63 Defense: Front Six

Stance, Calls, Alignment, Technique

(SCAT)
Jack Gregory© 2013
All Rights Reserved

For more information see www.gregorydoublewing.com

Or email me at coachgregory@live.com
 Front Six Responsibilities
• Stop the ball from moving vertical up the field via
the A, B, and C gaps.
• Compress the Line of Scrimmage and collapse the
backfield forcing the ball to spill or redirect. (play
behind the heels of the blockers and locate the
ball).
• Defensive linemen are gap contain players. Fill
gap, collapse LOS, and locate and flow to the ball
with near shoulder leverage.
• OLB’s penetrate their gap and attack the near hip
of the QB. They are gap pressure players.
 Terms
• Ball Get Off: Ability to react quickly and explosively to
the first movement (key) by they offense. You move
when the ball/foot/hand moves.
• Fingers to ball alignment: Getting the defensive line to
get their fingertips on the line of scrimmage.
• Pre-snap relaxed: relaxed, not tense, and ready to get
off the ball on first movement.
• Hat in crack: Get your hat and foot in the gap you are
responsible for as fast as possible.
• Pull Stop: technique for beating trap blocks as well as
pulling guards and tackles.
 Gap Fit & Integrity
GAP FIT: each defensive lineman and outside backer is responsible for a interior gap whether they are in STACK
or RED based call.

In STACK the OLB will attack through his gap to the QB’s near hip. In RED or RED based call he will read AT in his
GAP/HOLE/WINDOW.

