3. DEFINITION OF A
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
MENTAL TOUGHNESS
PHYSICAL TOUGHNESS
OUTSTANDING WORK ETHIC/DISCIPLINE
AGGRESSIVE MOTOR/EMOTION/CONFIDENCE/RELENTLESS PURSUIT
TECHNICIAN OF FUNDAMENTALS (EYES, FEET, HIPS, HANDS)
UNITY!
3
4. PLAYER EVALUATION
#1 Do you play with phenomenal effort?
#2 Are you Alignment / Assignment Sound?
#3 Do you manifest your knowledge of the
system in practice on a daily basis?
#4 Can you make a play?
#5 Can we trust you?
#6 Do you care about your teammates?
4
5. M. A. P. TO SUCCESS
Mental
Align, Get Off, Know Your Opponent
Attitude
Pursue, Tackle, Make the Big Hit, Force Turnovers, Manufacture
Sacks, Play Snap until Whistle
Physical
Attack, Reestablish the LOS, Maintain your Gap, DO NOT
Allow Yourself to STAY BLOCKED
5
6. GAP AND TECHNIQUE NUMBERING
GAPS
D
C
B
A
A
B
C
D
TECHINQUES
INSIDES
6i
4i
2i
0
2i
4i
6i
2
4
6
HEAD UP
6
4
0
2
OUTSIDE SHADE
7
5
3
1
1
3
5
7
6
10. Pre - Snap Read
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Down & Distance
Time & Score
Stance of Offensive Linemen
Splits of Offensive Linemen
Eyes of Offensive Linemen
Hand Pressure of Offensive Linemen
Personnel and Formations
10
12. 3 POINT STANCE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Inside Hand Down, Inside Foot Stagger Back
Stagger May be from Parallel to Heel/Toe Relationship
Screw Cleats into Grass/ Shoulder Width Apart/ Weight on Inside
Balls of Feet
Toes Pointed North and South/ Shoulders Square
Tail Slightly Higher than Shoulders/ Z in the Knees/ Weight Rolled
Forward/Hips Underneath You
Form Tripod with the Fingertips/ Inside the Knee and in Front of
the Eye
Opposite Hand is Up/Thumb Pointed Out/ Ready to Strike
Bow Neck/ Look Through Brow of Eyes/ Keep Ball in Peripheral
Vision
Eyes Read Man On
12
13. ASSIGNMENT
ALIGNMENT
1.
2.
3.
CREDIT CARD Alignment/
Fingertips on Butt of Ball/
Crowd LOS/ Referee should
constantly warn YOU!
Inside Hand Down, Inside
Foot Stagger
Be in Position to Defeat a
Block, Protect your Gap, and
NEVER GET REACHED!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
GET OFF !!!!
Attack Flesh/ UTILIZE
YOUR HANDS!!!
Establish a New LOS While
Maintaining a Flat Back
Dominate Your Gap
Knock-Back Mentality!
BASE
Nose – 3 tech, B Gap Responsible
Tackle - 3 tech, B Gap Responsible
13
15. BALL GET OFF
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Without it, Nothing WORKS!
Intense, Aggressive, Maximum Effort
Move on Movement/ See Ball Out of Peripheral Vision/ See “Tip”
of the Ball
Same on all DOWNS!
Lead with Hands and Eyes
ALL DRILLS on BALL MOVEMENT
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE
OF THIS FUNDAMENTAL OF DEFENSIVE
LINE PLAY: MOST CRUCIAL!
Ball Get Off
15
16. Ball Get Off
• EXPLODE WITH YOUR HIPS
• SHOOT YOUR HANDS – STEEL RODS
• BRING YOUR FEET
REPLACE DOWN HAND
GET YOUR 2ND FOOT IN THE GROUND
18. POWER STEP
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Foot Closest to Defender Replaces Down Hand
Stepping with other foot creates a “Pancake Base”
Aim this foot at an Imaginary Point Directly Below the
Head of the OL / Cut in Half
ATTACK 1st Step
REACT 2nd Step
Normal Walking Step (6’-8’)
QUICK FEET!
Flat Back
18
19. CONTACT FIT
HAND PLACEMENT
•
•
•
Deliver Blow into Inside of
Near Numbers and Outside
Shoulder
Thumbs UP!– Grab Cloth!
Lock Out and Turn OLM
Shoulders
HAT PLACEMENT
•
•
•
Eyes Shoot to the “V” of The
Neck
Head Up
Keep Head Lower Than OLM
Chin Strap
20. SEPARATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
LOCK OUT
BENCH PRESS OL AWAY
EXTEND!
