,building a ,,championship ,football ,team ,,paul ,w4 8,,bear0 ,,bryant ,athletic ,director and ,head ,football ,coach1 ,university of ,alabama ,englewood ,cliffs1 ,n4,j4 ,,prentice-,,hall1 ,,inc4 #aifj1 ,,by ,,prentice-,,hall1 ,,inc4 ,englewood ,cliffs1 ,n4,j4 ,,all ,,rights ,,reserved4 ,,no ,,part ,,of ,,this ,,book ,,may ,,be ,,reproduced ,,in ,,any ,,form1 ,,by ,,mimeograph ,,or ,,any ,,other ,,means1 ,,without ,,permission ,,in ,,writing ,,from ,,the ,,publisher4 ,,library ,,of ,,congress ,,catalogue ,,card ,,number3 #fj-ecagc ,eighth ,printing ,february1 #aifh ,,printed ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,of ,,america #jhfje--;,,bc ,dedication ,to a few close associates who were genuinely dedicated to the game of football4 ,these men were not only great assets to the game2 they also exemplified the true ,american way of life4 ,had it not been for men like these1 many of us would have fallen by the wayside4 ,to them1 ,i am forever grateful4 ,,robert ,a4 ,,cowan ,,fordyce1 ,,arkansas ,,frank ,w4 ,,thomas ,,university ,,of ,,alabama ,w4 ,a4 ,,alexander ,,georgia ,,tech ,h4 ,r4 8,,red0 ,,sanders ,u4 ,c4 ,l4 ,a4 ,,charles ,,caldwell ,,princeton ,,university ,,herman ,,hickman ,,yale ,,university--,sports ,illustrated ,,jim ,,tatum ,,university ,,of ,,north ,,carolina ,g4 ,a4 ,,huguelett ,,university ,,of ,,kentucky ,,herman ,l4 ,,heep ,,texas ,a ,m ,,rex ,,enright ,,university ,,of ,,south ,,carolina ,acknowledgment ,this book would not have been possible had it not been for the untiring efforts of ,eugene ,stallings1 co-captain ,texas ,a ,m #aief1 ,all ,conference ,,swc ,end1 and assistant football coach1 ,university of ,alabama4 8,bebes0 ,stallings exemplifies the true meaning of football1 both as a player and as a coach4 ,a ,real ,competitor 8,fight on1 my men10 ,sir ,andrew says1 8,a little ,i'me hurt1 but yett not slaine2 8,i'le but lye downe and bleede awhile1 8,and then ,i'le rise and fight againe40 8,sir ,andrew ,barton10 ,part #b1 ,st4 #af 7,,percy',s ,,reliques1 ,series ,,ii1 ,book ,,ii7 ,if ,sir ,andrew were coaching football today1 he would be accused of teaching 8hard-nosed football10 for his battlecry 8,i'll rise and fight again0 is that of ,paul 8,bear0 ,bryant1 author of this book and self-acknowledged teacher of hard-nosed or all-out football4 ,paul ,bryant is one of the ablest1 most colorful1 most controversial mentors4 ,fans either love ,bear ,bryant or despise him--which makes him excellent box office4 ,competitive fires flame high in ,coach ,bryant4 ,legend has it he once played an entire game with a broken leg1 believable when one considers the all-out effort he demands of himself and his players4 ,deep down1 he is a sentimentalist who leaves a heavy imprint on his players4 ,john ,david ,crow1 ,all-,american back and ,heisman ,trophy winner under ,bryant at ,texas ,a ,m1 and now a ,national ,football ,league star1 says1 8,coach ,paul ,bryant is the greatest coach in ,america4 ,he made a man out of me40 ,paul ,bryant is a builder4 ,when he came to ,texas ,a ,m in #aied1 ,aggie fortunes were at a low ebb4 ,in four years1 ,bryant's ,aggies won #be1 lost #ad1 tied #b1 and nine of those losses were in his first year4 ,as a sports writer and television commentator1 this observer has watched ,southwest ,conference football since #aiae1 the first year a grid champion was crowned4 ,the conference's best job of coaching was ,bryant's1 beginning in #aied4 ,his outstanding player walked out of the ,junction1 ,texas training camp1 and ,bryant would not let him return4 ,in their first game1 the ,aggies lost to ,texas ,tech #i to #da4 ,the ,aggies dropped all six conference games1 but only ,baylor was able to achieve a two-touchdown margin4 ,in #aief1 ,bryant built an unbeaten team1 with 8my ,junction boys0 the nucleus4 ,there was something almost mystical about ,bryant's story of why he was leaving ,texas ,a ,m for his alma mater1 the ,university of ,alabama3 8,as a small boy1 ,i sometimes would play until after dark1 and then1 from afar off1 ,i'd hear my beloved mother calling1 #8,paul1 come home4' ,i'd run as fast as my legs would carry me40 ,some cynics sneer at ,paul ,bryant's explanation4 ,but the many sportsmen who hold for him lasting respect and affection know this warm-hearted man is telling the truth4 ,,lloyd ,,gregory ,,houston1 ,,texas ,table of ,contents ,chapter ,page #a4 ,,why ,,football8 #a #b4 ,,the ,,theory ,,of ,,winning ,,football #h #c4 ,,making ,,the ,,most ,,of ,,the ,,coaching ,,staff #ah #d4 ,,defense--,,our ,,kind ,,of ,,football #bd #e4 ,,pass ,,defense--,,objectives ,,and ,,tactics #fb #f4 ,,our ,,kicking ,,game ,,techniques #aaa #g4 ,,our ,,offensive ,,running ,,game #adj #h4 ,,our ,,offensive ,,passing ,,game ,,techniques #agf #i4 ,,training ,,the ,,quarterback #ahf #aj4 ,,planning ,,for ,a ,,game #bjc #aa4 ,,our ,,drills #bae #ab4 ,,those ,,who ,,stay ,,will ,,be ,,champions #bca ,,index #bce ,building a ,,championship ,football ,team ,,chapter #a ,why ,football8 ,have you ever wondered about football8 ,why it's only a game which is as fundamental as a ball and a helmet4 ,but the sport is a game of great importance4 ,if you take all of the ingredients that go into making up the game of football and put them into a jar1 shake well and pour out1 you've got a well-proportioned phase of the ,american way of life4 ,,football ,,is ,,more ,,than ,a ,,game ,football is the ,all-,american and the scrub4 ,it's the ,rose ,bowl with #ajb1jjj cheering fans1 and it's the ragged kids in a vacant lot using a dime-store ball4 ,it's a field in ,colorado ankle-deep in snow1 and one in ,florida sun-baked and shimmering4 ,leaping cheerleaders1 a brassy band1 and the ,dixie ,darlings are a part of the wonderful game of football4 ,it's a rich guy being chauffeured to the stadium gate1 and a frightened boy shinnying the fence and darting for the end zone seats4 ,it's a crowd which has gone crazy as it rips down the goal posts4 ,and it's a nation stunned and wet-eyed at the news of ,knute ,rockne's death4 ,football is drama1 music1 dignity1 sorrow4 ,it's exhilaration and shock4 ,it is also humor and1 at times1 comedy4 ,it's a referee sternly running the game4 ,it's an inebriated character staggering onto the field and trying to get into the action4 ,football is the memory of ,red ,grange1 the ,four ,horsemen1 and the ,seven ,blocks of ,granite4 ,it's a team's traditional battle cry1 such as1 8,war ,eagle10 in the middle of the summer4 ,it's a crisp fall day1 traffic jams1 portable radios and hip flasks4 ,it's train trips1 plane flights and victory celebrations4 ,it's the losers moaning1 8,you were lucky1 just wait'll next year60 ,names are football1 such as ,bronco1 ,dixie1 ,night ,train1 ,the ,horse1 ,hopalong1 ,bad ,news1 ,the ,toe1 and ,mr4 ,outside4 ,,football ,,is ,,the ,,great ,,american ,,novel ,for four quarters1 football is the ,great ,american ,novel1 with chapters from ,frank ,merriwell1 the ,bible1 ,horatio ,alger1 the life of ,lincoln and ,jack the ,giant-,killer4 ,newspaper photos1 arguments1 ,mr4 ,touchdown ,,usa1 yellowed clippings1 the ,hall of ,fame1 ,the ,star-,spangled ,banner--they're all football4 ,it's a game of young men with big shoulders and hard muscles4 ,it's also a game of old pros1 such as1 #ch-year-old ,charlie ,conerly quarterbacking the ,new ,york ,giants to a football championship4 ,football is popcorn1 cokes1 banners and cigaret smoke4 ,it's people standing for the kick-off1 lap blankets1 pacing coaches1 penalties and melodious alma maters4 ,football is a game of surprises4 ,the big guy everybody picks in pre-season as ,all-,american fizzles out4 ,but a kid nobody ever heard of scores the winning touchdown and a star is born4 ,it's ,tennessee going #ag games without being scored on4 ,it's also tiny ,chattanooga upsetting mighty ,tennessee1 making a coach's dream come true4 ,it's the pro halfback who is a movie star4 ,and the water boy who got into a game at ,yale4 ,it's ,bronco ,nagurski butting down a sandbag abutment1 and dwarfish ,davey ,o',brien disappearing from sight behind an array of #bej pound linemen4 ,it's ,harry ,gilmer jumping high to pass1 and ,coach ,jim ,owens proving that nice guys finish first4 ,football is ,bud ,wilkinson1 whose ,sooners are #dj points ahead1 walking up and down the sideline like a caged lion4 ,it's #ce-year-old ,paul ,dietzel and #ij-year-old ,amos ,alonzo ,stagg4 ,it's #fh ,gene 8,big ,daddy0 ,lipscomb and #ef ,eddie ,le,baron4 ,women who don't know a quick kick from a winged-,t cheer every move on the field1 waving pennants1 purses and even mink stoles4 ,that's football4 ,so is the pressbox with its battery of clattering typewriters4 ,and the oldtimer who claims they played a better game in his day is a part of football1 too4 ,it's ,ray ,berry1 who wears contact lenses1 making unbelievable catches for the ,baltimore ,colts4 ,and after the game1 when he dons his thick glasses1 he looks the part of a studious school teacher--which he is after football season terminates4 ,it's a scramble for tickets1 playing parlays1 wide-eyed youngsters getting autographs1 a fist fight in the stands1 second guessing1 banquets1 icy rains1 color guards1 fumbles1 goal line stands1 homecoming queens1 and the typical mutt running onto the field attracting everyone's attention4 ,football is ,tommy ,lewis jumping off the bench in the ,cotton ,bowl game and tackling a touchdown-bound ,rice runner simply because1 8,i've got too much ,alabama in me1 ,i guess40 ,it's the quivering voice of a dying ,george ,gipp telling his ,notre ,dame teammates1 8,win one for the ,gipper40 ,it's ,new ,year's1 ,christmas and the ,fourth of ,july rolled into one4 ,it's ,,vj ,day1 the ,declaration of ,independence1 ,haley's comet and ,bunker ,hill4 ,it's tears and laughter1 pathos and exuberance4 ,football is a game that separates the men from the boys1 but also it's a game that makes kids of us all4 ,most of all it's a capsule of this great country itself4#a #a ,the author extends sincerest thanks to ,clettus ,atkinson1 ,assistant ,sports ,editor1 ,birmingham ,post-,herald1 for contributing his fine depiction to the meaning of football4 ,,football ,,is ,,the ,,american ,,way ,,of ,,life ,football1 in its rightful place1 can be one of the most wholesome1 exciting and valuable activities in which our youth can possibly participate4 ,it is the only sport ,i know of that teaches boys to have complete control of themselves1 to gain self-respect1 give forth a tremendous effort1 and at the same time learn to observe the rules of the game1 regard the rights of others and stay within bounds dictated by decency and sportsmanship4 ,football in reality is very much the ,american way of life4 ,as in life1 the players are faced with challenges and they have an opportunity to match skills1 strength1 poise and determination against each other4 ,the participants learn to cooperate1 associate1 depend upon1 and work with other people4 ,they have a great opportunity to learn that if they are willing to work1 strive harder when tired1 look people in the eye1 and rise to the occasion when opportunity presents itself1 they can leave the game with strong self-assurance1 which is so vitally important in all phases of life4 ,at the same time they are developing these priceless characteristics1 they get to play and enjoy fellowship with the finest grade and quality of present day ,american youth4 ,the ,game's ,intrinsic ,values ,not only is football a great and worthwhile sport because it teaches fair play and discipline1 but it also teaches the number one way of ,american life--to win4 ,we are living in an era where all our sympathy and interest goes to the person who is the winner4 ,in order to stay abreast with the best1 we must also win4 ,the most advantageous and serviceable lesson that we can derive from football is the intrinsic value of winning4 ,it is not the mere winning of the game1 but it is teaching the boys to win the hectic battle over themselves that is important4 ,sure1 winning the game is important1 and ,i would be the last to say that it wasn't1 but helping the boy to develop his poise and confidence1 pride in himself and his undertakings1 teaching him to give that little extra effort are the real objectives of teaching winning football4 ,if ,i had my choice of either winning the game or winning the faith of a boy1 ,i would choose the latter4 ,there is no greater reward for a coach than to see his players achieve their goals in life and to know he had some small part in the success of the boys' endeavors4 ,boys who participate in football1 whether in high school or college1 are in their formative years4 ,it is every coach's responsibility to see that each boy receives the necessary guidance and attention he so rightly deserves4 ,i would be deeply hurt and embarrassed if ,i learned a boy wasn't just a little better person after having played under my guidance4 ,if we1 as coaches1 lose the true sense of the value of football and get to a point where we cannot contribute to a boy progressing spiritually1 mentally1 and physically1 we will be doing this wonderful game of football a great injustice by remaining in coaching4 ,the coaching profession is honorable and dignified and we football coaches are in a position to contribute to the mental development and desirable attitudes which will remain with the boys throughout their lives4 ,we have the opportunities to teach intangible lessons to our players that will be priceless to them in future years4 ,we are in a position to teach these boys intrinsic values that cannot be learned at home1 church1 school or any place outside of the athletic field4 ,briefly1 these intangible attributes are as follows3 7#a7 ,discipline1 sacrifice1 work1 fight1 and teamwork2 7#b7 to learn how to take your 8licks10 and yet fight back2 7#c7 to be so tired you think you are going to die1 but instead of quitting you somehow learn to fight a little harder2 7#d7 when your team is behind1 you learn to 8suck up your guts0 and do whatever it takes to catch up and win the game2 and 7#e7 you learn to believe in yourself because you know how to rise to the occasion1 and you know you will do it6 ,the last trait is the most important one4 ,the ,greatest ,display of ,courage ,one personal reference will illustrate the intangible attributes that football teaches4 ,we have all seen or heard someone tell about the greatest display of courage a team has ever shown4 ,when a team you coach has had such an experience1 it makes you exceedingly happy and proud of your position and the team4 ,while ,i have never been ashamed of any of my football clubs1 ,i will always have a soft spot in my heart for one of my teams in particular4 ,i think my #aiee ,texas ,a ,m team displayed the greatest courage1 rose to the occasion better1 and did more of what ,i call 8sucking up their guts and doing what was required of them0 in a particular game than any other team with which ,i've ever been associated4 ,we were playing ,rice ,institute in ,houston on a hot1 humid afternoon4 ,our play was very sluggish and before we fully realized it1 the game was almost over1 and we were behind #ab-j4 ,we were leading the ,conference race up to this point1 but it was beginning to look as if we were going to be humiliated before #fh1jjj people4 ,having become disgusted with my starting unit's ineffective play1 ,i withdrew the regulars from the game early in the fourth quarter4 ,with approximately four minutes left to play1 ,i decided to send the regulars back in4 ,i told them they still had time to win the game if it meant enough to them to do so4 ,the first unit went on to the field and immediately called time out4 ,i later found out they vowed to each other they were going to do whatever it took to win the game4 ,we eventually got possession of the football on our own #db-yard line1 and the clock showed #b3ef remaining to play4 ,again the boys called time out1 giving each man a few seconds to make up his mind just exactly what he was going to do4 ,on the first play from scrimmage1 ,lloyd ,taylor1 a little halfback from ,roswell1 ,new ,mexico ran #eh yards around left end for a touchdown4 ,he kicked the extra point and the score was #ab-g1 with #b3jh remaining in the game4 ,we tried an on-side 7short7 kick1 and ,gene ,stallings recovered the ball on ,rice's #di-yard line4 ,our quarterback1 ,jimmy ,wright1 then threw a #di-yard pass to ,lloyd ,taylor who made a beautiful catch as he crossed the goal line4 ,taylor scored his fourteenth point as he kicked his second point-after-touchdown placement4 ,with the score #ad-ab1 we lined up and kicked the ball deep to ,rice4 ,forcing ,rice to gamble since they were behind1 they attempted a deep pass which our great fullback1 ,jack ,pardee1 intercepted and returned #dj yards to the #c-yard line4 ,on the next play ,don ,watson carried the ball across for a touchdown1 making the final score #bj-ab in our favor4 ,after the game in our dressing room when everyone was congratulating each other1 and everything was in a state of confusion1 ,lloyd ,taylor suggested we thank the ,master for giving us the courage to make the great comeback4 ,from that game on we have always said a prayer of gratitude after the game1 win1 lose1 or draw4 ,the particular incident cited was the greatest display ,i have ever seen of boys reaching back and getting that little extra1 showing their true colors1 and rising to the occasion and putting into practice the thing that we preach and believe in4 ,what do we get out of coaching8 ,there is nothing in the world ,i would swap for the associations with those boys1 and the other fine men ,i have coached1 and the self satisfaction of knowing ,i've helped many boys to find themselves4 ,in my estimation1 football is truly a way of life4 ,,chapter #b ,the ,theory of ,winning ,football ,every football team has a slogan1 and each coach has his own theory as to what makes a winning team4 ,we are no exception4 ,our slogan is1 8,winning is not everything1 but it sure beats anything that comes in second40 ,our theory on how to develop a winning team is very simple--,,work6 ,if the coaches and players will work hard1 then winning will be the result4 ,we want to win4 ,we play to win4 ,we are going to encourage1 insist and demand that our players give a #ajj effort in trying to win4 ,otherwise we would be doing them a great injustice4 ,it is very important for the boys to have a complete understanding of what they must do in order to win4 ,when a boy has completed his eligibility or has played four years under our guidance1 ,i like to believe he will graduate knowing how to suck up his guts and rise to the occasion1 and do whatever is required of him to get his job done4 ,if our boys are willing to work hard1 and we give them the proper leadership and guidance1 then they will graduate winners and our athletic program will be a success4 ,,how ,,to ,,start ,,building ,a ,,winner ,building a winning football team is something that cannot be accomplished overnight1 or even in a year or two1 if the program is starting from scratch4 ,i believe1 irrespective of the time element involved1 a football program has little chance of succeeding unless the following 8musts0 are adhered to3 #a4 ,the coach must have a definite plan in which he believes1 and there must be no compromise on his part4 #b4 ,the football coach must have the complete cooperation and support of the administrators and the administration1 who must believe in the head coach1 his staff1 and his plan4 #c4 ,the coach must have a long term contract4 #d4 ,the coach must not only be dedicated to football1 but he must be tough mentally4 #e4 ,the head coach must have the sole responsibility and authority of selecting his staff of dedicated men1 who must believe in the head coach and his plan4 ,the ,administration ,must ,believe in ,your ,plan ,it is vitally important that a coach build a solid foundation for his program4 ,in order to do this he must have complete cooperation from every member of the school's administration4 ,in many cases the school officials will not have a complete and thorough understanding of your athletic program4 ,it is important that you explain to them just what you are trying to accomplish1 how long it will take1 and why you are doing it in your particular manner4 ,the administrators and the administration must understand the value the program has for each boy who participates1 and the ways the program can benefit the entire school system4 ,therefore1 before a coach accepts a particular position he should give considerable thought to the administration's philosophy1 attitude or point-of-view toward the football program4 ,if the school president or principal is skeptical1 consider the position seriously before accepting it4 ,building a championship team is difficult enough with full cooperation from everyone1 but it is an impossible coaching situation without the administration's full support and confidence4 ,the ,coach ,must ,have a ,long ,term ,contract ,if a college coach is going to build a team1 it is an absolute must that he have a long term contract4 ,there is little use in believing or thinking any other way4 ,it is very possible1 and highly probable1 it will take at least four or five years to shape a ball club into winning form4 ,without the security of a long term contract1 a coach can be forced to concentrate on winning a certain number of games each year1 and it is possible this can completely disrupt or disorganize a rebuilding program4 ,i am not saying that a coach should not try to win every game1 because he obviously should strive to win 'em all4 ,i merely want to point out the fact that without the security of a job for a period of years1 he might be forced to revert to certain practices which he knows are not sound principles on which to build a winning program4 ,as an illustration1 he might have to revert to such a practice as playing individuals of questionable character because of their immediate ability1 rather than weeding them out and concentrating on the solid citizens4 ,the latter group will stay with you and will eventually be winners1 if you are given job security and adequate time to work with them4 ,the ,coach ,must ,be ,dedicated and ,tough ,mentally ,unless a person is dedicated to his chosen trade or profession1 regardless of his field of endeavor1 he is never going to be highly successful4 ,building a winning football team is no exception4 ,the head coach1 as well as his assistants1 must be dedicated to football4 ,all of them must be tough mentally1 too4 ,many times a coach's job is unpopular and unrewarding4 ,from time to time a coach must make decisions that are unpleasant4 ,he cannot compromise1 however1 if he expects to build a winner4 ,he must be tough mentally in order to survive4 ,in addition1 a coach must be tough mentally in another sense4 ,he must be able to spend numerous hours studying football all ways and always4 ,a coach who hopes to be successful must drive himself and be so dedicated to his job that he puts it ahead of everything else in his life1 with the exception of his religion and his family4 ,one can have a tremendous knowledge of the game1 but he cannot possibly make the grade unless he can stand up to the long hours and the trying times4 ,it is not an absolute necessity for a coach to be exceptionally smart or a brilliant strategist1 but he must be a hard worker1 mentally tough1 and dedicated to the game of football4 ,one can only be honest with himself in determining whether or not he has these qualifications4 ,you ,must ,have a ,definite ,plan ,as head football coach1 you must give leadership and direction to your program if you expect it to be successful4 ,therefore1 you must have a definite plan in which you and your assistants believe4 ,in order to build winners you cannot deviate from your plan1 and there cannot be any compromises4 ,many factors go into the plan1 such as organizing the program and the type of boys whom you have on your squad1 both of which will have a great deal to do with your ultimate success or failure4 ,these and other phases of the plan will be discussed in detail shortly1 and in later chapters in this book4 ,you ,must ,have a ,good ,staff ,in order to build winners1 the head coach must surround himself with a dedicated staff of hard working coaches4 ,while ,i have touched on this point briefly already1 this particular must will be discussed in greater detail in ,chapter #c1 8,making the ,most of ,your ,coaching ,staff40 ,,the ,,type ,,of ,,boy ,,success ,,or ,,failure ,the team with the best athletes will usually win the tough ball games1 other things being equal4 ,it is a well recognized fact that a coach is no better than his material4 ,therefore we must have the best material available in order to be a winner4 ,i tell my coaches if they can recruit the best athletes to our school1 then ,i can coach them4 ,if they recruit mediocre athletes1 then the assistants will have to coach them4 ,there are a number of qualifications that we look for in our athletes1 and some of these are musts if the boys are to become champions4 ,football is nothing more than movement and contact4 ,if a player has excellent movement but won't make contact1 he will never be a winner4 ,conversely1 if a boy is mean1 loves body contact1 and likes to hit people1 but is so slow he never gets to the ball carrier1 then he will never make a winner either4 ,there are ways to improve an individual's quickness1 but if a boy refuses to make contact1 there is nothing that ,i know of to correct it4 ,the type of boy you select to play on your football team has a great deal to do with your ultimate success or failure4 ,in order for our program to be successful1 we try to select the boy with the following traits3 #a4 ,he must be dedicated to the game of football4 #b4 ,he must have the desire to excel and to win4 #c4 ,he must be tough mentally and physically4 #d4 ,he must be willing to make personal sacrifices4 #e4 ,he must put team glory first in place of personal glorification4 #f4 ,he must be a leader of men both on and off the field4 #g4 ,he should be a good student4 ,the ,players ,must ,be ,dedicated ,a player must be dedicated to the game to the extent he is willing to work1 sacrifice1 cooperate and do what he possibly can to aid the team in victory4 ,it is our duty as coaches to explain and show our boys the advantages of being winners1 and to impress upon them the absolute necessity of it so they will put forth the much needed effort to accomplish the objective4 ,it is important for the players to understand that football is not an easy game2 nor is achieving fame an easy task4 ,however1 anything worth doing1 is worth doing right4 ,therefore let's do it right and be winners4 ,we refer to 8the little extras0 a boy must give in order to be a winner4 ,these little extras really make the difference between good and great1 whether it be on an individual or a team basis4 ,when a boy puts into practice what you have been preaching about giving that extra effort when he is dog tired1 going harder1 rising to the occasion and doing what is necessary to win1 then you are making progress