Notices below that each defender has an assigned gap except our MIKE who will FIT on the inside of the ball as
it comes AT him or AWAY from him.
 Leverage
• Defensive line men must always maintain near shoulder leverage on the ball. Once they
locate the ball they attack the ball but maintain near shoulder leverage on the ball by doing
this it limits the runner’s ability to move.
• If each defensive linemen fits properly and penetrates their gap and then locates the ball and
maintains near shoulder leverage they eliminate the four of the six interior gaps leaving one
gap on each side for their OLB.
• Near side shoulder leverage simply means that once you penetrate and locate the ball you
keep the ball on that shoulder by expanding or contracting as the ball moves.
 Defensive Linemen
• Must be consistent!
• Must finish every play!
• Know your job and do it!
• Play with great technique every play!
• These don’t require talent just hard work!
 Front Six Traits
• OLB: more athletic players of your F6 players. The better football player &
athlete he is the more you can do with him. He should be a pretty good leader
(stacks), and he should have decent quickness and aggressiveness. The better
he is in zone and man coverage and the better he is at tackling the more you
can do with him.
• DT: the more athletic of the two defensive linemen. Can be two types, small
aggressive penetrators that are hard to block or big boys that can fill a gap and
penetrate with power. In either case they must be able to compress the LOS.
• DG: the least athletic F6 player but follow the guidelines for tackles.
• Special note: if you have an elite defensive linemen don’t be afraid to move
him from DT to DG and even from stack to another to keep the offense
guessing.
• Special Adjustment Player:
– NT (Nose Tackle): elite defensive player that can either penetrate aggressively and
quickly or fill a gap with power or BULL/2Gap and fill space on the LOS.
– ROVER (second MIKE): Same as the MIKE backer and often a ROVER type player
becomes part of BACK 5.
 Defensive Line Technique #1
• Alignment – crowd the line of scrimmage.
Finger to ball alignment.
• If head up align nose to nose.
• If GAP – align right in the middle of the gap no
matter the split between linemen. HEAD IN
CRACK fast!
 Defensive Line Technique #2
• Stance – three point stance, down hand claw the
grass as you explode off the ball. use a three –
point stance that is aggressive.
• By aggressive I mean that you need to use a toe –
instep (or slightly deeper) staggered stance with
the dominant hand down and around 18 to 24
inches from the up field foot.
• The offhand needs to be in a power position as if
ready to sprint; cocked above and behind the
near hip.
• Best described as an aggressive sprinters stance.
 Defensive Line Technique #3
• Exploding off the ball is essential and the first
step is key; it needs to be an aggressive power
step into the gap.
• It is alright to teach the down hand on the slant
side as well and often is an advantage if you can
teach them to get into a stance using both hands
but the key is comfort so they can get off the ball
fast.
• Get off on first movement. Ball moves you move.
• Move on movement not sound/noise. Must be
trained and be clear on what they move on.
 Defensive Line Technique #4
• Throw your body into the hole.
• Get your nose, head, shoulders, and foot into
the hole. If you get them in the hole you will
get behind their heels.
• First step is with back foot and replaces your
down hand. Next step is in the hole.
• Explode forward.
Defensive Stances for DG/DT/NG
 OLB Stance
• Outside Backer: Will get in a balanced two point stance with the
feet slightly shoulder width apart. The arms cocked with elbows
over or just past the knees and hands up. Hips and knees bent so
there and the chest over the knees. He should be slightly on the
balls of his feet and he should be in a solid hitting stance ready to
move in any direction.
• He should be the most athletic player in the stack. The play side
outside linebacker is the Alley defender and the backside outside
linebacker is the Bounce the defender.
• If the outside linebacker is on the line of scrimmage and blitzing he
will use an aggressive 2 point stance (defensive end stance).
• This is s stand up staggered two point stance with outside foot
back, hips and knees bent. The chest is over the front knee and
head is up with arms cocked and ready.
OLB Stance
 Stack Concept
• Remember the line of scrimmage is made up of eight gaps and the stack
concept basically acts like a GAP 8 defense in that we are going to
penetrate all eight of those gaps in STACK call.
• Who we use to penetrate each gap will vary from play to play based on the
stack call on each side.
• Because we are using stacked backers the way in which we penetrate is
actually a wave or layered effect so the offensive line will have a very hard
time simply down blocking the entire front and washing the defenders
away from the play.
• Basically the center, guard, tackle, and end will never know which three
defenders they are going to face on the interior and which gap they will
hit. This often causes issues with RULE BLOCKING SCHEMES and ZONE
BLOCKING SCHEMES. Especially with younger players still trying to master
stances, get off, technique along with rule assignment identification. The
movement of the stacks represent a real problem for these teams.
 Stack = Pressure
• This is a pressure concept that allows us to attack with eight defenders putting players
in every gap and closing down the backfield from the D gap as our force defender hunts
the ball from the outside in.
• When we call stack we want to attack; we want those six stack defenders getting behind
the LOS as quickly as possible, locating the ball, and killing the ball behind the LOS or
spilling the ball into the hunters. OLB hunts the near hip of the QB.
• We want our defensives ends hunting the ball from outside in and either stopping the
ball in the backfield or spilling it deep behind the LOS towards the boundary.
• Very simple and used with young or inexperienced teams to teach defensive concepts.
 How the Stacks Work #1
• The outside backers will make a stack call which will tell the other two
members of the stack where to go and what to do.
• Each defensive linemen has one rule while in the stack when the ball is
snapped they must penetrate into the backfield through their gap as fast
as possible; penetrate past the heels and compress the LOS, and then
locate the ball. GET OFF THE BALL, GET BEHIND THE HEELS, LOCATE THE
BALL, GET TO THE BALL.
• OLB has a bit more freedom due to their athletic ability. They penetrate
past the LOS and attack the near hip of the QB. This allows us to put
immediate pressure on the ball from one gap while the remaining
defenders in the stack compress the LOS.
• The outside backers are free to make any basic call and you should
encourage them to change up and vary the calls as much as possible.
Teach them that they should call plays that will get them to the QB as fast
as possible. The OLB should be attacking the worst/weakest blocker on his
side and based on the BASE POINT OF ATTACK of the offense.
 How the Stacks Work #2
• What you will find is as the outside backers and the defensive linemen
take owner ship of the stack that the outside backers will make calls that
will get them in the backfield as quickly as possible as they will hit the gap
that is the most available to them to get to the ball. They will often attack
the weak spot so you get strength against a weak spot.
• Because the stunting and blitzing is layered, meaning defenders are
attacking the LOS at various moments in time, it ensures that a runner
cannot simply bypass the first level of our defense because they have to
pass the layered pressure coming through the interior gaps (A,B,C).
• Defensive linemen stay square and close on the ball if the ball goes past
them vertically they must retrace to their gap in the same path they
travelled. This ensures that we reduce cut back lanes on the interior and
maintain near shoulder leverage.
 How the Stacks Work #3
• If the ball goes outside the near side DT will close down from inside
out maintaining spacing on the near side DE. The DG will form
above the DT and the backside DG will maintain spacing above the
play side DG, and the backside DT will maintain spacing above the
backside DG. This creates a wall of defenders that close down on
the ball. If in RED the BOUNCE OLB is sitting on top of the ball if the
ball carrier tries to cut back and go vertical as he is forced up the
wall.
• If a offensive linemen vacates (pulls) the defensive linemen follows
his rule he penetrates and locates the ball. If the ball flows with the
vacating linemen he squeezes down on the hip of the offensive
linemen as he goes to the ball square.
• Defensive linemen must maintain near shoulder leverage on the
ball.
 Basic Calls
SPLIT GAP IN OUT

