Double A Gap Pick Pressure

Ohio State is in a hybridized 4-3 in a double A gap mug spacing. The down safety is a Nickel/Slot Corner skill set and the DE's are in 2 point stances.

The Rush:
DEs and DT's are rushing their gaps from wide alignments to create space in the A gaps. The Will is penetrating and picking the Center while the Mike is stutter then wrap.

The Coverage:
Cover 1 with the rush accounting for the RB

From the 6 up look the OL is manned up with the Center setting to strong side with the RB handling the weak side A gap threat. When the the Center sets strong the Will is able to execute the pick. This is similar to when an unengaged OL rib shots an adjacent engaged DL. The Center cannot see the pick and isn't in the body position to effectively engage with the penetrating Will. When the Mike wraps the Center is forced to redirect creating a further disadvantage vs. the pick. The result is 2 rushers through the weak side A gap. The Will gets the pressure following the knockdown on the pick of the Center. This pressure has been featured previously from the Falcons the article is available here. The major difference is the technique of the A gap rushers.

Nice pressure plan from Greg Mattison and Jeff Hafley.

Double A Gap Mug Cross Fire Pressure

The Patriots are in a Nickel personnel with OLB bodies at DE on 2nd & 6.

The Rush:
3 Tech DT to the side of the RB is working contain through the B gap while the opposite DT and Rush LB are in their expected rush lanes. The Mike engages the Center before crossing face. The Will shows in his A gap before timing his pressure off the Mike, ultimately the Will is pressuring the opposite A. The ILBs create a delayed A gap crossfire effect.

The Coverage:
Cover 1 with the Rush LB to the RB in man coverage on the back

The protection is a 6 man protection with the RB assigned to an A gap rush threat. The anticipated pick looks like:

The OL is handling the primary pass rush threats. The Center is handling an A gap threat while the RB has the opposite A gap rusher.

The technique of the A gap rush LBs is what makes this pressure effective.

The Mike engages the Center before crossing face. The Mike's initial rush combined with the Will's timing draws the RB to the opposite A gap. The RB wants momentum and speed to get set up to make his block. The Will's technique forces the RB to first be aggressive to the opposite A gap before being forced to redirect to pick up in the opposite A gap. This is a difficult redirect block for the RB to make effectively. The RB naturally loses power and body position on the redirect giving the pass rushing LB an added advantage. One valuable asset of pressure in general is it forces offensive players who expect to be initiators into becoming reactors. The forced reaction of the RB in pass pro helps the LB win the 1 on 1 matchup. The Rush's man technique to mirror the RB also has a nice effect. The T/G treat the situation like a twist game. The Guard still has eyes and is setting to the Rush for the twist exchange as the pressure happens inside preventing any help late from the Guard on the Will. 

The technique and timing is well coached and executed. The pressure not only creates 5 1 on 1 matchups in pass pro, it also isolates the RB on a LB in an A gap while putting the RB in a disadvantaged position to make his block. Picked up doesn't equal protected. 

As always this is really good stuff from Bill Belichick. 

A Gap ILB rush Technique vs. Empty

The Colts are in a Dime personnel on 3rd & 7 against an 02 personnel empty set.

The initial formation is 3 receivers strong and both TE's weak. The Colts match up with Corners on the WR and Safety/Dime on the the TE's. Following the motion the Titans built a one back set with a TE in the backfield.

The Rush:
Four down DL in their rush lanes. Mike stacking the weak side DT and bursting to the midline rush lane late.

The Coverage:
Cover 1

The pressure is a very simple 5 man rush concept the brilliance is in the nuance that made it successful. The offense is in an empty 5 man protection concept before they motion the TE in to the backfield. The protection stays in a 5 man scat concept with the backfield aligned TE free releasing in to a route. The 5 OL have to set to the 5 most dangerous threats.

The Nuance:
The weak side DT is in a much heavier 3 tech compared to the strong side DT. Strong side the 3 technique is a wide tilt alignment.

The Mike LB is stacked on the weak side 3 tech not aligned in the middle of the formation.

The Mike's alignment makes him a bigger weak side pressure threat influencing the set of the Center to the weak side. 

