How to stop the basic concepts and route combinations of the spread and how to teach and drill your defense to shut down the bread and butter pass concepts of spread offenses.
Most spread offenses—from the air-raid to the spread option attacks —employ a handful of basic pass concepts which often involve simple rules and route combinations that can then be run out of a number of different formations, alignments, and personnel groupings. While spread passing games may look very complex, in reality the vast majority of them are very basic in nature. The key is not to get caught up in all the different formations, adjustments, motions, and personnel groups or all the so-called “window dressings.” Instead, focus on defending the concepts themselves.
Passing concepts are meant to threaten specific areas or defenders, regardless of the offensive formation. For instance, the same basic “shallow” concept can be run from a handful of different formations. However, each result will have similar receiver-spacing relationships. Therefore, the best way to defend these schemes—regardless of what type of passing attack you are facing—is to understand the basic rules and goals of each pass concept and then to identify how to best defend the zones of the field that each concept threatens.
Stopping the Following
Concepts / Route Combinations
Crossing Routes
• Shallow / Mesh
• Y-Drive / Post-dig-drive (out of trips formation)
Traditional Concepts
• Smash
• 3 Verticals (from a trips formation)
• Y-Stick (from the trips and tight end-trips formations)
• Flood (go route, 10-yard out, arrow/quick out)
Special Concepts
• Waggle (boot pass)
• 3-Step combination: slant – bubble combination
• Deep-Drop combination: post – wheel
Best coverages / zone blitzes vs. each
Best position techniques for defending each
Slamming the Screen Door Shut How to Lock-Down the Spread Screen Game
Stopping the Following Wide Receiver Screens
• Tunnel screen / quick tunnel
• Bubble screen
• Combo screens (one screen to each side, linemen releasing to both sides)
Keys:
1. Communication: DBs to LBs to DL.
2. Techniques for DL: Get hands up (create a wall that is difficult to throw over), then plant, turn and run to where the ball is going.
3. Cornerbacks being able to identify, react, shed blocks, and make open field tackles
4. Understanding the LB pursuit angles.
Drills:
1. Recognition Drill – recognizing the various screens and communicating to teammates.
2. CBs – Shed Drill (to get off/defeat blocks).
3. CBs – Open field tackling drill.
a. Sideline tackling drill.
b. True open field tackling drill (two way option for the ball carrier).
4. DL – rush, use of high hands, turn and run down the line.
5. Total defense – Pursuit Drill with use of proper angles.
Stopping the Following Backfield Screens
• RB Slip Screen (chip the end and release off tackle)
• RB Middle Screen
• RB Bubble/Flare Screen
Keys:
1. Communication among the entire defense.
2. Techniques for DL - “Don’t take the cheese”. If it’s too easy, sense that something is up.
3. LBs – read and diagnose quickly and, look for and identify linemen blocking threats.
Drills:
1. Recognition Drill – recognizing the various screens and communicating to teammates.
2. LBs – Shed Drill (to get off/defeat blocks).
3. DL – “Sense the Screen” and react.
Scheme Suggestion: Play a “Hug” Technique
If you are playing a man-under coverage (such as a cover 2, man-underneath), you can deploy your linebackers to “Hug” the running backs that they are responsible for. The term “hug” is essentially a directive to “mug” the running back. By doing this, the linebackers attack the running back, ideally hoping to collision him at the line of scrimmage. They essentially are seeking out and attacking the running back, as if they were coming on a blitz and attempting to get picked-up. The goal is to attract the attention of the running back and then collision him.
By doing this, the back cannot release into his screen route. The timing is thrown off, or, if the ball is thrown, the linebacker is in a position to make a play immediately and deliver a punishing blow on the ball carrier. Think of it as jamming a wide receiver at the line of scrimmage, preventing him from getting into his route.
The Advantages
• More hits on the running backs.
• Fewer completions on check-down routes and RB screens.
• Effectively stopping the screen game, as well as plays like the shovel pass.
• Preventing an offensive play caller from trying to run RB screens.
• Makes a quarterback understand that he has no outlet valve with his RB check-downs.
About the Author: Frank DiCocco is currently on the staff of York High School in South Carolina. He also coached at Stillman College and, on the high school level, in Connecticut, South Carolina, and Florida. DiCocco is the author of eight books.