Jerry Campbell - Defensive Line Play

Monday, March 17, 2008

12:10 AM

STANCE
• Play staggered stance and you are one step behind
• Balanced stance, 1st step is mirrored
• You are attacking as long as you are going forward
• The hat read will lie, so read the belt buckle to the feet
• Goal is to be in the same position as prior to the snap
• Be off the block by the 3rd step - 3 Step Escape
• Practice the mirror steps with a buddy during 15 minute pre-practice

PRE-PRACTICE
• Stimulus-Response Period for 15-minutes.
• Position coach talks about what they will be doing during that day
• 5 Minute silent stretch with individual group, allows position coach to tell them the things that
will happen that day.

TRAP THE TRAPPER

• Wrong arm the outside arm to the upfield knee, and pick grass
• How do you know if they did it right? Make them show you the grass. Overemphasize
teaching.
• Reduces the blocking surface, get off and make plays.
• Teach players to be playmakers
• Can only spill if you have someone to spill to.

STIMULUS-RESPONSE Spacing rules: When does a 3-tech

• Base Block - Squeeze it turn into a 2, or a 2i?
• Down Block - Defend the trap. Step down, look for Level 1 puller
• Reach Block - React with Push-Pull, screw your hip to the hip of the Offensive Lineman. Get
skinny in the hole and kiss the bicep. You won't get through if you don't get skinny. The arm
and leg must work together.
• Pass Set - Bull Rush & make your move
• Guards and center set the depth of the pocket, Tackle sets the width. If they get a deeper set
that normal, they're setting you up, so get the eyes inside.
• Arc Block - Close down, the next man inside tells you to do that.
• Veer Release - eyes inside
• Short Pull - anything that does not cross the center, get the eyes inside.
• Long Pull - anything that crosses the center, get in his hip pocket and run with him.
• Come up with your own stimulus-response words for your system and talk about it during the
5-minute pre-practice every day.
• You're a football coach, any time you see a player you should be talking football first.
• Zone Scheme - Treat it as a reach block, get skinny.
• In an Inside-I technique, read the hip of the man inside - so in a 2i, read the center. 4i, read
the guard. 6i, read the tackle.

FRONT DOOR & BACK DOOR PLAYERS

• Back side of the block, come through the back door to defend cut-back.

PASS RUSH
• Compromise the pocket on pass rush, understand the triangle of the drop back scheme.
• Getting washed down and can't recover, spin as a last resort. Ice pick the kidney and to stop
the spin back by the blocker.
• Use his momentum, but this is as last resort when it’s the only way to get off the block.
• Pass Rush Landmarks:
○ 0-tech landmark is the nose of the QB
○ Outside rusher targets the outside shoulder
○ In between rusher targets the outside eye
• If the QB flushes out, break to the LOS and run so that you'll at least be in the passing lane.
Don't chase his butt.
• Get the hands up, elbows inside to get full extension to knock the ball down.
• Train them with a nerf ball to teach him to knock it down
• If you use a real football and chuck it at him, he's going to flinch. Like when Jerry threw the
coke bottle at the poor guy from the audience.
• Get rid of footballs and use nerf balls to give them confidence to get in front of it.

THE HISTORY OF HOLDING

• Holding became a part of the game in 1985. They used to call it a lot but they don't anymore
because it's understood that using the hands results in holding.
You have to show the hold to the official, usually he's in a position that he cannot see it.

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• You have to show the hold to the official, usually he's in a position that he cannot see it.
• Drop the inside hand through his hands, turn your shoulders and show the hold.
• If nothing else, turn your hips so that the hold can be seen.

Jerry's e-mail address:

midlineopt@aol.com

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Jerry Campbell - Linebackers Stimulus/Response
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
11:47 PM

LINEBACKERS
• Ball at A-Gap: Stay tech, defend the dive
○ Backside LB has counter, invert safety has cutback Communication: "Don't get divorced on the field."
• Ball at B-Gap: Slow tech, don't overrun the Iso
• Ball at C-Gap: Scrape tech for the Power
• Ball Outside: Speed tech to defend the Toss
• Set up the barrels and work these
• Players yet it as they go, constantly talking
• 'Sugar' the linebackers, have them step up and dance a little

Defensive Line Stunts "Repetition in Learning"

• Thunder: Defensive End first, then Tackle outside
• Technique - 2nd man drop step, and slap the butt of the first man to
stay tight.
Do not practice things the coordinator is not going to call.
• Lightning away from the Call - but same as thunder: Can be a gap
and a half removed, but they will still act the slap
• Storm : Both sides
• Twist: Just the Tackles Do whatever it takes if it is a burning passion.
• Jet: Pass rush first, elongated stance
• Psycho: Only run to the Open Side
PSYCHO

End Games
• Jam - outside inverts off the edge, slip the ends to contain
• Work scenarios on what might call you off of the stunts (ex. Invert
is pulled out by Twin set)

Run Player Roles

• Four jobs a run player may be doing, everyone is doing one of these jobs and no one can do
two.
• Chase - Chasing the play away from you
• Contain - Turn the play back to chase players
• Collapse - Spill the play
• Cutback - Play for the cut-back to you (back-door player)

• Tell the LB what the coach will allow.

