Be careful what you wish for....

Sorry that I haven't posted much lately, but I have been pretty busy. After 15 years of paying dues and grinding away, I was hired for my first head coaching job about 3 weeks ago. Having missed Spring Ball, I have a lot of catching up to do. When I get settled I will try to get back to routine postings but for now, don't expect a lot. I still appreciate any questions or comments. Thanks for all of the feedback and support!

Magic LB Keys that Fit Any Defense.....

          What!! Magic LB Keys! Sounds too good to be true, but this off season I have "borrowed" this stuff from a friend of mine and so far it works like a charm. I asked him to write an article about this but he declined and told me to go ahead and share.

          In this age of constantly-evolving spread & option and fast tempo offenses, the defensive side of the ball has sometimes struggled to keep up. To combat the variety of offenses we see, defenses today are forced to become more flexible, sometimes merging fundamentally different concepts (two gap, one gap or 3-4/4-3 fronts). The problem with multiplicity on defense is that it tends to take away from the fundamental soundness of spending time mastering the techniques of a single position. This is especially true at the LB position. How does a young player become a better technician if he is blitzing the edge on one play, playing a stacked 50 tech the next play, then an uncovered Mike on the next. What we have come up with is a simple set of keys that will fit any defensive alignment, whether it be a 3-3 Stack, or the Bear 46, or the 4-3, etc.

          Regardless of the defense called, the inside LBs will be playing one of two techniques: BOA or CAT. If the LB's gap of responsibility or closest uncovered gap is the B gap, then he plays a BOA technique. He is responsible for B gap on a play to him and A gap on plays away. If the LB's gap of responsibility or closest uncovered gap is the C gap or A gap, then he plays a CAT technique. He is responsible for either the C or A gap on plays to him and A gap on plays away.

BOA Technique means that the LB will read the OG and that his gap of responsibilty is attached to the OG's outside shoulder. . Instead of getting too caught up in the semantics of reading the guard (Is that a scoop or a zone?, etc.), we tell the LB that the OG can do essentially 4 things:

• The OG can pull outside; in which case, the LB should scrape to C gap, pressing the first clear path and attacking the outside shoulder of the OG.

• The OG can pull inside & away from the LB; in which case, the LB should run thru A gap. ("Pull Away, Run Thru A") Once again he will press the first clear path, whether it is the near A gap or far A gap.

• The OG can pass block; in which case the LB will play his pass responsibility

• The OG can stay in his gap, either blocking inside (down) or outside (scoop) or straight ahead (base). In each of these cases the LB should run thru the OG's outside shoulder as hard and as fast as he can.

CAT Technique means that the LB will read and/or mirror the near RB (not the QB). This is pretty much as simple as it sounds; if the RB comes to your side, the LB mirrors and presses the first clear path closest to the gap of responsibility. If the RB goes away, "Run Thru A".

There you go...some simple, sound keys for LBers that can fit into any defensive structure. For instance, in a 3-3 stack defense if the call is Base and the DEs have C gap, then the SLB / WLB are BOA players and the MIKE is a CAT player. If the 3-3 is running a Pinch stunt, then all 3 LBs are CAT players. Ina traditional 4-3 Over front, the MIKE is a CAT player and the WILL is a BOA player. Go ahead and draw this up in your defensive structure and see if it fits. Then draw up some of the plays that you will see the most of and see if these keys hold true. Please give me some feedback & let me know what you think.

The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living....

"The unexamined life is not worth living."
        This may have been the most famous quote of the Greek philosopher Socrates. And with good reason...Reflection is one of the most important things a person can do, both as a man and as a football coach. A small amount of time spent daily reflecting on what is important to us can allow us to stay true to our character and our values. It also forces us to prioritize the things that are really important to us. If we don't spend some time each day examining our lives and whether or not we are living up to our values, then it is very easy to go astray; to move away from being the type of man you want to be. Reflection is also very important as a coach. We need to examine the games from this past season, especially the losses, and try to pinpoint areas of improvement. We should also ask ourselves, "Are we the type of team that I want us to be?" . Is the identity of your team what you wanted to be known for? We should analyze the off the field program the same way, re-examing everything from the strength program to how we handled discipline.
         I talk some in this blog about the Human Computer and how we should strive to put the right things into our brain. Recently I started leaving a sheet next to my bed. On one side, I have the thoughts that I want to run thru before I go to sleep, on the other side I have some thoughts for the morning:

