
  • The feet must stay alive and we must stay square and in front of the defender.
  • Keep the hands active until you have established inside hand leverage with the thumbs up and elbows in. Grab cloth within the defender’s framework.

Once we have become efficient with the punch, we will use a few change-ups to keep defenders off-balance:

  •  The first is to show the defender high hands. This is especially effective versus a defender that is a hand slapper. As you set, extend the hands at chest level to entice the defender to try to slap them down. As he comes within range drop them back down to your waist and re-punch.
  • The second change-up we use is called a fake punch.   This would be used anytime we face a quality pass rusher as a change-up to keep them off-balance.We will set with low hands initially, then punch with the hands to half-extension, draw them back, and then re-punch. Our film evaluation that week will determine which of these techniques we will incorporate and how much of each we will use. 

The following examples are the drills I use in practice to teach hand placement:

 

Thumblift:

Stalemate:

Punch-Reset:

Click below to see Coach Iske’s hand placement drills in action.  His drill tape and tutorial is below.

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Zone Read Concept Study: Case 1 – Structure and Schematics

 

The Zone Read Concept Study:

Part 1 – Structure and Schematics (59 minutes, 36 seconds)

Please Note: For a better viewing experience we recommend you close out other programs you are using on your computer prior to playing the video.  If you have any buffering issues, just click the pause button and allow the video to download for a few minutes before clicking the play button.

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Zone Read Concept Study: Case 2 – Play of the Skill Positions

 

The Zone Read Concept Study:

Part 2 – The Play of the Skill Positions (58 minutes, 50 seconds)

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Zone Read Concept Study: Case 3 – Play of the Offensive Line

 

The Zone Read Concept Study:

Part 3 – The Play of the Offensive Line (42 minutes, 25 seconds)

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Zone Read Concept Study: Case 4 – Variations of the Read Zone

 

The Zone Read Concept Study:

Part 4 – Variations of the Read Zone (46 minutes, 33 seconds)

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Stretching the Boundary with the “Slash” Concept

Keith Grabowski

Offensive Coordinator

Baldwin-Wallace College

Keith Grabowski, Offensive Coordinator, Baldwin-Wallace

Bio: Keith J. Grabowski enters his fourth season on the Yellow Jacket coaching staff in 2012 and his third as its offensive coordinator. Grabowski served as quarterbacks coach in 2009 and was promoted to offensive coordinator in July of 2010. The Yellow Jackets finished with an 8-2 record last season.

In 2010, we included the use of a TE in our spread offense, and adapted more of a pro style run game and approach to our offensive attack. We still maintain many of the principles we learned when executing a spread offense, but our personnel and philosophy dictated a different approach, which gave us more flexibility in developing our attack from year to year with different types of personnel. While evolving as an offense, we looked for components that allow us to maintain a multiple attack without relying purely on spread formations. Using personnel and formations we expand and contract to put stress on how defenses must play us.

One of our favorite formations was a 2×2 with a TE into the boundary, which gave us a strong running attack, and still allowed us to spread the field (diagram 1).

However, we had only a few answers in the passing game that we felt allowed us a high percentage passing attack to the boundary- and those answers didn’t have the simplest progression for the QB to work to the field to find open receivers when the defense took away the boundary side routes.

 

In doing research and looking for different answers for our offense, we were directed to Dub Maddox, an assistant coach at Jenks High School (OK) who had been developing an idea on how to attack the boundary. Meeting with Dub allowed the two of us to collaborate on some of the ideas we each had and fit the concept- particularly the component that attacks the boundary. We felt that the concept overlaid well with some of what we were doing in our four verticals package, and from a teaching perspective much of what was needed in the package was already taught to our receivers and quarterback.

The “Slash” concept. “Slash” attacks the boundary on quick rhythm with a hitch executed at 7 yards deep and 1 yard from the sideline, and a route we call “Bow” for the TE which is an angled seam route that aims for 15 yards deep and 5 yards from the sideline. This combination is where the quarterback will start his progression. We label this combination as “Bow” which from a structural standpoint allows us to incorporate this with different field combinations as we progress through the season and add a wrinkle to our offense (diagram 2).