BASE CALL (GOAL LINE/OPEN END) BASE CALL

 Basic Calls
These four basic calls can be made by the OLB’s at any time. My rule to them is put
yourself in the best position to make a play on the ball. Find the weak leak in the
line and hammer that call home while keeping the offense on their toes.

• IN – The OLB will call IN and it will tell both the DG and DT to slant to the inside
gaps (A and B) while the OLB stunts into the C gap.

• OUT – The OLB will call OUT and it will tell both the SG and DT to slant to the
outside gaps (B and C) while the OLB stunts into the A gap.

• SPLIT – The OLB will call SPLIT and it will tell DG slant into the inside gap (A) and
the DT to take the outside gap (C) while the OLB stunts into B gap.

NOTE: These three calls allow the OLB to hit all three gaps on his side of the ball.

GAP – short yardage/goal line call. AUTO CALL against open ends – immediate
pressure in the backfield.
 Stack Penetration Technique
• The way they will penetrate into the gap is the defensive
linemen will put their eyes on the hands or feet of the blocker
in front of them or the ball (whichever is easier). When their
key moves their hands/feet or the ball moves they will get off
the ball by exploding into their gap (BGO – Ball Get Off). Fall
into the gap….
• The OLB will be keying backfield through the line. First
movement they move.
 Stack Penetration Aiming Points
Outside Backer Defensive Tackle Defensive Guard
IN IN IN
Aims off the defensive tackle’s Eye on your movement key. It Eye on your movement key. It
outside hip at the snap and attacks moves you move. Penetrate through moves you move. Penetrate through
first window. Head in the crack. Aims the inside hip of the blocker you are the inside hip of the blocker you are
for the QB’s near hip. Just like the over. Get behind the heels and over. Get behind the heels and
DE but hunting the QB locate the ball. locate the ball.

OUT OUT OUT

Aims off the defensive guard’s inside Eye on your movement key. It Eye on your movement key. It
hip at the snap and attacks first moves you move. Penetrate through moves you move. Penetrate through
window. Head in the crack. Aims for the outside hip of the blocker you are the outside hip of the blocker you are
the QB’s near hip. Just like the DE over. Get behind the heels and over. Get behind the heels and
but hunting the QB locate the ball. locate the ball.

SPLIT SPLIT SPLIT

Aims off the defensive tackle’s inside Eye on your movement key. It Eye on your movement key. It
hip at the snap and attacks the first moves you move. Penetrate through moves you move. Penetrate through
window. Head in the crack. Aims for the outside hip of the blocker you are the inside hip of the blocker you are
the QB’s near hip. Just like the DE over. Get behind the heels and over. Get behind the heels and
but hunting the QB locate the ball. locate the ball.