THE EVENING
"We should every night call ourselves to an account: What infirmity have I mastered today? What passions opposed? What temptation resisted? What virtue acquired? Our vices will abate of themselves if they be brought every day to the shrift."
                                                   SENECA

"Spending a little time calculating the number of things that go right is a simple but powerful way to reactivate our sense of wonder and gratitude."
                                                    RICHARD CARLSON



THE MORNING
"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love..."
                                                 MARCUS AURELIUS

"Every day that is born into the world comes like a burst of music and rings the whole day through, and you make of it a dance, a dirge, or a life march, as you will."
                                                         THOMAS CARLYLE

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
                                                           RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Free Coaching Clinic!!!!

...three words you rarely see aligned together. On the slim chance that some of you who read this may be located in the SouthEast...Brunswick High School in St Simons Island, GA is hosting their 3rd Annual Coaching Clinic on April 14...all high school coaches with speakers from GA, NC , & SC...the open forum at the end last year was one of the best things I have attended. There is no charge; they just like to get an idea of how many are coming...so contact Coach Chris Dodson at christopher.dodson@glynn.k12.ga.us or (864) 425-8156.

READ: Simplified Combination Coverage

As a grad assistant in the late 90s, I was introduced to a form of pattern reading out of a 4-4 at the IAA level. Later I was at a few places where we tried to run Quarters coverage. In both situations it never seemed to click with our players. Sure, it seemed simple to our coaching staff, but we never seemed to get the production from it in proportion to the practice time used installing it. As my career progressed, I began to embrace the 3-3 package and the Cover 3 / Man-Free concepts that fit so well with this front. But as the offenses we faced became more & more advanced and proficient in throwing the ball, I began to see the need for a change-up. What we eventually came up with is our version of READ Coverage.
Originally I wanted a way that I could turn my 2 inverts (We call them Spurs) loose to play 100 % run vs 2 RBs without telegraphing the fact that we were in Cover Zero. What we came up with is this:

The READ Technique
This technique is used by 2 defenders against 2 receivers. The way that we teach it to the players is by telling them that this is going to turn into Man coverage within the first 5 yards; we are just letting the receivers determine who has who. Once the defenders have identified their responsibility, they attack the receiver as if they are Out of Phase (using the Saban terminology). They drive at the proper angle (more on that later) and try to get in a hip to hip relationship with the WR.
The CB aligns at 7-10 yds deep over the #1 receiver. The interior defender (FS or Spur) aligns 10-12 yds deep over the #2 receiver. Both players will “Read”
the #2 receiever.
We tell our players that #2 can do 3 things in the first 5 yards. He can go inside, he can go outside, or he can go vertical.

• If # 2 goes inside or vertical, both players yell “Stay,Stay” and the FS takes #2 man to man and the CB takes #1 man to man. The FS may have to get on his horse and chase the Drag route but the LBs are looking to wall off anything coming across.
• If #2 goes outside, both players yell “Switch, Switch” and the CB jumps the route of #2. The FS has #1 but he will take a cut-off angle to defend the go route by #1 first. (Since that can beat us the fastest).

That is it. That is our READ technique. Now this is how we play READ Coverage.

READ vs 2RBs

• When the Spurs see 2 RBs, they will know that they are Run first / Force players all the way. If it turns to pass, they continue with the rush unless a back crosses their face. (Pitch/Peel Rule)
• The CB to the single receiver side is on an island , Man to Man with no help.
• To the two receiver side, the FS and CB are executing a READ technique.
• Note: if the #1 receiver is excessively far away from the #2, then the DBs can make an early “Stay” call before the snap and play loose man.

After we installed this, we needed a one back adjustment other than checking out of the coverage. Through much trial and error, we came up with some rules to play vs one back that we actually began to use as our Base coverage.
READ vs 1RB in a 2×2 set

• One RB tells the Spurs that they are now involved in the coverage.
• The CB and Spur will align over the 2 receivers to each side and play a READ Technique.
• The FS is free to the ball in the middle of the field

When we align like this the QB sees MOF closed and thinks Cover 3 or Man Free, but we are too far off to be in Man. Many coordinators like 4 verticals vs MOF closed (We are fine against this) or they like the curl / flat combo (The CB will take the Flats head off and the Spur robs the curl). Either way we have created confusion.