• LB needs to be conscious of other players misaligned - they won't do it if you don't expect it of
them.
• Never be satisfied.

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Jerry Campbell - Secondary
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
12:13 AM

Jerry calls his coverage by colors: 0=fire, 1=Red, 2=Blue, 3=Green, 4=black, 5=orange, 6
=special, 7=brown (1/4 1/4 1/2)

Underneath zones are from the LOS to 15yds, settling at 12 to be underneath 15yd routes

Coverages
• Cover 0: Bringing 8, rush-read for edge to jump the flare routes. Tackle anything inside.
• Must redirect receivers. Convince players to take pride in their area. "Take pride they will do it for
• Cover 1: Best competitor on the defense is the Free Safety, can run downhill. you because you will it for
them."
• Cover 2: Is a run stopper
○ They'll run 4 verticals against it
○ Outside releases, man turn and run with it to help the situation so the safety can hold
longer
• Veer Option football cannot account for the safety.
History of football: Mouse Davis's Run
• Empty vs. man-under Cover 2, they'll throw to the 3-man side. (For 7-on-7 purposes)
& Shoot caused the 5-2 to turn into a
• Cover 3: They'll try to hit the seams.
3-4 defense
○ The inside guy better take the seam route out to the corner.
○ Communicate the weaknesses of your defense to your players, and how they can help.
• Of your two inverts, the Robber is the cover guy.
• Quarters: When the offense needs twelve yards or more.
○ Giving up the flats. He runs a true quarters.
○ Communicate to your players that you are giving up the flat, it is the weakness.
• Cover 5: Bring the house, the inverts go, the middle guys jump the flares.
• In the Red Zone, stay in front of your man.

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Pat Fox - Stopping the Run, Milford High School
Thursday, March 20, 2008
12:42 AM

Principals of Stopping the Run The water and the pencil:

• Stop the direction of the ball - Someone is responsible for changing the direction of the ball Every single run play, you
every play. must redirect the back (the
• 'Front' the ball and push to help when its cut. water).
• If you are not force or front, you are pursuit - with reckless discipline.

Robber Coverage
• Purpose of getting the FS into the box, he's the best athlete and unaccounted for.
• FS robs the pass strength, key #2 - he blocks down, runs the alley
• Releases out - rob strong curl Alley: In between support
• Underneath - Flat face the dig (Rob the dig) and contain. Fit off the
• Vertical - FS jams the hip and takes it vertical inside hip, if it goes wide,
work with it.

Run Fits
• Must know where to fit.
• Trap or Iso:
○ FS fronts the ball
○ Spurts Fold - drop 4 yards, check cutback, come to help
○ Corners are deep fold

• FS cannot run the alley until the EMOLS engages the block
• Cover 5 - Corners Over
• Sam: 91 Player, outside he's a 9-tech, inside run he's a 1-tech
• Mike: 31 Player, outside he's a 3-tech, inside run he's a 1-tech
• Midline is a similar play to inside trap in run fits and the way the defense handles it
• Hard Edges: Give no soft edges, take the man on.
"DON'T GIVE HIM THE FLIPPER, GIVE HIM THE TEETH!"

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•
• "DON'T GIVE HIM THE FLIPPER, GIVE HIM THE TEETH!"

Stopping the Run vs. 32 Personnel Groups

• Use an extra linebacker to outnumber them at the point of attack
• 2 TE expands your front, their Xs are bigger than ours, the 3rd back is 230lbs of extra blocker,
and PA is a TD
• Attack tendency keys and force them to throw.
• Read support on the edges.

Extra Package vs. 32 Bear Front: For pass coverage

• Bear Front: Ends stone the TE at the line and cover him.
• Tough "Sink" Cover 1, one corner drops low hole, one corner drops high hole. Ends man up,
OLBs play blitz-peel.
• The key in Extra Package was confidence in stopping the run.
• Be creative - if you have no XB, bring an XL

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Pat Fox - Defensive Line Technique, Milford HS
Thursday, March 20, 2008
1:12 AM

Coaching Philosophy
• You get in trouble when you go away from technique, in favor of scheme.
• Teach down & distance, formation, and field position Tech.
• Never challenge the courage of a young man, challenge the technique.
• Coach on the run, don't give your philosophy on the field.
• Scout team is to run a play every 25 seconds
• Have your drills ready of the next day. Make them better in individuals.
• Be great on 3rd down, Red Zone, Goal Line, Sudden Change, Golden eyes (tendencies - if you
see them, go after them)
• Fit your scheme to your personnel.
• Toughness and Effort: When things get tough, go to the fundamentals.

