The Defensive Line – Heart of the “D”

Five “Musts” of the Defensive Line

Must Have a Great Stance

& Get Off

Must Hit his Visual Key on

Every Single Snap

Must Be Committed to Being the

Hardest Workers on the Field

Must Be Relentless in
Pursuing the Ball

Must Have a Selfless Attitude –

No “ME” Players
 Splitter Defensive Line Technique
One Gap Technique – Play Fast
Pre-Snap Alignment & Three Point Stance
Regular Stance Jet Stance
Feet Slightly wider than shoulder width. “Man” foot Narrow feet to sprinter’s stance.
staggered toe to heel relationship. “Gap” foot staggered and more
narrow than regular stance.
Hands Down hand to the covered offensive lineman Bring off hand back & up for
(“Man” Hand). Be equal in right handed and sprint take off
left handed stances. Off hand low and cocked
for punch.
Eyes Look through your eyebrows at the shaded Eyes to ball – Get off on the first
shoulder of your visual key. See the ball in twitch
your peripheral vision to the inside, or the O/S
hand or leg of OT. Never Jump Offside!
Body Flat back. Good angles in knees for explosive Butt up & weight forward.
Position get off. Weight slightly forward on down hand.

Get Off the Ball

Regular Stance Jet Stance
First Step Explode with six inch power step into covered man. Explode up the field with
gap foot. Sprint for back
foot of OL.
Hands Shoot & fit hands to near number of offensive Shoot hands to gap side
lineman. Must strike offensive lineman on every number. Think pass, react
snap. Thumbs up. Aim for breastplate of shoulder to run.
pads and grab cloth. Lockout arms.
Eyes Eyes to numbers of visual key. Keep head under the See pass rush technique.
chin of the offensive lineman.
Second & Get second step on the ground as quickly as possible. Work pass rush move, or
Third Step Stay square on second step and keep solid base bend to ball. Retrace your
(shoulder width). DL should identify block by third steps against screen or
step and work release. draw.

“SPARK” Step
On any dog, blitz, or movement, the DL must execute a lateral step to the proper gap. To “Spark” properly, the
DL must take a tight alignment, keep his shoulders square, and get his head across the OL.
Gaps D C B A A B C D

Techniques
0
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

 Base Alignment – Eye to Eye alignment to the side of the shade.

 Wide Alignment – Foot to Foot alignment to the side of the shade.
 Jet Alignment – Entire alignment is outside the framework of the lineman’s body.

One Technique
Alignment: Inside OG
Visual Key: Guard
Pressure Key: Center
Run Action To: A Gap
Run Action Away: Ball Depth
Pass Rush Lane: A Gap

Three Technique
Alignment: Outside OG
Visual Key: Guard
Pressure Key: Tackle
Run Action To: B Gap
Run Action Away: Ball Depth
Pass Rush Lane: A/B Gap

Six Technique
Alignment: Outside OT
Visual Key: Tackle
Pressure Key: TE/Near Back/Guard
Run Action To: C Gap
Run Action Away: Ball Depth
Pass Rush Lane: Contain
 Seven Technique
Alignment: Inside TE
Visual Key: Near Back/Guard
Pressure Key: Tight End
Run Action To: C Gap
Run Action Away: Ball Depth
Pass Rush Lane: Contain

Nine Technique
Alignment: Outside TE
Visual Key: TE
Pressure Key: Near Back/Guard
Run Action To: D Gap
Run Action Away: Ball Depth
Pass Rush Lane: Contain

Shade Technique
Alignment: Outside C
Visual Key: Center
Pressure Key: Guard
Run Action To: A Gap
Run Action Away: Ball Depth
Pass Rush Lane: A Gap

Zero Technique
Alignment: Head Up Center
Visual Key: Center
Pressure Key: Guards
Run Action To: Backdoor
Run Action Away: Ball Depth
Pass Rush Lane: Either A Gap
 Tilt Technique
Alignment: 45° Angle on Center
Visual Key: Center
Pressure Key: Guard
Run Action To: A Gap
Run Action Away: Ball Depth
Pass Rush Lane: A Gap

Communication Calls
Defensive linemen can identify many things from the stance or alignment of an offensive lineman. Our calls will
communicate offensive tendencies to the rest of the defense.

Red Heavy run stance by an offensive lineman.

Blue Soft pass stance by an offensive lineman.
Black Wide splits for inside run.
White Tight splits for outside run.

Release Moves
Pull Release Fit hands & lock out arms. Execute a hard, violent pull away from gap responsibility. Clear hips &
feet through to gap.
Rip Release Fit hands & lock out arms. Push gap hand up the field, and pull off arm hard and low. Clear hips &
feet, and drive rip arm to the back of the blocker.
Swim Fit hands & lock out arms. Push gap hand up the field, and pull at back of blocker’s jersey. Punch
Release with off hand over the shoulder of blocker. Clear hips & feet, and drive swim arm to the back of
the blocker.
Patch Used from a defeated position, when the DL has lost gap integrity. Lock out your arms, throw hips
Technique across body of OL, and rip backside arm to escape.