READ vs 1 RB in a 3 x 1 set

• To the three receiver side, the Spur rolls up & plays press man on #3
• To the three receiver side, the FS & CB play READ technique on #1 and #2
• The backside CB is locked tight man on #1
• The backside Spur aligns on the backside hash and is a free to the ball player. We tell him to check the single receiver to see if the CB needs help, then look for crossers from the Trips side.

Once again, this is confusing for the QB. He has a MOF Open look which should tell him some kind of Cover 2 or Quarters. Many coordinators like to look for the Smash route vs 2 (We are ok) or they like the bubble screen vs Quarters (Once again the CB should blow it up).
Once the players learn the rules, the adjustments are built in. Motion from Trips to Doubles is a simple move back to READ tech for the Spurs and the FS is free in the middle. Motion from Doubles to Trips send the Spur rolling up into Man, the FS moves into READ tech and the other Spur, sinks back.
If the players can count to 3, they can play this coverage. To phrase the rules in a simple way:
CB

• 1 receiver = Press Man
• More than 1 receiver = Read #2

Spurs

• 1 receiver = Free on the Hash
• 2 receivers = READ tech
• 3 receivers = Man on #3

Using these rules, the coverage also adjusts well to empty.


Communication is key in this coverage. We tell our players that we don’t care whether they make a “Stay” or “Switch” call, as long as they both play the same thing. If one guys stays and the other one switches, the opposing receiver is going to be celebrating in the end zone.
We have been very happy with this coverage as almost a catch-all vs Spread teams. It has simple adjustments yet looks complicated to the opposing QB, which fits our overall philosophy on Defense.

Coaching Knowledge Project #10 John Madden & Joe Gibbs

Over the last few summers, I have started taking notes on some of the coaching biographies and books that I have read. One problem that I have had over the years is that I read so much and look at so much different info that I don't ever retain the knowledge for future use. I will read about a drill or a philosophy and I will think "Hey, that fits pretty good with my guys. I wanna use that this year." Then I will lay the book or the info to the side and forget all about it.
Earlier this year, I began to compile & organize these notes & axioms into a single document. Ideally I would like to eventually have a notebook that I could add to each offseason and look at again each pre-season as I reevaluate my program. I thought that as part of this blog and my compilation efforts, I would share some of the things that I've found.
These are quotes about coaches, quotes from coaches about their influences, and outside observations on coaches and their programs. Some of these are Hall of Fame coaches, some have losing records, and some are career assistants; all have good things to offer.
How about some nuggets from Joe Gibbs & John Madden:

JOHN MADDEN

·         From Don Coryell: Successful coaches are able to take everything they must teach and grind it down to a common denominator where it is understood by the most intelligent and the least intelligent.

·         In preparing for a class, a teacher has to be organized. Once in the classroom, a teacher has to get the students to settle down, to pay attention, to understand. After you teach, you discuss and then you test. Coaching football is basically the same thing. You teach in the meetings. You discuss on the practice field. You test in the game.

·         I learned that one of the most important tenets of teaching is repetition. Tell the class over and over what you want it to learn. As a coach, I applied that same principle. Show the players the play on paper. Show it to them on film. And show it to them on the field.

·         No matter how quick a cornerback was, I never wanted him to line up more than 7 yards off the wide receiver. In training camp, I never let them line up more than 5 yards off their man. That way, it forced them to cover tight & short. When a corner was more than 7 yards off his man, I always felt that he tended to sit back and wait for something to happen, rather than reacting to something that was happening.

·         If it’s something that they don’t know, they can’t teach it. If it’s something that’s been stuffed down their throats, they really can’t teach it either.

·         If you throw on the break or before the break, you get interceptions. We throw after the break, two steps after the receiver has made his cut. That receiver usually has an option between 12 and 18 yards on the cut and we want to make sure he has somebody beat before our quarterbacks release that ball.

·         You’ve got to start by being able to do things the hard way. That means being able to cover man to man, to take on blocks and defeat them. Then you move on to the more sophisticated movements – the stunts, zones, multiplicity of pass coverage, situation substitution and so on. But all of those are no good unless you can whip someone one on one.

JOE GIBBS

·         I believe that picking the right people is the single most important thing a coach can do. If you pick sharp, highly motivated people, you’re going to be successful.

·         We run the same play from 30 different formations, because I believe that repetition is the key to success, and because I am convinced that defense is based on recognition of formations.