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OLB Drill Article – Drills to Develop “Hybrid” Players in the 3-4 and 4-3

 

By William Lund

Columnist

 

X&O Labs

William Lund, D-Line Columnist, X&O Labs

Editor’s Note: Please welcome William Lund to the X&O Labs team.  Coach Lund is a veteran college football coach with a high level of expertise on coaching defensive line. We are excited to have him on board.  Every month Coach Lund will bring you some of the best insights, drills and strategies on developing your defensive line.  And the best part is, Coach Lund will answer any and all of your questions.  Just post your questions or comments below and Coach Lund will respond shortly.  

Coaches are always trying to find a new edge in defending offensive schemes. Much of the change occurs when a coach decides to use a 3-4 defense to replace a 4-3 defense or a 3-3-5 defense to replace a 4-2-5 structure. Defense is not so much scheme, but players’ understanding and belief in that scheme. Whether a coach choses to be a four-man front or a three-man front, more often than not he will have a “sub” package incorporating one or the other fronts.  If you don’t decide to change personnel, you may have a player that is a “hybrid.” A hybrid player is one you need to have on the field as a rusher in pass situations, but also one you want to use in coverage. This hybrid player may be necessary because you cannot afford to pull him off the field no matter what the situation, but still may want to incorporate a 3- or 4-man front. My column this month will discuss the ways you can effectively train your hybrid player to be sound as a coverage man or as a rusher.

For the purpose of this column we will use a 3-4 and 4-3 scheme as our template in developing a plan for our hybrid player.  When training a player, you need to make sure he can handle the multiple details that a player needs to know as both a rush end and drop end.  Pass Rush moves, drop zones and man responsibilities are all parts of being a hybrid player. Because of all the responsibilities that fall within this player’s domain, the tendency of coaches is to take a player that “athletically” looks the part and try to force him into a “hybrid” role. As coaches, we must not try to “force a square peg into a round hole.”  In order to be an effective hybrid, the player must be savvy, with the understanding of a larger scheme of things. It is my opinion that the easiest place to train your hybrid begins with aligning him as the defensive end or outside linebacker weak or away from the formation strength (or away from the tight end or passing strength.) From here you can limit the number of assignments and coverage responsibilities he has to know. Remember this is a starting point to build on your player’s knowledge base. (Diagram 1)

Note:  The hybrid player is the “R” in both scenarios

 First Level (DE) Keys and Reads

As a pre-snap, we will key the “V” of the neck of the EMLOS.  In most cases, this will be the OT.  We do an every day drill called “Quick Hands” that emphasizes this technique (diagram 2).  Quick Hands Video:

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Tim Brewster’s Recruiting Strategies

X&O Labs’ Exclusive Interview With Tim Brewster: One of College Football’s Most Accomplished Recruiters

Ask most coaches what they know about Tim Brewster and they’ll tell you the guy could recruit.  The former head coach at the University of Minnesota from 2007-2010 worked previously on staffs headed by Marty Schottenheimer, Mack Brown and Mike Shanahan and is credited for inking some of college football’s top talents like Chris Simms and Vince Young. Currently on a hiatus from coaching, Brewster spent over an hour with X&O Labs Mike Kuchar revealing his little-known methods for landing top recruits.

MK: What is the most important aspect a recruiter must have?

TB:  First and foremost, you better have passion for recruiting.  There are so many coaches in college football that don’t enjoy the process of recruiting and it’s evident in their results.  You must take recruiting personally.  If I lost a kid it was hard on me because I was so invested in every kid I’ve recruited.  You have to find a way to get the kid to say “yes” or more importantly you’re trying to develop a relationship with a young guy so he can’t tell you “no.”

For example, when I was at North Carolina in the mid 1990’s I was recruiting a kid named Omar Brown out of York, Pennsylvania.  York was in the backyard of Penn State and State College cleaned house up there.  When it came down to his decision time, I remember calling him in a hotel that night, and he said to me “Coach Brew, I need to call you back.”  The reason why he needed to do that is because he knew he couldn’t tell me “no.”  In his heart, he wanted to go to Penn State, which was his dream growing up.  But I had developed such a great relationship with Omar through the process so he couldn’t say no so we got him.  Now, he’s spent time in the NFL.

MK:  Tell me what you did to make that young man not want to tell you “no.”

TB:  It’s all about your ability to communicate with young people and how you build a relationship with them.  The bottom line is does a kid enjoy talking to you?  Some coaches will call these kids and have a five-minute conversation asking how many touchdowns the kid scored last Friday night?  There is no real juice to the conversation.  Do you utilize the new ways of recruiting with Twitter, Facebook and so forth?  So many coaches are resistant to do that.  You have to be involved in that to have a chance at a kid.

