By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
Twitter: @MikeKKuchar
Editor’s Note: The following research was conducted as part of XandOLabs.com special report on “Defending the Run with the Odd Front,” which can be accessed in full below.
Bite Technique, Tim Baechler, Canton High School (MI):
Coach Baechler will teach what he calls a “Bite Technique” to his outside linebacker against three-man surfaces, particularly if he is slanting to the field and the tight end is to the boundary or against two tight end sets. The purpose is to bounce the ball outside to the middle linebacker and primary support player. The Sam or Will linebacker is going to move to a head up situation. If the tight end bases him and he gets run action to him, the Sam will rip inside and be the C gap player while the Quick linebacker scrapes to be a D gap player (Diagram 34). The Will jams and closes to try to bounce and spill everything outside to the Quick who becomes the D gap player. If the tight end reaches the Sam, the Sam becomes the D gap player (Diagram 35).