GAP GAP GAP

Aligns inside of the DE in a two point Aligns in side of the blocker he is Aligns in side of the blocker he is
DE stance snug to the first blocker over splitting the distance between over splitting the distance between
inside. Aims for the QB’s near hip. his blocker and the next. Eye on your his blocker and the next. Eye on your
Just like the DE but hunting the QB. movement key. It moves you move. movement key. It moves you move.
Get behind the heels and locate the Get behind the heels and locate the
ball. ball.
 Engagement/Shed Technique
• All the stack players must get off the ball quickly on the first movement
they see (whether that is the ball or the hand/foot of any of the near
blockers). This is called BGO (BALL GET OFF).
• Secondly they must stay low and pierce the LOS. As they attack through
the gap hip (aiming point) they must use the far arm and rip under and
through the blocker if he attempts to block him. He must not get tangled
up with any blocker as his job is to penetrate behind the heels of the
blocker and then locate the ball and flow to it.
• Go-Rip-Flow should be their three step progression. The key is to get into
the gap and then penetrate behind the heels of the line and then locate
the ball in that exact order.
• The RIP technique can be a speed rip or rip & club (wrist, elbow, shoulder).
The key is it has to be violent and explosive and allow the defender to
create separation quickly. Part of our DEFENSIVE SHED FIT at the
beginning of practice.
 Be Aware!
• Aggressiveness is good but being overly
aggressive is not good.
• Penetrate past the heels of the offensive line.
• Locate the ball.
• Move to the ball as square to the LOS as
possible.
• If the ball carrier goes vertical and moves past
you retrace your steps to your gap then
pursue.
 Thoughts On Stack Personnel
• If you have extra talent or you feel you have a very
talented and/or gifted OLB or even defensive linemen
don’t hesitate to put them in the stack.
• Although I feel that having your superior talent in the
hourglass (BACK 5) is essential to stopping the big plays
you can improve the pressure you place on the offense
by placing natural talent in those positions and letting
them pin their ears back and get after the ball.
• Good talent in the stacks will also improve your force
on the edges from your ends as well and increase the
likelihood of a turnover in the pass triangle from the
increased pass rush pressure.
 Front Six Advanced Calls
• These are advanced calls for the front six and they give us some nice variations that allow us
to give a few different looks and twist in attacking offensive lines.
• BEAR is really a simplification of our interior line that allows us to look like GAM team as it
places the guards and tackles in the A and B gaps and bear crawl them through while the
OLB’s align in the C gaps and blitz but we can call RED BEAR and have the OLB’s read as well.
Nice call for younger age teams or inexperienced (MPP) players.
• The BULL uses the LAUNCH IN LAP technique with all four defensive line men attacking the
guards and tackles while the OLB’s align in the C gap and blitz. It is basically a TWO GAP
technique that aggressively displaces the blocker into the backfield. We can also call RED
BULL to have the OLB’s read. This is a great call for offensive lines that are basically sitting on
their gaps trying to cover up their gaps expecting stunting and blitzing off our stacks. If
offensive lines are area blocking and not coming off aggressively this is a great call because it
gets the defensive linemen into the blockers and drives them off the line of scrimmage as
they read flow.
• TWISTER (IN call with a line stunt) and TORNADO (OUT call with a line stunt) are nice
adjustments to teach if you have some athletic linemen that can move laterally quickly and
then get up field with some discontent in their heart. These could both be with the OLB
reading calling them RED TWISTER and RED TORNADO.
• TIGER is a stunt between the two defensive guards while the defensive tackles attack the B
gaps and the OLB’s can either blitz the C gaps or READ (RED TIGER).
 GAP CALLS
• This is a blend of the basic calls and GAP.
• IN + GAP = GAP IN
• OUT + GAP = GAP OUT
• SPLIT + GAP = GAP SPLIT
• OLB has the same hunting landmark: near hip of the QB.
• GAP modification – This is a short yardage and/or instant pressure call
when we need to get all three defenders into the backfield immediately.
This is especially useful in short yardage and goal line situations and when
we want pressure in the gaps now.
• DG and DT slide into the middle of their slant gap.
• OLB drops into the middle of his gap in a two point sprinter stance.
 GAP Calls
GAP SPLIT GAP IN GAP OUT
 Bear Call
• The BEAR call allows you to use less than athletic linemen and fill space so
it is really an adjustment to adapt to slower linemen.
• The defensive line align in the gaps with the defensive guards aligning in
the A gaps and the defensive tackles in the B gaps while the OLB’s align in
the C gap and blitz into the backfield.
• The bear crawlers must explode into the gaps and crawl past the heels of
the blockers. As soon as they do they must get their heads up and locate
the ball immediately and get up and get to the ball.

Bear Red Bear

 Bull Call
• The defensive linemen get into a four point power rush stance and they
literally spring into the lap of the blocker and drive him back into the
backfield as they locate the ball.
• If executed correctly they are playing a two gap technique in a very
aggressive manner. It is essentially a flat out explosive bull rush.
• It is a great change up against offensive lines that are sitting on the line of
scrimmage trying to locate which guy to block. The BULL call also will
allow the OLB to come free in the C gap if the TE fans out to take the DE
and does not block the OLB or on the open side.