MK:  How did you sell it to your staff to be involved in Facebook and Twitter?

TB:   I tried to lead by example.  I told my guys that I had a great deal of success recruiting and I put myself right in the middle of it.  We all fed off each other.  We had a saying at the University of Minnesota in recruiting.  We said “24/7/365” and that’s how we felt about recruiting.  We recruited every single day of the year.  Some schools met once a week, on Thursday, to talk about recruiting until you get into the recruiting season.  We met and talked about recruiting every single day.  So my guys were well versed in using all the different methods of recruiting.

The thing you have to do is find a way to make your deal different.  The number one best way to recruit is to use a hand written letter.  Kids love a hand written letter.  I would tell our staff, “today guys, we’re going to write 200 love letters.”  Everybody on the staff is going to write ten of these today.  If kids get a letter that’s typed, half the time they don’t even read them.  You got to make a connection by writing a hand written note.  It’s what I did with Chris Simms when I was at Texas.  On the front part of the letter, I’d draw a cloud with the number two on it.   Then I would draw a Texas jersey with his number on the front.  On the back, I’d put Simms on the back.  It’s about building something that is personal, and connecting with those kids.

I recruited Vince Young to Texas and I developed an amazing relationship with him in the process.  I love him like a son.  His story was amazing.  He had a tough home life. It came down to Vince taking the visit to Texas on his official.  Vince and I were in the locker room area during a basketball game talking with basketball coach Rick Barnes.  Before the game, we get to the floor level and the crowd saw Vince and 15,000 people were on their feet chanting “We want Vince.”  It was an amazing moment for the both of us.  As we left the court, I can see tears running out of his eyes.  He looked at me and said, “Coach, this is home.  This is where I need to be.”  He committed that weekend.  Moments like that are special, you don’t get that back.

MK:  How would you utilize this personal approach while recruiting hundreds of players?

TB:  What I would do is “build a fence” around my entire recruiting area.  My mindset is “I own this area.”  If there is a great player in this area, I’m going to get him.  Now the reality is you’re not going to get them all.  But your mindset should not change.  I’m going to know every high school coach.

MK:  What was your protocol when walking into a building to see a kid you were recruiting?

TB:  The first thing I would do is walk in and ask to see the principal.  I wanted to meet he pri

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Recap: Spring Practice Report

 

The 10 Things I Learned This Spring

 

By Mike Kuchar

Senior Research Manager

X&O Labs

First and foremost, I would like to extend an official thank you to all of the schools that permitted me complete access into their programs.  At X&O Labs, it’s our goal to develop relationships with people that want to share and give back to the coaching community.  That’s not always the case at every program.

So, now that the suitcases are unloaded and the notes sifted through, I wanted to take this opportunity to present these random streams of consciousness on some important items I noticed at all these practices. It’s what I usually do after my on-site football trips or conventions and I’m sure you’re no different.  So, in no particular order, below are some common denominators I’ve found in each of the places I’ve visited:

Simplified Use of No-Huddle Offenses: In all of the places I’ve visited, only two programs huddled after each play.  This number probably would have been about half only three years ago.  When I asked coaches like Kevin Callahan and his staff at Monmouth, why he is moving to the no-huddle this spring, their answer was simple- it’s efficient.  Not only can you control the tempo of the game, which is why most offenses run it, it helps your players think fast and play fast which is essentially what we’re all trying to do.  Although it would be negligent of me to discuss these teams terminologies, I also felt the terminology of their calls were getting extremely precise.  Teams have found a way to associated names with play concepts and families of play concepts.  I saw some great stuff on this.

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Villanova’s Spring Practice Report

Offensive Practice Real-Time Schedule

By Mike Kuchar

Senior Research Manager

X&O Labs

 

Researchers’ Note:  Thanks to wide receivers coach Brian Flinn and offensive coordinator Sam Venuto, both readers of X&O Labs, we were given total access inside the program at Villanova.  Coach Flinn will be submitting two clinic reports in the future for X&O Labs – one on WR release techniques to negate press coverage and one on his “Peek” concept out of the Wildcats spread offense.

 

Villanova’s Spring Practice:

 

Offensive Walk-Thru (5 minutes)

Villanova worked two variants of the their Box Concept (Diagrams 1-2) – which is a Mesh Pattern out of the five step passing game.