and he is on the way to becoming a winner both individually and for his team4 ,there is nothing else ,i would rather see than when our boys are in their goal line defense1 and they have supreme confidence they will keep the opposition from scoring4 ,every boy is taking it upon himself personally to do what is necessary to stop the ball carrier from scoring4 ,when a coach has a team thinking like this1 he will have a winner1 and the boys will be winners when they get out of school4 ,our ,boys ,must ,have the ,desire to ,excel ,we talk about the importance of particular aspects of coaching1 such as full cooperation1 long contracts1 and other phases connected with coaching1 but in the final analysis the success or failure of your program depends on the performance of the boys on the playing field4 ,the game is generally won by the boys with the greatest desire4 ,the difference in winning and losing is a very slight margin in a tough ball game4 ,the same applies to two players of equal ability1 except that one is great and the other is average4 ,what is this slight margin8 ,it's the second and third effort1 both individually and as a team4 ,the boy who intercepts a pass or blocks a punt1 or who gets his block then goes and knocks down another opponent is the individual who wants to excel4 ,he will make the 8big play0 when it counts the most4 ,he and others will give us 8the winning edge40 ,these are the deciding factors in a tough ball game4 ,you ,must ,beat ,your ,opponent ,physically ,the teams that win consistently are the ones in the best physical condition4 ,as a result they can play better football than their opposition in the fourth quarter4 ,we also believe and teach our boys they must be more aggressive and 8out-mean0 our opponents if they expect to win consistently4 ,we may not be as smart and as tricky as our opposition1 so we have to out-work 'em4 ,if our boys are in top physical condition1 if we 8out-mean0 and physically whip our opponents by hard blocking and tackling1 and we are consistent in doing it1 we'll win a lot of football games4 ,football is a contact sport1 and we must make the initial contact4 ,in order to be a winner a boy must whip his man individually1 and the team must beat the opponent physically4 ,genuine ,all-,out ,desire for ,team ,victory ,unity is the sound basis for any successful organization1 and a football team is no exception4 ,without team unity you cannot have winners4 ,we believe and coach team victory4 ,our goal is to win every game we play4 ,we go into every game believing we will win it4 ,obviously we don't win all of them1 but we never go into a game believing we cannot come out of it the winner4 ,in order to have a winner1 the team must have a feeling of unity2 every player must put the team first ahead of personal glory4 ,the boy who plays for us must be willing to make sacrifices4 ,victory means team glory for everyone4 ,individual personal glory means little if the team loses4 ,must ,be a ,leader and a ,good ,student ,in order to have winners your boys must be leaders both on and off the field4 ,they should be good students1 too4 ,as was indicated previously1 if your contract will give you sufficient time to work with the 8solid citizens10 they will stay with you even if the going gets tough1 and eventually they will be winners4 ,you ,can't ,see ,into the ,heart of a ,boy ,most coaches take pride in their ability to pick out boys with athletic ability4 ,i am no exception4 ,however1 you can never be absolutely certain about a boy because you cannot see what is inside of his heart4 ,if we could do this1 we would never make a mistake on a football player4 ,we have seen it occur frequently where a player was pitiful in his freshman year1 and the coaches almost give up on his ever improving4 ,however1 through determination1 hard work1 pride and desire the boy would finally develop and would play a lot of football before he graduated4 ,my assistant coaches have a favorite story they like to tell about a player we had at the ,university of ,kentucky4 ,we had started our first practice session in the fall of #aidh when a youngster walked out on the field4 ,his appearance literally stopped practice4 ,he had on a zoot suit with the trouser legs pegged so tightly ,i am certain he had difficulty squeezing his bare feet through the narrow openings4 ,his suspenders drew up his trousers about six inches above his normal waist line4 ,his long zoot coat extended almost to his knees4 ,his 8duck tail0 hair style looked quite unusual4 ,he was standing in a semi-slump1 and twirling a long chain around his finger when one of my assistants walked over and asked him if he wanted someone4 ,his answer1 8,yeah4 ,where's the ,bear80 ,he found me in a hurry4 ,our first impression was that he would never be a football player1 but he was issued a uniform anyway4 ,i figured he wouldn't have the heart for our type of football and would eliminate himself quickly from the squad4 ,to help him make up his mind in a hurry ,i instructed one of the coaches assisting me to see that he got plenty of extra work after practice4 ,the boy's name was difficult to pronounce1 so we started calling him 8,smitty40 ,despite 8,smitty's0 outward appearance1 he had the heart of a competitor and the desire to show everyone he was a good football player4 ,he worked hard and proved his point4 ,in his senior year he was selected the outstanding player in the #aiea ,sugar ,bowl game when we defeated the ,university of ,oklahoma4 ,after graduation he played for several years with the ,new ,york ,giants as a fine defensive end4 ,i shall always have the greatest respect for him4 ,other coaches probably have had similar experiences where a boy with questionable ability has made good4 ,if a boy has a great desire to play football1 regardless of his ability1 and you work with him1 he is likely to make tremendous progress toward fulfilling his objective4 ,,good ,,organization--,a ,,big ,,factor ,,in ,,building ,,winners ,without good organization our thoughts or plans of any kind would be absolutely useless4 ,good organization is a must if a team is to operate at maximum efficiency4 ,there are many plans of organization that are good1 and ,i am not saying mine is the best1 but ,i believe my plan is sound and this is what really counts4 ,it always has been my practice to observe people who are successful in a particular field1 and try to determine what makes their operation successful4 ,there is little originality remaining in the field of coaching4 ,consequently we have gotten many of our ideas from other people4 ,as ,frank ,howard of ,clemson ,college put it1 8,if we get something from one team1 it's called stealing2 but if we get ideas from several different teams1 it's called research40 ,use the ,ant ,plan ,i borrowed my plan of organization from some ants in ,africa4 ,i realize this sounds ridiculous and far fetched2 nevertheless1 it's the truth4 ,it is interesting how it all came about4 ,while ,i was in the ,navy in ,africa1 one hot1 humid afternoon ,i was sitting under a tree feeling sorry for myself4 ,i started to watch some ants building an ant hill4 ,at first ,i was amused1 but as ,i watched ,i became very interested4 ,what at first appeared to be confusion was actually a carefully organized plan as the ants all worked toward their objective of building a home4 ,the longer ,i watched the more obvious it became that all of the ants were working1 many in small groups here and there4 ,there was no inactivity1 no wasted motion4 ,there was unity and there was a plan4 ,it appeared the ants had planned their work and they worked their plan4 ,with the ant plan in mind1 we try to organize our practice sessions so that we have everyone working and no one standing around idle4 ,we work in small groups and this eliminates inactivity4 ,as a result we feel that we can get more work done in a shorter period of time4 ,consequently we believe the less time a player spends on the practice field1 the higher will be his morale4 ,i did not have to watch the ants to learn the value of teamwork and cooperation1 although this was evident in their activity4 ,the main lesson ,i learned from them was the value of small group work in order to keep everyone busy4 ,there are many other factors that must be taken into consideration when organizing the program1 and ,i shall discuss the subject more fully in ,chapters #c and #aj4 ,planning and organization are the backbone of a successful team4 ,planning a practice so that you get maximum results from the players and the assistant coaches requires a great deal of time4 ,the importance of this cannot be emphasized too greatly4 ,,conclusion ,winning theories vary from coach to coach1 but our philosophy toward building a winner consists of the following factors3 7#a7 a hard working staff that is dedicated to football2 7#b7 players with a genuine desire to excel1 to 8out-mean0 the opponent1 and be in top physical condition2 7#c7 a strong organization and a sound plan2 7#d7 mental toughness in both staff and players2 and 7#e7 the full confidence of the school administration4 ,in addition1 you must teach sound football4 ,your boys and your staff must have confidence in your type of football4 ,i shall discuss our methods fully in later chapters4 ,,chapter #c ,making the ,most of the ,coaching ,staff ,i am a firm believer in the old saying1 8,a head coach is no stronger than his assistant coaches40 ,in order for any head coach to have a good program he must surround himself with a staff of good assistant coaches4 ,this does not mean that every coach must have six or eight assistants4 ,in some cases the head coach may not have more than two or three assistants4 ,the principles are the same1 however1 regardless of the number of assistant coaches4 ,i have been fortunate in having an excellent group of assistants every place ,i have coached1 and ,i want to give credit to them for any measure of coaching success ,i may have had in the past4 ,,assistant ,,coach3 ,,type ,,of ,,man ,there are many characteristics ,i am seeking in an assistant coach4 ,i shall not attempt to list them in the order of importance because ,i think they all belong at the top of the list4 ,briefly1 the desirable traits and characteristics ,i am seeking in an assistant are as follows3 #a4 ,he should be dedicated to the game of football4 #b4 ,he should be willing to work hard and to make personal sacrifices4 #c4 ,he should be an honest person4 #d4 ,he should have a sound knowledge of football4 #e4 ,he should have a great deal of initiative4 #f4 ,he should be a sound thinker4 #g4 ,he should be tough mentally4 ,a ,dedicated ,person1 ,hard ,worker1 ,loyal ,the first trait1 8,be dedicated to the game of football10 is a must for all coaches1 assistants as well as head coaches4 ,don't ever try to fool yourself or anyone else4 ,if you are not truly dedicated to your work1 and you dread spending many hours every day working and planning on building a good football team1 then you are in the wrong business4 ,i'll guarantee there is no easy way to develop a winning team4 ,if it were an easy task1 all of us would be undefeated and 8,coach of the ,year40 ,unfortunately one team generally wins and the other loses1 and if it is the latter it doesn't make a coach's job any easier4 ,if you will look at the consistent winners1 you will find behind them a group of coaches who are dedicated #ajj to their work4 ,regardless of whether it's the college or high school level of competition1 there are coaches and teams that win year after year4 ,the real reason for this success1 other than good material1 is the coaches of these particular teams are dedicated to the extent that they 8want0 to do what is necessary to win4 ,there is a big difference between 8wanting to0 and 8willing to0 do something to be a winner4 ,frankly1 ,i don't like the word 8willing0 in connection with an assistant coach4 ,first1 if the coaches are not willing1 they should not be coaching4 ,coaching is not an #h ,a4,m4 to #e ,p4,m4 job4 ,the assistant who is 8willing0 to work a little extra is not the one ,i want on my staff4 ,the assistant who 8wants0 to do what is necessary in order to get the team ready to play1 regardless of the time element involved1 is the man whom ,i want to assist me4 ,a head coach cannot expect his assistants to be dedicated to their work1 unless he leads by example4 ,the head coach must work harder1 longer1 and be more dedicated to his work than any of his assistants1 if he expects to have a good1 hard-working staff and winners4 ,another qualification ,i consider a must for all assistant coaches is their #ajj loyalty to the head coach's plan4 ,it is very important for a coach and his staff to know they have mutual trust and loyalty to each other4 ,these characteristics are obvious1 and an assistant coach who does not possess them commits professional suicide4 ,initiative and ,ambition ,an assistant coach should have a great deal of initiative and ambition4 ,i prefer to have my assistants study the game all ways and always4 ,they should constantly try to improve themselves4 ,there is no corner on the brain market and a person advances in his field through hard work and his own initiative4 ,it is a must that all coaches be good 8mixers40 ,they must be able to get along with each other1 the head coach1 the players1 and the people in the community4 ,on the college level a coach must know how to recruit1 and most of the time the successful recruiter is a good mixer4 ,he must sell your product--the school1 the team1 the coaching staff1 etc4--to athletes and their parents1 and his job will be easier if he has this type of personality4 ,honesty and ,integrity ,it is an absolute must that all coaches be honest with themselves1 the people for whom they work1 and the others with whom they come in contact4 ,if ,i cannot trust a person1 ,i do not want him around4 ,along this same line1 we like our coaches to be active in their church work4 ,we emphasize to our players the value of attending church1 and we like our coaches to set a good example for everyone4 ,a ,sound ,thinker ,with a ,good ,understanding of the ,game ,in order for a coach to be competent1 he must be a sound thinker and possess a good knowledge of the game of football4 ,i have mentioned this previously4 ,i expect my assistants to study1 plan1 discuss and try to come up with ideas that might aid us in winning a football game4 ,we are going to toss around all ideas in our staff meetings before we adopt any of them1 but your brand of football can become stale and unprogressive if the coaches do not study the game4 ,,division ,,of ,,coaching ,,duties ,morale on a squad is very important4 ,the morale of a coaching staff is very important1 too4 ,i feel the latter group will influence the former group1 consequently ,i am vitally concerned about my assistants having good morale4 ,with this thought in mind1 ,i try to delegate duties and responsibilities so the assistants enjoy their work4 ,each man is really a specialist1 or he can do some phase a little better than another coach4 ,therefore it's just common sense to permit him to work at the specialty in which he is going to excel4 ,he will not only have more enthusiasm for his work1 but his enthusiasm will be reflected in the players' work4 ,there is no substitute for enthusiasm4 ,under such conditions the players learn more quickly and the coaches are able to do a better job of coaching4 ,assistant ,coaches ,direct ,group ,work ,i do not think it advisable for a head coach to do group work with one of his assistants4 ,if an assistant is directing a group and the head man comes over to help out1 he takes the lead away from the assistant4 ,as a result the assistant coach is likely to lose his initiative--the very trait you want him to develop4 ,secondly1 the players are likely to give the head coach all of their attention1 and this isn't fair to the assistant working with the same group of boys4 ,thirdly1 ,i do not think it is desirable to suggest changes1 make corrections or reprimand an assistant on the field4 ,i feel the proper time to get the matter straightened out is after practice1 and not while the players are around4 ,i always try to avoid situations which are not conducive to good team and staff morale because you've got to have good morale in order to build a winner4 ,the ,coaching ,specialist ,i think it is important for my assistants to specialize in either offensive or defensive football4 ,i feel they can do a better job of coaching if they devote most of their time and effort toward one aspect or the other4 ,we still want them to be cognizant of the opposite phase1 however1 as the defensive coaches must understand offensive football1 and vice versa for the offensive coaches4 ,in fact1 from time to time ,i will put an offensive coach with the defense so he can learn more about this particular phase of the game4 ,i believe it would be advisable for a high school coach1 with possibly only a staff of two1 to follow the same plan--one offensive coach and the other on defense4 ,immediately after practice every day during the season ,i meet with my staff4 ,i have little patience with the assistant who wants to hurry away from practice immediately4 ,i want my staff members to meet in the staff room so we can discuss all phases of the day's practice schedule while it is still fresh in our minds4 ,evaluation of personnel goes on all the time4 ,therefore1 ,i want my assistants to list on the blackboard the work schedule for the next day for their particular group of boys4 ,in addition ,i want their suggestions and comments as to the type of teamwork needed4 ,now ,i am in a better position to do a more intelligent job of setting up the practice schedule for the next day since ,i have been made aware of our individual and team needs1 strengths and weaknesses4 ,we have found this procedure very helpful1 and ,i encourage my assistants to express themselves4 ,i shall explain our procedures more fully in ,chapter #aj4 ,delegating ,responsibility ,the head coach must delegate responsibility to his assistants in order to have a more effective plan of operation4 ,the head coach must let each assistant know what he expects from him4 ,an explanation of duties and responsibilities in the beginning is likely to eliminate misunderstanding later on4 ,secondly1 a person with some responsibility is likely to do a better job than the individual who doesn't have any4 ,i have found it gives the assistant more confidence in himself and more pride in his work if he has been given a certain amount of responsibility4 ,as ,i mentioned previously in ,chapter #b1 in order to get the most from your staff1 they must be completely sold on your plan for building a winner4 ,of course1 the head coach must believe in his own plan #ajj1 along with the assistants1 and he cannot make any compromises if he expects to be successful4 ,a ,good ,coach ,is a ,good ,teacher ,we stress the point frequently that coaching is teaching of the highest degree1 and a good coach is a good teacher4 ,it is not what you and your assistants know about football that is going to win the games1 but rather what you are able to teach your players4 ,in order to give our coaches an opportunity to improve their coaching techniques1 we have them get up at staff meetings and explain and demonstrate various points4 ,the other coaches will pretend they do not understand the coach who has the floor1 and he must explain and answer the questions to our satisfaction4 ,we have found this method gives the coaches a lot of confidence and they do a better job of coaching on the field4 ,,conclusion ,in order for the head coach to get the maximum from his assistants1 he must set a good example4 ,since others will follow a leader who actually leads1 rather than one who merely tells what to do1 ,i believe a head coach must work longer1 harder1 and stay a jump ahead of his assistants and the other coaches in the profession4 ,he must be dedicated to the game of football1 well organized1 sound in his thinking1 and have the ability to delegate authority and responsibility to his assistants if he expects to build a successful program4 ,,chapter #d ,defense3 ,our ,kind of ,football ,we believe defense is one of the most important phases of football4 ,as a matter of fact1 we work on defense more than we do on offense4 ,we feel if we do not permit the opposition to score1 we will not lose the football game4 ,while in reality most teams actually score on us1 we still try to sell our players on the idea that if the opposition does not score we will not lose4 ,if you expect to have a good defensive team1 you must sell your players on the importance of defensive football4 ,our players are enthusiastic about defensive football4 ,i believe we do a good job of teaching defensive football because the staff and players are sold on what we are trying to do4 ,defense is our kind of football4 ,,defensive ,,objectives ,the primary objective of defensive football is to keep the opposition from scoring4 ,we want our players to feel their ultimate objective is to keep the opposition from crossing our goal line4 ,a more functional facet of the primary object is to keep the opposition from scoring the 8easy0 touchdown1 which is the cheap one1 the long pass or the long run for six points4 ,while a singular long run or a long completed pass may not actually defeat us1 it is very likely if either play breaks for the 8easy0 touchdown we will be defeated4 ,secondly1 our kicking game must be sound1 which ,i shall discuss fully in ,chapter #f4 ,we must be able to kick the ball safely out of dangerous territory4 ,providing we do this1 and eliminate the 8easy0 touchdown1 we believe our opposition's own offense will stop itself #fe of the time through a broken signal1 a penalty1 or some other offensive mistake4 ,therefore1 if my boys are aggressive while on defense1 we'll probably keep our opposition from scoring about #be of the time they have the ball4 ,the remaining #aj will be a dog fight4 ,therefore1 we must instill in our defensive men a fierce competitive pride that each player is personally responsible for keeping the opposition from scoring4 ,the ,offensive-,minded ,defense ,our next objective is to sell the players on the idea our defensive unit can and will score for us4 ,there are more ways to score while on defense than on offense2 consequently1 the odds favor the defense4 ,if statistics are kept on the defensive team's performance1 and the defensive team is given credit for all scores made by running back a punt1 recovering a fumble or any other defensive maneuver where they either score or get the ball for their offense inside of the opposition's #be-yard line1 which results in a score1 the players can be sold on the idea of the offensive-minded defense4 ,previously ,i mentioned the importance of good morale in building a winner4 ,in order to sell a boy on defense you must create good morale4 ,therefore1 we sell our boys on the idea that playing defense is the toughest assignment in football4 ,we try to see that our defensive players get most of the recognition and favorable publicity4 ,if our defense makes a goal line stand1 and we win the game1 we try to give most of the credit to our defensive players4 ,sell ,them ,on ,defensive ,football ,we want to make our defensive players believe that when the opposing team has the ball inside our #c-yard line they aren't going to score--they can't score--they must not score6 ,if a team believes this1 it's almost impossible for the offense to score4 ,in #aiej our defensive unit prevented opposing teams from scoring on #ai occasions from the #c-yard line4 ,the morale of the defensive players was outstanding4 ,they thought it was impossible for another team to score on them even though they had only three yards to defend4 ,i recall in our game with ,oklahoma ,university in the ,sugar ,bowl1 the ,sooners got down to our #c-yard line4 ,we were caught with three or four of our best players on the bench1 and ,i was trying to get them back into the game quickly4 ,as ,jim ,mc,kenzie1 who had been replaced1 came off the field1 he said1 8,don't worry1 ,coach1 they will never score on us40 ,and they did not score6 ,when ,i see such evidence as this1 ,i know our players believe what we tell them1 and 8we are in business60 ,i do not believe you can teach defensive football successfully unless you are able to present a clear picture to your players of what you are trying to accomplish4 ,our objective is to limit the offense to as small an area as possible4 ,by limiting their attack1 we can hem them in and catch them4 ,we attempt to build a fence around the ball1 and around the offensive operation4 ,i want my players to have a good picture of exactly how we are going to build this fence1 and what we hope to accomplish1 both of which will be explained later4 ,defense ,is a ,personal ,challenge ,defense is a phase of football ,i have always considered very interesting because every play is a personal challenge4 ,when a team is on defense1 the players are challenging the offensive players in relating to an area of ground or field4 ,every man on defense should believe1 8,i am not going to let the offense score40 ,if you expect to be a winner1 either as a player or a coach1 you must believe in this philosophy #ajj4 ,your play must be sound1 and you must believe in it4 ,offensive football is assignment football1 while defense is reaction football4 ,one mistake on defense can cost a team a football game4 ,consequently there cannot be errors on defense4 ,by being sound1 and in order to eliminate errors1 ,i mean you must always have the strength of your defense against the strength of the offense4 ,the defensive players must be positioned in such a way that the team as a whole can handle any situation that might arise4 ,,defensive ,,axioms ,there are numerous defensive alignments1 just as there are different points-of-view or theories toward how defense should be played4 ,regardless of the differences and a coach's particular plan1 the following 8musts0 are considered basic axioms if a defense is to be sound3 #a4 ,the defense must not allow the opponent to complete a long pass for an 8easy0 touchdown4 #b4 ,the defense must not allow the opponent to make a long run for an 8easy0 touchdown4 #c4 ,the defense must not allow the opposition to score by running from within your #e-yard line4 #d4 ,the defense must not allow the opposition to return a kick-off for a touchdown4 #e4 ,the defense must not allow the opposition to average more than #bj yards per kick-off return4 #f4 ,the defense must intercept two passes out of every #ac passes attempted4 #g4 ,the defense must average #bj yards per return on each interception4 #h4 ,the defense must return three interceptions for touchdowns per season4 #i4 ,the defense must force the opposition to fumble the ball on an average of three and one-half times per game4 #aj4 ,the defense must recover an average of two and one-half fumbles per game4 ,these #aj basic axioms are extremely important1 and must be applied if a team is to be sound defensively4 ,defense--,a ,team ,proposition ,a good sound defense is one that has every player on defense carrying out his assignment4 ,then it is impossible for the offense to score4 ,note that ,i said every player1 which makes defense a team proposition and eliminates the individual defensive play4 ,by this ,i mean every defense is coordinated and a player just doesn't do what he wants to do4 ,i do not mean suppressing an individual's initiative or desire to excel while on defense1 as long as the entire defense is a coordinated unit4 ,we try to instill in every boy that he is personally responsible to see that our opposition does not score4 ,when individual players and a team accept this responsibility1 ,i feel we are making progress and beginning to build a winner4 ,gang ,tackling--,a ,defensive ,must ,during all phases of our defensive work we elaborate frequently on the importance of gang tackling4 ,we like to see six or seven of our boys in on every tackle4 ,such tactics are not only demoralizing to ball carriers and wear them down physically1 but represent sound football4 ,it is difficult for the ball carrier to break loose and score when half a dozen men are fighting to get a piece of him4 ,we want the first tackler to get a good shot at the ball carrier1 making certain he does not miss him4 ,we want the other defenders to 8tackle the ball10 and make the ball carrier fumble it so we can get possession of the football4 ,we are trying to get possession of the football any way we can4 ,frankly we want the first man to the ball carrier merely to hold him up1 and not let him get away1 so we can unload on him4 ,you can punish a ball carrier when one man has him 8dangling10 and the others gang tackle him hard4 ,i am not implying we want our boys to pile on and play dirty football merely to get a ball carrier out of the game4 ,first1 we do not teach this type of football as it is a violation of the rules and spirit of the game4 ,second1 piling on brings a #ae-yard penalty4 ,we cannot win when we get penalized in clutch situations4 ,,our ,,defensive ,,numbering ,,system ,,and ,,terminology ,after coaching for a number of years1 and always trying to find something that would make football easier to understand for the average player1 ,i came upon a system of defensive numbering that has proven very valuable to me since then4 ,in the past ,i have used many different defenses4 ,i always employed the technique of giving each defense a name4 ,most of the time the name had little in common with the defense1 and this confused1 rather than helped1 the players4 ,after discussing the possibility of the numbering system with my own and other college and high school coaches1 while at ,texas ,a ,m in #aief ,i finally come across a feasible plan for numbering defensive alignments4 ,i must give credit to ,o4 ,a4 8,bum0 ,phillips1 a ,texas high school coach1 for helping work out the solution as he experimented with the numbering system with his high school football team4 ,in the numbering of our defense now1 we give each offensive man a number1 as well as the gaps between the offensive linemen4 ,figure #a is an example of our defensive numbering system4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #a ,accompanying each number is a particular 8technique10 which will be explained shortly4 ,if a defensive player lines up in a #b position1 he will play what we call a 8#b technique02 a #c position plays a 8#c technique10 etc4 ,therefore1 from end to end of the offensive line we can line-up our defensive men and each position has a particular technique4 ,who calls the defense8 ,how is it called and what does it mean8 ,who is included in the call8 ,each linebacker calls the defense for his particular side of the line4 ,he controls his guard1 tackle and himself1 but he does not control the end on his side of the line4 ,the latter is controlled by the defensive signal caller in the secondary who gives a call for the #d- or #e-spoke defensive alignment4 ,each linebacker calls two numbers4 ,the first number tells his guard where to line up and his accompanying defensive technique4 ,the second number gives the same information to the defensive tackle4 ,as an example1 if the linebacker calls1 8#bf10 the guard will play a #b technique and the tackle a #f technique4 ,if the caller said1 8#ei10 the guard would play a #e technique and the tackle a #i technique4 ,when the linebacker tells the guard and tackle which techniques to play through his oral call1 then he lines up in a position to cover the remaining gaps4 ,as an example1 ,figure #b illustrates a #bf call1 and the linebacker must take a position between his guard and tackle so he can fill the gap7s7 not covered by the other front defenders4 ,you can see by this example the linebacker is in a position to help out over the offensive tackle position1 and also on a wide play to his side of the line4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #b ,figure #c illustrates the position of the defensive right guard1 tackle and linebacker when the call is #ei4 ,the linebacker is now in a position to help out on a play that is in the middle of the line4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #c ,one point ,i failed to mention1 if we are playing a #d-spoke defense1 which will be explained and illustrated shortly1 we assign one defender to play 8head on0 the offensive center1 and he does not figure in any of the calls4 ,he lines up the same every time1 as is illustrated in ,figure #d4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #d ,when we play a #e-spoke defense1 which will also be explained shortly1 the two linebackers assign one player to the area inside the offensive guards4 ,as an example1 if we are playing a #e-spoke defense and the call on the right side is #ei1 the call on the left side must be a one as the first digit1 such as1 #ag1 #af1 #ae4 ,figure #e illustrates a #ei call on the right1 and a #ag call on the left1 with one man playing a #a technique in order to keep from having a large gap between the two guards4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #e ,you can quickly observe that by having our players learn only a few numbers and their accompanying techniques1 we can line up in numerous defensive alignments merely by calling two numbers4 ,figures #f and #g are examples of #ei and #ci defensive calls1 which are #d-spoke defenses with a man in a #j technique1 and are commonly referred to as the ,oklahoma and ,eagle defenses1 respectively4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #f ,illustration3 ,,figure #g ,figure #h illustrates a #be call1 with a #j technique1 and is a #i-man front defensive alignment4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #h ,figures #i-aa are #e-spoke defenses representing #bf1 #cg1 and #ac calls1 which are commonly referred to as a wide tackle #f1 a split #f1 and a gap #h alignment1 respectively4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #i ,illustration3 ,,figure #aj ,illustration3 ,,figure #aa ,these defenses1 ,figures #f-aa1 have the same call to each side4 ,each side is actually independent of the other as far as the calls are concerned4 ,to eliminate any confusion1 merely designate which side 7left7 is to call first1 and the other linebacker 7right7 can adjust on his call accordingly so there is not a large gap in the middle of the defensive line4 ,the linebackers must be especially aware of this if we are employing a #e-spoke defensive alignment4 ,the signal caller should never call a defense involving two successive numbers1 such as #b-c1 #g-f1 as this will leave too much territory for him to try to cover 7see ,figure #a74 ,the caller is always responsible for having a man in1 or capable of covering1 every gap4 ,it is very simple for the defensive signal caller to change the guard and tackle assignments even after he has given them a position to line up in and its accompanying technique4 ,the caller merely adds a zero 7#j7 or a one 7#a7 to the end of the number he has called4 ,as an example1 if he gives the call #cg and he wants the players in the #c technique to charge one-half a man toward the inside1 he will say1 8#cj40 ,if he wants this defender to charge one-half a man to the outside1 he would say1 8#ca40 ,this second call is given to only one player at a time1 but he can change both of their techniques by saying1 8#ca--ga10 or 8#cj--gj10 etc4 ,advantages of a ,defensive ,numbering ,system ,our present method is the simplest one ,i know of for getting players into various defenses quickly with a minimum amount of talking4 ,we feel it eliminates much confusion4 ,we have found the players take a great deal of pride in learning only a few techniques1 which they are able to execute well4 ,we know it makes our job easier as coaches1 and we can do a better job of coaching the boys4 ,as a coaching point1 when a coach talks to a tackle1 as an example1 he talks in terms of a particular technique 7#f1 #g1 etc471 and the player understands him immediately4 ,when the coaches are discussing plays1 or in a staff meeting1 we identify the particular technique immediately1 and everyone understands each other4 ,we have also found the method useful when making out the practice schedule as ,i merely specify1 8,tackle coach work on #f technique10 etc4 ,employing a defensive numbering system requires the defensive signal callers to be alert4 ,they do not merely call several numbers4 ,they must be aware of the tactical situation at all times1 and call a sound defense according to a tactical and strategical planning4 ,as an illustration1 a good short yardage call would be #ac1 and sound passing situation calls would be #cf1 #cg1 #ci1 #ei 7see ,figures #a1 #c1 #f1 #g1 #aj1 #aa74 ,i spend at least several minutes every day with my defensive signal callers4 ,it is the linebackers' responsibility to see that we line up in a sound alignment every time4 ,,playing ,,our ,,defensive ,,techniques ,as illustrated in ,figure #a1 and mentioned earlier1 our techniques and defensive positions are numbered from #j-i on both sides of the defensive line1 numbering from inside-out 7with certain exceptions noted1 ,figure #a74 ,i now wish to explain in detail each particular technique1 although there is only a slight difference between several of them4 ,as an example1 when playing the #b technique1 a defender lines up head on the offensive guard1 and when playing a #d technique he is head up on the offensive tackle4 ,consequently these techniques are similar4 ,the #j ,technique ,as illustrated in ,figure #ab1 the defender lines up head on the offensive center4 ,depending upon the situation1 the distance he lines up off the football will vary4 ,on a short yardage situation1 he will line up close to the center's head4 ,on a long yardage situation1 normally he will be about one yard off the ball4 ,he will use either a three- or a four-point stance1 with one foot staggered4 ,his technique is to play the center's head with a quick hand shiver on the snap of the ball4 ,when he makes contact with the center1 he brings his back foot up so his feet are even with each other4 ,if the quarterback goes straight back to pass1 the #j technique man is responsible for the draw play1 and then he rushes the passer4 ,if it is a run instead of a pass play1 he will keep the center away from his blocking surface1 not permitting himself to be tied up in the middle of the line1 and he will pursue the ball taking his proper angle depending on the type of running play4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ab ,the #a ,technique ,the main job of the player7s7 employing the #a technique is to control the offensive splits1 forcing the guards to keep their splits to a minimum1 as illustrated in ,figure #ac4 ,he is also responsible for keeping the center off of the defensive linebacker4 ,if both guards are playing in this technique1 as illustrated in ,figure #ac1 only one will 8slam0 the center1 and the other will take a long step toward his guard1 playing him from inside-out4 ,he must always be aware of the trap coming from the inside1 however4 ,if the play is a back-up pass1 he is responsible for the draw first1 and rushing the passer second4 ,if it is a running play1 he will slam the center or guard and then pursue the football4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ac ,the #b ,technique ,the #b technique is similar to the #j technique1 and is illustrated in ,figure #ad4 ,one difference is the guard is head on the offensive guard1 instead of on the offensive center4 ,the distance he lines up off the ball in a staggered stance will be determined by the tactical situation4 ,on the snap of the ball he plays the guard with a hand shiver1 and immediately locates the football4 ,if it is a back-up pass and there is no man in a #j or #a technique1 he will look for the draw play first1 and then rush the passer4 ,if it is a running play1 he will look first toward the inside for a trap1 and then pursue the football4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ad ,the #c ,technique ,the #c technique is similar to the #a technique1 and is illustrated in ,figure #ae4 ,the #c man is responsible for keeping the offensive tackle's split cut down1 and on occasion to keep the offensive guard or tackle from blocking the defensive linebacker4 ,he1 too1 lines up with the feet slightly staggered1 and about one foot off the ball4 ,depending upon the defense1 when the ball is snapped1 he will play either the guard or tackle with a quick flipper or shiver1 preferably with the hands4 ,he is to watch for the trap at all times4 ,if the play is a straight drop back pass1 he will rush the passer from the inside4 ,if it is a running play1 he will pursue the football4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ae ,the #d ,technique ,the #d technique man lines up head on the offensive tackle and about one to one and one-half feet off the ball1 and is illustrated in ,figure #af4 ,he will have his feet slightly staggered1 and on the snap of the ball he is to play the offensive tackle with a quick hand or forearm flipper4 ,if it is a running play toward him1 he must whip the offensive tackle1 be ready to stop the hand-off1 and help out on the off-tackle play4 ,if it is a straight back pass1 he will rush the passer from the inside4 ,if the play goes away or to the far-side1 he will control the offensive tackle and pursue the football4 ,on his angle of pursuit he should never go around the offensive tackle1 but pursue the football going through the tackle's head4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #af ,the #e ,technique ,the #e technique man lines up on the outside eye of the offensive tackle1 as illustrated in ,figure #ag1 with the feet staggered 7outside foot back in most cases74 ,on the snap of the ball he employs a forearm flip charge into the tackle4 ,as he makes contact1 his back foot is brought up even with his front foot4 ,he has #ge off-tackle responsibility1 and he should never be blocked in by only one man4 ,if it is a straight back pass1 he should rush the passer from inside-out4 ,if the play comes toward him1 he should whip the tackle and make the play4 ,he must be certain to keep the offensive blocker in front of him at all times as the #e man will be eliminated from the play very easily if he tries to go around his blocker4 ,if the play goes away from him1 he must pursue the football4 ,he is instructed not to cross the offensive line of scrimmage when employing a #e technique4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ag ,the #f ,technique ,the #f technique player lines up head on the offensive end1 as illustrated in ,figure #ah4 ,if the end splits too far1 the #f man is to 8shoot the gap40 ,he is primarily responsible for keeping the offensive end from releasing quickly on passes1 and he must keep the end from blocking the linebacker4 ,he is responsible for the off-tackle play4 ,consequently he must not be blocked in or out4 ,the game situation will determine how far he lines up off the ball1 but it will usually vary from one to three yards4 ,if the play is a straight back pass1 he is responsible for rushing the passer from the outside-in4 ,if the passer runs out of the pocket1 the #f man must not permit him to get to the outside4 ,he must either tackle the passer or force him to throw the football4 ,if the play comes toward the #f man1 he whips the end with a flip or shiver charge1 and helps out both inside and outside4 ,he never crosses the line of scrimmage unless it is a back-up pass4 ,if it is an option play toward him1 he must make the quarterback pitch the ball or he must tackle the quarterback4 ,if the flow goes away from him1 he trails the play4 ,he should be as deep as the deepest man in the offensive backfield so he can contain the reverse play back to his side1 not permitting the ball carrier to get outside of him4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ah ,the #g ,technique ,the #g technique player lines up splitting the inside foot of the offensive end1 as illustrated in ,figure #ai4 ,he is responsible for forcing the end to reduce his offensive split4 ,we want him to line up with his outside foot staggered1 and he must never be blocked out by the offensive end4 ,he has #ge inside responsibility and #be outside responsibility4 ,when the ball is snapped1 he uses a hand or forearm flipper charge on the offensive end and brings his back foot up even with his front foot4 ,his main responsibility is to whip the offensive end1 and to close the off-tackle play4 ,if the play is a straight drop back pass1 he is the outside rusher and he must not permit the quarterback to get outside of him4 ,if the play goes away from him1 he is to trail the ball carrier4 ,he plays just like the trail or chase man on the #f technique4 ,he should be as deep as the deepest offensive backfield man so he can contain any reverse play coming back to his side of the line4 ,he should not let such a play get outside of his position4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ai ,the #h ,technique ,when we speak of a man playing an #h technique1 as illustrated in ,figure #bj1 we are speaking of a 8true end10 or a defensive end who lines up outside of the offensive end4 ,the #h man will be from one and one-half to three yards outside of the offensive end's normal position1 with his inside foot forward1 and his shoulders parallel with the line of scrimmage4 ,if it is a straight back pass1 the defensive end1 without taking his eyes off the passer1 will turn to his outside1 and using a cross-over step will sprint to his outside trying to get width and depth to play the ball to his side4 ,his depth should be #h-aj yards deep1 similar to a linebacker's position covering the flat4 ,he stops running when the quarterback stops to set up4 ,when the ball is thrown1 he sprints for the ball4 ,if the play comes toward the #h man1 we want him to cross the line of scrimmage about two yards1 getting set with his inside foot forward1 shoulders parallel with the line of scrimmage1 and playing the outside blocker4 ,he is the outside contain man1 and he must not permit the ball to get outside of him4 ,he never makes the quarterback pitch on option plays4 ,if it is a running pass toward him1 he is the outside contain and rush man4 ,if the flow goes away from him1 he must make sure it is not a reverse play back to his side before he takes his proper angle of pursuit1 which is through the area where the defensive safety man lined up originally4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #bj ,the #i ,technique ,figure #ba illustrates where the defensive men line up when playing a #i technique1 splitting the outside foot of the offensive end4 ,he should line up #ad inches off the line of scrimmage1 with most of the weight on his outside foot which is back4 ,when the ball is snapped1 the #i technique man will take a short step with his inside foot toward the offensive end1 and at the same time he will deliver a hand or forearm shiver to the head of the offensive end4 ,if the offensive end blocks in and the play comes toward him1 the #i man immediately looks for the near halfback or the trapper expecting to be blocked by either offensive man4 ,if a running play comes toward him and the quarterback is going to option the football1 he must make the quarterback pitch the ball4 ,if the quarterback is faking the ball to the fullback1 the #i man must 8search0 the fullback for the ball first4 ,the #i technique man never crosses the line of scrimmage4 ,if the offensive play is a straight back pass1 the #i man delivers a blow to the end1 and drops back two or three yards looking for the screen or short pass4 ,he is in a position to come up and make the tackle if the quarterback gets outside of your outside rusher and the quarterback decides to run with the football4 ,if the flow goes away1 he is the trail man and has the same responsibilities as the #f and #g technique men1 which ,i explained previously4 ,the most important coaching point is that the man playing the #i technique must deliver a good blow to the offensive end on every play4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ba ,,our ,,defensive ,,stance ,we are not too particular about the stance our defensive players employ1 but on the other hand we are not so indifferent that we ignore how they line up defensively4 ,we want them to be comfortable1 but at the same time the linemen must be in a position so they can uncoil1 make good contact1 and be in a good position so they can move quickly4 ,we never permit a man to take a stance in which he gets too extended and loses most of his hitting power4 ,there are a few basic techniques we insist our defensive players use4 ,these techniques vary to some extent from position to position4 ,the defensive stance for linemen1 linebackers1 and the secondary is as follows3 ,guards--,the defensive stance our guards take is very similar to the stance we use offensively4 ,we like them to be in a four-point stance with their feet even and spread about three inches wider than their shoulders4 ,the weight must be slightly forward1 and their tail slightly higher than their shoulders4 ,their back is straight1 and their shoulders are square4 ,their hands are slightly outside of their feet1 elbows relaxed1 with thumbs turned in and forward of the shoulders slightly4 ,tackles--,the defensive stance our tackles take is very similar to the stance we use offensively4 ,we want our tackles to use a four-point stance1 having their inside foot staggered back slightly4 ,their feet should be a little wider than their shoulders4 ,the weight must be forward slightly1 and the tail should be slightly higher than the head4 ,just like the guards' stance1 we want their back straight and their shoulders square4 ,their neck must be relaxed1 but their eyes must be focused on the man opposite or on the ball4 ,the hands are slightly outside of the feet1 elbows relaxed1 and the thumbs turned in and forward of the shoulders slightly4 ,ends--,the defensive ends line up with their inside foot forward and perpendicular to the line of scrimmage4 ,we want our ends standing up in a good football position4 ,the knees are slightly bent1 as is their body bent forward slightly at the waist4 ,they must have their eyes on the quarterback1 but still be able to see the offensive halfback and end closest to them on their side4 ,when the action starts toward an end1 we want him to come across the line and make contact with the outside blocker4 ,the shoulders should remain parallel with the line of scrimmage upon contact with an offensive back4 ,linebackers--,we want our linebackers to be standing with their feet even and parallel with each other4 ,they should be in a good football position--tail down1 back straight1 slight bend at the waist1 weight on the balls of the feet1 knees bent1 and coiled to the extent that when a guard or tackle fires out on the linebacker the defensive man can whip him4 ,our linebacker takes a step forward with the inside foot toward the blocker who is firing out at him4 ,we want him to drop his tail and hit on the rise when making contact4 ,he then brings his back foot up even with his forward foot so that he will be in a position to move laterally4 ,halfbacks--,our defensive halfbacks line up in their regular position which is three yards outside of the offensive end in a #c-;deep defense1 and on the inside shoulder of the offensive end in a #d-spoke defense4 ,we want our halfbacks to have their outside foot back with the inside foot pointing perpendicular to the line of scrimmage4 ,the outside foot is about #ad behind the front foot1 and pointing out at a #de degree angle4 ,the halfback's knees should be flexed slightly1 and he must be in a good football position4 ,his arms should be in a cocked position4 ,he must face the quarterback4 ,his first step is backward and outward4 ,corner man--,the corner man lines up in his regular position about four yards wide and two and one-half yards deep1 with his feet parallel and even about #ah apart pointing directly toward the offensive quarterback4 ,he should be in a good football position1 weight on the balls of the feet1 arms cocked1 etc4 ,he should not rest his hands on his knees4 ,from a good football position he can rotate quickly and properly1 or he can come forward and meet the play if it comes toward him4 ,safety--,the safety man lines up a little deeper than the other backs4 ,he should face slightly the wide side of the field or the strong side of the offensive backfield4 ,he has his outside foot back1 and he is permitted to stand a little straighter than the other deep backs4 ,he1 too1 is in a good football position watching the quarterback4 ,his first step is backward and outward1 and he must be able to cover a pass from sideline to sideline4 ,,our ,,surprise ,,defense ,we never send our boys into a football game without trying to prepare them for every conceivable situation that might arise during the contest4 ,we must try to anticipate every situation1 and counteract with a sound defense4 ,a situation might be very unusual1 and we cannot actually defense it properly until the coach in the press box tells us exactly what the opposition is doing4 ,then we can work out the proper defense on the sideline and send it in4 ,in the meantime the boys must have something they can counteract with immediately or the opposition is likely to score with its surprise offense4 ,consequently our signal caller will yell1 8,surprise ,defense10 when he sees an unusual offensive formation1 and the boys will react accordingly4 ,our rules for covering a spread or unusual offensive alignment are as follows3 #a4 ,if one man flanks1 our halfback will cover him4 #b4 ,if two men go out1 our halfback and end will move out and cover them4 #c4 ,if three men go out1 our halfback1 tackle and end move out and cover them4 #d4 ,if four offensive men go out1 we put out the halfback1 end and tackle1 and our linebacker goes out half-way4 ,the alignment for the linebacker would be a yard deeper and a yard wider than he usually lines up4 #e4 ,if five men go out on the offensive team1 we put out our halfback1 end1 