Base Techniques for Defensive Line

• Define your base techniques: 1) Stance, 2) Alignment, 3) Get off, 4) Get off & strike, 5)
Escape, 6) Spark
• Break down each technique - 1) Components, 2) Drills, 3) Coaching Points
• Tighter splits, get a heavier alignment.
• Wider splits, looser alignment.
• Credit Card Alignment
• Get off: target shows, strike target. Target disappears, bend (squeeze inside).
• Strike: 4/5 of our body, eyes up, hips back. Be first, be firm. 2 hands, thumbs up.
• Escape: Post, rip, run - post w/ inside hand, open hip, rip & run.
• Spark: Kick laterally, rip and run (stunt technique)
• Get off drill, Hoop drill, ball on a string (up field 3 steps, plant and redirect past cone - finish
hard on the hoop).

Triangle Drills
• Set up a sled, shield, and a man station for the Escape drill. Get off, strike, escape - work more
men at one time. No one is standing around.
• Cannot cross face on a reach and leave your gap till back is heels deep.
• Cut block: Attack the head, two hands to the head.
• Vs. Zone block, turn your butt to the reach, hold the man working to the LB.
• Pass - attack the target (bull rush) till you feel pressure, then pull him

The Box of Hell: Break everything down to its smallest part, and work
numbers. Work the trap, the reach, whatever you will see that week.

• Jump to full line 6 on 4 vs. all blocking schemes that week, then 9 on 9 run period, and then
team.
• Tackling: Fundamental 4
• Work from the lock out and tackle, with post/rip/run.. Progress to strike, etc. Make it game-
like.

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Al Holcomb - Zone Blitz from the 4-3 & 3-4, Lafayette College
Friday, March 21, 2008
5:09 PM

Zone Blitz Philosophy

• Attacking: There is too much to defend in Base
• Not good enough to do without it.
• Deterrent to the naked, boot, waggle and reverse
• Good match-up for the Spread Option
• Easy once you learn the system
• Versatile and Multiple
• Everyone is 1/11 of the defense.

Zone Blitz
• Call System: Front - Tag - Blitz - Coverage
• Musts:
○ Run blitz hard, don't tip toe
○ Cut hard, get upfield penetration
○ See the ball on the break
• Red & Blue Call - right or left (opposite of the hash)
• Safeties make the call, strong players go to the call.
• Fronts are dictated by field, boundary, or surface (a certain player).
• Always hold a 2-shell disguise
• Always put the 3-Tech into the Boundary.
• Eagle is a field oriented defense.

Fire Zone Coverage

• 3 under/3 deep
• Seam/Flat players: Hang on to the seam till you must be taken out.
• Middle Hot - key the original #3, but be prepared to take on a new #3 (crosser).
• Corners play outside 1/3. Play the 3-step passing game first and key the QB.
• Middle 1/3 Safety, read the front shoulder of the QB and see the routes with peripheral vision.

Zone Blitz Rules

• What is the type of Blitz, Who is blitzing, Who is the dropper? What is your 1/11? (Your part)
• "Single," Directional, Middle Blitz, and Middle +1 blitzes.
• Single: No DL dropper
• For single secondary blitz, replace their 1/3

Directional Blitz
• Field/Boundary, Left/Right, Tight/Split, Near/Far
• Front will cut: Long Cut / Cut / Stem away from blitz.
• One contain blitz, one spill blitz.
• Long Cut: 2 interior gaps inside. Flat step, cross over, work up -field.
• Cut - Cross face. Cut Step is a lateral step.
• Slam - Slam the man with your outside shoulder, become the contain player to that side.
• Anchor (DL dropping): Stand up, " Take a Picture ", play the run first, and on pass read drop.
• If the lineman gets a zone step away, horizontal step - work vertical for up-field penetration.
• Tags exchange responsibilities - such as Flip
• Create indecision up front by moving the DL around.

