The Defensive Line

1. 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

2. 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
staggered toe to heel relationship.
Narrow feet to sprinter’s stance.
“Gap” foot staggered and more
narrow than regular stance.
Hands Down hand to the covered offensive lineman
(“Man” Hand). Be equal in right handed and
left handed stances. Off hand low and cocked
for punch.
Bring off hand back & up for
sprint take off
Eyes Look through your eyebrows at the shaded
shoulder of your visual key. See the ball in
your peripheral vision to the inside, or the O/S
hand or leg of OT. Never Jump Offside!
Eyes to ball – Get off on the first
twitch
Body
Position
Flat back. Good angles in knees for explosive
get off. Weight slightly forward on down hand.
Butt up & weight forward.

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
lineman. Must strike offensive lineman on every
snap. Thumbs up. Aim for breastplate of shoulder
pads and grab cloth. Lockout arms.
Shoot hands to gap side
number. Think pass, react
to run.
Eyes Eyes to numbers of visual key. Keep head under the
chin of the offensive lineman.
See pass rush technique.
Second &
Third Step
Get second step on the ground as quickly as possible.
Stay square on second step and keep solid base
(shoulder width). DL should identify block by third
step and work release.
Work pass rush move, or
bend to ball. Retrace your
steps against screen or
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.

3.  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 1
2
34
5
67
8
9
A B CABC DD
0
S 9
8
76
5
43
2
1S

Gaps
Techniques

4. 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

5. 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
Release
Fit hands & lock out arms. Push gap hand up the field, and pull at back of blocker’s jersey. Punch
with off hand over the shoulder of blocker. Clear hips & feet, and drive swim arm to the back of
the blocker.
Patch
Technique
Used from a defeated position, when the DL has lost gap integrity. Lock out your arms, throw hips
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.


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

6. Block Protection

Base
Block








 Get Off the Ball & Knock the Blocker
Back
 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
 Show Color in Your Gap – Can’t be
Reached!
 Third Step Release Move
 Flatten & Chase

Double
Team








 Get Off the Ball & Knock the Blocker
Back
 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
 Attack Seam – Whip the Post
Man
 Sit & Grab Grass if Giving Ground

Zone
Reach








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

Down
Block








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

Pull
(Cross
or Wide)








 Get Off the Ball
 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
 Bend and chase the puller to the play

Veer/



 Get Off the Ball
 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number

7. Trap
Block





 Drive OL down the line
 Find trapper or kick out back – Wrong arm
& “Trap the Trapper”
 If Veer – Get head across & tackle the dive
back

Loop/
Influence
Block








 Get Off the Ball
 Fit Hands to Gap Side Number
 If OL loops & does not attempt to block
you – Smell a rat!
 Get eyes back I/S & do your best if you see
trap
 Do not widen hole & do not run up the
field

8. Basic Pass Rush Lanes & Assignments
Position End Nose Tackle Stud
Lane Contain Rusher
Squeeze Pocket
A Gap
Push Pocket
Two Gap Rusher
Push Pocket
Contain Rusher
Squeeze Pocket
Pre-Snap
Plan
Get off the ball.
If OT pass sets – race
to aiming point 4
yards behind his inside
foot. Work move
when you get there.
Get off the ball. Expect
double team. Try to get 2
yards deep vs. two
linemen. Make Bull Rush
or Club & Rip your best
move.
Get off the ball. Work
best side of OG – Can
rush in A Gap or B
Gap. Make Bull Rush
or Club & Rip your best
move.
Get off the ball.
If OT pass sets – race
to aiming point 4
yards behind his inside
foot. Work move
when you get there.
Musts Not allow QB to get
outside.
Feel screen. Retrace
your steps if you are
fooled on draw.
Not allow QB out the
front of the pocket.
Feel screen.
Must not run past QB.
Not allow QB out the
front of the pocket.
Feel screen.
Must not run past QB.
Not allow QB to get
outside.
Feel screen. Retrace
your steps if you are
fooled on draw.
When
You Get
There
Sack the quarterback – No Misses!
Contain rushers must use back number as their aiming point on the QB.
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
Don’t
Hands high & time the ball to bat down the pass. Don’t leave your feet.
4 yds. 4 yds.
2 yds.
Contain Rushers aim for
back number of QB
Versus Double Team –
Interior Rushers must push
for 2 yards in front of QB
To be a great pass rusher...

 Get off the ball on every play.
 Don’t Quit – You never know
when the sack is coming.
 Keep your weight forward & keep
your feet moving forward.
 Have one move & one counter
move that are perfected – have a
plan!
 Know the game situation.
 Spin or club back if you get
deeper than the ball.
 Play with confidence –
They can’t block you!
Always Rush ½ the Man!

9. 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 &
Swim
 Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
 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 &
Rip
 Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
 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 &
Pull
(Windmill)
 Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
 Chop down with I/S arm across OL hands
 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
Spin
 Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
 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
Club
 Get off the ball
 Fit hands to gap side number
 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