·         A winning effort begins with preparation. The game may be played on Sunday, but it’s won on the practice field during the week, in the meeting rooms (where the coaches and players prepare the game plan) and in the weight room, where the best players do a few extra repetitions.

·         To be a good coach, you must be a good teacher. You not only have to possess the knowledge, but you must also be able to get it across. You give it to the players visually, on film, written on the board, and on the field.

Coaching Knowledge Project #9 Paul Brown

         Over the last few summers, I have started taking notes on some of the coaching biographies and books that I have read. One problem that I have had over the years is that I read so much and look at so much different info that I don't ever retain the knowledge for future use. I will read about a drill or a philosophy and I will think "Hey, that fits pretty good with my guys. I wanna use that this year." Then I will lay the book or the info to the side and forget all about it.
        Earlier this year, I began to compile & organize these notes & axioms into a single document. Ideally I would like to eventually have a notebook that I could add to each offseason and look at again each pre-season as I reevaluate my program. I thought that as part of this blog and my compilation efforts, I would share some of the things that I've found.
        These are quotes about coaches, quotes from coaches about their influences, and outside observations on coaches and their programs. Some of these are Hall of Fame coaches, some have losing records, and some are career assistants; all have good things to offer.
       Today I am sharing some quotes and information about NFL Legend Paul Brown. Brown is considered the "father of the modern offense", and one of the greatest football coaches of all time, achieving success at every major level—high school, college, and professional—and introducing numerous innovative coaching methods still in use today. He is also credited with founding both the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals franchises, with the former named after him and the latter naming their stadium in his honor.

PAUL BROWN

·         Everything worked to complement everything else.

·         First it is taught, then it is learned, then it is groomed. If all else fails, go back to fundamentals.

·         You’ve got to be able to get along with them and have them be at their best. You do this by organizing things well enough so that they believe in what you are doing.

·         Going to the movie, for instance, made you realize that something important is going to happen the next day and that it isn’t going to be just another Sunday. And those written exams on the plane take your mind of silly things and make you think about the job ahead.

·         Getting into football is a state of heart & mind as well as physical…don’t ever get the idea this stuff isn’t important.

·         You must invest yourself fully. If it’s worth something, it’s worth everything.

·         You must sacrifice to get to the top. That is why we ask you to train.

·         In training camp the players wrote in their own plays, the defenses against them and the various breakdowns that made up each element. He checked the books to make sure each player was doing the same thing.

·         If you placed the best individuals (not necessarily the most talented football players) in the most advantageous positions, winning would come almost naturally.

·         In every training camp, I applied the basic laws of learning – seeing, hearing, writing, then doing, again and again.

·         On defense, Brown stressed the fundamentals of tackling more than any other phase of the game.

·         Win or lose, they expected the same things for next weeks game.

·         On his criticism: I would much rather he had gotten up there and screamed and ranted and called me names. But he didn’t. Each slice got deeper. It was nothing vicious, and he never raised his voice. But he really got to you with that needle.

·         I attached more importance to a team’s respect than to any other phase of my relationship with them, including blocking & tackling.

·         You begin by building up the middle because you’ve got to start an offense with a good ground game.

·         He takes pains to tell his players to forget about things said during the heat of a game or to take them with a grain of salt and to consider the circumstances under which they were said. “I may say things to you I don’t really mean and you must understand that at all times and take it just that way.”

Coaching Knowledge Project #8 Tom Landry

Over the last few summers, I have started taking notes on some of the coaching biographies and books that I have read. One problem that I have had over the years is that I read so much and look at so much different info that I don't ever retain the knowledge for future use. I will read about a drill or a philosophy and I will think "Hey, that fits pretty good with my guys. I wanna use that this year." Then I will lay the book or the info to the side and forget all about it.
Earlier this year, I began to compile & organize these notes & axioms into a single document. Ideally I would like to eventually have a notebook that I could add to each offseason and look at again each pre-season as I reevaluate my program. I thought that as part of this blog and my compilation efforts, I would share some of the things that I've found.
These are quotes about coaches, quotes from coaches about their influences, and outside observations on coaches and their programs. Some of these are Hall of Fame coaches, some have losing records, and some are career assistants; all have good things to offer.
       Tom Landry coached the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988, posting 20 consecutive winning seasons, winning 5 NFC Championships, and 2 Super Bowls.