Bull Red Bull

 Bull Rush Technique
(Launch in Lap)
• Four Point Stance – aggressive lean.
• Explode into the chest plate of the blocker and
power punch into the arm pits and drive the
blocker back.
• Head up, locate ball, pound feet, drive blocker
back.
• Locate ball, pull/push away blocker, square up,
go to ball.
 Twister Call
• Twister is an inside blitz to the A gap while the defensive guard drops their outside foot and
crosses over the inside foot as the body stays square to the line of scrimmage. The defensive
tackle will aim for the outside hip of the next blocker inside (guard) and attack through the
gap just as if he was slanting into the B gap. As soon as the defensive tackle penetrates the
defensive guard will cross the face of the defensive tackle’s blocker (tackle) and penetrate
past the blocker’s outside hip. The defensive guard must stay flat and literally scrape the
defensive tackle as he goes by so that he can get into the smallest space possible on the
outside hip of the offensive tackle.
• The OLB must attack the inside hip of the offensive guards and go through it. If the OG fans
out to follow the defensive guard or blocks into the B gap to pick up the DT he leaves the A
gap open and OLB will be behind the LOS quickly especially if the center is focused on the
opposite stack.
Twister Tornado
 Tornado Call
• Tornado is the exact opposite to Twister. The OLB will blitz into the C gap aiming for the
outside hip of the offensive tackle. The defensive guard will aim for the inside hip of the
offensive tackle and slant into the B gap. The defensive tackle will drop his inside foot and
cross over step with his outside and scrape the defensive guard as he goes into the B gap. As
soon as the DG goes vertical and he crosses the defensive guard’s butt the defensive tackle
will go vertical and attack the inside hip of the offensive tackle and get into the C gap.
• This is a great call against offensive guards that are chasing the defensive guard into the B gap
as well as a nice call for when the offensive tackle is stepping down inside to cover the B gap
as the stunt will lure him inside so the OLB can get into the C gap easily.

Twister Tornado
 Red Twister/Tornado Call
• The addition of RED the OLB’s don’t blitz into their designed gaps instead they fake the blitz
and read. This is a nice complimentary call to Twister and Tornado and very easy to install if
you already have the RED call installed.
• It is great way of adding additional pressure on the inside and the DE is providing sufficient
pressure on the edge so the OLB can read and respond to a good backfield attack.

Red Twister Red Tornado

 DOT Call
• DOT call tells DT to drop into zone coverage as if a LB (same drop rule). The OLB and DG
follow same rules and can be altered via other calls.
• Bull Dot tells the DG to use a BULL technique and the DT to drop into zone coverage (LB zone
drop).
• This is a call we use in conjunction with our STACK, SPREAD, and other calls. Not used with
RED.
 DOG Call
• DOG call tells the DG to drop into zone coverage as if a LB.
• Bull Dog tells the DT to use a BULL technique and the DT to drop into zone coverage (LB zone
drop).
• This is a call we use in conjunction with our STACK, SPREAD, and other calls. Not used with
RED.
 Basic Training for the Front Six
• Stack Drills:
– Stance
– Alignment
– Recognition and Calls
– Technique
• Get off
• Shed & Penetration
• Pull Stop
• Pass Rush
• Pursuit Lanes
 Stance Drill #1 (Stance & Alignment)
• Why: To teach the basic stances and foundations of the defensive line and outside backers.
• How: Coach will align them on a basic seven cones (tires) set up with the center cone being the center.
Teach the two point balanced linebacker stance and the proper depth (1 to 4 yards) . Teach the defensive
linemen how to get into a proper 3-point Then teach them how the OLB is in charge of the stack and he
makes the calls either vocally or physically (taps). Have them get into and out of their stances and check
them to makes sure they are correct. Make sure the OLB depth is correct as well. Basic alignment. Check
and recheck Fingers to ball alignment (tight to the LOS).