When the Dime motions into the box he shows as a weak side pressure threat before getting depth. This is very well done. It adds to the pre-snap thinking for the OL. When the Dime shows up you can see the Guard talking to the Center alerting the potential extra threat now in the box. The Dime's pressure bluff alignment further influences the Center's set weak. The Dime does a great job of deepening his alignment late to avoid a pick with the cut split Y outside of him when the backfield aligned TE runs the swing route. 

The DT's alignment, Mike's alignment, and Dime's presence all force the Center & Guard into a vise set on the 3 technique. Vise means one pass set inside and one outside. In this case the Guard would set the outside half of the 3 tech DT and the Center would set the inside half of the 3 tech. If no extra rushers come the weak side 3 tech gets a double from the Guard and Center. Against pressure looks:

If the 3 tech works wide the Guard can keep setting on the DT while the Center is now freed up and can come out of the vise to take over the Mike on an A gap pressure.

If the 3 tech works inside the Guard can come out of the vise and stay outside for the Mike (or Dime) in the B gap with the Center taking over the inside rusher.

The DT's alignment and the Mike's technique on the pressure makes the pick up significantly more difficult.

The DT is in a position to attack the middle of the vise pass set without committing inside our outside. The Mike stacks the 3 tech. The 3 technique stays down the middle of the vise of the Center and Guard. The OL is expecting an inside and an outside rusher but neither the DT or the LB commit to being inside or outside. Ultimately the protection gets two inside threats.  The Mike waits for the Center to commit to the DT. Once he does the Mike bursts to the midline on a clean run through. Once the Center is committed to the DT making it very difficult to see the Mike or come off to pick him up. 

IF the Center had come off the DT two things would have happened:

1. The Center would have had a brutally difficult redirect pass set on the full speed Mike. Can't fight physics, it is hard to overcome the momentum of being an OL setting one way, blocking a DT with force, then redirecting with the speed and force necessary to make a block in another direction. Also it assumed he could see the Mike. When making a block an OL wants to see what he is striking especially having vision to insure his pass set punch lands with good hand placement. Once he committed to the DT his vision to the Mike is mostly gone.

2. The Guard would have been forced to go 1 on 1 vs. the DT from the DL's outside half with no inside help. The leverage of the DT makes a straight line path for the DT to the QB possible. This would be a very difficult block for the Guard to regain a body position on the leveraged DT to make the block.

Lots of subtle detail make a basic pressure result in a run through sack. 

Really nice pressure concept from Matt Eberflus and the Colts. 

Reading the Slide - Putting the Center on an Island

Previously I wrote about reading the slide to get pass rushers home for Coaches' Lounge.

Here is another example of reading the slide of the protection.

The Rush:
End and Rush - Contain Rush
Tackle - Slow Under on the OT's set
Nose - Strong A
Mike - Reading the set of the Guard. If the Guard sets inside to the Nose the Mike will run through in the B gap. If the Guard set out to the B gap the Mike will convert to the his rush to the opposite A gap

The Coverage:
Cover 1

The protection is a 5 man scat protection with the RB free releasing. The width of the Tackle and Rush force the Guard and Tackle to set wide. The Mike reads the set of the Guard coming to him and wraps. The width of the sets creates space inside for the wrapping Mike to win one on one vs. the Center. The Center is forced to redirect off the Nose to block a superior athlete in a large space. The degree of difficulty for the Center creates a major advantage for the blitzing LB. 

This concept plays similarly vs. a half slide concept.

 The RB is in good position to help on the wrapping Mike. When the RB blocks the Will adds to the pressure using a green dog technique. 

Another likely protection from this formation is full slide.

The Tackle is slow under allowing him to stay outside when the OT slides away. This allows the Rush & Tackle to create the 2 on 1 overload on the RB.

If the offense uses a half slide with the RB crossing the formation the pressure can attack the RB. 

The Mike reading the slide allows for a run through in the open B gap. The RB is forced to pick up a full speed Mike from across the formation. 

Reading the protection allows rushers to avoid running into blockers and attack daylight.

2 Man Sim Pressure

Washington is in a 7 DB personnel with odd front spacing.

The Rush:

4i - B gap pop

Nose - weak A

5 - Contain

Mike - Strong A

The Coverage:

2 man. The extra DB (X) shows as the field edge rusher and runs out to a trail man technique. 

The coverage presentation is a weak side pressure from the Mike&Dime capped by the weak side safety and a safety in the post. The coverage rotates late to a 2 deep shell. 

