Our philosophy at Arkansas Tech University is to be an attacking and dictating style of defense. We want to play with great intensity and confidence by limiting the thought process of our athletes and allowing them to feel that we are always pro-active in our approach and not reactive. We want as much of our scheme to be like the offense in that we know where we are going on the snap of the football. We want to be simple in scheme, play with our eyes and attack, attack, attack. Offenses are based on timing in so many ways – timing on the snap, timing on the throws, and timing on speed sweeps. We want to do as much to disrupt the timing of these things as possible. There are also many option concepts in today’s offensive football and we want to make those concepts happen faster than they normally do. We then create the match-up that we are looking for in our base schemes vs. the quarterback and not the coaches in the box.
We are, first and foremost, dedicated to stopping the run. The only way to have any success on defense is to make an offense one-dimensional. Once eliminating the run game portion of the game plan, we feel we can attack the other team’s protection schemes from a variety of different angles from our 3-3 stack alignment. We also look to change the coverage by mixing different underneath and top shell alignments to cause confusion of the quarterback and have him hold the ball one more count. This gives our pressure package time to get there.
We accomplish these goals by giving our young men only a few things in which to be proficient. Only five concepts are taught to our group and we repeat these things over and over in practice. We attempt to be as multiple as these concepts allow us to be. We do not install anything that the athletes can not rely on and execute. We believe these concepts fit everything that we teach and it gives the players something that they have done hundreds of times.
We will look at each position and the concepts that we teach. We keep these concepts the same to ensure that our players recognize the situations very quickly and give them the opportunity to “play fast”.
Defensive line
There are five concepts that we teach the defensive line and everything that we ask them to do is taught in these concepts. They include:
1. Defeat the reach block.
2. Squeeze the down block.
3. Pass rush.
4. Blitz Responsibility.
5. Pass Drops.
Reach Blocks
The first concept is defeating the reach block. This is the basic principle that all of our D-line play is based on. In block reaction, we tell our linemen that anything they see that is not a down block is to be viewed as a reach block. A reach block, a drive block, double teams, and a pass set are all releases of the offensive linemen that are to be played exactly the same. We attack the reach block by shooting the outside hand to the nine o’clock position on the offensive lineman’s shoulder and the inside hand to the six o’clock position on the defender’s chest. We then teach the defender to push the nine and pull the six trying to turn the shoulder of the offensive lineman and then ripping the six o’clock hand through while clearing the hips.
Down IBlocks
The down block is played by shooting the hands at the hip of the offensive lineman and attempting to grab cloth and pull down towards the ball constricting the next inside gap. We use this aiming point to get the shoulders turned in an attempt to run and squeeze as much air out of the gaps as possible.
Pass Rush
Our basic pass rush techniques mirror our playing of the reach block. We feel that a defensive lineman has to have a plan to be an effective pass rusher and we want the plan to be a habit. We believe that with a great ball get-off and a repetitive move of pushing the nine, pulling the six, and ripping through, our linemen get into their pass rush mode a lot quicker.
Blitz Gap Responsibility
We all have a job to do in our blitz schemes, from sacking the quarterback, to shortening the edge, to occupying a blocker. We ask our players to know their assignments and gaps within the framework of the defense.
Pass Drops
We ask our defensive linemen to drop in some of our zone-blitz concepts. We give them landmarks during their drops and practice these so it becomes repetitive. We teach a hash drop, a low hole drop, and a curl drop. We don’t do anything more than these three in order to provide simplicity to these concepts.
LineIBacker Play
The five concepts that we teach linebackers include:
1. Gap responsibility vs. run.
2. Drops vs. pass.
3. Blitz calls vs. formation.
4. Gap assignments in blitzes.
5. Man technique vs. running back in peel situations.
Gap Responsibility vs. Run
We have evolved our linebacker system to make as many opportunities for our athletes to be downhill players vs. the run game. There are only a few situations in which we ask our backers to be flow fitters vs. the run. Most of our gap fits are predetermined or based on the release of the offensive lineman aligned directly in front of them. We are a one-gap fit with the linebackers and we feel this allows them to play fast and be much more aggressive.
Drops vs. Pass
All of our zone drops are based off of two concepts. One of those concepts puts us in a spot drop mentality (hash, middle, hash). The other concept is based on a pattern read principle. The pattern read principle we call 2 to 1. The rule is if 2 goes away, I work to 1. If I am dropping to a 2 x2 set and 2 runs the out cut, I work to get under the number 1 receiver. It is one of the easiest concepts to talk about but takes many repetitions to master.
