Denny Marcin - Pass Rush Drills - NY Jets Consultant

Denny Marcin - New York Jets Consultant

Using Different Fronts in your Defense

Decide how much additional teaching it involves to add a new front.
Everything starts with your base front.
You need some different looks!
Certain fronts will aid you in your pass rush.
Certain fronts allow you to use different people.
Certain fronts allow you to play the Option, or special offenses.

Building Your Zone Stunts

Put your personnel down on paper. Start with your base front.
List the strengths and weaknesses of each player.
All of their players have a name for the position they line up in (Alignment). For example, a 5-Tech is a FIN. Don't spend forever coming up with those names though.
You can individualize each player, or name groups for several actions. An example of a group is "Slant" in which the defensive line slants strong.
Use stunts according to your scouting report.

The Under Front: What I Would Use if I Coached in High School

The Under front is the front to use in High School Football, according to coach Marcin. Decide the type of personnel you want first, though. The Left End and the Mike Backer need to be good in this front. You can flop your players, or play Left and Right. If you decide to play them Left and Right, then coach them that way. In High School and even college, Coach Marcin recommends that you flip them with the strength (determined by game plan). They aren't bookends.

Be sure to adjust your personnel, to have your players doing what they are good at.

The weak side of the Under Front doesn't see much action.

Under Front vs. 2-Tight End Sets

Against a 2 TE set, the Under Front does not have to move.

Cock the end in a 9-tech, 45 degree angle, inside hand down. His back foot replaces the hand and he's off to the races. His angle of attack makes him the C-Gap player. There are disadvantages, but he's gone and guys love to play it.

If you're lined up in an inside-i technique, key the hip of the inside man for your visual key. The man you are lined up on will be the pressure key.

Never play a 7-Technique on the Tight End (inside shade). Play a 6-Technique (head-up) and knock the snot out of him, then play C-Gap. Don't give a weak blocker an angle on you.

If the Running Back is out, Sam comes out to him. The End kicks to a 6, and the Tackle to a 2i.
Under Front vs. Trey Formation

Use one man as the adjuster, don't mess with everyone. Whatever you want to teach, they'll learn. Make it easy for you.

Games and Stunts out of the Under Front

vs. Pass, Will is in coverage, and nose loops around for contain. 3-man games mess with the Offensive Line, because they block pictures. Run the stunt to the Boundary side, so the Nose doesn't have much room to cover.

Against Ohio State, who likes running Sweep to the TE side, they used this stunt:
Under Front Stunt #2

No read, just go - if you want penetration, get them going quick and fast. Vs. Zone teams, you want to penetrate.

Make up your mind to do it, and live with the repercussions. This is the value of having a good scouting report.

The Bear Front: The Other Thing I Would Use

This is a 1-Deep Safety Coverage defense, 2nd best High School front to use. Stem into it - the OL likes to block a picture, change it for them. Put the Nose in charge of stemming. He learns cadence. When he moves, everyone else moves with him. Don't worry about getting caught in a stem.

Guys over the Guards are a loose 3-tech, with the inside foot on the outside foot of the guards. They hard charge, not reading anything. If the Guard tries to reach, come off the back door.

The Bear is a great front against 21 Personnel and 12 Personnel.

The End is free. If the TE turns out, Sam Backer becomes the rusher and the End picks up the TE - or use this as a pre-determined call. Be sure that you, as a coach, controll all that you want to do. Be sure that if you work something in practice, you run it in a game.

Hard charge the Nose because he doesn't 2-gap on anything else in your defense.

There are two plays - a weak side run, and a quick pass. All offenses will condence for this front.

You can play Zone, but you don't normally do it. It won't work vs. Twins - you have to use some form of Corners Over.
Easy adjustments in this defense because it is Man to Man.
On Run Away, no one can block the end.
There is no Trap inside, because there is no where to trap.
Use calls to rush the Sam.
Linebackers key the Backs

Good stunt in the Bear Front.

The Shade / Over Front

Coverage with the Over front is 3-Deep. The Strong Safety has to smack the Tight End, because he is going to get a good release off the cocked End.

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