Southern Oregon Football

Blitz & Coverages From Nickel Personnel

Mike Hoskins Defensive Coordinator

Southern Oregon University541-552-6040

hoskinsm@sou.edu

DEFENSIVE PRINCIPLES

• 4-3 COVER 4 AS A BASE

• ATTACK – ATTACK – ATTACK!!!!!

• RELENTLESS PURSUIT

• 3 & OUT

• CAMERA CLUB

• 2 WHISTLE DRILL

• STOP THE RUN – COVER 4 GIVES YOU 9 IN THE BOX VS RUN!!!!!!

TEACHING PROGRESSION

STANCE ALIGNMENT KEY REACTION TECHNIQUE

We teach all positions based on this progression. It is the basis for everything we do on defense.

WHY 4-3 DEFENSE• GOOD VS RUN (COMMIT 9 IN COV. 4)

• PENETRATING AND AGGRESSIVE

• SINGLE GAP CONTROL (NEVER 2 GAP D-LINE)

• EASY TO ADJUST VS ALL OFFENSIVE SYSTEMS

• CAN COACH UP WITH 3 COACHES

• FUN FOR PLAYERS

TIGHT FRONT

T N EB

S M WFC BC

FSSS

UNDER FRONT

T N EBS

M WFC BC

FSSS

WHY NICKEL - OKIE• GIVES US MORE FLEXIBILITY ON

PASS DOWNS

• HARD FOR THE OFFENSE TO KNOW WHO IS BLITZING

• CAN STILL PLAY BASE WITH OUR NORMAL DEFENSIVE PRINCIPLES

• PUTS A BETTER ATHLETE ON THE FIELD

WHY NOT OKIE AS BASE

• ONE REASON AND ONE REASON ONLY – RUN GAME!!

4 RUN BUBBLES VS 3!!!!!!!

COMMUNICATION• NICKEL PLAYER RUNS ONTO THE

FIELD SCREAMING “OKIE – OKIE – OKIE

• PRE-DETERMINED DEFENSIVE LINEMAN COMES OUT

• EVERYONE LOOKS TO SIDELINE FOR CALL – MUDDLE HUDDLE (C.P.)

COMMUNICATION• WE ONLY CALL FRONT AND BLITZ

FOR ALL ZONE BLITZ

• WE WILL MAKE A FRONT, BLITZ & BLACK (MAN) CALL FOR ALL MAN BLITZ

• WE MAKE A RIP OR LIZ CALL TO SET THE FRONT – NICKEL ALWAYS GOES TO THE FIELD

COMMUNICATION

• ON ALL FIELD / BOUNDARY BLITZ WE WILL MAKE CALL TO FIELD

• ON ALL MAN BLITZ WE WILL MAKE CALL TO FORMATION STRENGTH

• NOTE: THERE ARE EXCPTIONS – OPERATE USING CONCEPTS FOR CALLS AND WHO COVERS WHO

SIDELINE ORGANIZATION

• DEFENSE ON ONE SIDE OF 50 YARD LINE – OFFENSE ON OTHER SIDE

• EVERYONE MUST STAY BACK EXCEPT OKIE PERSONNEL – DISCIPLINE (C.P.)

• OKIE PERSONNEL MUST STAY RIGHT BEHIND SIGNAL COACH

• “OKIE IN – OKIE IN” “BASE IN – BASE IN”

OKIE FRONT

NiN EB

S M WFC BC

FSSS

BLITZ PRINCIPLES

• STOP THE RUN – MAKE TEAMS 1 DIMENSIONAL

• WE CONCENTRATE ON 1ST AND 3RD DOWNS

• WE WOULD RATHER NOT BLITZ THE RUN GAME (C.P.)

• CONSTANT PRESSURE ON QB – CHART KNOCKDOWNS

BLITZ PRINCIPLES

• LESS IS MORE – DON’T CONFUSE YOUR KIDS

• “KISS” PRINCIPLE = KEEP IT SIMPLE AND SOUND

• DICTATE TO THE OFFENSE (C.P.)

• WE DON’T GET HUNG UP ON PROTECTIONS – WHERE IS THE BACK BLOCKING

BLITZ PACKAGE• BLITZ BREAKDOWN:

5 MAN PRESSURES – USUALLY ZONE BLITZ (FIELD, MIDDLE, BOUNDARY)

6 MAN PRESSURES – MAN BLITZ 7 MAN PRESSURES – MAN BLITZ –

RARELY USED

(BLUFF / SHOW)

COVERAGE PRINCIPLES

• ZONE BLITZ:

3 UNDER - 3 DEEP (SCIF, MIDDLE, SCIF) DEFEND INSIDE OUT WEAK TO FLATS

(LOOKING AT A 2 DEEP FOR NEXT YEAR)

COVERAGES PRINCIPLES

• MAN BLITZ:

6 MAN VS 2 BACKS – FS PLAYS #2 WEAK; REMAINING BACKER PLAYS #3 STRONG

6 MAN VS 1 BACK – 4 DB’S ON 4 QUICKS REMAINING BACKER PLAYS RB

(WE DO NOT PEEL A BLITZ PLAYER)

OKIE FIRE – FIELD BLITZ

Ni

N EB

S M WFCBC

FSSS

OKIE SMASH – FIELD BLITZ

Ni

N EB

S M WFCBC

FSSS

OKIE WIZZARD – BOUNDARY BLITZ

Ni

N EB

S M WFC BC

FSSS

OKIE BUZZARD – BOUNDARY BLITZ

Ni

N EB

S M WFC BC

FSSS

OKIE SORROW

NiN EB

S M WFC BC

FSSS2 WEAK

3 STRONG

OKIE MICKEY

NiN EB

S M WFC BC

FSSS2 WEAK

3 STRONG

OKIE MARS

NiN EB

S M WFC BC

FSSS2 WEAK

3 STRONG

OKIE SNAKE

NiN EB

S M WFC BC

FSSS

3 STRONG -NOT IDEAL

2 WEAK - CAN MAKE FREE CALL TO PLAY 3 STRONG

PRACTICE ORGANIZATION

• HAVE A BLITZ PERIOD EVERYDAY

• USE GARBAGE CANS FOR LINEMAN

• SCRIPT BLITZES INTO TEAM

• PRACTICE WHAT YOU WILL USE IN THE GAME – LESS IS MORE

• TEACH HOW TO BLITZ – DON’T JUST RUN IN THERE