TOM LANDRY

·         As a general rule, a coach needs to be more demanding when his team is doing well, because there is a human tendency to ease up when you’re winning. When things are going poorly, especially when the effort is there, that’s when a team needs encouragement & affirmation more than it needs pressure from the coach. That’s the time to back off.

·         Faith gives a man hope and hope is what life is all about.

·         He learned the limited effect that emotions had on the outcome of football games.

·         If I lose, I’m going to lose. If I win, I’m going to win. That doesn’t mean that I don’t work as hard as anyone else or that I don’t try to win as hard as everyone else. I do because God expects us to be the best we can be.

·         The idea was to show a defense one formation and, when it was adjusting its defense to it, shift into another formation and run the play.

·         The key is discipline. Without it there is no morale.

·         There must be a great feeling between players to have a great team, to have good morale. A team must have the ability to believe in each other.

·         You can’t be emotional and concentrate.

·         You’ve got to have a clear-cut philosophy to be successful and it must be transmitted to your players. They must thoroughly understand everything you are trying to do so that, eventually, it becomes instinctive to them.

·         Achieving goals, which really means winning in some form, is the ultimate in a man’s life. Being the best at what you do stimulates life. God gave us a talent to do it and He expects us to do the best we can. Once we win we must give glory to God. As long as I maintain that approach, I’ll keep a level head in winning & losing. It won’t become the be-all but it’s a crime to not want to be the best you can be within the rules you operate under.

·         Achievement builds character. People striving, getting knocked down and coming back…that’s what builds character in a man. And character is the ability of a person to see a positive end to things.

Human Computer Post of the Week

FAITH:
Sometimes I go out in great pity for myself and, all the while, a great wind is bearing me across the sky.
        Native American Saying (Ojibwa)

FAMILY:
 The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family. 
                         Thomas Jefferson

PHILOSOPHY:
The block of granite that was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong.
                     Thomas Carlyle

FOOTBALL:
Two things to motivate kids: They have to know you care and they have to be getting better at what they are doing.

    

Coaching Knowledge Project #7 Don Shula

            Over the last few summers, I have started taking notes on some of the coaching biographies and books that I have read. One problem that I have had over the years is that I read so much and look at so much different info that I don't ever retain the knowledge for future use. I will read about a drill or a philosophy and I will think "Hey, that fits pretty good with my guys. I wanna use that this year." Then I will lay the book or the info to the side and forget all about it.
                 Earlier this year, I began to compile & organize these notes & axioms into a single document. Ideally I would like to eventually have a notebook that I could add to each offseason and look at again each pre-season as I reevaluate my program. I thought that as part of this blog and my compilation efforts, I would share some of the things that I've found.
             These are quotes about coaches, quotes from coaches about their influences, and outside observations on coaches and their programs. Some of these are Hall of Fame coaches, some have losing records, and some are career assistants; all have good things to offer.
                With the Miami Dolphins in the news as a possible landing spot for Peyton Manning, I figured let's go with a classic and pull out some Don Shula notes.

DON SHULA

·         I try to get the edge with mental preparation, and physical preparation, and in general, with overall preparation to accomplish the ultimate.

·         Don always wanted to know why we did what we did.

·         He always gives the “why” to everything that is put into his playbook.

·         He studied the opposition and always wanted to know “why” if something wasn’t working. When he dealt with a player, he’d always ask, “Are we asking too much of this guy?”

·         That is what coaching is….the ability to transmit information.

·         Everything is laid out to the minute. There are four and a half minutes here, eighteen minutes there. He has taken the coaches out on the field and put us through warm-up exercises just the way he wanted players to do them.

·         The team sees him working so hard and that feeling rubs off.

·         In the end, winning & losing doesn’t depend on trick plays or using new systems each week. It comes down to a matter of motivating people to work hard and prepare as a team. That’s what really counts. In a word, it’s called coaching.

·         The relationship I want to establish with my football team is one of mutual respect. I want my players to respect me for giving them everything that I have to prepare them to play their best. My respect for them has to come from knowing they are willing to give me all that they have to prepare themselves to be ready to play.

·         Determine your players’ talents and give them every weapon to get the most out of those talents.

·         Preparation means everything to me. I’m passionate about my players being ready for anything. If our players are worrying about their assignments, they have a tendency to hold back. They should be so familiar with their assignments that when the game starts they’re operating on auto pilot – not thinking, just doing.

