ELIMINATING EXCESS WORDS

We use terminology like Smash (Sam and Mike). This sends our two run stopping linebackers in our 53 scheme. We also use Swim (Will, Sam and Mike). This sends everybody. Our calls are made with three words. For example, Bandit, Smash, Omaha. This calls our front, stunt, and coverage. I have found that when games get tight and everyone is tense, simple and concise terminology works better then two-sentence long defensive calls. I also try to keep it simple because I tend to confuse myself somedays. lol.

We have found in our system that stacking Linebackers can protect them from certain blocks. Depending on the athletic ablity of the Linebackers, the lesser athletes (for protection reasons) we tend to stack more then the natural athletes. We try and let our natural athletes play in space, they seem to do a lot better when allowed to do this. This is the rule of thumb that we use when it comes to this stuff. To stack or not to stack usually depends on the personal that we have for the year. During the last few years, I have come to believe that knowing assignments, getting off of blocks, and good tackling seem to amount to more then actual schemes. Its like a lot of coaches say: "It all comes down to the fundamentals."

Coach Danks