The Mike's pressure technique is a major reason for the pressure being effective. The path attacks to the heel line of the DL selling a weak side A gap rush before bending to the strong side A gap. The Mike's initial path sells a weak side rush. The timing of the Mike does a good job of getting the Center committed to the Nose before the Mike bends it back. 

The pass pro is manipulated by the defensive alignment. The OT sets to the X while the OG sets the 4i. The OT does an excellent job redirecting his set back inside when the X drops out which allows the pick up of the the expanding 4i. The OG also does a good job redirecting back inside but cannot make the pick up. Two factors that affect the OG:

1. The 4i alignment forces the OG to set wide making the redirect back inside further from the Mike
2. The Mike's pressure path stays tight to the midline which keeps the OG from getting back to the block

Good design and execution from the Huskies and former DC now HC Jimmy Lake. 

Scrape Fire Zone Teach Tape

Here is a short teach tape on an America's blitz variation. I discussed this pressure on the podcast I did with Coach Vass a while back (Coach Vass Pod). This pressure pattern has been an effective run pressure for us. 

SCRAPE PATTERN

The DL is looping away from the pressure. The 4i to the pressure is on a stick to the A gap. However, we allow this player to stem to a 3 tech pre-snap if necessary. The stem allows for a couple of positives:

1. The DL can use the one gap movement technique we use and practice most often. This can be an easier technique to execute than a traditional long stick moving 2 gaps.

2. Helps prevent the DL from getting cut off from the A gap on zone runs away

3. Helps on block back pull schemes - More on this later

The OLB to the pressure is on a low track. On any read scheme the low track has the lower threat. The low track will cross any block from the OT and spill any kick out block. The low track blitzer is on a path through the outside hip of the OT.

The ILB has the wide track pressure. On any read scheme the wide track has the widest threat. The wide track is the edge of the defense to the pressure. The wide track will go at the snap, wrapping tight off the outside hip of the low track blitzer.

The DL may be tagged to use a Nut stunt instead of looping away from the pressure.

The Nut allows the 4i away from the pressure to penetrate and the Nose will loop over the top. 

READ SCHEME

Here the looping Nose does a good job stopping the flow of the zone run allowing the low track blitzer off the edge to make the tackle for no gain. The 4i cheating his alignment down allows the stick technique to get to the A gap preventing the RB from punching the back side A gap when the Nose built the wall in the front side A gap. The wide track ILB is in position if the QB had kept on the read.

Here the zone read has a cruiser Y off lead block for the QB when he keeps. The low track forces the keep read allowing the wide track ILB to quickly pressure the QB on the keep. The seam drop safety could improve his technique here. The seam dropper is relating to the #2 which is initally the RB. Then the RB's flow and the Y off's cruiser path cross the Y off is the new #2. The safety should react faster to this exchange to provide the extra defender when the Y off cruises past the low track blitzer to wrap for the wide track blitzer. 

KICKOUT BLOCK

Here the pressure is into power. The low track blitzer does a good job getting under the kick out however we would like more pry up the field and finish with shoulders square. As it plays out the low track does get part of the pulling guard but with more pry up the field the low track blitzer can get a true two for one. Nice job by the wide track blitzer using his hands to shock the crack block and by the back side ILB reacting to the pulling guard. The seam dropping safety must do better making a run/pass read, specifically following the rule of Don't Go 'Til You Know. 

Here the loop of the DL builds the wall on the split zone which forces the RB to hesitate. There is no clear hole to hit. The low track blitzer does  get under the block of the cutter Y off. We would like the contact to be thicker, more body on body. The Wide track blitzer does a good job of checking the QB for open hands before chasing down the RB. Weak side the seam dropping OLB is walked up on the LOS. His #2 receiver is the Y off. When the Y off goes on the cutter path the new #2 is the RB. The OLB should see those keys through the end of LOS. Nothing here reads as pass. The OLB should be more firm at the LOS and shock the block of the OT setting a hard edge.

Here the play is GY counter. The low track blitzer is excellent prying under the kick out and finishing with shoulders square. The wide track blitzer should stay tighter to the outside hip of the low track blitzer on his path but does a great job anchoring his hips to attack the 2nd puller. The seam safety drops in to be the free hitter making the tackle on the running back.