·         He gives not only the Xs and Os, but the theory of why the play has been designed, why it is run and what it was designed to do with other plays to be used in a game.

·         Winning early helped because I was asking them to do so much. It made them think the work was worthwhile. They saw it pay off.

·         Each player, regardless of his position, must be taught to innovate & deal with situations he hasn’t practiced against.

·         One of the big things I’ve learned is to become more understanding of others in this regard. There might be a better way to teach a guy than to blow your stack on the sidelines, depending on the player’s personality.

·         On appearance: The key word is moderation. But I’ll draw the line the minute a player begins to think more about the way he looks that the way he plays.

·         When we win we know it’s not final. We know we’ve got to line up next week and prove ourselves all over again. If we lose, we also know we’re not dead and we must get off the floor and have a chance to change the score the next time we play.

·         The fact that you, as a coach, are asking performers to go beyond themselves, to push their limits, will automatically mean that you’ll be doing unpopular things. If what you’re after is being liked, that is going to dictate how hard you push; you won’t want to offend anybody or get them mad at you. As soon as that happens, there goes your effectiveness – and respect as well.

·         He rationalizes that if you come up short in your attempt for perfection, you’ll still be a formidable team. But if you strive to be just good and come up short, you’ll likely wind up an average club.

San Antonio Bound....

Heaing out to Texas for the AFCA Convention Sat am.......will be there til Wed am.....always like to meet coaches from other places and talk ball, so if you're interested e-mail me at wmitchell473@gmail.com      Have A Great Weekend!

Human Computer Post Of The Week

Time to get more diligent about what I spend my time thinking about....These are what I will think about this week:

FAITH
  "Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence."

     Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him.
                                                                                       Daniel 6:3

FAMILY
You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.
                                                                                                     Desmond Tutu

PHILOSOPHY
         By now you ought to realize what cosmos you are a part of, and what divine administrator you owe your existence to, and that an end to your time here has been marked out, and if you do not use this time for clearing the clouds from your mind, it will be gone, and so will you.
                                                                                           Marcus Aurelius

FOOTBALL
   Coaching is giving your players a good design and getting them to play hard.
                                                                                             Bill Parcells

Taking the Bull By The Horns.....

                  Throughout this season, we have watched two local universities with immense talent (South Carolina & Clemson) struggle to defend the option; not just against Navy and Ga Tech, but against Wofford and the Citadel as well. In discussing the struggles with some other coaches on the high school level and the college level, two things have stood out to me: a lack of imagination in defending the offense and a lack of enthusiasm among defenders facing cut blocks for four quarters. A friend on the college level told me that he has several players who circle the game against GT as the game in which they are most likely to be injured. They go in thinking that this game could cost them a pro career. To which I argue, Don't they cut in the NFL also? Wouldn't a player be better off learning to play the cut block properly? The other issue is one of strategy or alignment and the risk of thinking outside the box.

           In an earlier post, I mentioned a certain front that we used called BULL. We started off using BULL vs Double Wing Power teams but, over time, we have adjusted the defense to combat various run-oriented offenses. After watching GA Tech / Clemson and USC / Navy, the other assistants on my staff wanted to speculate as to whether BULL would be effective vs these attacks. So I thought that I would address this question in this blog post. Please respond if you have thoughts; any feedback is welcome.

         I will start off describing BULL vs a Double TE / Double WB set because that is how we first designed it. We are a 3-3 BASE defense, but often we can get into our BULL front without changing personnel. Other times, I will substitute an extra LB and pull a CB. For the sake of this article, we will treat this as playing with 3 DL, 4 LBs, 2 SS/ OLBs, and 2 DBs.

Up front we will play with a 0 tech NG and two 3 tech:

• The NG has a 3 way go depending on the skill set of the Center. The best case is for the NG to drive the Center straight back.
• The 3 techniques are told to penetrate B gap. Against tight split teams, they must put their hat in the crack between the OG and OT. They will get into the hip pocket if the OG pulls.