C
 Stance Drill #2 (Alignment)
• Why: To teach the proper alignment on offensive fronts (five, six, seven, eight man fronts) and how to
quickly align on balanced and unbalanced (3:3, 2:4, 1:5, 0:6). Review and cover the shift call for the above
(shift, double shift, triple shift) that the mike backer can make to align the interior front. Cover the open
OT and how the outside backer automatically makes the GAP (unless RED).
• How: Coach will align them on various fronts with a snapper cone. Align them on a basic seven man
front, six man front (GAP CALL is made on open side (no TE side), five man front (gap call made on both
sides). Then have them align on an eight man front (MIKE calls shift to strong side). Then have them align
on a nine man front (stay balanced). Next Step is review unbalanced sets out of a 7 man front (explain
3:3, 2:4 (shift), 1:5 (double shift), 0:6 (triple shift). Explain that an eight man front that is unbalanced
simply add 1 shift to the above.
• NOTE: The MIKE makes a shift call it means to slide over by ONE MAN. Double shift means TWO MEN.
Triple shift means THREE MEN. QUAD SHIFT means FOUR MEN (I have never had to use this but you never
know when you have to adjust to a crazy formation.

C
 Stance Drill #3 (Recognition and Calls)
• Why: To teach our basic call and later on our advance call packages. Stress BGO (ball get off)
• How: Coach will take two stack teams have them quickly align, get into a proper stance, and prepare for
ball/blocker movement. Once the coach quickly checks for both proper alignment and stance he will
move up to the LOS and use either a foot or a ball for movement. The backers will be given a basic call (IN,
then OUT, then SPLIT, then GAP) and on the movement queue they will fire off and execute that call. Once
the players pass the blockers heels they will come to a full stop and the coach will check to make sure each
defender is in the right gap. He should also check that they fire off on the very first movement and attack
the right aiming points. The coach should teach each call separately then combine calls one at a time.
Make sure to stress FINGERS TO BALL ALIGNEMNT and HAT IN CRACK.
• Note: use various alignments to get the stacks used to aligning on different fronts

C
 Get Off Drill #1 (Technique)
• Purpose: To teach our player to BGO (ball get off), penetrate behind the heels, locate the ball. Get to it
square.
• How: Coach Holding a ball will simulate a snap and move ball. Defenders move on the movement of the
ball. They explode off the line and into their assigned gap. Defensive line must locate the ball and flow to
it square. OLB’s must penetrate and attack the near hip of the QB (coach). Coach will move a few steps
left, right, or towards the LOS. All defenders must flow to the coach and double tap him.
• Notes: check stance, alignment, BGO technique, and LOCATE technique.
• High reps, high quality. Work fast.

C
 Get Off Drill #2 (Technique)
Purpose: To increase the BGO of the STACK TEAMS.
How: Two sets of line cones set up 6 yards apart with a cone/maker
in between the two center cones. Like to use two sets of STACKS
facing each other. Work on 1 call at a time and then let the each
separate stack team call their own call. A coach will stand in the
middle and give a movement each pair is competing to get off on first
movement and get behind the LOS.

Nice to have four High reps. High quality.

stack pairs but Work fast so that they
three or even two get past the heels and
will work. then quickly reset.
Make call and call
DOWN and move. They
must BGO, HEAD IN
CRACK, GET BEHIND THE
HEELS.
Make it competitive.
 Get Off Drill #3

Taken from: 1999-Cover-2-Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-Dungy-Kiffin-DL Manual

 Shed – Line Drill #1
• Purpose – to work on our basic (and advance) Shed and penetrate moves. By using two lines of players;
alternating between blocker and defender.
• How – Two lines of blockers will face each other and pair up. One will be the blocker who will get into a 3
point stance and execute a DRIVE BLOCK or PASS BLOCK and the defender will execute the called SHED and
PENETRATE MOVE, HEAD IN CRACK, LOCATE THE BALL, FLOW TO THE BALL. One coach will stance behind
each line the coach behind the defender will move to tell the blockers and the coach behind the blockers
to BLOCK. The defenders will BGO and execute their SHED move. The coach will simply move left or right
and the defenders must penetrate, locate, and get to the coach and tap him.
• Can get a lot of high quality reps in a small amount of time. All defenders can, and do, do this but in
FRONT SIX we have DL and OLB’s work on this.
 Shed – Line Drill #2
• Purpose – to work on our basic (and advance) Shed and penetrate moves. By using live blockers that are
static and only offering a LOAD/EXPLODE.
• How – starting cone and 4 to 5 blockers spaced 6 to 7 yards from each other and a finishing cone 5 yards
away. On a movement key from the first blocker he will BGO and execute a SHED move to either side and
penetrate behind the heels of the blocker. He will alternate sides as he SHEDS each blocker. When he gets
by the last blocker he will rush to the finish maker and touch it (can be a player holding a tackling dummy
for a tackle or a live ball carrier that goes left or right (1/2 speed) for a wrap up tackle.
• One the first group is through and behind the finish cone it becomes the start cone and repeat. Then
swap out the defenders and blockers and repeat. You can get a lot of high quality reps really fast this way.
• Work one shed technique at t time.