 

 

Pre-Practice (5 minutes)

  • OL: worked run blocking footwork on air
  • QB/WR/RB’s: worked routes on air

Team Stretch: Dynamic and Static (10 minutes)

  • Pogo jumps for height
  • Foot fires
  • Parallel squats
  • Standing T stretch
  • Butt rolls
  • Single leg arches (on back)
  • Single leg kicks (on back)
  • Prone hip flexors
  • Superman’s
  • Reverse hip flexors
  • Fire hydrants
  • Knee lifts
  • Mountain climbers
  • Step and touch
  • Front Lunge
  • Shuffles
  • Shuffle to sprint
  • Frankensteins (straight leg walks)
  • Backwards Run
  • Knee Skips
  • Full Bursts

Special Teams: Period 1 (5 Minutes)

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Navy’s Spring Practice Report

Offensive Practice Real-Time Schedule 

During the spring of 2012 X&O Labs’ Senior Research Manager, Mike Kuchar, set out to visit 10 schools in 8 days.  Below you will find Navy’s spring practice report – the first of several reports on Navy football. Continue reading www.XandOLabs.com for all of Kuchar’s new spring practice reports posted every week.

Pre-Practice (Duration: 10 minutes)

  • QB’s/Centers/FB’s: work gun and under exchanges on sideline to ensure accuracy in footwork.
  • A Backs/WR: Partnered ball drills (play catch)
  • OL: Base footwork and steps

Offensive Play-Polish on Bags (Duration: 5 minutes)            

  • All offensive personnel worked 12/13 Load option against both 8 man fronts (Diagram 1) and two high looks (Diagram 2). 

 

 

Team Stretch/Static Stretch (Duration: 10 minutes)

  • Players worked a partnered stretch routine involving hip flexors, butterflies, seated leans, prone hamstring stretches and a calf stretch.

Special Teams – Individual Period (Duration: 5 minutes)    

  • All skill players involved in special teams worked a punt block drill, coming out of the chutes and getting to a block spot.
  • QB’s: worked partnered option drills down the line.
  • OL: continued to stretch on their own.

Special Teams – Group Period (Duration: 5 minutes)            

  • Skill players now worked a “Pods Punt” drill (Diagram 3) where they work live against a half-rush and cover a directional kick.
  • OL continued to work on their own, as did QB’s.

Ball Security Circuit (Duration: 5 minutes)            

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Delaware’s Spring Practice Report

Offensive Practice Real-Time Schedule

By Mike Kuchar

Senior Research Manager

X&O Labs 

X&O Labs was a guest of Delaware offensive coordinator and X&O Labs subscriber Jim Hofher.  Coach Hofher will be submitting two

Expectations: At times, players would even tee off on the “green shirts,” or QBs. Not a word was said – in Delaware’s option offense QBs are expected to be hit.

clinic reports in the near future for X&O Labs – both on his empty protection package and his field drive concept out of the quick passing game. Continue reading the Insiders for all of Coach Hofher’s clinic reports.

Below you will find the spring practice report from Mike Kuchar’s visit to Delaware’s practice on April 6, 2012.  

Punt Team Walk-Thru: Duration: 5 minutes    

  • QB’s stretched on their own.
  • OL worked blitz recognition drill against two-man games.

Offensive Team Walk-Thru: Duration: 5 minutes

  • All offensive personnel worked their “Sonic” and “Dallas” both read option concepts, which were on the installation schedule for today.

Tempo Drill: Duration: 5 minutes

  • All offensive personnel worked plays on air at 75 percent speed, alternating both runs and passes.

Team Flex (dynamic stretch): Duration: 10 minutes

  • Jog for 20 yards
  • Knee skips for 20 yards
  • High knees for 10, butt kicks for 10 yards
  • Step and pull knee to chin
  • Step and grab quad
  • Crossovers
  • Backpedals
  • Side shuffles (left for 10 yds, right for 10 yds.)
  • Lunges (front for 10 yds, backwards for 10 yds.)
  • Toe touches for 10 yds, leg kicks for 10 yds.
  • 70 percent run
  • Straight leg run
  • 80 percent run
  • 100 percent run

Situational Drill (live): Duration: 5 minutes 

  • Live period: offense vs. defense. Thud tempo. All third down emphasis.

Special Teams-2 (Kickoff Return): Duration: 10 minutes

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