TWO YEARS AGO, our staff met and decided that in order to compete with the talented teams on our schedule, we had to get as much speed on the field as possible.

We base out of a 3-3 scheme with three safeties. It has been our defensive style to come out and pressure the offense. We try to dictate the game’s tempo to the offense, rather than the other way around.

The following is a simple, yet effective blitz combination package that has been beneficial for our team. This defensive package consists of “Wreck” blitzes that attack an offense’s weak or open-ended side and base blitzes called “Smash” and “Crash.”

We’ve added buzzwords such as “Tip” or “Top” to these blitzes that can arm you with a host of defensive combinations. The different blitzes, combined with the buzzword calls, are simple, yet they add tremendous multiplicity to your defense.

Behind the box, we try to show a lot of different looks and end up in a 3-deep or man-to-man scheme.

Teaching The Defense
To teach these blitzes, we start in pre-season and use plastic garbage cans serving as offensive linemen. The defensive line players have to learn their rules first and then the rules of the two blitzers.

The nose guard can stem anywhere on the center, so long as he rips through that player’s strong-side armpit.
The defensive tackle on the weak side aligns on the offensive tackle based upon his ability to pressure the weak-side A-gap once the ball is snapped.

Blitz Package
The following diagrams show the various stunts and blitzes that can be called in this scheme.

DIAGRAM 1: Defensive Line Stunt.

DIAGRAM 2: “Smash” Blitz. In this blitz, we’ll bring the strong safety and the Will linebacker. The SS comes off the edge, while the Will LB comes scraping off the hip of the DT and attacks the B-gap.

DIAGRAM 3: “Tip” Buzzword Call. We’ve added the buzzword “Tip” to the blitz. On the “Tip” call, the DT and inside blitzer must change responsibilities.

DIAGRAM 4: “Top” Buzz-Word Call. On the call “Top,” the DT and the outside blitzer change responsibilities.

DIAGRAM 5: “Wide” Buzzword Call. We’ve added the buzzword “Wide” to the Smash blitz.

    The “Wide” call tells our blitzers to hit a gap wider and for the Mike LB to step over and protect the B-gap.

DIAGRAM 6: “Swap” Buzzword Call. We’ll often tweak the Smash wide blitz by adding the buzzword “Swap.” In “Swap,” the SS and Will LB trade blitzes.


DIAGRAM 7: “Crash” Buzzword Call. When we want to keep the SS in coverage, we’ll keep our same defensive line scheme and blitz the Will and Mike LBs by calling “Crash.”

“Flip,” “Flop” Calls

We’ve added the buzzwords “Flip” and “Flop” to the Crash blitz to create a totally different blitz.

DIAGRAM 8: “Flip” Buzzword Call. “Flip” tells the two inside defenders to change responsibilities.


DIAGRAM 9: “Flop” Buzzword Call. “Flop” tells the two outside defenders to change responsibilities.