PRESHA

Gratuitous clips of 2009 NFL sacks

2009 CHI SACKS 1 @ Yahoo! Video

2009 CHI SACKS 2 @ Yahoo! Video

2009 CHI SACKS 3 @ Yahoo! Video

2009 NO Saints Sacks 1 @ Yahoo! Video

2009 NO Saints Sacks 2 @ Yahoo! Video

Fundamentals: Defensive Backs

Ran across some great fundamental drills for honing man-to-man skills recently.

.

Very basic stuff, but the simplicity of repeating leverage on receivers in these drills and reinforcing the concept (and avoiding the unnecessary movements) is something to take away from these.

Good luck this season.....

Review: HUDL

AWESOME

Easily the most efficient, cost-effective, and user-friendly video system any school could ask for. With packages running from $800 - $1600 (based on storage needs), your program can open up the world of film study and game access available to anyone investing in your team.

You can eliminate the spindles of DVDs needed in a season for trades, cuts, film study, and weekly distribution (scout & last game) because everything is housed online on HUDL servers.

As new customers, we have been toying around with the product for a few months and although most on staff are not techno-philes, everyone can use the system because it is no more difficult than a remote control.

Once the game film is uploaded, it will parse into play segments for the staff to detail (as little or as much as you like) later. You can upload game film, scout film, practice film, anything you want.

With the game film online and telestrated/commented as you like, you can distribute it to other coaches, to players, to parents, or even college recruiters.

The only thing required is to have MS Silverlight (Gates' version of Flash) installed on the PC to view the applet.

We plan on (and have been for spring) using this during the athletic periods (football class) to dial up situations pertinent to the game plan or teaching plan. This eliminates the need to cutup the game film and burn to discs for special presentation the night before. Just toggle the plays you want to review and its there in an instant.

There have been tons of video editing, databasing, scouting, and storage solutions offered in the last 8 years in the coaching industry, but nothing captures the full spectrum of needs like HUDL. Be sure to check out the current offer before the season starts!

http://www.hudl.com/blog/comments/test-drive-hudl-i-promise-its-free

I would have to say, one of the coolest aspects of HUDL, isn't the program itself, but the customer service. If you have a problem or question, just call their support line and you will actually talk to a real person (that knows the product). If they can't walk you through it, they'll remote desktop into your PC and fix any issues you might be experiencing.

Nebraska Pressure: 7 Man Blitz

After reviewing their base front, fire zone and dime package, now we'll explore what happens when offenses dictate nickel (substitute a Nickel back for the Buck) based on medium passing downs or 10 personnel package.

In the glory years of the Tom Osborne-era Huskers, the Blackshirts and Charlie McBride lived in what they called "11 Robber". While we'll touch on that in a later post, it essentially was Nickel Cover 1 (1 high MOFC player, 1 low hole player). Because of the matchup advantages in the secondary and the versatility in personnel, these new Blackshirts thrive on bringing maximum heat when in Nickel.

Much like the spinner grouping, Pelini has a preference on bringing pressure, rather than sitting back in coverage or even fire-zoning offenses.


The easiest way to generate maximum pressure on quarterbacks is Cover 0. Every defender accounts for a receiver, and those without will pressure. This concept should not be discounted because of its insane simplicity.

In their most often used pressure concept when in Nickel, is "Over Loose Bomb Blitz".

This is essentially the 'bonzai' blitz from the Jim Mora 49ers playbook that is bringing both safeties. This is perfect against 2-back sets, but is certainly sound against 3x1 or 2x2.

Corners are playing catch-man technique with a 9 yard cushion, able to jump hot throws and deep enough to maintain an over-the-top leverage on deep receivers.

Both safeties will present the 2-high look (like every snap), then begin creeping once the quarterback begins the cadence. They are both attacking the 'B' gap. The interior tackles collapse the A gaps to open this overload blitz in B gaps. This direct and immediate pressure will force quarterbacks to take unnecessary hits and at best scramble into contain players.


The ends will play the common "peel" technique (as covered previously) against any back flow, and inside-out leverage an flaring action. Versus empty, the ends will have no responsibility but to rush the passer.


Take a look at these clips to get a better perspective of how simple and effective a Cover 0 - check blitz is.




On a personal note, I would like to add that even though being a "defensive-guy" and being a coordinator who is not big on man-to-man, that if you do not have a Cover 0 check blitz in your package, you are really missing out. It can be installed within minutes, disguised from any look, and provides a 'cheap' answer during a game that falls outside your game plan. I would certainly encourage any defensive staff member to look at the 'check-blitz' not as a way of life, but as something up your sleeve to before your first game. It is a great way to jump start your defense into winning conversion downs and build the confidence in the team in the early stages of the season.

Spacing...The Final Frontier - part 4

The final read in the Spacing progression is the Flat route.  This is a 2003 Toledo cut-up when Rob Spence was the OC there.  The frontside X WR has a Speed Out.  The QB sees the CB up tight initially and decides that the Speed Out will not be not there.  The QB should have stayed with this route because the CB was bailing out, albeit slowly.  The depth of the CB is one consideration for the QB's pre-snap read; the other consideration is the presence of an alley player.  The nearest LB was not in the alley, but was tucked in the box, so he was not a threat to the route.  The alley is defined as the area between the X WR and the OT to a depth of 8 yards.

If there is no one in the alley, this is considered a Premium look.  Although this was a Hard Access (no alley player and a "Hard" CB within 6 yds) look initially, it became a Free Access (no alley player and a loose CB) look to the X WR.  Defenses like to disguise their coverages to confuse the QB's pre-snap read, so it is important for the QB to get a post-snap read and follow through on his progression by looking to the X WR first. 

Free Access is the look that the QB wants to see from the Defense.  Many teams put their best WR at the X position so they create these Free Access looks and isolate their main guy 1 on 1.  This is done by overloading the opposite side of the formation with Trips or Bunch formations, as Toledo does here. 

The OL is using Slide protection to the right with the RB blocking the first thing off the left edge away from the slide.  The use of motion in Spacing can be an effective way to disguise the play initially, since a compressed split is needed by the WR to get to his spot on the Mini-Curl route, which is roughly 4 yards outside the OT.  The WR also could get to his spot here by running his route in at a 45 degree angle. 

The QB also could have thrown to the Sit route if he puts the ball on the opposite shoulder of the defender.  The Mini-Curl is double-covered, leaving the Flat route wide open.  Florida QB Coach Scot Loeffler said at the 2009 Florida Clinic that the Flat route should be run at "golf-cart" speed--fast initially, and then choke it down.  He wants to be fast initially to get past the Mini-Curl's route and make the Flat player on Defense commit.  The flat player cannot cover both in Cover 3 if the "spacing" is right.  It is important for the Flat WR to choke it down so he doesn't run out of bounds and has room to run up the sidelines.  The FB running the Flat route choked it down, but the QB led him a bit too much on the outside, making it hard for the FB to stay in-bounds and get upfield. 

Spacing (to Flat route) @ Yahoo! Video

This concludes the Spacing series.  Click on the Spacing Label below if you would like to see the previous posts.