The key to the entire front is what we call our Bull LBers. They play in a ghost 6 or a 7 tech if they have a TE. The way we coach these positions is what makes the BULL front so effective:

• Against a TE, the Bull LB will line up in a 7 tech tilted toward the TE, 3 point stance with his inside foot back and his eyes on the TE. (His butt will point at the inside LB). At the first movement by the TE, the Bull LB will fire out into the v of the neck of the TE; think of this an an anti-down block. After a hard collision with the TE, the Bull LBer will almost bounce back inside and find the ball. We call this a Ricochet technique.
• Against formations with no TE, the Bull LB will align in a ghost 6 technique, usuallly in a 2 point stance with his inside foot up. Depending on the opponent's offense, we may alter his aiming point, but usually it will be the hip of the nearest back. On flow away, he gets flat down the line of scrimmage and chases. (Note: Do not be afraid to use a smaller, quicker player at BULL LB. He will make a ton of plays running this down from the backside.)
• An important key here is that in most of our BULL calls, the Bull LBers secure C gap and then are free to the ball, with no contain or force responsibilities.
• I cannot stress enough the importance of coaching the Bull LB to attack out into the TE. This technique is hard for opponents to see on film and TEs are simply not prepared for this.
• Vs Option, the Bull LBers are QB players.

The Inside LBs are the positions that make the whole thing fit together. Their key may change according to the type of offense, but their technique does not.

• The LBs align in a loose 30 tech over the opponent's B gap at a depth of no closer than 4 to 5 yds (very important). Their key is usually the back furthest away. For instance, vs Double Wing, the LBs key the opposite WB.
• If the key comes to the LB, he is blitzing from depth, at the snap, not before. If he comes from depth, the OT will often block down on the 3 tech and the ILB should fit right off the OT's butt. If he cheats too soon, he could get washed down as well.
• If the key goes away, he has eyes on the FB right now, looking for Dive, Trap, or Counter coming back at him.

The 7 positions described so far are playing the run all of the way. We tell them that if it turns into pass, your keys will turn your technique into a great pass rush. The 4 remaining players will play a few different ways.


The OLB/SS will usually align at LB depth

• 3 x 3 outside against a closed set (No WRs)
• 4 x 4 inside #1 against an open set (1 WR)

Two or more WRs usually causes us to check the coverage. The DBs align as follows:

• On the Hash 12 yards deep vs a closed set
• Splitting the EMOL and the WR 12 yds deep vs an open set

We start off teaching against a closed set with WB motion. The OLBS and the DBs are both looking at the opposite WB and reading overall motion or flow. The 4 spoke secondary will roll towards motion or flow. We call this 3 Roll coverage.
OLBs:

• If flow/motion comes toward, the OLB is attacking the line of scrimmage now, keeping his outside arm & leg free for contain, but still squeezing the running lane.
• If flow/motion goes away, the OLB checks for reverse then bails out to deep 1/3.

DBs:

• If flow/motion comes toward, the DB is rolling over to cover the outside deep 1/3
• If flow/motion goes away, the DB is rolling into the middle deep 1/3

If we are presented with an open set to one side, the defense simply treats that alignment as its key and disregards motion or flow. They are automatically rolling toward the split receiver.

This works especially well against teams that use the unbalanced principlie with the TE & SE on the same side.

           We will also run a coverage which we call 2 Safe. In this coverage, the 4 spoke secondary plays a predetermined responsibility without regard for motion or flow.
The OLBs are Flat / Contain / Pitch players and the DBs are Deep 1/2 safeties. In this coverage, the deep safeties are told to simply be safe and prevent the long pass.

      The next question we face is what to do vs a spread formation (split receivers to each side). Against a 2 RB set, we will simply check to 2 SAFE coverage.

When faced with a 1 RB look, we will usually just check to what we call Dallas .  In Dallas coverage, the DBs lock up man on the widest WRs and the OLBs will man up the inside receivers. I will then bump one of my LBs to FS depth and tell him to play "playground" ball. ("Playground" means look at the QB and try to intercept the pass. Don't overthink it.) While this means we are in some dangerous man coverage, keep in mind that we are not playing this against a true spread passing team. Also remember that I still have a 5 man rush coming very hard against an OL and a QB that play in a predominantly-running offense.

I realize that he who has the chalk last wins and I realize that there are some weak points in this front. When we play this, we are careful to emphasize that the opponent will get us sometimes; we just cannot let them get for big play touchdowns. This front may give up some first downs and some moderate gains, but it also will put huge amounts of pressure on the line of scrimmage and it will create negative plays. As long as we don't give up the quick big-play score, we will eventually catch that TFL or QB sack and we will be able to stop the drives.