Fight Pressure with Pressure
Keep Feet MOVING/
Eliminate Blockers!!
ESCAPE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Never PEEK Before You
Defeat!!
See the Blocking Scheme as
You ATTACK!
Disengage When the Ball
Carrier Commits to Your Gap
Ball Away – Rip/Swim
Ball Close – Push/Pull
20
22. PURSUIT
1.
2.
3.
All Out Effort Every Down!
Take Proper Angles to the
Football (No Fish Hooks)
Swarm and Punish Ball
Carrier
TACKLE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Eyes on Target
EXPLODE Through Ball
Carrier from Ground Up.
Aggressively Bring The Hips
Chest up and Club
Put Your Hat on the Ball
Finish with the FEET
Make Plays!
Secure Tackle, the Strip and
Rip.
22
23. LEVERAGE
Two Kinds of Leverage that are Essential:
• Vertical Leverage –
The Defender Gets his Pad Level LOWER
Than the Blocker
2. Horizontal Leverage –
The Defender Gets His Hands INSIDE
those of the Blocker
23
25. 1 on 1 Key Reactions
Three Questions
•
•
•
Question #1
Is the “V” at Me?
Yes –
Push Through Gap and Control It
No Go on to Question #2
Question #2
Is the “V” Up?
Yes Hit Your Pass Rush Move
No Go on to Question #3
Question #3
Is the “V” away with an Inside Threat?
Yes Bend & Spill All Trappers or Kick Out Blocks,
Tackle All Backs in your Path
NoDown Block coming: Fell Pressure Ricochet Back
and Control Gap
26. RUN MAXIMS
ONE MAN CAN’T BLOCK ME
TWO MEN CAN’T MOVE ME
TAKE OFF WITH HIPS, HANDS, AND FEET TO GAIN THE HEEL LINE
SHOOT, SEPARATE, ESCACPE, AND TACKLE
BEND AND SPILL
BEAT THE INSIDE HAND ON TRANSITION PASS RUSH
26
27. BASE RUN RESPONSIBILITES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
BGO!
ATTACK on Every Down and Knock-Back
Dominate the LOS and Force Double Teams
Main Responsibility: Control the B Gap vs. Runs to your Side
On Runs Away, Constrict the A Gap by Squeezing the Guard into the
A Gap While Continuing to Control the B Gap
Initial Visual Key = V of the Neck of the G
Initial Pressure Key = Feel the OT’s Block (if in a 3 tech)
Secondary Pressure Key= Feel the C’s Block (if in a 2i tech)
Be Aware of Back’s Path
Make Plays When Ball is Run in your Gap!
27
29. BASE
•
•
•
•
•
SQUEEZE
Blocker Fires Ahead, Trying to Drive You Off Ball
Explode Hands Through Breastplate on 2nd Step
“Squeeze” or Leverage him back, keeping your Gap
Lock Out, Separate, Find Ball, and Escape
Tackle the Ball Carrier
N
TNT will drop Right Shoulder and RIP through
with Right Arm to Shed- Then Make Tackle
T
TNT will drop Left Shoulder and RIP through
with Left Arm to Shed- Then Make Tackle
29
30. REACH
•
•
•
•
•
PUSH / PULL
Blocker Steps Outside To Reach
Re- Direct on 2nd Step as You Explode Hands
Press the Outside Peck of The Blocker and Pull Inside Peck
Lock Out, Separate, Find Ball, and Escape
If DL Can’t Make Play, force Ball to Bubble Deeper
N
T
30
31. DOWN
•
•
•
•
•
SPILL
Blocker Steps Inside, not Attempting to Block You
Re-Direct Hard Inside on 2nd Step (Bend)
Look For Trap or Kick Out Block
Spill Trap or Kick Out Block
Force Ball to Spill Outside and Run it Down If Cutback
T
T
31
33. PULL
CROSS FACE / WATER SKI
•
•
•
•
•
Blocker turns his shoulders to Pull Inside or Outside
Re-Direct Hard on 2nd Step, expecting Down Block
Option #1 - Water Ski
Penetrate, Bend, and Water-Ski (follow Pulling OLM)
Option #2 - Cross Face
Compress Down Block, Squeeze. Cross Face
Shed Block and Make Tackle
T
PULL INSIDE
N
T
N
PULL OUTSIDE
33
34. TRUE DOUBLE
CORKSCREW / SPLIT
•
•
•
•
•
Explode off ball – Fit Hands- Knock Back OLM
Press the POST Blocker
Squeeze your hips to the WHEEL Blocker- Drive Feet while Reducing Blocking Surface
Execute Split or Corkscrew to make the tackle
Keep Feet Alive and Do not Lose Ground
T
N
TNT will Split or Corkscrew the Double Team
T
N
TNT will Split or Corkscrew the Double Team
34
35. SCOOP
•
Reach Double (Run Through)
Visual Key Steps Toward you
Defender feels Pressure Key coming down on you
Steer Visual Key, direct feet, hips, and butt into the hole and Escape. You will get a Run Through.. find
the ball and make tackle.