tackle1 linebacker half-way1 and the defensive guard4 ,if they put more than five men out1 we do not change our alignment4 #f4 ,if there is any doubt about how to meet strength with strength1 we start with the outside man and put a defender on every other offensive man4 #g4 ,the safety man will always play in the middle of the field or in the middle of the eligible receivers4 #h4 ,a defensive end must never be flanked by one offensive man unless he can beat the flanker through the gap and into the offensive backfield4 #i4 ,a tackle should never be flanked by two offensive men unless he can beat the nearest opponent4 #aj4 ,the initial charge of the players who are left on defense is to the outside1 unless there is a concentration of offensive backs4 ,should the latter be the case1 then the defensive charge will be normal4 #aa4 ,the greater the offensive team splits its line1 the farther off the line of scrimmage the defenders must play4 ,figures #bb-bc illustrate two examples of spread formations1 and the application of our surprise defense coverage rules4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #bb ,the first offensive man who flanks to our right 7,figure #bb71 will be covered by our defensive right halfback4 ,the second to our right will be covered by our right end4 ,the first man flanked to our left will be covered by our offensive left halfback2 the second man out1 by our left end2 the third flanker1 by our left tackle2 the fourth flanker will be covered by our left linebacker1 who will move out half-way4 ,the fifth man flanked to our left will be covered by our left guard4 ,the remaining players will meet strength with strength4 ,our right guard will play on the outside shoulder of the offensive right guard1 and the defensive right tackle will play on the outside shoulder of the offensive left guard1 as illustrated in ,figure #bb4 ,we instruct our defensive players to force the offensive players to come to them4 ,we do not want our men off the line of scrimmage to penetrate1 leaving gaps in the defense4 ,we want our men to be in a good football position so they can pursue the ball quickly4 ,figure #bc illustrates another example of the application of our surprised defense rules in covering a spread offense4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #bc ,,our ,,victory ,,defense ,i think it is very important for a team to be able to go into a 8,victory ,defense0 when the occasion warrants its use2 for example1 when you have a slim lead with little time remaining before the termination of the first half or the game4 ,we will go into a #e-man line if we have the game won and our opponents are not close to our goal line4 ,under such circumstances we can afford to permit the opposition to get a first down or two1 but we cannot afford to let them complete the long pass or the long run for a touchdown4 ,we believe our victory defense is sound1 and we are playing sound defensive football when we employ it4 ,figure #bd illustrates the victory defense we used eight times in one year1 and we intercepted our opposition's intended forward pass on seven of the eight occasions4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #bd ,the individual and team duties and responsibilities when we employ our ,victory ,defense are as follows3 ,middle ,lineman--,sole responsibility is to look for the screen pass and_/or for the draw play4 ,ends and ,tackles--,line up on the outside shoulder of the offensive ends and tackles4 ,if the offensive end7s7 splits1 we will adjust on them with our three deep backs4 ,we want our defensive ends to shove the offensive ends to the inside1 holding them up if possible1 and then look to the inside for a trap block or for a screen pass4 ,should neither of these occur1 the ends are to contain the passer1 not permitting the ball to get outside either of their respective positions4 ,they should play loose and proceed with caution1 rather than rushing hard into the offensive backfield4 ,the defensive tackles should play back off the line of scrimmage with their feet even and parallel4 ,each tackle must keep his man in front of him1 not permitting the offensive tackles to block them in or out4 ,when a pass develops1 the tackles must rush the passer1 making certain to stay in front of the football4 ,linebackers--,line up about six yards deep and at a spot opposite where the defensive end ordinarily would line up4 ,by lining up wide1 we hope to funnel the offense toward the middle of our formation4 ,by this ,i mean we want them to direct their attack toward the inside and we don't want them to turn the corner1 to get outside or to kill the clock by running out-of-bounds4 ,halfbacks and ,safety--,we want our halfbacks to be at least #ab yards deep and well outside the offensive formation4 ,we want our safety man at least #ab yards deep and in the middle of our defensive alignment4 ,the three backs will play their regular defense4 ,best ,defensive ,player--,the next step in setting up our ,victory ,defense is to station our very best defensive football player #aj yards behind the middle safety man4 ,his sole responsibility is to keep the offensive team from scoring4 ,he must always stay between the ball and the goal line4 ,we do not want him to come forward and break up a pass4 ,nor do we want him coming up to make the tackle4 ,we want him to fight off blockers and make certain the ball carrier does not score should our defense break down and the opposition move downfield toward the goal line with a long run or a completed pass4 ,when the ball is thrown1 we want every man on the team to go for the ball except our deepest man1 our best defensive football player4 ,he remains #aj yards behind the ball at all times in case there is a tip and the opponent might catch it and score4 ,his sole responsibility is to keep the opposition from scoring when we are using our ,victory ,defense4 ,,our ,,goal ,,line ,,defense ,our goal line defense is very simple1 and ,i am certain many other coaches use the same goal line defense1 as illustrated in ,figure #be4 ,perhaps there are a number of goal line defenses that are better than ours1 but we have faith and believe in our goal line defense1 and ,i believe this is #ej of the battle4 ,when we go into our goal line defense1 we want our boys to be so sold on what they are doing that they are not going to let the opposition score4 ,each man is going to take it upon himself to see that they do not score over his particular defensive area4 ,playing goal line defense is a terrific challenge4 ,there is not much territory remaining1 and the big questions are1 8,who is going to come out on top80 and 8,who will end up with the ball when the dust settles80 ,if we give our team a sound plan and teach it to them well1 and they believe in it and in us1 we will do all right4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #be ,figure #be illustrates our goal line defense1 and the individual and team duties and responsibilities are as follows3 ,ends--,the defensive ends line up in a four-point stance as close to the line of scrimmage as they can get1 just shading the outside eye of the offensive ends4 ,on the snap of the ball the defensive ends will charge low and hard through the tail of their offensive ends1 trying to get approximately one yard deep into the offensive backfield4 ,if the flow comes toward his side and the quarterback has the football1 the defensive end tries to force the quarterback to pitch back to the off-halfback4 ,tackles--,the defensive tackles line up on the outside eye of the offensive tackles1 and they aim for a spot one yard deep in the offensive backfield behind the inside foot of the offensive tackles4 ,each tackle is responsible for the hand-off play to his side1 making the tackle or forcing the dive play to the inside so our middle linebacker can make the tackle4 ,guards--,the defensive guards get their spacing by lining up on each other1 but theoretically they will line up on the inside eye of the offensive guards4 ,they are responsible for sealing-off the middle of the line1 and for keeping the offensive center from blocking the middle linebacker4 ,they aim for a spot about one yard behind the offensive center's position4 ,they must get to this spot using a low1 hard submarine charge4 ,as illustrated in ,figure #bf1 if our six linemen carry out their defensive assignments using a low1 hard charge and get to their predetermined spots1 we will form a wall4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #bf ,middle ,linebacker or ,defensive ,center 7see ,figure #be7--;,he is responsible for making any play that occurs between the offensive tackles4 ,he should make the tackle on a hand-off1 on a play up the middle1 and help on the off-tackle play4 ,on a back-up pass1 he will drop off covering a short zone4 ,if the play starts wide1 the middle linebacker will pursue the football4 ,he should be one of the best defensive football players4 ,figure #bg illustrates the defensive position and responsibilities of the middle linebacker on our goal line defense4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #bg ,inside ,linebackers or ,fullback and ,right ,halfback 7see ,figure #be7--,they are responsible for the off-tackle play and the quick containing of the quarterback on the option play 7,figure #bh;a74 ,if the flow goes away1 they check for the counter play before they pursue the football4 ,on a running pass toward one side or the other1 as illustrated in ,figure #bh;b1 one linebacker will cover the flat and the other his hook spot4 ,on a back-up pass they will cover the short one-quarter zones or areas4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #bh;a ,illustration3 ,,figure #bh;b ,outside ,linebackers or the ,left ,halfback and the ,quarterback 7see ,figure #be7--,they are responsible for the wide play4 ,they must not permit the play to get outside of them on their particular side of the defensive alignment4 ,when the offensive play starts1 both outside linebackers will 8read0 the offensive end closest to them1 and the flow of the offensive backs4 ,it is important they diagnose a running pass correctly1 because the offensive end to the on-side must be covered correctly if his route is deep4 7,the outside linebacker must cover the deep man whether it's an end or a back47 ,if the play is away1 the backs will revolve toward it4 ,the two inside and two outside linebackers 7,figure #be7 play #d-spoke pass coverage on all passes1 which will be explained in greater detail in ,chapter #e1 8,pass ,defense40 ,our automatic 8,thunder10 which is very good versus this particular situation1 will also be explained later4 ,a ,,split-,t ,,defense ,there are a number of good defenses versus a ,t team with a straight-up ,t backfield4 ,i will go over several of the defenses we have used more frequently than others4 ,figure #bi illustrates our #ei call or the ,oklahoma #e-d defense versus the ,t formation4 ,the individual and team duties and responsibilities are as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,figure #bi ,ends--,the defensive ends play a #i technique1 and on this particular defense both ends' assignments and techniques will be identical4 ,they will not penetrate beyond the line of scrimmage unless the flow is away4 ,when the flow goes away1 the off-side defensive end becomes the trail man4 ,tackles--,the defensive tackles play a #e technique1 which ,i discussed in detail earlier in the chapter4 ,they will never cross the line except on a straight drop back pass1 and then both tackles will rush the passer4 ,otherwise the tackles whip their respective opponents 7tackles7 and pursue the football4 ,middle ,guard--,the middle guard plays a #j technique1 always alert for the screen pass or the draw play4 ,on the snap of the ball1 the middle guard should whip the offensive center and then go to the ball4 ,linebackers--,the inside linebackers will line up on the outside eye of their respective offensive guards1 and 8read0 through them into the offensive backfield4 ,if the offensive guards or tackles fire out1 the linebackers whip them and go to the football4 ,if the flow goes away1 the off-side linebacker will check the counter play1 and then pursue the football4 ,on a drop back pass each linebacker will cover his short one-quarter pass zone or area4 ,the defensive secondary will play its regular #d-spoke defense1 and revolve on the plays after the offense shows what they are going to do 7or from a predetermined call1 which will be explained shortly74 ,the #d-spoke secondary will be discussed and illustrated in ,chapter #e1 8,pass ,defense40 ,figure #cj illustrates our #bg call or a wide tackle #f defensive alignment versus the ,t formation4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #cj ,we use a #f-b alignment frequently because we can stunt easily or we can play it straight versus a long yardage situation1 and we can jump from it into another defensive alignment without too much difficulty4 ,the linebackers control their particular units1 as ,i explained earlier4 ,the individual and team duties and responsibilities are as follows3 ,guards--,the guards will play a tough #b technique1 then pursue the football4 ,on a drop back pass they are responsible for the screen pass in the middle1 the draw play1 and rushing the passer4 ,tackles--,the tackles will play a tough #g technique4 ,they are responsible for the off-tackle play to their respective side4 ,if the play goes away1 the tackle is the trail man4 ,on back-up passes1 the tackles rush the passer from the outside4 ,ends--,the defensive ends play an #h technique1 and they are the contain men if the flow comes their way4 ,if the ball goes away1 the off-end drops back and pursues through the area where the safety lined up originally4 ,on back-up passes they will cover the short one-quarter pass areas or zones4 ,linebackers--,the linebackers line up on the inside eye of the offensive tackles1 and play their regular positions4 ,if the play comes toward them1 the linebacker whips the blocker with a flipper and plays the ball carrier4 ,when flow is away1 he checks the counter play and then pursues the football4 ,on pass plays they will cover their short one-quarter pass zones4 ,secondary--,the defensive secondary will play their regular #c-;deep coverage1 which will be explained in the next chapter4 ,on wide-running plays the halfback must come up to the outside and turn the play back inside4 ,the safety man comes up to the inside1 playing inside-out1 and the off- or far halfback revolves and becomes the last safety man4 ,figures #ca-cd illustrate several of our defensive stunts from a #f-b alignment which we have employed with success in the past4 ,in ,figure #ca the linemen pinch1 sealing-off the inside1 and the linebackers cover outside4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ca ,in ,figure #cb the guards loop to the outside over the offensive tackles1 and the linebackers fill inside the offensive guard splits4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #cb ,figure #cc illustrates a simple ,x-pattern between the defensive ends and tackles4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #cc ,figure #cd illustrates the tackles pinching1 and the linebackers replacing them at the line of scrimmage over the offensive ends4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #cd ,,our ,,defense ,,versus ,,an ,,unbalanced ,,line ,we do not adjust a great deal to an unbalanced line1 and our adjustments are relatively simple4 ,we merely move our defensive line over one whole man1 and then revolve the secondary toward the weak side1 as illustrated in ,figure #ce4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ce ,when we do this1 we carry out our same assignments1 which ,i have explained already4 ,the only difference is that our middle guard lines up on the offensive strong side guard1 instead of on the center4 ,if we are playing a #c-;deep defense1 we would adjust with our linemen4 ,then we consider the strong guard as the middle of the offensive line 7the center71 and we play our regular defense4 ,,adjustments ,,versus ,,backs ,,and ,,ends ,,flanked ,when we have a defense called and the opposition comes out and lines up with a back or an end out1 we can play it one of two ways4 ,if it is a floater out or an end split1 we will adjust slightly with our secondary1 and we will drop the defensive end off the line a little4 ,the remainder of the defensive linemen will play the defense that has been called4 ,if a flanker is put out to one side or the other1 we will revolve our #d-spoke secondary toward him and leave the linemen in their regular positions1 or we will shift our line toward the flanker one whole man4 ,these adjustments will be explained and illustrated more fully in ,chapter #e1 8,pass ,defense40 ,in making our game plans1 which will be discussed in ,chapter #aj1 8,planning ,for a ,game10 we will always have a definite call that our signal caller will use in the situations discussed above relating to our adjustments versus backs and_/or ends flanked out4 ,as an example1 we may tell our signal caller to shift our defense away from ends out and floaters1 but shift toward flankers and an unbalanced line4 ,these calls will depend upon the information we secure from scouting our opponents4 ,,our ,,defenses ,,versus ,,the ,,single ,,wing ,,offense ,defensing the single wing offense has always created problems for us because we feel we must meet strength with strength1 and then we get hurt to the weak side4 ,figures #cf-cg illustrate two defenses which we believe are sound1 and we have used them successfully against the single wing offense4 ,of course1 personnel makes the defense as we all know1 and a linebacker like ,jack ,pardee whom ,i had at ,texas ,a ,m made all of our defenses sound4 ,figure #cf is a defense which ,i feel is especially good versus the single wing offense4 ,the duties of the defenders are as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,figure #cf ,strong ,side ,end--,the end lines up one to three yards outside of the wingback1 8reading0 him and the offensive end4 ,if the flow comes toward him1 the strong side end comes across hard about three yards into the offensive backfield1 and he turns everything in1 as he is the contain man4 ,when he makes contact with the outside blocker1 the defensive end's shoulders must be parallel to the line of scrimmage4 ,if the flow goes away from him1 he drops back and pursues the ball carrier4 ,on a straight drop back pass1 he will cover the short one-quarter area4 ,strong ,side ,tackle--,he lines up on the outside eye of the offensive end1 and on the snap of the ball he charges through the head of his man4 ,he is to penetrate the offense about one yard4 ,if the flow goes away1 he trails the play4 ,on a straight drop back pass he rushes from the outside4 ,strong ,side ,guard--,he lines up on the outside eye of the offensive guard and on the snap of the ball he tries to penetrate through the head of the guard1 trying to seal-off the middle4 ,if the flow goes away1 he will pursue the ball4 ,on a straight drop back pass he rushes from the inside4 ,weak ,side ,guard--,he has the same alignment and assignment as his strong side guard1 only he is on the other side of the defensive line4 ,weak ,side ,linebacker--,he plays in front of the offensive weak side end and keeps him from getting out quickly on a pass play4 ,if the flow comes toward him1 the weak side linebacker whips the end and then 8plays football40 ,if the flow is away1 he will pursue the ball4 ,on a straight drop back pass he will cover the short flat one-quarter pass zone or area4 ,weak ,side ,end--,he lines up about two yards outside of the offensive weak side end4 ,if the flow comes toward him1 he will come across the line playing his #h technique1 which ,i have explained before4 ,he cannot permit the play to get outside of his position4 ,when he makes contact with the blocker1 his shoulders must be parallel with the line of scrimmage4 ,he will trail the play if the flow goes away from him4 ,he rushes the passer on a drop back pass action4 ,middle ,linebacker--,he lines up in front of the center4 ,he varies his position as at times he will be close1 and other times off the offensive center's position4 ,he keys the blocking back1 who is the offensive quarterback1 and the middle linebacker goes to the football4 ,he drops back and covers the short one-quarter area on drop back passes4 ,strong ,side ,linebacker--,he lines up approximately behind the strong side tackle1 and he reads the wingback1 end and quarterback4 ,when the flow comes toward him1 he comes up and plays it tough4 ,when the flow goes away from him he pursues the football4 ,he covers a short one-quarter area versus the straight drop back pass4 #c-;,deep ,secondary--,they play their regular #c-;deep coverage1 which will be discussed in detail in the next chapter4 ,figure #cg illustrates another of our #f-b defensive alignments versus the single wing offense4 ,the individual assignments are the same as those just described1 except that the guards play slowly4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #cg ,we employ a number of defensive stunts when we play against a single wing team4 ,we have been quite successful in the past with the stunts illustrated in ,figures #ch-da4 ,there are other stunts which may be used1 of course1 but we have found the four stunts illustrated 7,figures #ch-da7 satisfactory and adequate4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ch ,illustration3 ,,figure #ci ,illustration3 ,,figure #dj ,illustration3 ,,figure #da ,,conclusion ,there are many defenses that are good versus various offensive formations4 ,the important point is to have a defense you and your players believe in1 and which is sound in all respects4 ,each player must take pride in himself and his defensive ability4 ,he must personally feel he is not going to permit the opposition to score4 ,he must accept it as a personal challenge to himself4 ,he must eliminate the long run and_/or the long pass for the 8easy0 touchdown1 pursue relentlessly and tackle viciously in order to be sound both individually and as a team while on defense4 ,other phases of defensive football1 such as defending against the on-side kick and the field goal attempt1 will be discussed in detail in ,chapter #f1 8,our ,kicking ,game40 ,the drills which we use for our defensive ends1 interior linemen1 linebackers1 the secondary1 and for the team will be illustrated in ,chapter #aa4 ,pass defense will be discussed in its entirety in ,chapter #e4 ,,chapter #e ,pass ,defense3 ,objectives and ,tactics ,an intercepted pass will probably get the defensive team out of a tight spot quicker than any other play in football4 ,an intercepted pass also can change the complexion of a game very quickly4 ,we recognize the fact that a team which is difficult to pass against is a difficult team to defeat4 ,therefore1 in order to be 8tough0 defensively pass defense is one phase of football which we must work on every day4 ,if we can either eliminate a team's passing game or hold this phase of their offense to a minimum gain1 we will definitely have the edge over our opposition4 ,basically1 good pass defense is merely being in the proper position and going for the football when it is in the air4 ,our most important coaching point is1 8,when the football is in the air1 it belongs to us and we must get it60 ,pass defense requires more individual desire by the players than any other phase of the game of football4 ,if a boy has tremendous desire and the ability to play defensive football1 you place him in a spot where it is possible for him to intercept the pass if it comes near his area1 and you will have a winner4 ,,pass ,,defense ,,objectives ,pass defense is so vital that one simple defensive mistake can cost your team a football game4 ,in order to have a good football team1 the play in the defensive secondary must be sound4 ,the primary objective of pass defense is to keep the opponent from scoring1 and secondly1 to get the football4 ,we stress these points all the time4 ,on every play we want each player trying to get possession of the football for our team4 ,pass defense consists of the following phases3 #a4 ,rushing the passer4 #b4 ,holding up the receivers4 #c4 ,covering the areas or zones4 ,we have found it difficult to do a good job of all three of these phases at the same time4 ,rushing the ,passer ,rushing the passer is a good element of surprise1 especially with an #h- or #i-man line4 ,overloading one side of the line is a sound tactic1 too1 because you have more men rushing than the offense has blocking1 and the quarterback must get rid of the ball quickly4 ,if the quarterback has sufficient time to spot his receivers1 then throw to one of them when he breaks to get open1 it is difficult for the defense to cover the pass properly4 ,the men rushing the passer must have their hands up high1 forcing the passer to release the ball higher than he does normally4 ,such tactics keep the passer from throwing the fast1 straight1 bullet-like pass1 which is the hardest for the defenders to break up4 ,secondly1 the rushers with their hands high cause the pass to remain in the air longer because of its upward trajectory as it is released4 ,consequently this gives the defensive secondary time to release from their areas and sprint to the spot where the ball is descending4 ,the man who has the outside rush1 and whose responsibility it is to contain1 must get his hands high4 ,he should not leap off the ground in an effort to tackle the passer1 as he must be in a position to contain him in the event the passer tries to get out of the pocket and_/or runs with the football4 ,when we are rushing the passer1 we want our players to know they must not permit the passer to throw the football4 ,in a definite passing situation when we decide to overload a zone and rush more men than the opposition has blockers1 we acknowledge the fact we are sacrificing coverage in our secondary4 ,therefore1 we must put on a strong rush1 and we cannot permit the ball to be thrown4 ,figure #db illustrates an overload on the right side of the offensive line4 ,analyzing the illustration and assuming it is a passing situation when we overload1 if the opposition does throw a drop back pass1 we are in good shape because we have more rushers than they have blockers4 ,if the opposition runs to their right1 which would be our left1 again we are sound defensively because they are running into our strength4 ,in other words1 we are #ff correct before the play even starts4 ,if the opposition goes to their left 7our right71 we are not strong1 but by our right side hitting and sliding to the outside1 as illustrated in ,figure #db1 we will not be hurt4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #db ,there are many ways of rushing a passer1 but we do not expect to do a really good job of rushing unless we out-number the blockers4 ,then1 when we have a pass rush called1 our boys know they cannot permit the passer to throw the ball1 as ,i cited previously4 ,holding ,up ,receivers ,we work on detaining