Visual Key Pressure Key

A defensive lineman’s “Visual Key” is the
offensive player who he looks at on the
snap of the ball. This key will tell him
where the play is headed, and he will react
to that key on the fly.
A defensive lineman’s “Pressure Key” is
the offensive player who can most quickly
affect him. While he does not look at this
key, he must react by “fighting pressure”
when this key attempts to block him.
Block Protection
 Get Off the Ball & Knock the Blocker
Back
Base  Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
Block  Show Color in Your Gap – Can’t be
Reached!
 Third Step Release Move
 Flatten & Chase

 Get Off the Ball & Knock the Blocker

Back
Double  Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
Team  Attack Seam – Whip the Post
Man
 Sit & Grab Grass if Giving Ground

 Get Off the Ball

 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
Zone  Play like Base Block
Reach  Disengage from Blocker when Ball
Declares
 Squeeze Gap & Do not get Over Stretched
in Gap

 Get Off the Ball

 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
Down  Fight pressure from O/S OL
Block  If OL has head across your hips, club and
go over the block
 If OL does not, flatten and chase
underneath the block

 Get Off the Ball

 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
Pull  Bend and chase the puller to the play
(Cross
or Wide)

 Get Off the Ball

 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
Veer/
 Trap  Drive OL down the line
 Find trapper or kick out back – Wrong arm
Block & “Trap the Trapper”
 If Veer – Get head across & tackle the dive
back
 Get Off the Ball
 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
Loop/  If OL loops & does not attempt to block
Influence you – Smell a rat!
 Get eyes back I/S & do your best if you see
Block
trap
 Do not widen hole & do not run up the
field
 To be a great pass rusher...
Always Rush ½ the Man!
 Get off the ball on every play.
 Don’t Quit – You never know
when the sack is coming. 4 yds. 4 yds. Contain Rushers aim for
 Keep your weight forward & keep back number of QB
your feet moving forward.
 Have one move & one counter
move that are perfected – have a 2 yds.
plan!
Versus Double Team –
 Know the game situation. Interior Rushers must push
 Spin or club back if you get for 2 yards in front of QB
deeper than the ball.
 Play with confidence –
They can’t block you!

Basic Pass Rush Lanes & Assignments

Position End Nose Tackle Stud
Lane Contain Rusher A Gap Two Gap Rusher Contain Rusher
Squeeze Pocket Push Pocket Push Pocket Squeeze Pocket
Pre-Snap Get off the ball. Get off the ball. Expect Get off the ball. Work Get off the ball.
Plan If OT pass sets – race double team. Try to get 2 best side of OG – Can If OT pass sets – race
to aiming point 4 yards deep vs. two rush in A Gap or B to aiming point 4
yards behind his inside linemen. Make Bull Rush Gap. Make Bull Rush yards behind his inside
foot. Work move or Club & Rip your best or Club & Rip your best foot. Work move
when you get there. move. move. when you get there.
Musts Not allow QB to get Not allow QB out the Not allow QB out the Not allow QB to get
outside. front of the pocket. front of the pocket. outside.
Feel screen. Retrace Feel screen. Feel screen. Feel screen. Retrace
your steps if you are Must not run past QB. Must not run past QB. your steps if you are
fooled on draw. fooled on draw.
When Sack the quarterback – No Misses!
You Get Contain rushers must use back number as their aiming point on the QB.
There Tackle high and wrap arms of the QB – don’t let him get off a pressured throw.
Attacking from front side of QB – punch through the ball on the way to wrap.
Attacking from the backside of QB – strike down and through throwing arm on the way to wrap.
If You Hands high & time the ball to bat down the pass. Don’t leave your feet.
Don’t
 Pass Rush Moves
Bull Rush  Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
 Used versus overset by OL
 Drive through outside number of OL
 Try to drive the OL into the QB
Club &  Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
Swim  Club OL hands with O/S arm
 Punch I/S arm over and drive through back number
 Clear hips through and accelerate to the QB
Club &  Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
Rip  Club OL hands with O/S arm
 Lower I/S shoulder and rip arm underneath OL
 Pry hips through and accelerate to the QB
Chop &  Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
Pull  Chop down with I/S arm across OL hands
(Windmill)  Grab at pull back shoulder of OL with
O/S arm violently to turn his shoulders
 Swim with I/S arm to pry past OL & accelerate to the QB
Push-Pull  Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
 Execute Bull Rush to force OL to drive shoulders forward
 Grab jersey at both shoulders and violently pull OL down &
away from gap
 Clear hips & accelerate to the QB
Counter  Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
Spin  Attack O/S shoulder of OL with speed
 Lower body (sit down) and spin back to the I/S
 Drive O/S elbow to back of OL to clear hips &
accelerate to QB
Counter  Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
Club  Attack O/S shoulder of OL with speed
 Club OL hands with I/S arm & rip/swim O/S arm
& clear hips & accelerate to the QB