34 Outside LB Play

lOCHNESS,

SOUNDS SOLID TO ME!

Coach Easton

Here's what I teach my outside linebackers (defensive ends in 5-2)
DEFENSIVE END FUNDAMENTALS

DEFENSIVE END STANCE: The defensive end ("DE") stance requires a good base with feet spread slightly wider than shoulder width and staggered heel to toe. The feet should be slightly pigeon toed with the inside foot forward and flat to the ground. The shoulder pads should be slightly out in front of the knees (the "pads out" position) with knees bent. In addition, the hands should be free and prepared to deliver a blow with the thumbs up and elbows in close to the body. The head and eyes remain up with the neck bulled.

ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUES: In our BASE defense, the DE alignment is formation and field position dependent. There are four alignment possibilities, which can be summarized as follows:

9 technique on the TE: the default alignment used in most situations that supports the DE's outside contain alignment.

Jet alignment: used vs. the wing formation, 3 point sprinters stance with a 45 degree angle. Key the ball and sprint up field between the TE and wing. The SS has outside contain when you are in the jet alignment.

Stack alignment: used when there is a split end to the short side of the field, use an ILB's stance and stack at a 3 to 4 yard depth with your inside foot behind the outside foot of the DT. Fly to the ball after checking for reverse or counter.

Off alignment: used when there is a slot eight yards or less outside of the OT. Align one yard inside of the slot—try and jam him as he release off the LOS, funnel to an outside release taking away the one step slant. All other run and pass responsibilities remain the same as in the BASE.

OUTSIDE CONTAIN: The outside contain ("D" gap) responsibility is the primary run responsibility of the DE. This means that he cannot allow the ball carrier to get outside of him. In addition, we expect the DE to work his way two or three yards up field when a blocker attempts to seal him inside. Typical blocks used to seal the DE inside include a reach block by a TE, a log block by an OT or OG, a lead block by a RB, or a crack block by a WR.

KEY BALL MOVEMENT: Intelligent DE's always maintain a pre-snap awareness of the ball using their peripheral vision. Keying both the ball and offensive line movement optimizes the DE's speed off the ball while preventing penalties.

THE DEFENSIVE CHARGE: The target of the defensive charge can either be the TE or a gap. Assuming the target is the TE, the DE needs to explode off the ball and neutralize the TE's charge. There are four key concepts to remember:

• SPEED of your blow is critical, not necessarily the power of your stab
• STAY LOW and hit on the rise to create leverage
• CROSS THE BLOCKER'S FACE—never run around a blocker
• SEPARATION from the blocker allows you to pursue

JAM AND PRESS: The most common method used by a DE to deliever a blow to neutralize the TE's charge is a two point jam and press with outside leverage. Using this method, the DE explodes low and off the ball attacking the blocker while maintaining his square orientation (feet, hips, and shoulders) to the line of scrimmage. He drives his inside hadn into the center of the blocker's chest and his outside hand into the blocker's outside shoulder. He must have thumbs up and elbows in tight to his side. Hitting on the rise, he then runs his feet and locks out his arms to create separation. Ideally, he will turn the blocker's outside shoulder away from the LOS. When used against a reach or cutoff block, the DE may whip his hips across the face of the TE to defeat the block.

KICKOUT AND TRAP ATTACK: To neutralize an offensive lineman's trap block or a FB's kick out, the DE typically attacks the kicout or trap blocker. The DE again explodes low off the ball while the TE down blocks either the DT or ILB. The DE should attempt to jam the TE while he steps forward to the TE's hip to pinch down the "C" gap. Maintaining his low and square orientation (feet, hips, and shoulders) to the LOS he then attacks the blocker meeting the blocker with his inside shoulder, forearm, and hip. This protects the DE's flow side arm and leg.

PURSUIT: Initially in pursuit the DE must stay square to the LOS in a good football position. Stay low by bending at the knees and keep your shoulder pads slightly in front of the knees (the "pads out" position). Never cross the feet over each other and try to work up field to the ball carrier. When you need speed, open your hips, drop the closest shoulder, and sprint. Don't round off your pursuit angles.

I hope this helps, Coach.

Caoch Cella,

That sounds a lot like what we are looking to solidify as our keys and techniques for this season.

Makes me feel better to have some affirmation from people with some good experience!

Tougher still. We run a 4 spoke secondary. In a balanced set like this, we check immediately to cover 4. Our safeties would have to be trained to make the read quickly and fill the lane on an inside-out angle. The backside safety would have to be over the top in case someone misses a tackle. We can't roll our CB's up or play with inside leverage, because they'd be running the fade all night.

Luckily, we don't play any teams that attempt this! The one team we play who runs this set typically is either passing out of it on verticals (in which case the cover 4 suits us quite well) or are running inside traps or speed option to the single back. We can of course switch our coverage to a cover 2 shell and get the corners up and the safeties deep, but that would have to be a game planning / tendancy call.

I'm glad I'm not a defensive coordinator!!!

We are looking to play a 33 stack with one of the inverts playing at a 9 wherever the TE goes and the secondary in cover 2/4 shell. Anyone do this with success and have any materials.

Coaches,
can you explain what you teach your LBS vs. Pass, in a ZONE concept. My head coach refuses to believe that a LB can drop on a 45 angle, see the qb AND see the receiver. He wants our LB to drop and never take their eyes of the qb.
Your thoughts PLEASE!