VS. HARD TE

Nice example of the 4i cheating to get to his work in the A gap. The low track blitzer is good here beating the cutoff block of the TE. The loop of the DL again builds the wall play side allowing the low track to chase the play down from behind.

NUT

The low track is under the kick out block. The Nut on the back side allows the 4i to shed and work strong. The non-blitz ILB should react faster to the pulling guard and backfield flow. Nice example of the nut by the 4i and Nose.

PULLER AWAY FROM PRESSURE

Here the offense is running power away from the pressure. The issue is the offense is adding a pulling OG and we must add defenders to match the numbers. The wide track ILB does not read out with the pulling guard. The wide track is the edge of the defense to the pressure side. The DL here must cross on block back pull schemes. This is a good example of the 4i seeing the guard on the pull and crossing the center's block back. The 4i should use a more compact technique on the arm over. The Nose also does well looping and crossing with the block back pull scheme, crossing the face of the guard blocking back. The low track OLB is completely wrong here. The low track should cross the block of the OT. 

Several clips of scrape pattern to show situations that happen when running this type of pressure. Hopefully there is a tip or coaching point here you can use when coaching your pressures. 

Winning the 1 on 1 Pass Rush

San Diego State is in a 3-3-5 personnel spacing as a bear front running a Tampa 2 Sim Pressure.

The Rush:

Both DE's work out to contain while the Nose works strong to balance the pass rush. The Mike is in the pass rush as the weak side interior pass rush.

The Coverage:

Tampa 2 with a safety in the high hole

By covering up all the OL the defense forces the OL into 1 on 1 blocking. The slide of the OL sends the OT to a LB who is dropping to the strong hook. The Center in the slide works to the Nose. The DE weak occupies the OT leaving the the sliding OG 1 on 1 against the Mike on the sim pressure. Sim pressure is a 4 man pass rush concept, often the pressure doesn't create unblocked players on clean run throughs. What sims do really well is isolate 1 on 1 pass rush matchups that favor the defense. 

The Mike uses a very nice pass rush move here to win the 1 on 1. The OG is setting aggressively, the Mike attacks the momentum of the OG then crosses face. You can't fight physics, an object in motion stays in motion. On OL aggressively setting has trouble redirecting. This type of move is the same concept of a crossover dribble in basketball.

Would you run into a defender when you want to score in basketball? If the defender is in great position where you are moving are you going to run into a wall or change direction? QB is the basket, find a way to score.

This same body movement is a cut used by ball carriers.

This is where cross training can be applied in and out of season. In a circuit for RB cuts a defender can be developing pass rush skills. In a pass rush circuit for blitzers a ball carrier can develop open field evasion skills. Playing pickup or varsity basketball can make you better as a pass rusher. The key is players understand how and when to apply these movements in pass rush situations.

Hit 'em with the Crossover!

Great execution by the Aztecs and really good coaching of pass rush technique by Zach Arnett and Rocky Long.

Field Overload Firezone

Really interesting play during the Syracuse vs. NC State game this season. The Cuse are in a base 4-3 personnel running a field side firezone pressure.

The Rush:

End & Nose contain with the DT on a long stick to balance the pass rush. The inside blitzer (Mike) is working B gap to A gap path while the Sam is blitzing wide B.

The Coverage:

3 under 3 deep firezone coverage with pressed corners

The technique of the inside blitzer is critical to the success. By starting wide in the B gap and working to the A gap the blitz takes on a two through one gap effect.  The B to A path of the inside blitzer helps the timing of the pressure. By starting wider in the B gap the path allows the DT in a 3 technique the time and space to execute his long stick. The B to A gap path also creates confusion for the RB.

The Guard & RB end up in a really tough protection situation. The Guard has a B gap threat from the 3 tech DT. As the DT leaves a new B gap threat shows up from the inside blitzer. The guard reacts by blocking the inside blitzer and stays on as the blitzer crosses face to the A gap. The RB is initially looking inside out from ILB (Mike) to overhang (Sam). When the inside most threat (Mike) blitzes the RB aggressively steps up to make the pick up. End result is two blockers on the Mike leaving the Sam on a run through pressure affecting the QB. The little detail of the B to A path of the Mike had a huge effect.

Looking at the possible outcomes.