the receivers at the line of scrimmage1 but we probably do not devote enough time to this phase of pass defense4 ,the purpose of this defensive tactic is to give your linebackers time to get to their defensive areas before the receivers get to them4 ,it also gives your defensive halfbacks time to get their width and depth and get set up in their respective pass coverage zones4 ,we hold up receivers several different ways as illustrated in ,figures #dc-de4 ,figure #dc illustrates the tackle playing head up on the offensive end in order to detain him4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #dc ,figure #dd illustrates the defensive end and linebacker pinching-off the offensive end1 making it difficult for him to release for a pass4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #dd ,figure #de illustrates a third method of holding up an eligible receiver1 merely by placing the linebacker in front of the offensive end so he can 8whack0 him as he releases from the line of scrimmage4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #de ,covering the ,areas ,we cover the areas on pass defense and not the eligible receivers4 ,we want our players to be in the middle of their areas in a good football position1 and as soon as the ball leaves the passer's hand1 we want our boys to forget about everything else except intercepting the pass4 ,we want our defenders to play through the receiver for the ball4 ,they should never go around the receiver1 unless it is a short pass4 ,they should go for the ball at the highest point they can reach1 and never catch the ball low if they could have intercepted the pass at a greater height4 ,our logic is that if a defender is waiting for the ball to come down so he can handle it at his chest or waist1 the intended receiver has time to come in front of our defender and catch the pass for a completion4 ,whereas if our defender will go back when the ball is thrown1 plant1 and come toward the opponent's goal line intercepting the ball with arms and fingers extended upward1 the intended receiver can't possibly take the ball away from him4 ,this1 of course1 would depend upon the type of pass that was thrown4 ,,our ,,five-,,spoke ,,pass ,,defense ,the #e-spoke or #c-;deep1 as it is commonly referred to at times1 is a very sound defense in the secondary4 ,let me explain exactly what ,i mean by a #e-spoke defense4 ,we compare the perimeter of our defensive secondary to one-half of a wheel1 which may have #e spokes or #d spokes4 ,the principles are basically the same1 as you will see shortly4 ,i shall discuss the #e-spoke defense first1 however4 ,figure #df illustrates our #e-spoke defense4 ,at the end of each of the imaginary spokes is a defender4 ,the distance between the defenders depends on their individual ability4 ,the spokes can be lengthened or shortened1 but they should not be brought closer together or there will be a vulnerable area in the defensive secondary1 as will be illustrated shortly4 ,when the spokes of the wheel are lengthened1 the players automatically become farther apart1 depending upon the distance of the defenders from the football4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #df ,as illustrated in ,figure #df1 there are defensive men stationed at the ends of the spokes at points #a1 #b1 #c1 #d1 and #e4 ,the defensive end located at #a is able to cover the area from point ,f to ,a2 the halfback at point #b can cover the area from ,a to ,b2 the safety at point #c can cover the area from ,b to ,c2 the halfback at point #d covers ,c to ,d2 and the end at point #e can cover the area from ,d to ,e4 ,if the length of the spokes is decreased1 the area to be covered will not be as great4 ,conversely1 the longer the spokes1 the greater the area to be covered by the defensive secondary4 ,if we stretch a wire from ,f to ,a to ,b to ,c to ,d to ,e1 the area enclosed will represent the space in which we should be able to contain our opponents1 as illustrated in ,figure #df4 ,we want our players to assume that the half-wheel will revolve clockwise and counter-clockwise1 but the defenders must always remain at their points at the end of the spokes keeping the same relative distance from each other in order for the defense to be sound4 ,if the offensive team runs to their left1 the wheel should revolve to our right1 counter-clockwise1 as illustrated in ,figure #dg4 ,it would be just the opposite if the play were run to our left--revolve clockwise4 ,if it were a running play up-the-middle1 the spokes of the wheel would be shortened as the defensive men would converge on the ball carrier1 keeping their same proportionate relationship to each other4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #dg ,figure #dh illustrates a vulnerable area in the defensive secondary as the result of the safety man being out of position versus a back up pass4 ,his course should be straight back1 covering the deep middle zone1 so that he is approximately equidistant from his halfbacks4 ,should the error occur1 as illustrated in ,figure #dh1 our pass defense will not be sound4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #dh ,the length of the spokes will be determined by the distance of the defenders from the passer4 ,as an example1 if the passer goes back to throw off of a drop back action1 the spokes would stretch proportionately4 ,the defenders would have time to cover more distance if the passer is attempting to throw deep because the ball must remain in the air longer in order to reach its receiver4 ,conversely1 if the passer attempts to throw a quick pass from only a yard or so off the line of scrimmage1 the receivers will not have time to get deep1 consequently the length of the spokes will not be lengthened but will be shortened proportionately as the defenders converge on the ball as it is thrown4 ,figure #di illustrates the initial depth and width of the ends and the #c-;deep secondary in the #e-spoke defensive alignment when the ball is in the middle of the field between the hash marks4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #di ,figure #ej illustrates the width and depth of the ends and the #c-;deep secondary in the #e-spoke alignment when the opposition has the football on the defensive right hash mark and the wide side of the field is to our left4 ,it would be just the opposite if we were on the defensive left hash mark and the wide side of the field was to our right4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ej ,keys for the #e-,spoke ,defenders ,our #e-spoke defenders key as follows3 ,ends--,our defensive ends look through the tail of the offensive ends and read the whole backfield1 especially the back nearest to the defensive end4 ,halfbacks--,they look through the offensive end to their side and read the whole backfield4 ,it is very important that the halfbacks know at all times where the football is2 consequently1 they should watch the quarterback closely4 ,safety--,the safety looks through the center1 reading the quarterback and the whole offensive backfield4 ,he1 too1 must know where the football is at all times4 ,linebackers--,they line up on the tackle or guard1 depending upon the particular front alignment we are employing at the time1 and read the man in front of them4 ,they should watch the entire backfield1 too4 ,figure #ea illustrates the positions and keys of the linebackers and the #e-spoke defenders4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ea ,dividing the ,areas ,we divide the areas in our defensive secondary into four short one-quarters and three deep one-thirds4 ,the short one-quarters are covered by the ends and linebackers1 and the halfbacks and safety cover the three deep thirds1 as illustrated in ,figure #eb4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #eb ,our short one-quarter areas extend back #af yards from the line of scrimmage because we are trying to force the passer to throw the football higher to his receivers behind our front line4 ,we think that our linebackers can get back approximately #ab-ad yards1 but we always tell them we want them to cover #af yards so they will hustle and work hard to get depth on their pass coverage4 ,if we said only #ab yards1 they might only get back to a depth of #aj-ab yards1 which would not be sufficiently deep to cover their zones4 ,if our inside linebackers drop back #af yards and our corner linebackers drop to #h yards1 if all four of these defenders are in a football position and ready to move1 they should be able to touch any ball that is thrown in this area4 ,there may be a ball thrown in front of our linebackers1 but a completed pass in this area normally will not defeat us4 ,we believe if the passer goes back seven or eight yards1 and our rushers can make him release the ball at a higher angle over their extended arms and fingers1 it will be difficult for the passer to throw in front of the linebackers4 ,consequently if they hustle and get to the depth ,i have indicated1 they should be in a good position to intercept any ball thrown into their zone4 ,we instruct our men in the short 8fourths0 to tip the ball when possible1 providing they cannot intercept it1 as one of our deep backs is likely to intercept a deflected pass4 ,incidentally1 at times we will not have a defender in every 8fourth10 or only two of the 8fourths0 will be covered4 ,at other times we'll have an extra man in one of the 8fourths40 ,after our linebackers get back to their positions1 we want them to assume a relaxed position with the feet almost together1 knees slightly bent1 and ready to move in the direction indicated by their keys4 ,we adopted this stance after making a study of ,jackie ,robinson's relaxed and always ready-to-move position on the baseball field4 ,we do not want our players to waste time and motion running in a circle getting to the football4 ,we can play only three men back in the deep zones4 ,therefore1 we divide our deep zones into 8thirds40 ,a pass should never be completed in one of the deep zones if the line rushes hard forcing the passer to release the ball higher than usual1 if the #c-;deep men cover their zones properly1 and if they see the ball leave the passer's hand and hustle to intercept it4 ,of course1 teams do complete passes on us in these areas1 but we do not believe it should ever happen4 ,each of the #c-;deep men is a 8guardian0 of his particular area of the field1 left1 middle and right one-third4 ,the 8thirds0 will vary in size4 ,as an example1 if the football is over on the offensive team's left 7our right7 hash mark1 the defensive right halfback's third would be smaller than the left halfback's one-third1 as illustrated in ,figure #ec4 ,the right halfback's one-third is smaller because of field position1 and secondly because the ball has a relatively shorter distance to travel if thrown in this area of the field4 ,conversely1 if the ball were thrown in the left halfback's area1 the ball would be in the air longer on a deep pass and both defender and receiver would have farther to go to get to the ball4 ,therefore1 the defensive left halfback's 8third0 would be larger and farther removed from the ball on the opposite hash mark4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ec ,,our ,,pass ,,coverage ,we normally want a man in every area on our pass coverage1 unless we decide for one reason or another not to cover one of the 8fourths10 as ,i indicated previously we sometimes do4 ,the defender must intercept or knock down any and all passes thrown in his area4 ,the defenders do not play man-to-man in their areas1 but each man covers a zone4 ,if he will play in the middle of his zone or area1 when the ball is thrown he can go to it4 ,if a defender plays a man instead of his zone1 the decoy can take him out of his area permitting another receiver to catch the ball4 ,then our defense is not sound4 ,therefore1 we stress zone coverage1 and playing the ball--not the man4 ,coverage of ,straight ,drop ,back ,pass ,we consider a pass that is thrown from between the offensive tackle positions as a straight drop back pass1 as is illustrated in ,figure #ed4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ed ,figure #ee illustrates our coverage of the zones versus a straight drop back pass4 ,the defenders' duties and responsibilities are as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ee ,defensive ,right ,end--,turns to his outside1 sprints back and out to a depth of #aj yards4 ,he then sets up and faces the passer4 ,he covers a short one-quarter zone4 ,when the ball is thrown1 he sprints for it4 ,defensive ,right ,linebacker--,using a cross-over step1 he turns to the outside and sprints back trying to get a depth of #ab-ad yards4 ,he must set up when the passer sets up4 ,he keeps his distance with his other linebacker to the inside4 ,when the ball is thrown1 he sprints for it4 ,defensive ,right ,halfback--,his first step is backward and outward1 and he continues to go back covering his deep one-third zone4 ,he should not get closer than eight yards to the sideline4 ,when the ball is thrown1 he sprints for it4 ,defensive ,safety--,he should favor the wide side of the field when he retreats to cover his middle one-third zone4 ,if no one is coming into his area1 he should favor the side with two receivers out4 ,when the ball is thrown1 he sprints for it4 ,defensive ,left ,halfback--,his first step is backward and outward1 and he continues to go back covering his deep one-third zone4 ,he should never get closer than eight yards to the sideline4 ,when the ball is thrown1 he sprints for it4 ,defensive ,left ,linebacker--,he turns to his outside and sprints back1 using a cross-over step1 and tries to get a depth of #ab-ad yards4 ,however1 he must set up when the passer stops and sets up4 ,he keeps his distance with the linebacker to the inside4 ,when the football is thrown1 he sprints for it4 ,defensive ,left ,end--,he turns to his outside and sprints backward and outward to a depth of #aj yards1 and faces the passer4 ,he covers a short one-quarter zone4 ,when the football is thrown1 he sprints for it4 ,coverage of an ,action ,pass ,figure #ef illustrates our coverage versus an action pass4 ,the defenders' duties and responsibilities are as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ef ,defensive ,right ,end--,he crosses the line of scrimmage and contains the passer very quickly4 ,he must make the passer throw the football quickly4 ,we do not want the passer to be able to hit the deep receiver4 ,defensive ,right ,linebacker--,he plays the run first4 ,after he sees the offensive end releasing1 and when he knows that a pass is developing1 he sprints out and covers the flat4 ,defensive ,right ,halfback--,his first step is back and out4 ,he starts off slowly at first1 then covers faster and faster4 ,he will cover the deep one-third of the field on his side4 ,he must be as wide as the widest receiver1 unless the receiver is within eight yards of the sideline4 ,then he will play an inside-out position on the receiver4 ,defensive ,safety--,his first step would be back and out1 favoring the wide side of the field4 ,his area of responsibility is the deep one-third of the field4 ,he must always be as deep as the deepest receiver4 ,when the ball is thrown1 he will sprint for it4 ,defensive ,left ,halfback--,his first step will be back and out when he sees the flow is going away from him4 ,he should turn to the inside and get depth as he covers his area of responsibility1 which is the deep one-third of his side of the field4 ,defensive ,left ,linebacker--,when he sees the flow going away from him1 he will play the counter first1 then start to pursue the football4 ,when he sees a pass developing1 he sprints back to his spot and covers the short one-quarter zone4 ,pass ,defense ,versus ,broken ,backfield 7,straight ,drop ,back ,pass7 ,figure #eg illustrates our pass coverage of a straight drop back pass when the offense has a broken backfield4 ,the defenders' duties and responsibilities are as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,figure #eg ,defensive ,right ,end--,he should line up slightly wider1 and he goes back to his spot about #aj yards deep4 ,he will get a little greater width when a man is flanking him4 ,defensive ,right ,linebacker--,he should play a little looser1 but still cover his spot about #ab-ad yards deep4 ,defensive ,right ,halfback--,he should line up slightly wider1 about one and one-half yards outside of the flank man4 ,he will still cover his regular one-third deep zone4 ,defensive ,safety--,he should line up in a position where he will be in the middle of the eligible receivers4 ,he will face out1 and he will cover the deep middle one-third of the field4 ,defensive ,left ,halfback--,his alignment does not change and he has the same deep one-third area4 ,defensive ,left ,linebacker--,his alignment does not change and he has the same short one-quarter area1 which is about #ab-ad yards deep4 ,defensive ,left ,end--,his alignment and assignment does not change4 ,he will have the same width and depth1 and cover the short one-quarter area4 ,pass ,defense ,versus ,action ,pass ,with ,broken ,backfield ,figure #eh illustrates our pass coverage of an action pass 7to our left7 from a broken backfield4 ,the defensive players' duties and responsibilities are as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,figure #eh ,defensive ,left ,end--,he plays a little wider than usual1 and he has one of two options depending upon which defense has been called4 ,he either rushes and contains the passer quickly or he will drop off and cover the short flat area4 ,when the latter occurs1 the tackle has the outside rush and contain responsibility then in place of the defensive end4 ,defensive ,left ,linebacker--,he plays his regular position4 ,he plays the run first1 but when he sees a pass develop1 he covers his short one-quarter area4 ,if the defensive end is going to contain the passer1 the linebacker will check for the run first and then cover the short flat4 ,defensive ,left ,halfback--,he lines up on the outside shoulder of the widest man and on the snap of the ball he steps back and out4 ,he plays his regular position1 and his area of responsibility is the deep one-third to his side of the field4 ,defensive ,safety--,he lines up in the area where he will be splitting the eligible receivers4 ,his area of responsibility is the deep middle one-third4 ,defensive ,right ,halfback--,his first step is toward his outside4 ,as soon as he sees the flow going away from him1 however1 he turns and gets depth still covering the deep one-third area to his side4 ,defensive ,right ,linebacker--,he will play the counter when he sees the flow going away from him4 ,when he sees a pass develop1 he will cover his short one-quarter area4 ,defensive ,right ,end--,the back who is flanked out does not alter the defensive right end's responsibility4 ,he will start pursuing the ball until he recognizes a pass1 then he will cover his short one-quarter area4 ,pass ,defense ,versus ,end ,out ,we cover the split end1 illustrated in ,figure #ei1 exactly the same way that we would cover a back out4 ,if the play is an action pass away from the end out1 we would cover it as we cover a regular action pass4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ei ,pass ,defense ,versus a ,flanked ,back and a ,split ,end to ,opposite ,sides ,figure #fj illustrates our defensive alignment versus a flanked back and a split end out to opposite sides4 ,our coverage depends on whether it is an action or a straight back pass we are defending against4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #fj ,versus the straight drop back pass1 we cover this like our regular drop back coverage4 ,our ends drop off and cover their short one-quarter areas1 and the linebackers cover their short one-quarter areas4 ,the defensive halfbacks line up outside of the widest man to their side unless he is closer than six yards to the sideline4 ,they cover their deep one-third area1 always staying as deep as the deepest receiver4 ,the defensive safety man would line up in a position splitting the eligible receivers4 ,he faces the wide side of the field1 and as the receivers come downfield he would cover the deep middle one-third of the field4 ,versus the action pass1 the ends play their regular defense versus a man out toward them4 ,if the flow comes toward the end1 he comes up containing the passer quickly forcing him to throw the football4 ,the end away from the action will start his angle of pursuit through the area where the defensive safety man lined up originally4 ,when he sees a pass develop1 he tries to get back to the off-side one-third area4 ,the defensive halfback on the side of the action covers his deep one-third area1 unless he receives an oral signal from his safety man4 ,the halfback away from the side of the action takes his steps back and out1 and then sprints to a position where he can cover the off-two-thirds of the field4 ,he must get his width and depth first4 ,the defensive safety will start in the direction of the action1 and then try to get in a position so that he can cover the deep one-third of the field4 ,when he gets in this position1 the defensive safety man gives an oral signal which releases the defensive halfback to go up and cover the short one-quarter area4 ,if the safety cannot get in this proper position1 he does not give the signal and we have two men covering the deep one-third area4 ,,pass ,,defense ,,by ,,positions ,defensive ,end 7,flow toward a defensive end7--,after lining up in his proper stance and position1 when he sees the action coming toward him he crosses the line of scrimmage approximately two yards deep in the offensive backfield4 ,his inside foot should be forward1 and his shoulders parallel to the line of scrimmage1 as he plays off the outside blocker4 ,he must contain the passer quickly4 ,he cannot permit the passer to get outside of his position4 ,on certain defenses he will drop off and cover the short flat1 especially when a back is flanked to his side of the field4 ,defensive ,ends 7,versus drop back pass7--,after lining up in his proper stance and position1 when he recognizes a drop back pass1 he turns to his outside and sprints1 using a cross-over step1 to a spot #aj yards deep4 ,he never takes his eyes off the passer4 ,when the passer gets set to throw the ball1 the defensive end must stop and set up1 even if he has only gotten five yards deep4 ,he must get into a good football position quickly1 which is tail down1 head up1 back straight1 weight on the balls of the feet1 knees slightly bent and feet even4 ,when the passer steps in one direction as if to throw or fake the pass1 we want the end to start in that direction1 even if he 8takes the fake40 ,should the latter occur and the passer not throw the football1 then the end must bring himself under control quickly and sprint for the football when the passer releases it1 regardless of where it is thrown4 ,defensive ,end 7,flow away from a defensive end7--,after taking his proper stance and position and he recognizes the play going away from him1 he commences his angle of pursuit through the area where the defensive safety man lined up originally4 ,when he sees a pass develop1 he stops and still facing the passer and wide side1 he tries to get back into a position to help out in the deep off-one-third4 ,he gets as deep as he can and puts his hands high4 ,consequently the passer must throw the ball high and get it over him4 ,since the ball is thrown higher1 it stays in the air longer and gives our defensive halfback who is covering that third of the field time to react and sprint for the football4 ,when the ball is thrown1 the end must sprint for it4 ,defensive ,linebackers 7,versus straight drop back pass7--,if1 after lining up in their proper position and stance1 they recognize the play as a straight drop back pass1 the linebackers will turn to their outside and by using a cross-over step they will sprint back trying to get to a depth of #ab-ad yards4 ,they should never take their eyes off the passer4 ,as soon as he gets set to throw1 the linebackers should set up in a good football position regardless of their depth at the time4 ,the linebackers must take the first passing fake of the quarterback or they will never be able to knock down the short passes4 ,when the ball is thrown1 they both must sprint to it4 ,defensive ,linebacker 7,flow pass toward a linebacker7--,after the linebacker has lined up in his proper stance and position and recognizes the flow is coming toward him1 he must expect a running play first4 ,the hole he must check will depend upon the defense that has been called4 ,after he has checked for a run but sees a pass developing1 he must turn to his outside and sprint for his short one-quarter area using a cross-over step1 or he will sprint to the flat on his side and cover this area4 ,he1 too1 must get set when he sees the passer get set1 and he takes the first fake4 ,if the ball is not thrown1 he regains his balance1 position1 etc41 and sprints for the ball when it is thrown4 ,defensive ,linebacker 7,flow away from the linebacker7--,from his proper stance and position when he observes the flow going away from him1 he steps in and checks the counter play and then starts his pursuit for the football4 ,when he recognizes a pass developing1 he will plant and try to get back to his short one-quarter area by using a cross-over step4 ,he will continue to go back to his one-quarter area still facing the direction of the flow4 ,he is trying to get to a depth of #ab-ad yards4 ,however1 he must come under control and maintain a good position when the quarterback gets set to pass4 ,he then plays his regular pass defense4 ,he must try to maintain his proper distance between his other linebacker as a short one-quarter area will be vulnerable if they move too close together4 ,when the ball is thrown1 he sprints for it4 ,defensive ,halfbacks 7,versus straight drop back pass7--,after the defensive halfbacks have lined up in their proper stance and position and the ball is put into play1 their first step is back and out4 ,each halfback starts toward his deep one-third zone as he sees the straight drop back pass develop4 ,although they commence slowly1 the longer the passer holds the ball1 the faster and deeper they cover their one-third areas4 ,the deep men do not take the passing fake1 such as the ends and linebackers must do4 ,when the ball is put into the air in his area1 the halfback must sprint to intercept the pass4 ,it is very important that the halfbacks take the shortest and straightest line to the football once it leaves the passer's finger tips4 ,the defensive halfback will never get closer than eight yards to the sideline when he is covering a deep one-third of the field4 ,as he gets close to the sideline and the passer is still holding the football1 the defensive halfback will bend away for the sideline but still remain in a position to see it4 ,if the ball is thrown deep over his head1 the halfback is permitted to turn his back 7whirl around7 on the passer and go after the football4 ,we feel he can