Speed Rip Double Block

Club and Rip Single Block
Chop/Dip/Rip Bull
Hump Bull and Jerk
 Shiver Drill
• Purpose – to teach the defender how stab hands inside arm pits, lock out, and shed.
• How – using two dummies stack one on top of the other length wise on the ground and each player
2 yards back from the end of the dummy on each side. On GO from the coach each play will move
to the #1 side and both will attempt to properly and violently shed the other. As soon as the
contact is made the coach will call GO again and they will release and back to the other side and
repeat their shed contact. They will do this until the coach calls STOP. Work for 3 to 5 reps on each
set.

2
 Single Cut Block Drill
• Purpose: to teach a defender how to deal with a cut block and flow to the ball.
• As you see the blocker drop his shoulder and drive into your legs you must get
your eyes on him and drive your palms into his shoulder pad and get him into the
ground. Then eyes on ball and continue to flow to the ball and maintain your
leverage.
• Rotate the three through each spot (3 reps) and then move to the next three
players. Try to get three to four reps at defending the cut block for each player.

Cut Tackle
 Multiple Cut Block Drill
• Purpose: To work on dealing with the cut block and getting multiple reps
in the same drill.
• Work on your punch technique and then finishing off the runner (don’t let
the defender take the runner to the ground).

Cut Cut Cut Tackle

 Pass Rush
• Why: To teach our player to convert to a pass rush to get to the passer.
• How: Coach Holding a ball will simulate a snap and move ball. Defenders move on the movement of the
ball. They explode off the line and into their assigned gap as if to pass rush. Defensive line must locate
the ball and flow to it square. OLB’s must penetrate and attack the near hip of the QB (coach). Coach will
drop 3 or 5 step and the stacks will convert to a pass rush and get to the passer. If the QB is prepared to
throw and the defenders have not gotten to the passer they get their hands up and jump the ball when it
leaves his hand.
• Notes: make sure the DL stay in their paths and stay square on the passer. Mix up the calls.
• Notes: Make sure that every defender maintains proper leverage on the passer. Once they see pass and
confirm there is no dander of DRAW – no RB near the QB get vertical to the passer ASAP.
• Notes: practice against quick step, 3 step, 5 step, sprint out, and bootleg so they understand leverage
(near shoulder) and pursuit (gets by so form wall).

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 Retrace Path
• Why: To teach our player to retrace their path when they penetrate to deep on a DRAW/DELAY/QB RUN OFF
BROKEN PLAY.
• How: Coach Holding a ball will simulate a snap and move ball. Defenders move on the movement of the ball.
They explode off the line and into their assigned gap as if to pass rush. Defensive line must locate the ball and
flow to it square. OLB’s must penetrate and attack the near hip of the QB (coach). The second coach will move
down to the LOS three to four steps and yell DRAW or SCREEN and then stay center, move left, move right and the
DL must retrace and get to the ball. All defenders must flow to the coach and double tap him.
• Notes: check stance, alignment, BGO technique, and LOCATE technique. OLB must always hunt the near hip.

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 Push/Pull Contest
• Why: to teach the DL how to execute a push/pull in a competitive arena
• How: Two defenders will grasp each others arm pits and on GO both DL men will attempt to push/pull
their opponent on to the ground. First defender to put their opponent on the ground wins.
• You can have several pairs going at a time as long as you have one coach managing each pair.

