Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 2

It’s All in the Name:

Bowling Green’s Defensive


O n behalf of all the coaches’ sons in
football, I would like to dedicate this
Summer Manual article to the 37 years
two linebackers blitzing are as follows:
The deep middle is occupied in a three
deep zone concept. (Help with inside deep
Zone Blitz Package experience given to me by my father Dave routes.)
Beckman. The years of football I have had We get eight men in the box vs two
as a son, player, and now a coach have backs.
been the most rewarding in life. My family We get the flexibility to blitz two or three
cherishes the life of the Saturday after- linebackers and still play zone coverage
noons. This is the greatest job out there. The players enjoy being able to blitz
I also want to take this opportunity to and/or drop into coverage and this is our
thank our head football coach, Urban defensive personality.
Meyer. His leadership, knowledge, and The zone blitz fit with our personnel,
competitiveness created the biggest turn- quick but not big; having young corners
around in Division I college football and a Top who would have inside help, and lineback-
30 ranking in the final CNN college football ers being great blitzers made the decision
poll. A special thanks to the four coaches quite easy for us. After the decision was
most responsible for our success as a made to go with the zone blitz package, we
defense last year: John Bowers (lineback- then had to begin developing our Bowling
ers), D.J. Durkin (defensive ends), Tommy Green Zone Blitz package.
Thigpen (defensive backs), and Mike Ward
(defensive tackles). Finally, and most impor- Terminology Need
tantly, I would like to thank the 2001 Falcon To develop a good blitz package, the
football team for the most exciting year I defensive staff needed to incorporate
have had as a college football coach. words that had meaning and responsibility.
Three football seasons ago, my first as The terms used had to mean more than
Division I defensive coordinator, we spent just a name. When we developed the pack-
our offseason designing a new defensive age we felt it necessary to signify the dif-
package. After evaluating our upcoming ference in blitz techniques and coverage
Tim Beckman personnel, the defensive staff felt that we responsibilities, in order to tell the players
needed to incorporate a defense that could exactly what to do and the responsibilities
Defensive Coordinator be diverse but simple in process. The way for each zone. The following terms inform
we felt we could make it simple for our foot- each player what type of blitzer they are,
Bowling Green State University ball players was to tell them everything and if they are not blitzing, what responsi-
they had to do with a term or name. After bility the coverage players are asked to do
Bowling Green, Ohio spending time with many different colleges against both the run and pass.
and professional teams learning about their
zone blitz packages, we came to the con- Terms
clusion that this was the direction we need- Key: A blitzer that reads flow of the
ed to go for our defensive scheme. The plan backfield to determine blitz.
was to incorporate our own zone blitz pack- Blow: Ablitzer that runs stunt automatically.
age and keep it as simple as we possibly Seam: Pass responsibility (Drop off
could. Terminology became essential for No.2).
learning everything necessary to run our Run responsibility (Force/Pitch).
package effectively. We honestly believed Fill: Pass responsibility (Drop off No. 3).
that every word involved in our scheme Run responsibility (Dive to quarterback).
must have a certain meaning, and that Alley: Pass responsibility (Middle 1/3).
words meaning would tell each player their Run responsibility (quarterback to pitch).
responsibility for each individual play. Contain: Outside pass rushers responsi-
bility to keep the quarterback inside the box.
Why Zone Blitz? Each term was incorporated and taught
There are many basic reasons for zone to the defense before any blitz was dia-
blitzing. We, as a defensive staff, felt it fit gramed or run.
our personnel and personality that we
wanted to have on defense. The belief to Naming the Zones
attack the offense with multiple looks and Before naming each zone, we first start-
blitzes would be the key for our success in ed by naming each player on our defense.
the Mid-American Conference. The advan - After the defensive players were named we
tages to developing a zone blitz package in could then call for any player to drop into
comparison to a man blitz package with one of the underneath zones. The under-

• AFCA Summer Manual — 2002 •


neath three zones in our blitz package con- from the key blitzer, who again will always if the No. 2 receiver is expanded outside the
sisted of the two seam zones along with be the first name or initial in the blitz call. box a directional call will be given to the
one middle zone. The seam zones consist- seam player to that side by the safety. The
Diagram 2
ed of a zone from four yards outside the directional call we use is “seam right or left”.
hash to the offensive tackle. The No. 3 This call will tell the seam player to the side
receiver hook zone is located from the
Diagram 5
tackle to tackle area. All zones are usually
about eight yards deep. The underneath
zones will expand and deepen based on
formations and the locations of the No. 2
and No. 3 receivers. They can and will also
expand with the routes run by the No. 2 and
Diagram 3
No. 3 receivers.
We then named each underneath zone.
“strong” was the name for the seam zone to Diagram 6
the strength call, “fire” was the weak side
seam zone, and “middle” was the name
given for the No. 3 receiver hook zone.
After naming each player and underneath
zone we could then establish the type of
blitz we wanted to run because the cover- Naming the Coverage
age was already in place. Again after naming each player and the
three underneath zones, we can create any
Diagram 1
coverage or drop by naming the defensive of the expanded No. 2 receiver that the safe-
lineman designated to drop and the invert- ty will now take over that seam responsibility
ed zone to be covered by the safety. It is and will now have the Fill and No. 3 receiver
also known through our scheme that the hook responsibility. Communication from the
two defensive ends (Leo and End) will safety to the seam player is essential.
always be seam droppers and the two Diagram 7
defensive tackles (nose and tackle) will
always be No. 3 receiver hook droppers.
Naming the Blitz The diagram below shows that we have
After teaching each player the terms dropped our Leo and inverted the strong
necessary for our blitz package and the safety to the middle zone. Thus, the cover-
zones necessary for coverage, the actual age would be called Leo middle. We could
blitz was initiated. We named each blitz by also drop the tackle and invert the free
using the terms key and blow for the blitz- safety and call it tackle fire.
ing techniques. In all of our blitzes, we use Diagram 8
Diagram 4
names or initials to dictate which of the line-
backers would be blitzing.
The first name or initial in the blitz will is
considered the key blitzer. The key blitzer is
the linebacker that must read flow first
before he can run his blitz. If full flow (both
backs) is to him, the linebacker will not run
the blitz. If full flow (both backs) is away or
split, the linebacker will then run his blitz. This ability to drop any defensive lineman It has been my honor and priviledge to be
The key blitzer is always considered the provides the coordinator flexibility to call any a part of the 2002 Summer Manual. I hope
second man through. blitz and zone drop necessary. This creates all coaches are able to get something out of
The second name or initial involved in a multitude of blitzes through dropping any the Bowling Green’s defensive zone blitz
the blitz call is the blow blitzer. The blow defensive lineman. If all three linebackers package.
blitzer is the linebacker that will attack his were to be initiated in a blitz, the coordinator I really believe in letting players play the
gap of responsibility without reading flow. would then have to drop two defensive line- game by telling them everything they must
He is the first man through on all blitzes. men into coverage. It is endless the type of do to be successful each and every play.
The third significant letter in the blitz call zone blitzes that can be incorporated. In closing, I want to thank all the coaches
will dictate where the blitz is coming. The and players that had significant contributions
blitz will always be coming opposite the key Adjustments to Formations to the success we have had here at BGSU. If
blitzer in the gap designated. In these two We use a simple rule when facing differ- our staff or I can be of any assistance please
cases, the blitz will be run in the Agap away ent formations. The rule basically states that do not hesitate to call. Best of luck this fall!

• AFCA Summer Manual — 2002 •

Вам также может понравиться