Toledo Rocket Defensive Philosophy

T

he University of Toledo Defense has a long and rich tradition of aggressiveness and physical play. Since 1965, we have been rated 30 times in the Top 15 in the nation in either, total defense, rushing defense, passing defense or scoring defense. Attack Principle Toledo will have an attacking attitude. We will attack and penetrate the line of scrimmage. We will disguise our alignments to give the illusion that we are blitzing and take away the offense’s quick answers. Our attacking defense will disrupt an offense and give us the opportunity to make the big play. Take Aways Our job is to take the ball away from the opponent’s offense and score or set up good field position for our offense. We must knock the ball loose, force mistakes and interceptions and get take aways. Take aways and making big plays win games. We will be alert and aggressive and take advantage of every opportunity to come up with the ball. Sixty Minutes The trademark of our defense will be effort, toughness and no mental errors. We will play for sixty minutes in every game regardless of score or situation in any game. Our Goal The first and foremost principle of a Defense is to prevent a touchdown or score! We must prevent touchdowns by the long pass or run and get the ball for our offense. Toledo’s Defensive Fundamentals 1. Get off or blast through blockers. 2. Stay on your feet. 3. Relentless pursuit & hustle to the ball. 4. Great leverage on the football. 5. Rocket Tackle: a. Get under him (hit on the rise) b. Square up – eyes on the ball c. Wrap him up (grab cloth) d. Up and through (keep feet moving) e. Knock the ball out 6. Create take-aways a. Alert b. Aggressive c. Strip, punch, rip the ball d. Fumble recovery

e. Interceptions f. Score 7. Communicate, Communicate

Communicate,

Toledo Rocket Defensive Philosophy

Situation (Preparation) Defensively, we must adapt to every situation that presents itself and execute successfully. We must match up to the offense’s personnel in the game. This requires good communication, TEAMWORK, and often personnel substitutions. Defensive situations that occur regularly are: Third Down Fourth Down Two Minute Short Yardage Conserving Time Protecting a Lead Opponent Backed Up Red Zone Goal Line No Huddle We will prepare for and handle these crucial situations. Also, we must have the attitude to react to sudden change whenever it presents itself. We must put the fire out — control momentum of the game on defense. Eight Man Front Philosophy 1. Attack the offense — make the offense defend themselves. 2. Attitude = Dog Mentality – Sense of Urgency 3. Stop the run. 4. Defend fewer plays. 5. Fewer receivers in patterns. 6. Make the quarterback beat you. 7. Hit the quarterback. Believe in What You Do Make offense react to you. Study how they react to pressure. Take away the quick answers (HOTS). Commit to Man-to-Man Coverage. Sound Fundamentals Tackle. Fundamental Teaching. Communication — “The Cornerstone” — Essential. Disguise 70 percent up. Same man and zone adjustments. Multiple looks. Moves – Stems – Shifts.

• Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •

Tom Amstutz Defensive Coordinator University of Toledo Toledo, Ohio

Matt Eberflus Defensive Backs

Craig Kuligowski Defensive Line

Production Points Chart

Matt Eberflus, Defensive Backs I would like to thank Grant Teaff and the AFCAfor giving us the opportunity to speak today. It is truly a great honor to be asked to speak at the AFCA convention. I would also like to give a special thanks to our head football coach, Gary Pinkel. Today, I would like to discuss: 1. What It Takes to Be a Defensive Back. 2. Teaching Progression for Backpedal. 3. Footwork Drills for Defensive Backs. 4. Overview of Our G Cover 3 Defense. What It Takes to Be a Defensive Back 1. Do you know what to do? 2. Do you do it the way you are coached? (Coachable) 3. Do you function consistently? (Concentration) 4. Are you in condition? 5. Are you dependable? 6. Do you have the talent to succeed? • Speed • Quickness • Toughness • Effort • Playmaker (Football player) Back Pedal The basic technique that you must know, use and master when covering an offensive receiver is the back pedal. Your ability to back pedal with maximum speed, to adjust your body position without crossing your feet and to be able to change direction as quick as possible is essential for you to play in our secondary. Teaching Progression for Back Pedal Stance: Your outside foot is up, the weight is on this foot. This foot should be placed directly under your nose as you lean forward. If it is in this position, the center of your weight will be directly over that front foot. Bending at the waist, allow your arms to hang down in a relaxed manner. Coaching Points • Outside foot in front on nose, not shoulder. • Weight on front foot. • Bend at waist knee—power angle in ankle. • Allow arms to hang in relaxed manner.