Blitz Calls vs. Formations
All of our blitzes are based on the formation the offense aligns. We give our defense a set of variables to determine where the blitz is to come from. For example, it could be tight end, most receivers, field, and left. The defense goes through this progression and determines the direction from which the blitz comes from. Our linebackers are responsible for setting the blitz just like the quarterback changes the play on offense.
Gap Responsibilities in IBlitz
They must know their gap or responsibility in each of our blitzes whether it is run or pass. This concept is practiced much like an offense running play. We run a “blitz on barrels” drill every day to work the concept of blitz responsibility.
Man Techniques in IBlitz Peel Situations
All of our linebackers must know that in certain blitzes they are responsible for the running back. We still want them to bring pressure but if the running back attempts to go out into a route, their job is to peel out of the blitz and cover the running back.
Defensive IBack Play
The five concepts we teach defensive backs are as follows:
1. Be a flat defender.
2. Split verticals.
3. Man techniques.
4. Gap responsibilities in the run game.
5. Gap responsibilities.
Be a Flat Defender
The first concept in our defensive back techniques is teaching how to be the flat defender. Our basic concept is pressure football. This means that we expect balls to come out quick and offenses trying to utilize the flat area of the field. One of the concepts that we teach is that a throw in the flat is a good thing. We must rally and make a tackle.
We feel that, once a quarterback begins to use the flat, he becomes more predictable, and then that allows changing the flat defender in hopes of getting our hands on the ball. We try to defend the flat from the outside in and inside out. The outside-in technique is used by both our corners and safeties. We attempt to jam the number-two receiver and work back to the flat attempting to close the entire area from the snap of the football. The inside-out technique is used by our corners when there is not a number-two receiver. The corner attempts to take away the flat area with initial alignment and then work toward the sideline to expand his coverage area underneath the number-one receiver. I feel these are both effective ways to change the sight picture of the quarterback and cause confusion, buying our pass rush time to be effective.
Split Verticals
This concept is used on the top umbrella of several of our zone coverages. All of our defensive backs must be proficient in this area. The concept is exactly as it says. One must split the difference between two receivers until the underneath coverage reveals itself based on the release of the receivers. Once it is known where the top half of the coverage is, the DB must then zone turn and work to the desired area.
Man Techniques
In order to be a pressure-oriented defense, we must possess the ability to play man coverage. There are two types of man techniques that we use – press-man and off-man. These techniques are very similar and the only difference is the starting position. The basic difference in our two techniques is that in off man we are going to inch away from the receiver until he takes enough cushion that it becomes a press technique situation. We are basically sitting on the short throws because we are bringing one more than they can block.
Gap Responsibilities in the Run Game
Our secondary is very much involved in run support and it is mandatory that they play with their eyes and know where they fit in order to stop the run. There are two terms used to determine their fit. The first term is shoot. This means that if my run key is at me, I am downhill immediately and fit according to the blocking schemes that I see. If the blocker works to the outside, I fit the inside gap and if he works inside, I fit the outside gap. The other term used is a plug technique. This is used when the action is away from the safety. He is told to clean his cleats and look for work. His actions are very similar to a backside linebacker with flow away from him. They are both told to clean their cleats (get feet moving on the snap) and “do not go until you know, but when you know, go”.
Gap Responsibilities on Blitz
This is the same concept that we teach all positions. Everyone on our defense has to know what to do when his blitz is called as well as their responsibility when they are not blitzing.
We are pressure-based and in attack mode at all times. There is no time for indecision and we must be ready for all situations. To play with this type of mentality, you must be assignment-prepared and ready to make split-second decisions. The only way to achieve these goals is to give the athlete very little to think about and have a “tool bag” of fundamentals that have been repeatedly used every day. As a defensive staff, we hope to accomplish this by sticking within these concepts for each position and becoming very proficient at these specific tasks.
About the Author: Jeff Byrd is in his third season as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for Arkansas Tech. He previously spent four seasons as defensive coordinator at Southern Arkansas. Byrd also spent two years as DC at Northwest Mississippi Community College and also coached at Mars Hill College. Byrd began his coaching career at Delta State and is a graduate of Southern Mississippi.