1 2 3

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 Bull Rush Technique
• Why: To teach our defensive linemen how to bull drive a blocker and flow to the ball.
• How: using a dummy, a blocker with a shield, an cone, and a ball carrier.
• 1): The DL will get in a four point stance and the blocker will be in a two point o-line stance holding a
shield. When the OLINE steps forward the DL will fire off and explode directly into the blocker driving his
palms into the arms pits. The purpose is to drive the blocker back as far as possible. The DL must launch
violently into the blocker and when contact is made he gets his feet on the ground with a wide base and
power drives the blocker back. The purpose of this drill is to master the explode portion and get the DL
used to launching his body into the blocker.
• 2): Same as above except we put a cone five yards back from the blocker. Now the DL will drive the
blocker back past the cone. The purpose of this portion is to get the DL to get his feet down and drive the
already off balance blocker back.
• 3): We add a ball carrier five yards back and on blocker first move the ball carrier walks to the left or right
and the DL must push-pull the blocker away and flow to the ball carrier and wrap him up.

1 2 3

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Explode Drive Push - Pull

 Pull Stop Drill
• Why: To teach our player to properly react and move on a pull block that happens in front of them when they are slanting in
front or behind the pull. PULL DRIVE/PULL FOLLOW
• How: Coach Holding a ball will simulate a snap and move ball. Defenders move on the movement of the ball. They explode
off the line and into their assigned gap. If they SLANT IN FRONT of the pull they must attempt to get on the near
hip/shoulder of the blocker and drive him into the backfield and force the ball to go deep then push/pull and get behind the
heels of the puller and locate the ball. If they SLANT BEHIND the pull they must behind his heels, locate the heels and flow
to the ball. If the defender slants in front of the puller and can not drive him execute a pull follow. In all cases once they
penetrate the heels of the puller locate the ball and flow to it with good leverage.
• Notes: Stack OLB makes a call and they execute on first movement from coach or OLINE. OLB hunts near hip but if he
slants into a gap and in front of a puller he should execute a PULL DRIVE and if behind he simply gets behind and hunt the
ball.
• Notes: It is important they get off the ball (BGO) and immediately respond to the pull after they penetrate.

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 3 on 1 Drill
• Purpose: Once the defensive line learns how to get by a single blocker you can put him in a 3
on 1 situation so he can learn how to properly slant into his gap and defeat a group of
blockers.
• The coach will stand behind the DLM and indicate one of the six plays to execute and in what
direction, if any, they should go.
• The DLM needs to slant into his gap or BULL technique and DO HIS JOB using good technique.

Left & Right Left & Right Left & Right

 Split the Double Drill #2
Butt Technique (defeating double block)
• Why: to teach our defensive linemen how to split a double team and penetrate beyond their heels or drop the
double team at the LOS if they get contact. The OLB must realize that he is free man and must get through his gap
and locate the near hip of the QB.
• How: Coach will signal a IN/OUT/SPLIT and on his snap count the TE/T will double team the DT and the OG/CTR
will double team the DG. They must BGO and attempt to get behind the heels of the oline, square their shoulder,
and locate the ball. If they get caught by the initial contact of the double team they must immediately fire the
butt towards the blocker coming down and drive him out so that he can not mesh with the post blocker. Once he
does this he must attempt to penetrate behind the heels and at the very least hold ground (creating a 3 man wall).
They must do this as soon as they realize they will not penetrate past the heels. The OLB must quickly get into his
gap before the OLINE can come off their block and make a play and get to the coach. When the linemen executes
the butt technique it has to be a violent snap.
• Notes: you can use advanced calls as well in this drill as you move on into the season.

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 Split the Double Drill #2
Drop Technique (defeating a combo block)
• Why: to teach our defensive linemen how to split a double team and penetrate beyond their heels or
drop the double team at the LOS if they get contact. The OLB must realize that he is free man and must
get through his gap and locate the near hip of the QB.
• How: Coach will signal a IN/OUT/SPLIT and on his snap count the TE/T will double team the DT and the
OG/CTR will double team the DG. They must BGO and attempt to get behind the heels of the oline,
square their shoulder, and locate the ball. If they get caught by the double team and the mesh as already
occured they must latch on to the tricep (cloth under arm pit) or lock both blocker’s tricep in (arm lock)
into your chest and drive one knee down as they pull down on both arm pits/arms and drive the double
team into the ground at the LOS creating a barrier. They must do this as soon as they realize they will not
penetrate past the heels. The OLB must quickly get into his gap before the OLINE can come off their block
and make a play and get to the coach.
• Notes: you can use advanced calls as well in this drill as you move on into the season.

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Questions/Comments?