One way the offense could have picked it up is for the Guard to continue to set out and handle the wide B gap blitzer bypassing the Mike. This is how the RB tried to pick up the pressure. In reality this is possible but very difficult. The Guard set initially to the DT in the B gap. As the DT sticks inside there is an immediate pass rusher attacking the Guard. It is unlikely a Guard will ignore an immediate rush threat from the Mike to set to the Sam. Also there is the issue of the Guards vision. When the DT sticks the Guard's vision is directly in line to see the Mike. It's unlikely the Guard would have vision to the wide B gap rushing Sam. 

Alternatively and more likely is to have the RB to take the wider threat.

Here the Guard picks up the Mike. Now the challenge falls heavily on the RB. The issue starts pre-snap.

The picture for the RB has two primary blitz threats. The Mike is further inside making for a quicker threat to the QB. The RB priorities the inside threat first. When the Mike blitzes the RB wants to aggressively step up to make the block. Once he aggressively steps up it makes it difficult to redirect out to the Sam. The RB may be even more aggressive to get to the block due to the initial deep alignment in the pistol. The RB can't fight physics, object in motion stays in motion. The more aggressive the RB is toward the LOS the harder it is to redirect. The path of the blitzer also manipulates the eye's of the RB. The RB is looking at the Mike as the 1st threat. The Mike starts wide and redirects back in to the A gap. That path pulls the RB's eyes inside and away from the Sam. Two truths play out as a result: your feet go where your eyes take them and you cannot block what you don't see. 

This type of blitz sets up a Goldilocks situation for the RB. If the RB is aggressive to block the Mike inside, he can get caught up inside (as he did in the clip) and cannot react out to the Sam. If the RB is more under control allowing him to either block the Mike or redirect out to the Sam, he runs the risk of getting pass rushed deeper in the pocket. A RB in the lap of the QB can affect the QB just as much as a pass rusher. This forces the RB to use just the right amount of aggressiveness. 

This play is also interesting because of the route. NC State has a variation of a curl/flat combination. 

The route of the S receiver is an inside stem curl. The Seam dropping Safety is a Match-Carry-Deliver player. The question is should he carry (treat the S as a vertical) or deliver (treat the S as an inside route)? The Safety treated the S as a vertical threat (hips are more vertical than under) and carried the route. This forces the 3RH Will backer to get depth and width under the Z and eventually break on the Y. There is no doubt this route puts stress on the Will. This is a good reminder the pass rush co-exist and play off one another. You give up some part of coverage to get more pass rushers, the extra rush has to affect the QB. It's easy to for an offensive coach to draw up this route and say "easy completion" or a defensive coach to talk themselves out of firezone because of a stressful route. Who else is stressed out on this play? The RB with a tough pass protection task and the QB with a blitzer in his face. 

Good stuff from Syracuse and defensive coordinator Brian Ward. All the details of this blitz are executed to make it work even against a stressful route.

Breaking Half Slide with Blitz Angles

Alabama is in a sub personnel Dime with OLB body types in the DE roles. 

The Rush:
5 man pressure with the boundary Rush LB going up the field and the Dime rushing on an angle through the Rush's heels.

The Coverage:
Cover 1

The defense has all 5 OL covered up. Previously this concept was covered in Breaking Half Slide Protection. The idea is simple, if all the OL are covered none of them are in the slide (zone) portion of the protection and all the OL end up manned up. Here the offense elected to keep the slide intact. Several problems resulted. The DT to the field got a clean run through on the RB. The guard is in a tough position. The protection says slide left and there is an A gap rush threat to slide toward. Even if the guard blocks the DT, the mugged up LB presents an A gap run through threat for the RB. The boundary guard attempts to provide help on the sticking DT for the Center who is sliding to the boundary. This is where the blitzer's angle comes into play. 

If the Dime simply blitzed the B gap, the protection can pick up the pressure pretty easily. The guard can post his inside foot and help with the DT while still setting to the new B gap rush threat from the Dime.

Instead the Rush is going hard up the field. This allows the Dime to run a straight line track off the Rush's heels directly to the QB.

The guard has a much tougher task. Just looking at the picture shows the challenge. With the OT setting up the field and the QB dropping in the pocket the angle for the guard becomes extreme. The picture illustrates the length of the guards pass set line is significantly increased. When the guard posts to help on the DT, the race with the Dime becomes almost impossible to win for an OL. 

Really nice execution from Alabama. Good stuff from former DC Tosh Lupoi and Coach Saban.