cover more ground and get to the ball faster using the whirl around method than if he plants1 pivots1 keeps his eye on the ball1 and then goes after it4 ,this is the only time we will permit a #c-;deep defender to take his eyes off the football4 ,defensive ,halfback 7,flow pass toward a defensive halfback7--,after the halfback has lined up in his regular position and he recognizes an action pass or a running pass coming toward him1 he starts back and out4 ,his area of responsibility is the deep one-third to his side of the field4 ,he must always be as deep as anyone in his area1 and he must be in a position so that he can cover his whole zone4 ,if the football comes into his zone1 he is responsible for it4 ,he must play the ball at the highest possible point he can reach it safely4 ,he must not get closer than eight yards to the sideline because this cuts down his ability to cover the entire one-third1 his responsibility4 ,when the ball is thrown1 he must sprint for it4 ,defensive ,halfback 7,flow pass away from the halfback7--,after lining up in his proper position and stance and recognizing the flow is starting away from him on the snap of the football1 his first step is back and out4 ,he must get his width in case of a roll-out pass4 ,on his third step he will plant1 pivot to his inside1 and get depth covering his one-third to his side of the field4 ,regardless of flow or action his pass responsibility is the deep one-third of the field that he lines up in4 ,defensive ,safety 7,versus straight drop back pass7--,after the safety has lined up in his proper position and stance and he sees the ball has been put into play1 his first step is back and out1 favoring the wide side of the field4 ,he starts running slowly1 but the deeper he goes1 the faster he runs4 ,he cannot permit a receiver to get behind him4 ,he must be as deep as the deepest receiver anywhere on the football field4 ,his responsibility is the deep middle one-third1 and if the ball is thrown in his area1 he must play the ball and not the receiver4 ,we instruct the safety man to be deep enough so that he must come forward to play the football in the air instead of running backward to play it4 ,if the ball is thrown in one of the deep one-third areas to his right or left1 he does not sprint for the ball4 ,instead he sprints for a spot between the place where the ball will come down and the opposition's goal line4 ,in case the opponent catches the ball1 he will be in a position to tackle the receiver4 ,if the ball is tipped into the air1 the safety man should be in a position to catch the ball4 ,he must remember that he is the safety and it is his duty to stop the opposition from scoring if they get past the other #aj defensive men4 ,defensive ,safety 7,flow pass in any direction7--,after the safety has lined up in his proper position and stance and sees the flow pass develop1 his first step is back and out toward the flow4 ,his area of responsibility is the deep middle one-third of the field1 but he goes back facing or favoring the flow4 ,he must get as deep as the deepest receiver and be in a position to cover the middle one-third1 as well as be in a position to help out on deep passes from sideline to sideline4 ,he must remember he is the safety1 and he must prevent the touchdown regardless of where the ball is thrown4 ,all ,defenders ,when the ,ball ,is ,thrown--,when the ball is thrown to any deep one-third area1 the procedure is the same4 ,let's assume the play is a straight drop back pass and it is thrown into our defensive right halfback's one-third zone area1 as illustrated in ,figure #fa4 ,if he is in the proper position1 he will give an oral signal while the ball is still in the air4 ,his signal tells the other defenders he is going to touch the football1 and they should get set in the event it is tipped into the air4 ,the safety will get between the halfback and the opposition's goal line4 ,he should assume a good football position and be alert for the tipped football from his halfback4 ,the defensive ends1 linebackers and the other defensive halfback will be sprinting for the football4 ,when they hear the right halfback's oral signal1 they will stop about five yards away from him1 get into a good football position1 and watch for the tip4 ,if our defender intercepts the football1 his teammates will turn around quickly and block aggressively for him4 ,the technique as ,i have described it is illustrated in ,figure #fa4 ,,advantages ,,of ,,the #e-,,spoke ,,pass ,,defense ,the advantages of the #e-spoke pass defense are as follows3 #a4 ,when playing a team that quick kicks frequently1 we have a man in position to field the kick without weakening our defense4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #fa #b4 ,the #c-;deep men only have one position to learn on defense4 ,the defensive right halfback is always the defensive right halfback1 etc4 #c4 ,when the offense flanks backs and splits ends1 it is easy to adjust our defensive backs4 ,instead of revolving1 they simply loosen up or line up wider and still play their regular positions4 #d4 ,there is always a defender in each of the deep one-third areas without revolving into the areas4 #e4 ,it is easier to cover the running pass because there is no point of indecision4 #f4 ,on a straight drop back pass1 there is a defender in every deep one-third area and one in every short one-quarter area4 #g4 ,we can get fast containment versus the action pass because ends line up in a wide position initially4 #h4 ,it is easy to teach because we delegate a definite area of responsibility on every occasion4 #i4 ,it is a very good defense against the long pass because of the deep centerfielder or safety man4 #aj4 ,keying is cut to a minimum because there is no revolving necessary in order to get a man in the deep safety position4 ,,the #d-,,spoke ,,pass ,,defense ,the #d-spoke or #b-;deep defense is also a very good pass defense4 ,i believe it requires a little better athlete to play some of the positions in a #d-spoke as compared to the #e-spoke defense4 ,i would probably be using the #d-spoke defense if it were not for the fact that a number of teams we play quick kick frequently4 ,this was a major factor in my changing from the #d-spoke defense which we used successfully at ,texas ,a ,m to the #e-spoke defense which we now use at the ,university of ,alabama4 ,advantages of the #d-,spoke ,defense ,the advantages of the #d-spoke defense are as follows3 #a4 ,when playing a #i-man front1 the extra man is always where you need him4 #b4 ,you can stunt a great deal in your secondary and give the passer problems4 #c4 ,it is a good defense against a ,split-,t offense4 #d4 ,tremendous pursuit can be obtained from this formation because the linemen all play an outside technique4 #e4 ,you can predetermine your rotation2 consequently1 you remove any indecision4 #f4 ,you use the same coverage with your goal line defense1 merely tightening up the defense and the secondary4 #g4 ,you put quick pressure on the passer by using your #i-man front advantageously4 #h4 ,the defensive keys are definite4 ,the principle of the #e-spoke pass defense and the #d-spoke pass defense is basically the same with the exception you have only four spokes or four men in the outer perimeter of your secondary4 ,the spokes run from an imaginary center with a defender placed on the end of each spoke1 as illustrated in ,figure #fb4 ,these spokes can all be lengthened or shortened1 as was explained previously for the #e-spoke defense4 ,they must move as a unit or team1 however1 or there will be vulnerable areas in the secondary4 ,we run an imaginary line from defender to defender1 considering the lines as a rubber band1 as illustrated in ,figure #fc4 ,the rubber band can stretch1 but it should not break4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #fb ,illustration3 ,,figure #fc ,in ,figure #fc the spokes have lengthened1 the rubber band has stretched1 and the defense is still sound4 ,the defenders1 although they are farther apart1 have all kept their proper spacing with each other4 ,although they are farther apart1 the time that is required for the ball to travel the extra distance will permit the defenders to cover the space between them4 ,in ,figure #fd the defensive right halfback has taken the wrong route1 causing a large gap in the secondary and we are extremely vulnerable should a pass be thrown into the area where the rubber band has broken4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #fd ,the #d-,spoke ,alignment ,figure #fe illustrates the depth and width of the secondary defenders in the #d-spoke defensive alignment when the ball is in the middle of the field between the hash marks4 ,the defensive corner man will line up about four yards wide and about two and one-half yards deep4 ,they key or read the offensive halfback closest to them1 and the nearest end4 ,the reaction of the corner man will be determined by his keys 7offensive end and near halfback74 ,he will 8read0 the following situations3 #a4 ,if the end blocks in and the backs come toward the corner man1 he should come up and contain the play quickly4 #b4 ,if the end comes out and does not block and the backs start toward the corner man1 he should turn to his outside1 sprint back eight yards and get set to cover his short one-quarter area4 #c4 ,if the end comes out and does not block and the back starts away from the defensive corner man1 he should sprint back and get in a position to cover the deep one-third zone4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #fe ,the deep backs or twin safeties line up on the inside shoulder of the offensive ends about seven and one-half yards deep4 ,they should keep a relative position to each other4 ,the safeties should look through the offensive tackles to the halfbacks4 ,the flow of the offensive backs will determine largely the direction the defensive safeties should go1 who must react on the snap of the ball4 ,the twin safeties should react to the following situations3 #a4 ,on a straight drop back pass1 the safety starts deep to his outside until he gets an oral signal from his corner man4 ,this signal sends him to the middle one-third area4 #b4 ,if the football or the action of the offensive backs goes away from the safety1 he should go to the middle one-third zone4 #c4 ,if the flow comes toward him1 he covers the deep one-third area to his side of the field4 #d-,spoke ,pass ,coverage ,versus ,straight ,drop ,back ,pass ,versus the straight drop back pass1 as illustrated in ,figure #ff1 the linebackers1 corner men and twin safeties will react as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ff ,defensive ,left ,corner ,man--,on the snap of the ball the defensive corner man is in a position to observe both the end and the halfback nearest to him4 ,if the end releases and the halfback is coming toward him1 the corner man must turn to his outside and sprint to a position eight yards deep4 ,he sets up in a good football position and covers his short one-quarter area4 ,he never takes his eyes off the passer1 and should the ball be thrown into his area he intercepts the pass4 ,defensive ,left ,halfback 7,safety7--,after he lines up in his proper position1 the defensive halfback upon recognizing a straight drop back pass developing1 immediately looks to see which side has two eligible receivers4 ,he then starts to his outside and goes deep1 unless he receives an oral signal from his corner man releasing him from his deep one-third area4 ,as shown in ,figure #ff1 the defensive left halfback covers the deep one-third area to his side of the field4 ,defensive ,right ,halfback 7,safety7--,after lining up in his proper position and stance1 the defensive right halfback1 upon recognizing the drop back pass1 covers the deep one-third zone4 ,should he receive an oral signal from his corner man1 he is released from covering the deep one-third to his side and he now covers the deep middle one-third4 ,he should receive the signal on his third or fourth step1 if the corner man gives it4 ,the safety then plants his foot and turns to the inside1 always facing the passer1 while he sprints to the middle one-third if he is released from his other responsibility by his corner man4 ,defensive ,right ,corner ,man--,on the snap of the ball1 when the defensive corner man observes the drop back pass developing1 and the end and halfback release to his side1 he starts to his outside in order to cover his short one-quarter area4 ,if the near halfback stays in and blocks1 and only the end releases1 the corner man gives an oral signal to his safety1 the defensive right halfback1 who covers the middle one-third1 and the corner man covers the deep one-third area on his side4 ,defensive ,linebackers--,the defensive linebackers play exactly like the linebackers on a #e-spoke defense1 which ,i explained previously4 ,the only difference is the area which they line up in 7see ,figure #ee and ,figure #ff74 ,on the #d-spoke pass defense the linebackers play the straight drop back pass and the action pass exactly as they do on a #e-spoke defense1 which ,i explained previously4 #d-,spoke ,pass ,defense ,versus the ,action ,pass ,versus the action pass1 as illustrated in ,figure #fg1 the #d-spoke defenders react as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,figure #fg ,defensive ,right ,corner ,man--,he lines up in his regular position and observes the type of play developing4 ,when he sees the offensive end to his side releasing downfield and the action is coming toward his side1 he is alert for a pass4 ,he then turns to his outside and sprints to his short one-quarter area1 which is about eight yards deep4 ,he should be in a good football position so that he can cover his zone properly4 ,he must try to stay wider than the widest man in his area1 unless he is closer than six yards to the sideline4 ,defensive ,right ,halfback--,after lining up in his proper position1 when the action starts toward his side1 he sprints to his outside getting depth and tries to get into a position so that he can cover the deep one-third area1 as illustrated in ,figure #fg4 ,he should be as deep as the deepest man in his area1 and when the ball is thrown1 he plays the football and not the receiver4 ,defensive ,left ,halfback--,when he sees the flow going away from him1 upon receiving an oral signal he will turn to his inside and start for an angle of pursuit through where the safety man would have lined up if it were a #c-;deep defense4 ,on his third or fourth step he should see a pass developing1 and then he must start for the deep middle one-third of the football field4 ,defensive ,left ,corner ,man--,on the snap of the football as the defensive left corner man sees the flow of the backs going away from him1 he immediately knows only one man can come to his side as a receiver4 ,therefore1 he must sprint back to cover the deep one-third area1 usually covered by his defensive left halfback in a normal situation4 ,he gives an oral signal to his halfback1 which releases him from his normal responsibility4 ,defensive ,linebackers--,the defensive linebackers play the action pass on the #d-spoke defense exactly as they do on the #e-spoke defense1 which was explained previously4 #d-,spoke ,pass ,defense ,versus the ,roll-,out ,pass ,figure #fh illustrates the #d-spoke pass defense versus the roll-out pass4 ,the box-wing defenders must react as follows3 ,illustration3 ,,figure #fh ,defensive ,right ,corner ,man--,when the defensive right corner man observes the near offensive end release and the flow starts toward him1 he sprints back to his area eight yards deep4 ,when he sees the quarterback roll away from him1 as illustrated in ,figure #fh1 he turns to his inside and gets into a position so he can cover the deep one-third of the field to his side4 ,he must react quickly as his responsibility changes from a short one-quarter to a deep one-third pass coverage when the play starts toward him and then the quarterback rolls away from his position4 ,defensive ,right ,halfback--,on the snap of the ball if the defensive right halfback sees an action pass coming in his direction1 he starts back and out to a position where he can cover the deep one-third area to his side of the field4 ,on about his eighth or ninth step1 he should be able to recognize a change in the offense's direction and the flow is going away from him4 ,he immediately turns to his inside and still watching the passer he sprints to the deep middle one-third of the field4 ,he1 too1 must react very quickly and sprint in order to cover the deep middle area4 ,the time it takes him to react and change his direction will be an important factor in determining whether or not he breaks up the pass4 ,defensive ,left ,halfback--,when the defensive left halfback sees the flow going away from him1 he should receive an oral signal from his corner man releasing him from his deep off-one-third responsibility4 ,after he hears his signal1 he will sprint to a position where he can cover the middle one-third area4 ,as he is running to his area1 he observes that the quarterback is now rolling out to his side4 ,therefore1 the halfback must plant1 pivot and try to get into a position to cover the deep one-third area on his side of the field4 ,if he sees he can cover this area satisfactorily1 he will give an oral signal to his corner man which tells the latter to go up and cover the short one-quarter area4 ,if he sees that he cannot get into a good football position to cover his area1 the defensive halfback will not give a signal4 ,then we will have two men covering the deep one-third area1 and the short one-quarter area will not be covered in such a situation4 ,defensive ,left ,corner ,man--,by reading the offensive backs1 the defensive corner man observes the flow going away from him4 ,he immediately turns to his inside and yells an oral signal to his defensive halfback1 which tells the latter the corner man will cover the deep off-one-third area4 ,as he is sprinting toward his area1 he observes the quarterback reversing his action1 and the play is now coming toward him4 ,he turns to his outside and stays in a position to cover the deep left one-third 7,figure #fh7 until he hears an oral signal from his halfback releasing him from his deep responsibility4 ,if he does not hear a signal1 he will continue to go back and cover the deep one-third zone4 ,if he hears a signal1 he is released from his deep responsibility1 which is now assumed by the halfback1 and the corner man covers his short one-quarter area4 ,if the offense is going to complete the pass1 we want them to catch it in the short area rather than in the deep zone4 ,therefore1 the deep one-third coverage has preference over the short one-quarter zone4 ,at times we might end up with two defenders in the same deep zone1 but we would rather do this than leave the deep zone uncovered4 ,if this were the case1 then our defense would not be sound4 ,once again our first objective of defensive football is to eliminate the 8easy0 or 8cheap0 touchdown pass4 #d-,spoke ,coverage ,versus a ,flanker ,set ,figure #fi illustrates a #d-spoke coverage versus a straight drop back pass from a flanker set4 ,as you can observe1 the entire perimeter of the defensive secondary is revolved to the left4 ,if the offense were strong to their left1 our secondary would revolve to our right versus a flanker set left4 ,in ,figure #fi the left corner man goes up on the line of scrimmage1 and from his new position he carries out the same assignment he would if he lined up in his normal position of two and one-half yards deep and four yards wide4 ,in his new position he can contain a running play very quickly4 ,if a straight drop back pass developed1 he would turn to his outside and still cover his short one-quarter area4 ,the defensive left halfback carries out the same assignment by covering the deep one-third of the field to his side1 but he lines up outside of the flanker instead of on the inside shoulder of the offensive end4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #fi ,the defensive right halfback moves over and plays the safety position4 ,when the straight drop back pass develops1 he covers the deep middle one-third of the field4 ,as he goes back to cover his area1 he faces toward the strong side of the offense4 ,the defensive right corner man revolves from his regular corner position back to a defensive halfback4 ,he lines up about three yards outside of his offensive end1 and when the pass develops1 he covers the deep one-third of the field that he has lined up in4 ,the linebackers play their regular technique1 sprinting to their usual spots to play their regular pass defense4 ,action ,pass ,with a ,flanker ,figure #gj illustrates #d-spoke coverage versus the action pass from a flanker set4 ,the defensive secondary again revolves to the strong side of the offense1 as illustrated in ,figure #gj4 ,if we do not have a stunt on in our secondary1 which ,i shall cover later in this chapter1 our secondary would play it exactly as we do the straight back pass1 explained above4 ,the left corner man reads his keys and goes back to cover his spot4 ,he must be ready to come up if the passer chooses to run with the football4 ,the left halfback covers the deep one-third to his side4 ,the right halfback1 who has revolved to the middle1 plays and covers the deep middle one-third4 ,the right corner man1 who has also revolved back to the defensive halfback position1 covers the deep one-third to his side of the field4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #gj #d-,spoke ,coverage ,versus a ,floater ,figure #ga illustrates #d-spoke coverage versus the straight back pass from a floater set4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ga ,when the offense lines up in a floater set1 illustrated in ,figure #ga1 our secondary does not revolve but merely loosens up a little4 ,the defensive corner man to the side that the back is flanked 7our right7 lines up a little wider and a little deeper4 ,on the snap of the ball1 if a back-up pass develops1 he drops off to eight yards depth1 and covers his one-quarter zone4 ,the defensive right halfback lines up wider and he still covers the deep one-third area to his side4 ,the defensive left halfback lines up in approximately his regular position because he must be able to cover the deep one-third zone to his side of the field4 ,on this particular play as he sees a back-up pass develop1 and only one receiver is out to his left1 he anticipates receiving a quick release signal from his corner man4 ,should this occur1 he now covers the deep middle one-third of the field4 ,otherwise he covers his deep side zone1 as indicated above4 ,the left corner man lines up in his regular position and sprints into a position to cover the deep one-third area on his side of the field when he sees his nearest offensive back blocking and only one receiver is coming out to his side4 ,he gives the defensive halfback a quick release signal on about his second or third step4 ,action ,pass ,with a ,floater ,illustration3 ,,figure #gb ,figure #gb illustrates #d-spoke coverage versus the action pass from a floater set4 ,the entire secondary plays the action pass exactly the same as a drop back pass if the action is toward the back who is flanked4 ,it would be played in a slightly different manner if the action is away from the back who is flanked1 as illustrated in ,figure #gb4 ,in such a situation the left corner man would sprint to a position eight yards deep and set up immediately to cover the short one-quarter zone4 ,the left halfback sprints to a position back and out so he can cover the deep one-third of the field to his side4 ,the right halfback plants1 turns to his inside1 and sprints to a position to cover the deep middle one-third of the field4 ,the right corner man turns to his inside1 sprints back and out1 and gets in a position to cover the deep one-third of the field when the action starts away from him4 ,,predetermined ,,rotation ,when identifying our different defenses1 we decided to number all of our #d-spoke defenses in the #dj series as far as the secondary was concerned4 ,i mentioned in a previous chapter that we have a defensive signal caller for the secondary1 as well as for the defensive line4 ,we decided that #d-spoke and #dj had something in common 7the #d's71 and would be easy for our players to remember4 ,consequently a #d-spoke defense is in the #dj series4 ,in addition1 we gave our right and left corner men numbers4 ,our objective was to eliminate indecision as the second digit1 when called1 gave the corner man a definite responsibility1 as will be illustrated shortly4 ,therefore1 it was possible for the secondary to do a good job of rotation merely by watching the flow of the offensive backs4 ,as an example1 let's assume our defensive signal caller says1 8#dj10 which is our regular #d-spoke defense4 ,therefore1 our secondary will revolve according to the flow of the offensive backs1 and the corner men will read the end and halfback nearest to them in order to ascertain whether they go up or drop back4 ,however1 we will do more than play a straight #dj defense4 ,by numbering our corner men1 we can predetermine the rotation4 ,our right corner man is given the even numbers #d and #h1 and the left corner man the odd numbers #e and #i4 ,therefore1 we can call #dd1 #de1 #dh and #di defenses from the #d-spoke alignment4 ,now #dd and #dh mean two different things1 as does #de and #di4 ,however1 #dd and #de are the same1 only to opposite sides of the line1 and the same holds true for #dh and #di4 ,defensive ,calls #dd-de for ,secondary ,rotation ,when our defensive signal caller calls1 8#dd10 our secondary will have a predetermined rotation to our right1 unless the flow of the offensive backs is to our left4 ,then we will play regular and disregard the predetermined call4 ,let's assume #dd was called and the flow of the offensive backs was to our right4 ,we have already predetermined our rotation4 ,regardless of whether it is a pass or a run1 our defensive right corner man must come across the line of scrimmage and contain the passer quickly1 as illustrated in ,figure #gc4 ,our defensive right inside linebacker knows the corner will contain quickly1 so he is now responsible for the short one-quarter area the corner man usually covers on a flow pass toward him 7,figure #gc74 ,if the corner man was hesitant before1 he need not be under these conditions as he knows he will contain without fail on a #dd predetermined call when the flow is toward him4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #gc ,if the flow was away from him on a #dd call1 as illustrated in ,figure #ge1 the predetermined call is 8off10 and he revolves back and covers his regular position4 ,both situations would be reversed if the call was 8#de40 ,defensive call #dd is also good versus a straight back pass1 as illustrated in ,figure #gd4 ,the same is true of defense #de4 ,the only thing that erases the predetermined call is when the flow is away from the second digit called1 i4e41 away from #d or #e4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #gd ,illustration3 ,,figure #ge ,defensive ,calls #dh-di for ,secondary ,rotation ,we use the call #dh and #di when we want a sure rotation1 say1 to the wide side of the field4 ,when our right corner man hears 8#h0 and the left corner man hears 8#i10 he knows he must go across the line of scrimmage regardless of the flow of the play4 ,if the flow of the play is away from him1 as illustrated in ,figure #gf1 he will trail the play4 ,if the play is a straight back pass1 as illustrated in ,figure #gg1 he will rush the passer hard4 ,figure #gh illustrates the flow of the play coming toward the right corner man4 ,his job is to contain the play then4 ,the remaining three backs know they are going to go to a #c-;deep secondary regardlessly4 ,we ordinarily will use such a stunt only toward the wide 7right7 side of the field 7,figure #gf-gh74 ,the element of surprise is very good1 and it eliminates indecision on the part of the secondary4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #gf ,illustration3 ,,figure #gg ,illustration3 ,,figure #gh ,defensive ,calls #ch-ci for ,secondary ,rotation ,another predetermined rotation is #ch and #ci1 and is similar to #dh and #di1 respectively1 as one corner man rushes regardless of the situation4 ,we use #ch or #ci when we do not wish to call #dh or #di4 ,if the offense sets a flanker to one side1 and we want our secondary to revolve toward the flanker and the corner man who is now up on the line of scrimmage to rush regardlessly1 we would call #ch or #ci4 ,the first digit1 8#c10 tells our secondary to revolve to a #c-;deep toward the flanker4 ,the second digit1 8#h0 or 8#i10 indicates the right or left corner man1 respectively1 is going to fire into the offensive backfield4 ,figures #gi-hj illustrate call1 8#ch10 versus a running play and a straight drop back pass1 respectively4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #gi ,illustration3 ,,figure #hj ,,stunting ,,in ,,the ,,defensive ,,secondary ,a team must be sound in its defensive secondary in order to be a good football team4 ,all of us use certain basic principles1 but we must be careful we do not 8type0 ourselves as this could be very costly if the opponents pick up our maneuvers while scouting our team4 ,one of the basic principles we try to teach our quarterback when we are discussing different phases of the passing game is where not to throw the football4 ,while we might not complete the pass1 as long as the opposition does not intercept it1 we are not in too bad a position4 ,everyone knows the effect an interception can have on both the offensive and defensive teams4 ,in order to do an intelligent job of telling our quarterbacks where not to throw the ball1 we must know the maneuvers of the opponent's defensive secondary on action passes and on drop back passes4 ,however1 we always give our opponents credit for being as smart or smarter than we are4 ,they1 too1 teach their quarterbacks where not to throw the ball4 ,consequently we try to make their job even more difficult by using some stunts in our secondary4 ,after we started to experiment1 we found these stunts were actually serving a two-fold purpose4 ,not only was it confusing the opponents but it was also helping us to eliminate some problems of indecision that our corner men were having on certain occasions4 ,by giving each man a specific assignment and by letting his assignment be determined by the flow of the offensive back and not by keying different positions1 this greatly reduced our mistakes4 ,when we are using a particular stunt in our secondary1 we never want to weaken our coverage at any point4 ,to the contrary1 we think we are strengthening it when we stunt4 ,we have used four stunts successfully from time to time4 ,we call our stunts 8,thunder10 8,robber10 8,gangster10 and 8,lightning40 ,after carefully analyzing these stunts1 we came to the conclusion we were usually having two or three men exchange assignments1 having defenders come from different angles1 but still covering all the regular areas4 8,thunder0 8,thunder0 is the name we have given to a stunt that will be between our defensive right halfback and right corner man1 which will constitute one team1 and our defensive left halfback and left corner man which will constitute a second team4 ,each team will be completely independent of the other team4 ,what the stunt really amounts to is that the halfback and corner man will exchange assignments completely unless the flow goes away from them4 ,for example1 let's say the offense runs an action pass to their right side4 ,with an action pass of this type1 our left corner man would ordinarily drop back eight yards deep and cover the short flat area4 ,with 8,thunder0 called1 however1 he will turn to his outside and sprint back and cover the deep one-third of the field to his side4 ,the left defensive halfback1 who ordinarily would cover the deep area on this particular type pass1 will come forward and outside and cover the short area the corner man would ordinarily cover4 ,not only have we given the quarterback an entirely new picture to look at1 but we have strengthened our coverage by having our halfback come forward through the hook zone1 going to the flat area4 8,thunder0 is illustrated in ,figure #ha4 ,i mentioned earlier that one of the advantages of these stunts was that it takes away any point of indecision for our corner men4 ,when we are using our regular coverage and the flow goes away from our corner man1 he will sprint to his outside and cover the deep one-third area1 but when the flow comes toward him he has to key the offensive end and determine if he is blocking1 slamming1 going down field to block or to catch a pass4 ,the action our corner man takes will largely depend upon the action the offensive end takes4 ,when we have 8,thunder0 called1 the corner man knows on the snap of the ball1 regardless of what kind of play the offense will run1 he will sprint back and cover the deep area to his side of the field4 7,figure #ha47 ,the signal caller in our secondary can call 8,thunder0 for our right side only1 left side only or both sides at the same time4 ,if he calls it for both sides at the same time1 then the direction in which the offense operates will determine which side of our defensive secondary will play 8,thunder40 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ha 8,robber0 8,robber0 is another of our stunts that serves a two-fold purpose of eliminating indecision and is an element of surprise4 ,our 8,robber0 will be someone playing defensive right or left halfback1 depending upon our game plans4 ,however1 we will never have 8,robber0 called on both sides at the same time4 ,for example1 let's say our defensive left halfback will be our 8,robber10 as illustrated in ,figure #hb4 ,on the snap of ball1 regardless of the flow1 our left corner man will sprint back and cover the deep third of the field to his side1 our defensive right halfback will cover the deep middle of the field1 and our right corner man will cover the deep one-third to his side of the field4 ,on the snap of the ball1 our 8,robber0 can go anywhere he thinks the opponents will run4 ,this is a very good element of surprise because we will get an additional defender at the point of attack and he can be very reckless due to the fact that he does not have any designated responsibility4 ,we expect our 8,robber0 to try to second-guess the opponent's quarterback4 ,when a pass play develops1 he is in a very good position to break up the short passes4 ,we do not use this as a steady diet1 but we gain considerably by having the 8,robber0 pursue the ball recklessly4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #hb 8,gangster0 8,gangster0 is a stunt we particularly like with a #d-e defense or any #i-man front defense where our linebackers will line up a little wider than ordinarily4 ,this stunt will be performed by three men--a corner man1 linebacker1 and halfback4 ,for example1 we will use our defensive left side1 as illustrated in ,figure #hc4 ,on the snap of the ball1 regardless of the flow1 our left corner man will sprint back and cover the deep third area to his side of the field 7the halfback ordinarily covers this area74 ,the left linebacker will cover the short flat to his side of the field 7the corner man ordinarily covers this area74 ,the left halfback will come forward and cover the hook spot 7the linebacker ordinarily covers this area74 ,the remaining backs will cover their regular area4 ,the main advantage of this stunt is that by having our halfback come forward we are in a good position to stop all short passes in the hook zone4 ,he is going forward and covering the same area our linebacker usually covers4 ,our linebacker has to key1 sprint back1 and set up1 before he can get ready to go forward4 ,you can see that we have definitely strengthened our coverage at this point and it is equally sound in the other area4 ,we will only call 8,gangster0 to one side at a time4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #hc 8,lightning0 8,lightning0 is a stunt between our linebacker and corner man only1 and is illustrated in ,figure #hd4 ,we first started using this stunt for the sole reason of eliminating any point of indecision for our corner man4 ,it is a very simple stunt4 ,as an example1 if the flow goes toward the side on which we have called 8,lightning10 the corner man will come across the line of scrimmage very fast and contain the ball carrier4 ,he does not have any pass responsibility at all if the action comes toward him4 ,the linebacker to his side will cover the short flat area if a running pass develops4 ,our corner man is coached to contain the passer so fast that a receiver does not have time to get very wide and our linebacker does not have any trouble covering the short flat area4 ,the remaining backs will cover their regular areas4 ,the call1 8,lightning10 will be off if the flow goes away from the side we have called it on1 or if a straight drop back pass develops4 ,we can call 8,lightning0 on both sides at the same time4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #hd ,we do not use a stunt on every play1 but with our regular coverage and using a stunt occasionally we can give the opposition's quarterback a number of problems4 ,he is looking at a number of different 8pictures0 when we employ these defensive tactics4 ,secondly1 we feel it helps us because any indecision our corner men might have is eliminated when we stunt4 ,,conclusion ,the basic principles of pass defense are3 when the ball is in the air1 your secondary men must sprint for the football1 play through the receiver for the ball and not around him1 and play the football at the highest point possible4 ,if your defenders will apply these basic principles along with an aggressive attitude that the ball belongs to the defenders when it is in the air1 you will have a good defensive secondary4 ,in a later chapter ,i shall explain and illustrate our drills for the defensive secondary4 ,,chapter #f ,our ,kicking ,game ,techniques ,the over-all kicking game is probably the most important phase of football4 ,in considering the work to be done on the practice field1 ,i probably place more emphasis upon the kicking game than any other coach4 ,i feel ,i cannot have a sound football team unless we have an extremely sound kicking game4 ,we thought the kicking game was important during the period when we played two-platoon football1 but now it is more important than ever before under the present rules governing the game of football4 ,,the ,,punting ,,game ,i am certain our players are 8sold0 on the kicking game1 and take pride in it4 ,if a player takes pride in something1 he will do it well4 ,incidentally1 we work on our kicking game every ,tuesday during the regular season4 ,previously we waited until ,thursday to work on our kicking game1 but we found our boys were tired the day of the football game1 probably as a result of so much running on ,thursday4 ,we use the kicking together with our kick-return game in our pre-season practice as a conditioner4 ,we feel we can get sufficient running from our kicking game to get our players in good physical condition4 ,at the same time we are developing this important phase of the game4 ,the ,punter ,instead of merely talking to our players about their individual kicking game assignments1 we go on the field and rehearse everything over and over again4 ,this is also true of any unusual situations that might confront the punter at various times during the game4 ,we also time our punters4 ,i believe it is possible to over-coach the kickers1 however1 and this is not desirable4 ,i know from past experience4 ,when we tried too thoroughly to coach our kickers1 we found we were probably doing more harm than good4 ,at least1 we were not getting the desired results in comparison to the amount of time we were devoting to their instruction4 ,as an illustration1 ,i had ,bob ,gain at ,kentucky1 an ,all-,american tackle1 who as a freshman was a terrific kick-off man4 ,by taking only three steps he could boot the ball out of the end zone when he kicked-off4 ,unfortunately we over-coached him and by the time he was a senior he would run #aj yards on his approach1 and could only kick the ball #ce yards on the kick-off4 ,another illustration relates to ,clayton ,webb1 a very fine punter whom ,i had at the ,university of ,kentucky4 ,as a freshman he could 8hang0 the ball in the air for a relatively long period of time when he punted4 ,yet during his senior year ,i felt we had coached him down to a #bi4d-yard average on his punts4 ,consequently we now do very little coaching of the kickers4 ,we like to have our punters use the step-and-a-half method1 taking the first 7half7 step with the kicking foot1 then a full step with the non-kicking foot4 ,we ask our punters to hold the ball #ah inches in front of the hip over their kicking foot4 ,we watch our kickers closely1 time them1 and try not to over-coach them if they are kicking well in practice4 ,however1 we do have a meeting with our kickers to review every situation that might confront them in a game4 ,we want our punters to know what to do under such conditions1 always taking into consideration the tactical situation4 ,merely talking about these problems is not sufficient training for the punters4 ,they must be placed in various confronting situations and must have the opportunity to react to them on the practice field if they are to perform with proficiency in a game4 ,an example will illustrate my point4 ,one of my former assistants at the ,university of ,kentucky played under an extremely intelligent football coach1 a ,phi ,beta ,kappa honors graduate4 ,the coach had gone over many situations on the blackboard1 but had never taken time to actually rehearse them under game-like conditions4 ,this was a typical situation3 ,assuming that a team had the lead in the game1 if on the third down that team was forced to kick from behind its own goal line1 should the punter receive a poor snap from his center and be unable to kick1 he should pick up the football and either run with it or throw an incomplete forward pass4 ,the team was playing ,michigan ,state1 and the score was #g-f in the fourth quarter4 ,the other team was backed up to its own #b-yard line4 ,the punter said that as he lined up to punt he knew exactly what to do if he received a bad pass from his center4 ,the pass was poor1 the punter picked up the ball and threw it up into the stands4 ,unfortunately the play was not an incomplete forward pass1 but was ruled a safety as the ball went out of the end zone behind the goal line1 and ,michigan ,state won1 #h-g4 ,i am not criticizing the punter nor his coach as both are extremely capable men1 but merely citing what can occur if a kicker is merely told what to do but is not given actual experience under game-like conditions practicing it4 ,our procedure is to put the ball on our #b-yard line1 inform our kicker of what could occur1 then give him the 8works40 ,we load up and rush hard1 give him a bad pass1 etc41 and our punter must react properly to the situation1 always being cognizant of the tactical situation4 ,since ,i have been coaching1 one of the few punts we have had blocked was at ,texas ,a ,m when we were playing ,rice ,institute4 ,the situation was as follows3 third down1 senior punter1 poor pass from center4 ,instead of attempting to run with the ball1 since we still had fourth down in which to kick1 my punter tried to kick then4 ,the result was a blocked punt4 ,in fairness to the boy1 ,i must assume the responsibility for the blocked punt4 ,we had not done a good job of coaching the punter since he did not react to the situation properly4 ,nevertheless1 the mistake was costly4 ,the ,center ,the most important person in our kicking game is our center4 ,we believe if he can snap the ball back to our punter at a distance of #ac yards with a perfect pass in six-tenths of a second1 we won't get our kicks blocked4 ,i believe about #ih of all blocked kicks have resulted from imperfect passes from the center to the kicker4 ,incidentally1 as a coaching point1 if the center makes a poor pass1 your kicker should inform him of this4 ,in timing the center's pass1 we have had very few centers who could snap the ball in less than six-tenths of a second4 ,i recall1 however1 there was a center at the ,university of ,georgia who could get the ball back to the kicker in four-tenths of a second4 ,this is the exception rather than the rule1 however4 ,we time our centers in their work every day4 ,as a point of interest1 the coaches are not with the centers when we are timing them4 ,we put a defensive man over our centers as we want our centers to pass the ball and then block a man1 rather than keep their heads down1 watching the ball going back to the punter4 ,timing the ,punter ,we want our punters to get the ball away within one and three-tenths seconds from the time the ball hits their hands on the pass from center1 until their foot makes contact with the ball4 ,gene ,henderson1 one of my kickers at ,texas ,a ,m1 could get the ball away in one second4 ,babe ,parella at ,kentucky could also get the ball away in a second when punting4 ,here once again these are more exceptions than the rule4 ,i stated previously we wanted our kickers to use the step-and-one-half method of punting4 ,we are not too concerned if he doesn't follow this method1 providing he kicks well4 ,nor are we too concerned about his method of holding and dropping the ball and other individual techniques1 providing he kicks well and gets the ball away in one and three-tenths seconds or less4 ,if our kicker is a #c-step kicker1 who kicks well and can get the ball off in the prescribed time limit1 we merely move him back an extra yard4 ,frankly1 we don't believe we'll ever get a kick blocked if the center gets the ball back in six-tenths of a second or less1 and the kicker's time does not exceed one and three-tenths seconds 7total time of one and nine-tenths seconds71 providing the defensive men are bumped and not permitted to have a straight run directly at the kicker4 ,when talking about the punting game1 one must realize the importance of the length of time the ball is in the air over the field of play4 ,we want our kicker to be able to kick the ball in such a manner that it will remain up in the air and over the playing field for a period of four seconds or more4 ,consequently a kick of four seconds' duration in flight will be about a #dj-yard punt4 ,we are not interested in an #hj-yard punt1 as we cannot adequately cover such a long kick4 ,the following example will illustrate my point4 ,i had a player at one time who could literally kick the football a country mile4 ,yet his kicking was very erratic4 ,i recall he kicked the football #gh yards out-of-bounds in a game against ,tennessee1 and later in the fourth quarter he kicked the ball #hj yards over the end zone line4 ,in another football game1 he kicked the ball #gj yards1 out-kicking his coverage1 and the opposition returned it for the game-winning touchdown against us4 ,my point is that he was too good a kicker for us4 ,the average net gain is the most important thing in punting1 not the total distance the punter kicks the ball4 ,a punt #dj yards from the line of scrimmage with no return is a #dj-yard kick4 ,a #fj-yard punt returned #ej yards is a net punt of #aj yards4 ,we are interested only in the net gain of the play4 ,if the kicked ball can remain in the air for four seconds and if it takes one and nine-tenths seconds to get the punt away1 there is a total period of time of five and nine-tenths seconds expended4 ,if our linemen block for one second on the line before releasing to cover the punt1 they will have approximately four and nine-tenths seconds to cover the ball4 ,a fast lineman can get downfield a good distance in four and nine-tenths seconds1 though ,i don't know of anyone who can cover #fj or #gj yards in this period of time4 ,as you can see1 this sort of thing allows a team time to get the ball1 set up a wall1 get a couple key blocks and run one back for a long gain or a touchdown merely because the punter has out-kicked his coverage4 ,therefore1 we are not interested in how far the punter kicks the ball1 but we are vitally interested in how far the opposition returns our punts4 ,i shall discuss this particular phase of the kicking game in greater detail shortly4 ,practicing the ,punting ,game ,during the regular scheduled practices1 we work on our defensive kicking game at least one period two days a week1 and sometimes three days a week4 ,these periods never have a time limit1 and they are our last drill4 ,our reasoning is two-fold4 ,first1 the boys are tired and in order to get proper execution and coverage we insist they give that 8little extra10 which ,i feel is so important in order to build a winner4 ,secondly1 the boys know there is no time limit and we are going to work on this phase of our football program until we do it to my satisfaction4 ,therefore1 they strive extra hard to get perfect execution and coverage so we can end practice4 ,we feel if the boys can learn to execute the kicking game perfectly while they are tired1 they will do it perfectly during the actual game4 ,,our ,,spread ,,punt ,,formation ,before discussing the techniques of our spread punt1 ,i would like to tell you how we adopted it4 ,i related previously that ,tennessee defeated my #aidf ,kentucky team with a punt return4 ,in #aidg a number of teams hurt us badly by returning our punts4 ,in #aidh the ,university of ,mississippi ran back punts for #beh yards and two touchdowns4 ,our ,mississippi game bothered me a great deal4 ,at the time we were using only the tight punt formation4 ,i was searching for another type of formation which would give us better coverage4 ,i had never used the spread punt1 but we had played against ,tulane and ,vanderbilt1 both of whom had employed spread punt4 ,woody ,woodard1 while at ,southern ,methodist ,university1 had an exceptionally fine punting game1 and ,i was considering changing to his system4 ,however1 while coming back from ,chicago one weekend with 8,scrappy0 ,moore of the ,university of ,chattanooga1 he sold me on trying the spread punt4 ,he gave me his spread punt blocking rules4 ,i adopted them1 and since #aidi we have used the spread punt formation4 ,the results have been very favorable as far as we are concerned4 ,as an illustration1 we made a study of our punting game and we found that during the season we went for eight games without having our punts returned one inch4 ,for the entire season our punts were returned only one and four-tenths yards4 ,during our #aiej season1 the average yards returned per game from our punts was four-tenths of a yard1 and we recovered five mishandled punts4 ,the following season our opponents returned our punts for an average of one and four-tenths yards per punt1 and we recovered three mishandled punts4 ,since we tie our kicking game in with our defensive game very closely1 you can see that spread punt coverage has been much more satisfactory for us than the tight punt formation and coverage which we employed prior to #aidi4 ,i shall discuss our spread punt coverage shortly4 ,spread ,punt ,line ,splits ,the main advantage of using spread punt formation is that the defensive team has a difficult time holding up your coverage4 ,a team can cover its punt much wider4 ,if a team can spread its men across the field as they are covering a kick1 it is very hard for the receiving team to return the ball for a sizeable gain4 ,the splits in our offensive line are determined largely by the size of the men4 ,we want our guards to be split about one and one-half yards from the center4 ,these splits also will be determined by the physical size of our backfield men whom we place in the gaps to each side of the center1 two yards deep4 ,if the back is a small man1 then the guard will cut down his split to approximately one yard4 ,conversely1 if the back is a large person1 the guard can widen his split to approximately one and one-half yards4 ,our tackles will split from their guards one and one-half to two yards4 ,each tackle must be able to block the second man outside of his guard4 ,our ends can split out as far as they wish1 providing they can block back all the way to the tackle if a situation arises warranting it4 ,the ends usually split out about two yards1 as illustrated in ,figure #he4 ,our up-backs line up in the seams between the guard and center1 about two yards deep1 as was explained previously4 ,the personal protector will line up five yards deep1 and will be on the right side for a right-footed kicker1 and on the left side for a left-footed kicker4 ,his depth will be #ac yards4 ,the type of spread punt we employ is illustrated in ,figure #he4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #he ,spread ,punt ,blocking ,rules ,we do not believe a defensive lineman will ever get a straight run at the spot where the kicker's foot meets the football if our players occupy their proper positions1 unless the defensive man comes from the outside of our protection4 ,for this reason1 we feel it is not necessary for our players to block for more than a second before going down under the punt4 ,our players are instructed to count1 8,one thousand and three10 then release downfield covering the kick4 ,the rules which our players use in protecting our punter apply to the blocking of any man who is within one yard of the line of scrimmage4 ,we do not feel an opposing player can block a kick if he is more than one yard off the line of scrimmage1 even though we do not block him4 ,our spread punt blocking rules are as follows3 ,center--,the center should make a perfect pass to the kicker1 snap up his head quickly1 and cover the kick immediately4 ,we do not want him to block anyone4 ,guards--,our guards will block the first man to their outside1 and they must keep their inside foot stationary4 ,if a guard steps laterally with his inside foot as he blocks1 he will leave a hole through which a defensive man can sprint and block the kick4 ,after he has blocked