            Would this work against some of the DI run-oriented attacks? I would like to think so, especially with creative placement of your talent. For instance, for those of you that follow the SEC, imagine Melvin Ingram and Jadaveon Clowney playing the BULL LB techniques and tell me that wouldn't have given Navy some headaches....Tackling and Pursuit ultimately win games but the BULL front has been good to us. I would be interested in heaing your take on this , as well as some things other coaches do against these types of run-oriented offenses.

What Can We Learn From "Big-Time" Coaches?

         I wanted to post some food for thought and also get some other points of view. If you have read this blog, you have seen the Coaching Knowledge Project that I have put together, consisting of my notes from reading about various high profile football coaches. After my recent Urban Meyer post, I received a comment which I actually very much agree with....
          This is the comment: With all that said, what about the comments he made to Muschamp? "This program is broken". WTH does that mean? What it means is, he didn't follow what he has written here. 32 arrests in his time at UF?! I may be a bitter Gator fan, but there is no greater hypocrosy than what you have written here (not attacking you, I'm talking about Meyer, this is a GOOD blog post). Look at his player goals, and tell me if they acheived that with 32 arrests during his tenure. The program was broken b/c Meyer broke it...just keep that in mind to all that read this...
      I believe this comment has several very good points. There are some strong accountability questions with Urban Meyer and the current state of the Florida Gators Football Program. But the sad thing is, I don't think that Meyer is neccessarily unique among the profession. I have been lucky enough to coach young men that were highly-recruited, allowing me some limited access to meeting some of the greats of college coaching, as well as some up and comers. When you spend time around coaches or you hear some of the inside stories or even read some of the books about these men, you realize that, almost to a man, they are very flawed individuals.
       For one, the top coaches are almost always borderline (or sometimes not so borderline) egomaniacs. Sometimes these anecdotes have a "cute" feel to them, like Holtz insisting on his soft drinks in the cart at practice or Sean Payton and his chewing gum. You laugh, but do you really stop to think about this? What other profession would this fly in? But I also have knowledge of a DI Head Coach (not anymore) who stopped practice and ordered his assistant coaches to sprint across two practice fields, touch a fence, and come back, all while the players sat and watched, simply because the team was practicing badly. Are you kidding me? The most disturbing point of this is that all of the assistants complied. What that tells me is that many of the assistants in DI jobs are willing to do almost anything to keep their job.
          And I don't think this is anything new. The point that I am getting to is that, on the way up the ladder, I think that many of these high-profile coaches have had to make compromises that have damaged their integrity, their character, and their self-awareness. For instance, how could Todd Graham not realize that texting his resignation was absolutely the wrong way to do things. And yet, he appears oblivious. And I have heard good things about Graham before.
       Unfortunately, the men who have had the greatest success in our profession are not balanced men. They have had to sacrifice some of who they are off the field and at home in order to reach their ambitions. The worst thing seems to be that when they reach the pinnacle, they appear to have some disconnect from the rest of the world. I'm not just talking about the "outlaw" coaches; I'm talking about Bowden and Walsh and even Paterno (for years the bastion of integrity in the coaching profession).
        Are these coaches bad people? No. Should they be drawn & quartered and thrown away? No. Do they have knowledge to offer that is of value to those of us trying to become better coaches? Yes, of course. These men have been outstanding or else we would not be discussing them. I will use Urban Meyer as my example. When I look at some of his thoughts and ideas and philosophies, I am studying someone who took three programs (Bowling Green, Utah, and Florida) from downturns to extreme heights in a very brief amount of time. I am also studying a coach who has helped many of the young men who played for him attain outstanding athletic and personal growth. I believe that he cares about his players deeply. But I also believe that he let the program at Florida get away from him and, instead of determining to right the ship, he took a sabbatical.
      I don't know these men personally. We all have flaws and issues, with our ego and other things. And we have the luxury of living outside the spotlight, so our flaws are not necessarily on display. What I am asking is, "Can we gain any knowledge of value from thse men, even though we may question their integrity or values?
       As a young coach, I worked as a GA for an underfunded I-AA program that at times was run like a club team. I also worked for a high school state championship program that is still the most professional organization that I ever spent time with. The funny thing is, I learned a huge amount from both situations. You learn how things should be done and you learn what not to do. I believe that this is how we should study the "Big Time" football coaches, looking at the good and the bad.