•
Scoop Double (Sling Shot)
Visual Key Steps Away
Defender feels the Pressure Key Scooping Him
Grab Far Breastplate of Visual Key., Re-Direct Feet, Hips, butt and BEND towards the ball while staying
engaged on Blocker (Sling Shot)
REACH DOUBLE
T
N
TNT will steer and wipe through his gap and "Run
through" to make tackle
SCOOP DOUBLE
T
N
TNT will leverage to his outside and "slingshot" to
make the play
35
37. TRAP / INFLUENCE TRAP
•
VEER TRAP
As Blocker veers or blocks back, BEND
Expect a Trap or Kick out, Snap Eyes to Inside, Plant outside Foot, Drive Far Elbow Around
Attack Trapper (4/5ths) Explode into blocker, Rip through the rib cage, Drive your feet Vertically and Make
Tackle
•
INFLUENCE TRAP
Never Believe an OUTSIDE PULLER
As Visual Key pulls Outside, BEND
Expect a Trap or Kick out, Snap Eyes to Inside, Plant outside Foot, Drive Far Elbow Around
Attack Trapper (4/5ths) Explode into blocker, Rip through the rib cage, Drive your feet Vertically and Make
Tackle
TRAP
T
INFLUENCE TRAP
N
T
N
37
39. OBJECTIVES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
FORCE THE QB TO THROW WITH ONLY ONE READ
RESTRICT THE QB’S VISSION (HANDS AND BODIES)
CONTAIN
SACK
FORCE FUMBLES
MANUFACTURE INTERCEPTIONS!
UPPER BODY VIOLENCE
MASTER THE ART OF HAND FIGHTING!!
39
41. PASS RUSH FUNDAMENTALS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Know your opponent (Poor Feet = Speed Rush/ Poor Hands = Bull Rush)
Get in a comfortable stance with a narrow base with eyes and weight forward
Whole O Line is “Light”= Pass/ Half O Line is “Light” = Run
ANTICIPATE AND RECGONIZE a pass play
Have A Pass Rush Move and it’s Counter Move in mind.
Key the Ball and GET OFF quickly. Employ a Quick and Decisive First move.
Move your Feet and get a Great Vertical Push
Maintain Proper Body Lean. Keep Feet Underneath of You.
Coordinate Hands, Feet, and Head. Use Initial Head Fakes and Shoulder Fakes to get
OL out of Position. NEVER STOP FEET AND HANDS!
NEVER TAKE YOUR eyes OFF OF THE PASSER. Passer or Runner?
Attack only 1/3 of the BLOCKER
Flip Your Hips and Shoulders and GET SKINNY!
Get Your ARMS and HANDS up When QB’s Hand Comes off the Ball
Stay in Your RUSH LANE
NEVER STOP or SLOW DOWN/ BURST IN THE KILL ZONE!
41
42. PASS RUSH TECHNIQUES
•
•
•
•
•
Push / Pull:
Punch the offensive lineman with your hands which will get him off balance, once he is off balance
pull him toward you and more often than not he will fall to the ground.
Rip:
Force your opposite arm up under and through the armpit while leaning your body on him to gain
leverage. Use the free hand to grab, slap or chop through the OL arms to gain control.
Swim:
Force your opposite arm over the shoulder of the OL by using a swimming like motion. Be
especially careful not to open your body up too much to the OL. To do this send your hand in more
of a straight path over the OL shoulder rather than a complete swimming motion. . Use the free
hand to grab, slap or chop through the OL arms to gain control.
Once mastered these 3 moves can be a great weapon for a TNT.
The ability to combine the Push and Pull with the Rip or Swim by a TNT is devastating to an
OL.
42
44. PASS RUSH BOTTOM LINE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
HAVE A PLAN!
NEVER DANCE OR HESITATE!
ATTACK 1/3 OF BLOCKER!
NEVER LET THE OL GETS HIS HANDS ON YOU!
MASTER 1 MOVE AND 1 COUNTER MOVE
MASTER THE ART OF HAND FIGHTING!
44