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 Blaze Colby Vs. 3-hot, end away will drop and the player to Trips will rush

Middle Blitzes
• DE to 3-Tech is always the dropper
• Middle has a penetrator and a looper
• DL has two Slam players and a Cut player (no long cut)

looper penetrator

Middle +1 Blitz
• Both DEs drop: Bash has a follower (FS)

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Al Holcomb - Zone Blitz Change-Ups, Lafayette College
Friday, March 21, 2008
5:48 PM

Eagle Fire Cornell: C means Cloud, C2

Fire Exchange: Put Middle Hot player in a better position

Invert 2

Colorado: Used primarily "Check": Check Colorado

vs. Trips/Nub vs. closed backside

• Blazer drops the end to the field, Burn drops the end to the boundary - both are a corner blitz.
• The beauty of Zone Blitz is there are blown coverages everywhere, but no one has time to
throw the ball.
• Boundary stunts are the best stunts.
• QB knows where to go in 3 under/3 deep if he is well coached. He knows where the hot routes
should be open vs. zone blitz. So go C2 to clean it up.
• Parts are parts, figure out what parts go with what.
• The 2 high look is tougher.
• Middle Blitz and Middle+1 Blitz vs. 2-Back are most effective
• Seam/Flat player is also a contain player on the run. Be at least head up by alignment.
• Safety dropping down goes to the outside shoulder, carry and run with the player until
someone takes you off.
• Seam/Flat player and Middle Hot can work as a bracket and slide off.
• Eagle w/ TE: Sam makes "UP" call and bumps to TE.
• Vs. TE/Trips, he does not come up on the line - he has a #2 removed.

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Jerry Campbell - Gun Offense and Pistol Installation
Monday, March 24, 2008
10:47 PM

• Can be used to cover weaknesses in your team.

• QB reads everything, installed in a systematic way.

Gun Offense
• Backs and QBs even at 5 yds, outside foot to inside foot of OT.
• Drop step on snap to get depth behind QB
• OL has 2 foot splits.

Motions
• Tom & Tim = TE Motion
• Hump = FB to the play
• Jump = FB away from play
• Rip & Liz = TB Motion
• Zip & Zap = Z-Motion
• Jet = X in motion
• Use motions to gain an advantage
• Right & Left tell TE his side

The Snap
• Snap is the biggest part of the offense.
• C holds the football like a QB.
2 1/2 plays per minute in team
• Keep your tail down to keep the ball down
and group periods. Demand it,
• Bring the thumb up to the crack of the butt to keep the ball straight
make it game-like.
• At 5 yds the ball can float, the Pistol at 3 yds is easier
• Centers carry a football with them, and get constant repetition (pre -practice!)

The System
• Plays starting with 1 = Option; start with # (2,3,4) are predetermined runs.
• Reading the Backside Ends: The offensive line coach should
○ Inside Veer release by Tackle (2,3 take it back - read the 5-tech) see 14 players - his 6 and the 8-
man box - on every play.
○ Stretch Release (drop step, circle) (8,9 bring it around - read 9-tech)
○ Tackle Pull - see if he'll chase (0,1 trap or midline)
• OL block the nearest ear of the down defender and you won't be wrong.
• Drop Step: Lets the QB get it to him deeper, so you get the backside cuts.
• Drop the inside foot, in split back they look at each other.
• Any time there is a slot receiver, he "Cowboy" techniques, to become the pitch man
○ Bubble to get pitch relationship, create second read-run bubble
○ Screen depth to set up, keeping the triple option alive
○ 3 yards outside of the tackle (you can find out what works for you)
○ Don't over-coach the bubble, just tell him to get in to pitch relationship.
• Teach QB to always carry out fakes like he has the ball, this is crucial.
• The bubble/pitch keeps yelling "BALL! BALL!" to get a reaction from the linebackers.
• For drill work, the QB gives the ball, flip him a new one and he pitches
• Use the bubble to mess with the invert.

The Veer
• 12 & 13 veer - back drop steps then rolls his shoulders over.
• QB step over flat, read DE. QB is the eyes for the TB.
• If he gives to the FB, the end is chasing him.
• If he keeps, the end is crashing. Make him chase.
• OL L-step, push away hard, pick grass w/ backside hand.
• Mesh problems: RB show jersey #, if not then means his back is coming down on the ball
too soon.
• If QB reads wrong, don't jump him. Have patience, be happy that he made a decision and
teach him how to make a better one.
• Get a QB who is a competitor, he must give a helmet for a helmet every play.

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 The Stretch
• OL drop step, run away from DE.
• Circle the Wagons!
Seriously, the man
• What dictates footwork on zone schemes: How the ball is moving. LBs will flow exactly how
they see the ball, so block the same way. Just said this in
Public, to a full room.

The Trap
• Pulling the tackle inside, keeps the G-C-G in tact
• Short trap does not cross the Center, long trap does.
• Slot your TE vs Odd Front, takes one guy out of the box and eliminates games they can play on
the perimeter that could hurt your trap.
• Trap steps: Drop step, "slap the dog and punch the donkey."

BOB
• What happens? They play man. No idea what that has to do with anything.
• BOB tells the OT the LB is walking out to get QB. Don't pull.
• Slam inside of the end, eyes on backer. If he scrapes the ball goes inside.
• If he fills, pick him up and the ball goes outside.
• Creating a zone game with a bump/wall concept. Find out what a bump/wall is.

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