Zone Blitzes & Coverages out of the 4-3 Defense

Jim HilvertHead Football Coach Thomas More College

Overview

• Why Zone Blitz?• Keys to Zone Blitzing• Teaching Blitz Coverage• Single LB’er Blitzes• Two LB’er Blitzes

Why we Zone Blitz

Positives

• Disguise Blitz & Coverage

• Allow to Blitz w/o Playing Man to Man

• Allows to be Multiple = FUN

Negatives

• Defensive Ends Drop

• Soft Underneath

• Weak in the Seams/Flats

Keys to Zone Blitzing

• Communication– Safeties/DE/LB must talk to each other

• Collision WR’s– Be physical and re-route any vertical route

• Dictate where ball will be thrown– Don’t cover any route under 5 yds– Defend deep / Give up Flats

• Must work vs Run & Pass

4-3 Stack Defense

• Rover – Strongside LB• Stud – Strongside DE• Tackle – 3 Technique• Mike – Middle LB• Bob – Weakside LB• Whip – Strong Safety• Free Safety – Aligns to Passing Strength

4-3 Stack Defense

Coverage = Buzz 3

• 3 Deep / 3 Under Coverage

Blitz Coverage = Buzz 3

• 6 Players in coverage– 3 Deep are responsible for their 1/3– 3 Underneath players are playing match up

zone

• 2 SCIF Defenders (Seam/Curl/Flat)– I/S alignment on any #2 displaced WR– Responsible for collision on any vertical by #2– Feel #2 / See #1 / Listen

Blitz Coverage = Buzz 3

• 2 SCIF Defenders– Wall off any inside breaking route by #1• Curl • Dig

– Break on Flat Route when thrown

• 1 #3 Match Player– Opens up to #3 WR and react to route– If #3 goes out, “PUSH” and over take new #3

Blitz Coverage = Buzz 3

• O/S Deep 1/3 Defenders– Corners align 1x6 inside #1 WR– Slow shuffle out and must play 3 Step– Deep and deepest in their zone

• Middle 1/3 Defender– One Safety is a Post/Seam Defender– Will open up and run to middle 1/3 on snap– 15 yards deep after snap of ball

Single LB’er Blitzes

• STACK ROCKET BUZZ 3– Rover will blitz off strongside edge– Time up blitz with QB cadence– Aiming point is OT’s near hip– Pitch player on option / QB on zone read– Wrong arm any run block and press vertical

• Free Safety & Bob are SCIF players• Mike is #3 Defender• Whip is Middle 1/3 Defender

Single LB’er Blitzes

STACK ROCKET BUZZ 3

Single LB’er Blitzes

• STACK ROCKET BUZZ 3 vs TRIPLE OPTION

Single LB’er Blitzes

• STACK ROCKET BUZZ 3 vs 5 STEP

Single LB’er Blitzes

• STACK EAGLE BOB LOOP BUZZ 3– Eagle Call sets 3 Tech away from strength– Loop tells 3 tech to blast B Gap– Weakside End will loop into A Gap– Bob will blitz off weakside edge– Bob will wrong arm run block and press vertical

• Whip and Rover are SCIF• Mike is #3 Defender• FS is Middle 1/3 Player

Single LB’er Blitzes

• STACK EAGLE BOB LOOP BUZZ 3 vs POWER

Single LB’er Blitzes

• STACK EAGLE BOB LOOP BUZZ 3 vs NCAA RT

Two LB’er Blitzes

• Spy / Hunt Calls– Spy tells Stud to drop– Hunt tells End to drop

• In/Out Calls– Remaining LB’er will tell dropping DE where to

go– Any 2x2 send In– Any 3x1 send Out– If 3x1 to dropping DL side, LB must say “Trips”

Two LB’er Blitzes

• RAM – Rover and Mike Blitz Strongside Edge– Like to run to RB– Rover D Gap, Mike C Gap• Mike should blitz right off Stud’s butt

– If not TE, Rover and Mike must keep space between each other.

– Good against Slide Protection• Rover outside RB, Mike inside RB

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK RAM HUNT BUZZ 3 – “In Call”

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK RAM HUNT BUZZ 3 – “Out Call”

Two LB’er Blitzes

• MOB – Bob and Mike Blitz A &B Weakside –Like to run away from RB–Bob B Gap, Mike A Gap•Mike should blitz right off Nose’s butt

–Good against Man/Slide Protection• Does Center carry Nose?

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK MOB SPY BUZZ 3 – “In Call”

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK MOB SPY BUZZ 3 – “Out/Trips Call”

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK OKIE COWBOY X HUNT BUZZ 3 – “OKIE” tells Stud to play 9 technique–Rover aligns to Passing Strength–11 Personnel Defense/Blitz–Mike and Bob Cross blitz over Center• LB’ers must communicate who’s going first?• Patience, Patience, Patience

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK OKIE COWBOY X HUNT BUZZ 3 – “In Call”

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK OKIE COWBOY X HUNT BUZZ 3 – “Out Call”

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK OKIE SOONER HUNT BUZZ 3 – “OKIE” tells Stud to play 9 technique–Rover aligns to Passing Strength–11 Personnel Defense/Blitz–Mike and Bob Blitz over Guard• Bob should blitz right off 3 Tech butt

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK OKIE SOONER HUNT BUZZ 3 – “In Call”

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK HOT DOG 2/COLD – “HOT” tells Stud and End to drop–Both are Curl players vs 2x2–Vs 3x1 Check “Cold”• Corner to single WR plays man-to-man• Dropping Stud/End has RB

– Rover and Bob edge blitz

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK HOT DOG 2 vs 2x2

Two LB’er Blitzes

• STACK HOT DOG COLD – AUTO CHECK vs 3x1

Questions?

Jim HilvertJames.hilvert@thomasmore.edu

859-344-3516