Start: If you do not start by taking a step backward with your back foot, you will seriously handicap your ability to cover. Push off the front foot and step back with your back foot. Do not be in a hurry to get your shoulders up. If your back foot comes forward, you will lose two steps in coverage and be forced to get out of your back pedal much sooner. Coaching Points • Push off front foot. • Step back with back foot. • Allow your shoulders to come up gradually. • Never step forward with back foot. Sprint: You should now be running backwards. Do not push with your feet, but actually reach back with each step and pull your body over your feet just as you would if you were running forward. You must learn to bend your knees so that your feet will be able to extend back past your hips. In order to run backwards, you must keep a slight forward lean with your shoulder. Move your arms in a normal relaxed fashion.

to the inside. Always stay in a balanced position using as much of the inside of the foot as possible. (Approx: 45 degrees on plant). Footwork Drills for Defensive Backs. Description: The drill will start on the sideline working toward the near hashmark using the yard lines as reference points. Backpedal: Getting into a good stance, start and sprint the defensive back will work straight down the yard line from sideline to near hashmark.

Diagram 1: Backpedal

Weave the Line: Stance, start, and sprint working down the yard line the defensive back will weave the yard line while keeping his hips square to the sideline.

Diagram 2: Weave the Line Coaching Points • Step backwards. • Keep shoulders ahead of hips. • Move arms in normal relaxed manner. Weave: You should now be able to run backwards in a straight line. The next step is to be able to change the angle of your run without crossing your legs. To keep in your back pedal, you must swing around with the leg opposite the direction that you wish to go. This is a movement that is difficult to master and will require much practice, but by using this technique the offensive man will not be able to turn you.

Five Yard Weave: Stance, start, and sprint working between the two yard lines from sideline to near hash.

Diagram 3: Five Yard Weave

Coaching Points • Know the angle you need to take. • Swing the leg opposite the direction you want to go. • Do not cross your legs. Transition: When you are forced to leave your back pedal, you must know how to get your body in position. Throw your shoulder and hips in the direction that you need to go. If it is an out, plant inside foot and open outside of body to the direction of cut. If upfield, throw head, shoulders and open body to look upfield. If it is an inside route, plant outside foot and open up body

"W" Drill: The defensive back will now face the yard line. Work straight back for two yards plant and drive at 45 degrees up to yard line. {repeat in other direction using other plant foot} Fan Drill: The defensive back will again be working from sideline to hash working straight down the yard line for five yards. The defensive back will then break at 90

• Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •

degrees to next yard line, work back on yard line and repeat on other plant foot.

Diagram 4: W Drill

Diagram 5: Fan Drill

Post/Roll Drill: The defensive back will work down yard line for two yards and drive at 135 degrees to the next yard line. When DB hits the yard line he will roll the post snapping his eyes around to find the wide receiver.

Diagram 6: Post/Roll Drill

Flip Drill: The defensive back will work straight down yard line from hash to sideline. The defensive back will execute a good stance, start, sprint for five yards plant and drive at 180 degrees. {repeat twice}

Diagram 7: Flip Drill

Teaching Progression Three-Deep Zone Our 4-4 defense has the ability to provide an 8-man front and out number our opponents. Today, I would like to discuss

our primary three-deep coverage and our base responsibilities vs. the run and pass. Teaching progression for all coverages are as follows: Call: In Huddle Alignment: Put yourself in position to execute our primary responsibility when the ball is snapped. Stance: Relaxed stance that puts you in position to react with great quickness and perform efficiently. Keys: The progression that will give you the best reads for run/pass responsibilities. Responsibilities: Your primary run/ pass responsibilities you are to defend. Execution: The technique you must use to execute your responsibilities. Pursuit: We must have great leverage on the football at all times. Tackle: Terminate play — wrap up and drive.

who will take an approach to the ball which will never allow the ball carrier to cross his face.

Basic Responsibilities vs. Run Three Deep Zone Force Applies to the deep secondary or outside linebacker who is responsible for meeting the end run aggressively on or beyond the line of scrimmage. He is responsible for turning the play inside while constricting the cut back hole to a minimum without getting hooked or blocked. Versus a single outside ball carrier running the pitch, we will use a controlled aggressive approach to the line of scrimmage keeping ball carrier on our inside shoulder (outside leverage). Versus lead blocker, take an aggressive approach that enables you to meet and defeat the blocker beyond the line of scrimmage while forcing the ball carrier to give ground away from line of scrimmage or making him turn upfield immediately.

