Author: James Taglienti

We talk extensively on here about defending exotic formations or using simulated pressure to create an advantage in the pass rush, but some parts of defense are as much psychological as they are physical. Simulation Eight is a creeper designed to mentally overwhelm the QB. Terminology differs across football and Simulation Eight is just what I call this creeper. Another coaching staff or another writer may use different terminology, and that is perfectly fine. Like many creepers, this sim pressure is as much about what the QB thinks he sees as what he actually sees. Simulation Eight Play Concept The…

Yesterday we looked at defending 12 personnel from a nickel defense, today we’re looking at defending off formations. Coaches can play games with personnel, switching from 10 to 11 to 0 to 01 or even 02 packages in an attempt to throw the defense off. Another option is to take a standard personnel group like 10 personnel and align them in a different formation to confuse the defense. Offensive coaches use exotic formations to force a defense into a different alignment and exploit the misalignment. The key to defending odd formations is to stick to your own alignment and rules…

The roots of the 4-2-5 defense go back to the old 4-4 Split defense. Whereas the 44 Split had two inside linebackers and two outside linebackers, the 4-2-5 has two inside linebackers and two secondary players. The 4-2-5 replaces one OLB with a LB/safety hybrid, the nickelback. While using a fifth defensive back against pass-happy offenses isn’t new, the 4-2-5 made the nickel  package the base defense. When facing an offensive running 12 personnel, the nickel defense reverts back to its 4-4 roots. The nickelback is a de facto OLB when facing 12 personnel. The extra gaps created by two…

We’ve covered outside zone on here, and given how omnipresent the play is in college football today, we’ll discuss it countless times more this season. Today we’re looking at adjusting outside zone against an Indian stunt. Defensive lines stunt their players for many reasons, sometimes to confuse the blocking scheme or a QB read. While coaches all have their own terminology, the phrase “Indian” stunt comes the fact that both ends go inside, so end in becomes indian. Play Concept We all know the basic concept of outside: the offensive line wants to get horizontal displacement on the defensive line…

We reviewed the smash shallow concept earlier this week when we looked at Jalen Wydermyer’s touchdown reception against Mississippi State. Today we’re looking at how Ainais Smith runs smash shallow. Smash shallow attacks a defense in all areas, and Smith is an adept weapon in this concept. Play Concept With trips to the field in 11 personnel, the X receiver runs a shallow crossing route. The field slot runs a corner route, completing the two-man smash concept. The TE runs a 9 yard in route. Boundary receiver pushes  vertical to attract deep coverage from the free safety. Quarterback reads corner-shallow-in…

Everyone wants a QB who can make all the throws and successfully manage their offense, but a QB who can improvise when things break down is also a plus. QB improvisation can take many forms, from running to take advantage of gaps in the defensive front to moving out of the pocket to allow receivers time to outrun coverage. Improvisation is sometimes ill-advised, like this QB draw by Zach Calzada against Mississippi State. Calzada sees the open A gap when the pass rush leaves the middle uncovered and takes off running. The problem is Calada fails to notice boundary slot…

There are many ways to attack a Cover 3 defense. Today we’re looking at how A&M uses a Double Outs Post Drag concept to attack Cover 3.  Double Outs Post Drag gives the QB five potential receivers at four different levels of the field. The concept combines horizontal and vertical stretches to force defenses to cover the whole field. Play Concept 7-Ins, or post double-ins, is a three-man concept uses to attack Cover 1. Double Outs Post Drag takes that same concept and inverts it. The two out routes by the TE and RB attack the right flat and give…

We previously broke down how A&M’s runs inside zone when facing an Okie front, today we’re looking at inside zone against a mug LB.  Mississippi State is multiple within their 3-3-5 defensive alignment.  A mug linebacker is one aligned just off the line of scrimmage between the defensive line. A LB aligning on the defensive line is called an Eagle front. We’re discussing a mug LB today, though. The reason you mug a LB in the front is simple: different look for the offensive line. Different looks cause confusion in blocking scheme and confusion leads to poor play. You mug…

We previously broke down split zone, Chris Ault’s version of inside zone with an H-back blocking the backside edge player. Today we’re looking at split zone against an odd front, because the numbers in the box can change blocking assignments. Play Concept The play concept for split zone is fairly simply, all offensive linemen zone block in one direction, H-back comes across the formation and blocks the backside edge. Split zone against an odd front changes potential blocking assignments based on defensive alignment. Here we’re looking at a defense running a 33 Stack where they moved the stack backers to…

When you’re breaking down passing concepts, the smash concept is a passing concept you see fairly often. It is a pretty simple two-man concept combining a hitch or curl route by an outside receiver with a corner route by an inside receiver. Idea is to force a CB to make a decision: squat on the short route or help the safety deep with the corner route. If corner squats, QB throws corner route; if corner drops deep, QB takes the easy short route. Smash Shallow is a three-man concept, with the outside receiver running a shallow cross while the two…