Diagram 9: Lead Blocker

Pursuit Applies to deep secondary away from flow who has deep outside thirds or halves on pass and is responsible for stopping the touchdown. This is done by taking an angle to the ball that will stop the touchdown and at the same time not allowing the ball carrier to cut back, reverse or cross his face.

Diagram 8: Lead Blocker

Diagram 10: Option

Diagram 11: Option Secondary Force Applies to the corner or safety who is responsible for turning an offensive play inside if the primary force has broken down, he normally has deep pass responsibility. This action is executed once all threat of pass is eliminated. Fill Applies to defensive back who is responsible for going direct to the football inside out. This action is executed once all threat of pass is eliminated.

Diagram 12: Secondary Force

Backside Leverage Applies to the defender away from flow

• Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •

Diagram 13: Secondary Force

es to the strong-side mirror width of quarterback (21 Rule). 3. Play the (fire) dump pass tough on option action strong. Always check No. 2. 4. Place all routes inside out, never let post route break underneath.

Diagram 17

Diagram 14

Basic Responsibilities vs. Pass Three Deep Zone "G" Cover 3 Type: Non-rotational zone. Description: This coverage is a threedeep, four-under zone package. Our most basic coverage, it gives us the best run support and is very sound vs. the big play. We should never be beaten deep nor have a run over 15 yards in this coverage. If a new set or formation would confuse us, we should always be able to defend anything in this coverage. Strengths: Excellent vs. the deep routes — streaks, corners, post. Solid run support both strong and weak. Most adaptable coverage to offensive formations. Coaching Points Corners 1. You should never get fooled on any play action pass because you have no run support. Take away the deep ball. 2. On the deep ball: When the receiver goes deep, get out of your back pedal as he threatens you, turn keeping eyes on the quarterback and squeeze the receiver into the boundary. 3. Communicate routes of wide receiver — Talk, Talk, Talk. Rover 1. Be disciplined in taking your read steps to determine run and pass. 2. Always be aware of the No. 2 receiver when attacking the run. If pass shows late with the ball in Level 1, attack the receiver and then get in the throwing lane. 3. "Forcing" for contain vs. sweep is your most aggressive technique. 4. When run shows weak, cushion to the post. Once you know it is definitely a run, play pursuit and look for cutbacks. Free Safety 1. Be deeper than the deepest. Play high to low. 2. Sprint out pass weak, read No. 2, don’t run off and leave any throwback pass-

Diagram 15

Strike: Always grab cloth. Control the man. Grab chest plate with thumbs up. Separate: Lockout, stay away from the blocker. Better to be slippery than sticky. Escape: Attitude that says you can’t be blocked. Rip or swim every play. Drop, lock, and throw if behind your gap. Pursuit: Every play is your play to make. React to screens and draws. Full speed reaction on the first step. Produce: Get the most production points on defensive line, and on defense. Should sack the quarterback four times a game with nine TFL’s.

Diagram 18

Diagram 16

Craig Kuligowski, Defensive Line First of all I would like to thank the AFCA, Gary Pinkel, and Tom Amstutz for all the opportunities they have afforded me. I have been extremely fortunate and I truly feel blessed. 10 Principles of Defensive Line Stance: Bunched sprinter’s stance. Weight on fingers and toes. Think big first step and fly. Hand in front of head. Alignment: Foot to foot alignment. Tight on ball as possible (Credit Card). Assignment: One gap player. Play pass, react to run. Play the defense called (Front, Stunt, Blitz). Don’t give them anything. Get Off: Ball or movement. Explode for penetration. Get your eyes in the seam. Get through the line of scrimmage by the time the quarterback has ball in his hand. Target: Find the screws and react. Bend and flatten out. No fish hooks.

Pass Rush Philosophy We philosophically believe to play pass first. You can stop the run on the way to the passer. Conversely, you can’t rush the passer playing run first. Penetration kills the run game by changing the depth of the running back’s cut and by knocking off any pulling lineman. We drill our defensive lineman to never be surprised by a pass. In this way you can eliminate play action pass reads because we will simply run by them. We want our players to play with self confidence, to cut loose and make the big play. Ideally, your pass rush move, through practice, should be a knee jerk reaction. Don’t think, just go. Pre-determine your pass rush move before the play. It will aid in your quickness. We also believe that a fresh player is the best pass rusher, especially in the fourth quarter, when it matters the most. Therefore, we work extremely hard on conditioning. In addition, we will rotate as many as eight or nine defensive linemen in each and every game. All the players on the travel team can contribute. This also allows you to favor the “hot hand” in the game.

• Proceedings • 78th AFCA Convention • 2001 •