the first man to his outside for a period of one second1 which ,i explained above1 he covers the kick downfield4 ,tackles--,if there are two men lined up between the tackle and his adjacent guard1 he will block to his inside4 ,if there are not two men between his position and his adjacent guard1 he will block the first man to his outside4 ,after he has blocked for one second1 he will cover the kick4 ,ends--,each end will block the first man to his outside1 unless there are two defensive men between him and his adjacent tackle4 ,if there are two men between his guard and tackle1 he will block the first man to his inside4 ,up-,backs--,the up-backs block anyone coming over their territory between the guard and center4 ,if no one comes through their territory1 they delay slightly and cover the kick4 ,personal ,protector--,he looks up and down the line for the most dangerous man to the kicker1 and then blocks him as he rushes4 ,these spread punt blocking rules apply to any defense and provide the most protection at the spot where the ball will be kicked4 ,the basic principle for the linemen in carrying out their assignments is never to move the inside foot4 ,if the lineman makes contact with the defensive man and throws him off-balance1 then he can cover the kick immediately4 ,the up-backs take a good stance with a wide base and uncoil at anyone coming through the inside gaps4 ,the personal protector can use any type of block he wishes1 but we prefer the butt block or the cross-body block when protecting the kicker4 ,spread ,punt ,coverage ,we want the first man down under the punt to dive at the safety man's ,adam's apple1 really 8unloading0 on him if possible4 ,he may leave his feet if necessary in order to accomplish his objective4 ,for illustrative purposes1 ,figure #hf1 let's assume that our center is the first man down under the punt4 ,we want him to try to beat the football down the field1 and tackle the safety man high when he touches it1 or force the safety man to fair catch the football4 ,we want our guards to go down and assume positions indicated in ,figure #hf4 ,our left end and right tackle will go down and set up five yards outside of the safety man1 and five yards away from him4 ,we set our right end out about #aj yards1 and he is our 8sprinter40 ,his assignment is to sprint straight for the safety man1 and force the safety to fumble the ball1 if possible4 ,his line of direction has a second purpose1 too4 ,since he is in an excellent position to catch the football should the punter fake the punt and pass1 the defense must adjust to him and cannot merely permit him to run a diagonal course downfield every time we have a punting situation4 ,if the defense continuously ignores him and doesn't adjust to him when he covers punts1 sooner or later we are going to hit him with the pass for a sizeable gain4 ,it is not possible for a coach to get the type of coverage on kicks1 as illustrated in ,figure #hf1 unless he stresses the fact to his players that it is extremely important for them to spread out in order to maintain proper positions in 8spreading the net0 for the receiver4 ,they must sprint at top speed in covering kicks4 ,we do not want our left end and right tackle to make any tackles in our punt coverage1 as they merely turn the runner into the other men4 ,we want our six men to go down and get set in a football position three yards from the football and then guard the safety man4 ,in assuming a good football position1 we mean a position in which the player's eyes are on the safety man1 his tail is down1 back straight1 and his feet apart4 ,if we have six men down on the safety man1 guarding him1 he will have no place to run4 ,we want to drive the safety man back and forth1 searching for a place to turn upfield1 and then we'll move in on him4 ,we refer to this as our ,one-,six ,formation4 ,we want our up-backs to go downfield and take the positions of linebackers behind our six-man coverage1 as illustrated in ,figure #hf4 ,they must be in a position to defend against the return up the middle4 ,we want our personal protector and punter to take halfback positions to the outside behind the one-six-two coverage formation 7,figure #hf74 ,illustration3 ,,figure #hf ,we spend a great deal of time giving our players practice in executing their assignments on blocking and covering from spread punt formation4 ,i can assure you that merely talking about their assignments and responsibilities will not obtain the desired results4 ,i think we do a good job of covering punts simply because we work on this important phase of the kicking game so much4 ,as ,i mentioned previously1 we do our kicking work last1 not setting a definite time limit on it4 ,when our players are covering punts1 we blow a whistle and everyone stops4 ,we want to find the players in their proper positions when covering the kick4 ,if they are not covering to our satisfaction1 we merely do it over and over again until we get the type of coverage we want4 ,the boys actually put the pressure on each other to get perfect coverage1 consequently we generally spend about #aj minutes instead of #bj minutes covering punts4 ,,our ,,tight ,,punt ,,formation ,the only time we kick from a tight punt formation is when we are backed up inside of our own #c-yard line and it is impossible for us to kick from a spread formation since our kicker cannot get the sufficient depth of #ac yards which we think is necessary4 ,therefore1 we always tell our quarterback we should never kick the ball from behind our own #c-yard line4 ,his objective is to get us out to at least the #c-yard line so we can employ spread punt4 ,assuming we can't get out to the #c-yard line1 then we will have to use tight punt formation4 ,when we are definitely going to kick the ball out-of-bounds as we do on occasion1 we kick from tight formation4 ,because ,i feel we cannot cover the kick very well from tight punt formation1 the quarterback will always designate in the huddle the direction the punter is going to kick the ball--8,punt from tight punt2 kick to our right40 ,this tells our linemen in which direction they should sprint after they have blocked their men4 ,it also affects the blocking assignments of our ends4 ,figure #hg illustrates our tight punt formation and coverage on a kick to our right4 ,our blocking rules are as follows3 ,interior ,linemen--,our interior linemen will line up in a tight formation with very little splits4 ,they all have one blocking rule--inside gap ,n_/,t over1 which means they will block a man if he is in their inside gap2 if there is no one playing that position1 they will block the man playing over them4 ,they must all block for one and one-half counts1 when using the tight punt1 then release and cover the kick quickly4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #hg ,ends--,the ends will be split out about two yards1 and they have definite assignments4 ,if the quarterback indicates in the huddle the kick will be to the right1 then the right end does not have a blocking assignment but he must cover the kick immediately4 ,he must get good width and make certain the ball carrier does not get outside of him4 ,the end playing the position on the opposite side will block the defensive end4 ,if the kick is to the left side1 the ends merely exchange assignments4 ,up-,backs--,they will line up about two yards deep and in positions behind their respective offensive tackles4 ,their assignment is to keep their inside foot in place and block the first man who shows outside of our offensive tackle4 ,they must make the defensive man come to them4 ,they are going to protect their area4 ,personal ,protector--,he lines up about one and one-half yards behind the right up-back1 and his assignment is to block the second man outside of our offensive tackle or the first man outside of our up-back4 ,when he makes contact with the defensive man1 he forces him to his outside4 ,he1 too1 must keep his inside foot in place4 ,if we are going to kick the ball to our left after the ball has been snapped1 he will cross over and block the first man who shows outside of our left up-back4 ,he covers wide to the side he blocks on4 ,kicker--,the kicker is back nine yards1 and after he kicks he immediately covers to the side opposite he kicked the ball4 ,the tight punt coverage is practically the same as we use on our spread punt1 but the linemen are so close together it is difficult for them to cover wide4 ,our center cannot leave quite as quickly as on spread punt and we hold our blocks a little longer4 ,otherwise everything is the same on the two punt formations4 ,,our ,,quick ,,kick ,,formation ,the quick kick is a tremendous offensive weapon which we now employ frequently1 depending upon our particular opponent4 ,we think the quick kick has helped us win a few football games in the past1 and ,i suspect it will continue to aid us in the future if we execute it properly4 ,consequently we will continue to spend time practicing and coaching the quick kick4 ,since we quick kick frequently1 this makes our short passing game more effective as our opponents must play their safety man deeper than usual4 ,we try not to tip-off when we intend to quick kick4 ,we try to make the formation look exactly like our regular running formation4 ,one slight difference is that we line up our backs slightly deeper than usual and slightly to their right1 as illustrated in ,figure #hh1 if the left halfback is quick kicking4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #hh ,quick ,kick ,rules and ,coverage ,our quick kick rules and coverage are very simple1 and are as follows3 ,ends1 ,guards and ,tackles--,they block the man on their inside gap1 and if no man is there1 they block the man over them4 ,they are trying to form a completely new line of scrimmage on their first charge about one yard straight ahead4 ,it is very important these six men penetrate the defense on their initial charge1 in order to give the kicker adequate room to kick the football4 ,center--,the center's first responsibility is to make a good snap to the person who is going to kick the football4 ,then he blocks the man in the off-gap--no one there1 blocks man over him4 ,as an example1 if we have a right-footed kicker1 the center will block to his left1 as illustrated in ,figure #hh4 ,if the kicker is left-footed1 the center would block to his right4 ,quarterback--,the quarterback acts as if he is going to receive a hand-back pass from his center4 ,however1 he takes a wider leg spread than usual in order to permit the center to pass the ball directly through the quarterback's legs to his left halfback 7,figure #hh74 ,his blocking rule is to block the on-gap1 i4e41 the right gap for a right-footed kicker1 as illustrated in ,figure #hh1 and the left gap for a left-footed kicker4 ,right ,halfback--,he has no blocking assignment as he covers the quick kick immediately4 ,fullback--,he will move over to his right slightly1 and his assignment is to block the first man who shows outside of our offensive right end4 ,he will step up to meet him1 giving the kicker adequate room to kick the ball4 ,left ,halfback or ,kicker--,he lines up a little deeper than usual and moves over about a foot to his right4 ,when the kicker catches the football1 he will rock his weight back to his right foot1 leaving his left foot in place1 and pivoting his body to the right4 ,he then takes a step with his left foot in about a #de degree angle to the sideline1 and at the same time he will drop the ball 7pointing straight down the field7 and kick the ball trying to make contact with it over the arch of his right foot4 ,after he hits the football1 he legswings toward the goal line4 ,this action will make the ball go end-over-end and cause it to continue rolling toward the goal line upon hitting the ground4 ,the quick kick must come as a complete surprise to the defense or it will not be effective4 ,if the defense knows you are going to quick kick1 it will be more effective to employ spread punt and kick the football4 ,you would get better protection and coverage from spread formation1 though the element of surprise is not present4 ,,our ,,punt ,,return ,we have never done what ,i would consider an outstanding job of returning our opposition's punts4 ,one reason for this is that it is awfully easy to overlook this particular phase of the kicking game4 ,i am planning to devote more time on punt returns from now on4 ,we feel about punt returns about the same as we do pass defense--you must either rush or return1 and it is difficult to accomplish both at the same time4 ,therefore1 we try to do one or the other1 depending upon the game situation4 ,we use a punt return to our left and one to our right1 and a return up the middle to keep the kicking team honest4 ,all of these returns have proven satisfactory from time to time4 ,punt ,return ,left ,when we are going to return the punt left or right1 we line up in a strong side defense4 ,consequently there is no indication of whether we are returning the punt right or left1 or rushing the punter trying to block the punt4 ,figure #hi illustrates our punt return left4 ,our return rules are as follows3 ,left ,end--,he comes across the line of scrimmage about five yards deep into the offensive backfield1 and makes certain the kicker does not get outside of him in the event the latter tries to run with the ball4 ,after he sees the kicker punt the football1 he turns and swings in behind his right guard in forming the wall4 ,he will be the fourth man in line and he must keep his proper distance from his guard4 ,the length of the kick will determine how far downfield he will go before he sets up4 ,he blocks anyone who is in his area trying to break through the wall4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #hi ,we have an imaginary post three yards outside of our defensive left end1 and we want all of our players to swing wide and go around this spot before going back downfield4 ,if all of the players do this1 our entire line will be running in approximately the same path and our wall will be set up correctly4 ,left ,tackle--,as soon as he crosses the line of scrimmage1 he will turn to his left1 go around the imaginary post1 and head quickly downfield becoming the first man in the wall4 ,his block will be a key one1 springing loose the safety man4 ,his depth depends on the distance the punter kicks the ball4 ,middle ,guard--,he follows the same course as the left tackle4 ,he will be the second man in the wall1 and he must maintain the proper distance between the first man and himself4 ,when he gets into position1 he will block anyone who is in his area trying to break through the wall4 ,right ,guard--,same course as the left tackle1 only he follows the middle guard around the imaginary post and back downfield becoming the third man in the wall4 ,he should keep his proper distance from our middle guard4 ,right ,tackle--,he will rush the punter from the outside1 making certain the punter actually kicks the ball4 ,then turning to his left1 he will swing wide1 as illustrated in ,figure #hi1 becoming the fifth man in the wall4 ,he must keep his proper distance from our defensive left end who will be the fourth man1 as ,i explained previously4 ,right ,end--,he will rush the kicker from the outside making certain he actually kicks the ball4 ,he will then turn to his left1 and start around the imaginary post4 ,he will be the sixth man in the wall1 and he should maintain a proper distance between his right tackle and himself4 ,right ,linebacker--,the right linebacker will come back to his outside and block the most dangerous pursuer threatening the safety man4 ,he usually blocks the offensive left end as he covers the punt downfield4 ,left ,linebacker--,he will come back fast to his outside1 and his responsibility is to block out the offensive right end4 ,the others are blocking toward the wide side of the field4 ,he is the only man blocking toward the sideline4 ,halfbacks--,they will handle the short kick to their side of the field4 ,otherwise they are personal protectors for the safety man if he fields the kick4 ,they block the most dangerous pursuer who is in a position to tackle our receiver4 ,safety--,it is very important that the ball is handled in the air and not permitted to strike the ground and bounce around4 ,assuming the safety man catches the football1 he should start straight up the field in order to give his wall time to form and to draw the pursuers into the middle toward him4 ,then he swings in behind his wall on the sideline4 ,our ,middle ,punt ,return ,our return up the middle is very similar to our man-to-man kick-off return 7,figure #id71 in that we assign one man to block one man at the line of scrimmage4 ,each defensive man is supposed to stay with his offensive man1 as illustrated in ,figure #ij4 ,we use the same defensive alignment as when we are going to return the ball to our right or left 7,figure #ij74 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ij ,illustration3 ,,figure #ia ,if we want to be in a balanced defensive alignment1 and we know they have a slow offensive lineman1 we will line up in a straight #f-b defense4 ,figure #ia illustrates our alignment and hold-up return if we know the offensive center is slow4 ,we merely let him go1 and our interior linemen and linebackers hold-up the offensive ends1 tackles and guards4 ,our ends rush the kicker from the outside1 making certain he kicks the football4 ,the interior linemen and linebackers use the same techniques our offensive backs use when they are protecting the passer4 ,when they feel they are losing their men1 then they will go into a cross body block4 ,our halfbacks will be the personal protection for the safety man4 ,the safety will field the ball in the air and start upfield4 ,if he sees a hole1 he will break for it on our middle return4 ,,our ,,kick-,,off ,,and ,,its ,,coverage ,the kick-off is a very important phase of the defensive kicking game because of the number of times it is used in a game4 ,as you know1 the kick-off comes at the start of the game1 at the beginning of the second half1 and after a team has scored4 ,it is a terrific advantage to get a deep kick-off with good coverage1 and tackle the ball carrier inside of his #bj-yard line4 ,it is important to eliminate the long run on the kick-off return for several reasons4 ,first1 a long run has a demoralizing effect on the kicking team1 and gives the receiving team both a psychological and a strategical advantage4 ,with respect to the latter point1 if the receiving team gets beyond its #cj-yard line1 it can open up with its entire offensive attack immediately4 ,conversely1 if the kicking team keeps the receiving team deep in its own territory1 the receiving team is forced to run a limited offense1 punt the ball or gamble in order to get out of its own territory4 ,two ,types of ,kick-,offs ,we employ two different kinds of kick-offs1 depending upon the particular opponent we are playing4 ,as an illustration1 if we know the opposition has two dangerous runners playing deep1 we will kick the ball in such a manner that it strikes the ground and bounces around making it difficult for either man to control4 ,this tactic also gives us time to cover the kick properly4 ,on the other hand1 if our scouting report reveals the safeties are only fair runners1 then we will kick the ball high in the air and end-over-end4 ,of course1 if we had a place kicker who could boot the ball out of the end zone every time1 our kick-off strategy would be simple and our problem would be solved4 ,kickers with such ability are difficult to locate4 ,i suppose our coverage on the kick-off is like that of most other football teams4 ,we want our men back five yards from the ball in a #c-point stance1 all facing toward the football4 ,our quarterback stands one yard to the side of the ball and a yard off the ball on the #ci-yard line with his arms raised ready to give the starting signal to the men watching him4 ,when the kicker approaching the football gets to a point where the men covering the kick-off cannot get off-side1 the quarterback will drop his arms as a signal for the men to start forward together4 ,we want everyone but the safeties to cover the kick quickly4 ,each man is to protect his own area1 and then go to the cut-off point4 ,we instruct our ends to be certain no one gets outside of them4 ,we have two safeties not including the quarterback4 ,if the ball is kicked down the middle1 the quarterback is the safety4 ,if the ball is kicked to our right1 our quarterback and left halfback will be safeties4 ,if the ball is kicked to our left1 the quarterback and our right halfback will be safeties1 as illustrated in ,figure #ib4 ,when our safeties drop out1 our other men will converge slightly to close the gaps4 ,the safety men cover slowly1 and should always be in a position to tackle the ball carrier before he can score4 ,figure #ib illustrates the fullback kicking the ball4 ,if a player other than the fullback is the kick-off man1 he and the fullback would merely exchange places in the line up4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ib ,it is very important that our men going down to cover the kick-off keep their proper distance from the men on each side of them4 ,if we have two men covering the kick close together1 a good block by the receiving team could eliminate both of them1 and then our coverage would not be sound4 ,,our ,,kick-,,off ,,return ,i explained previously the advantages of returning the kick-off4 ,i like to get this psychological and strategical 8jump0 on our opposition when we receive the kick-off2 consequently1 we attach much importance and significance to returning the kick-off4 ,we work hard on our returns4 ,we want a good return so that if we must surrender the ball by punting to the opposition1 we'll give it to them back in their #c-;down zone4 ,by this ,i mean they must make a first down in their first three plays or they will be forced to kick the ball back to us on the fourth down4 ,if we get a poor return and cannot move the ball and must punt it from deep in our own territory1 we might give the ball to them immediately in their #d-;down zone4 ,now we have increased their chances of scoring by #be merely because we did not get a good kick-off return4 ,our ,kick-,off ,return ,right ,figure #ic illustrates our kick-off return to our right with the men on the receiving team blocking their 8numbers0 downfield1 as indicated4 ,each man on the kicking team is numbered from one through seven from the outside-in1 except the last four men on the opposite side of the kicking line1 i4e41 the men on our extreme left in ,figure #ic4 ,if we know from scouting reports who the safety man will be1 we do not give him a number4 ,if we don't know who the safety man is1 we instruct our players--if your man turns out to be a safety1 regardless of where you line up1 then you will block the first man to your inside4 ,the deep back who does not receive the ball will head upfield and block the most dangerous man threatening the ball carrier4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ic ,our ,middle ,kick-,off ,return ,we think our middle kick-off return is very simple and actually takes very little work to perfect it4 ,what we are trying to accomplish is to wall off the opposition in a solid line4 ,this gives our ball carrier time to pick up speed and we let him break where the hole opens up4 ,in our alignment1 illustrated in ,figure #id1 our front line is about #ab yards in front of our back line4 ,when the ball is kicked1 our front line will drop back six yards and get into a good football position1 keeping their eyes on the men they are going to block4 ,when we are using this type of return1 we commence counting from the outside-in on both ends of the line4 ,the end men are not blocked because we know they are taught to stay outside4 ,if our scouting report shows they converge and other men cover the outside1 then we will change our assignments to handle the situation4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #id ,we want our blockers to use the same block that our backs use when protecting the passer4 ,we want them to remain on their feet until they feel they are losing their man4 ,then they go into a crotch block4 ,the deep back who does not field the ball will get in front of the ball carrier and lead interference4 ,the back who receives the kick-off will start straight up the field attempting to gain as much yardage as possible4 ,when he sees daylight in the line in front of it1 he breaks for the opening at his discretion4 ,if the kicking team places the football on the hash mark to kick-off and we are employing a middle return1 we will count the end man closest to the football and block him1 and disregard the two farthest men from the ball on the opposite end of the line4 ,,our ,,on-,,side 7,,short7 ,,kick ,the on-side kick1 i4e41 legal short kick1 is one of the best weapons a team can have when you must gain possession of the ball after a touchdown4 ,we work on the on-side kick1 practicing it every week4 ,if an on-side kick helps us to win one football game1 then it is well worth all the time we have spent on it4 ,previously ,i mentioned our #aiee game with ,rice where we were behind #ab-j1 with three minutes remaining to play in the game4 ,we scored on a running play1 kicked the extra point1 and with the score #ab-g we still needed a touchdown to win the football game4 ,having rehearsed the on-side kick during the week1 as we lined up for the kick-off1 we knew our strategy would be a short kick4 ,we recovered the ball successfully on the on-side kick1 then scored with a long pass1 and converted the point-after-touchdown1 making the score #ad-ab4 ,rice attempted to get back into the game by passing as time was running out4 ,we intercepted a pass1 scored again1 and won the game #bj-ab4 ,you can see why we are firm believers in the on-side kick4 ,figure #ie illustrates our on-side kick to the left4 ,we line up in our regular kick-off alignment4 ,when the kicker approaches the ball1 instead of driving through with the toe of his kicking shoe1 he kicks the football with his instep4 ,he merely tries to get a piece of the ball1 sort of punching it left or right so we can go down and cover it quickly4 ,the end1 tackle and center 7,figure #ie7 do not try to recover the ball1 but try to wedge in front of it and wall off the area so the men on the receiving team cannot get possession of the football4 ,our halfback comes down fast and his assignment is to recover the football 7behind the wall74 ,when we kick the ball to the left1 as illustrated in ,figure #ie1 the quarterback will swing in behind the halfback in the event he misses recovering the ball and the opposition is trying to advance the kick-off4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ie ,we also try an on-side kick down the middle with the tackles and guards 7see ,figure #ie7 forming a wall in front of the kicker1 who tries to recover the football4 ,when we try an on-side kick to our right1 the principles are the same with our end1 guard and tackle forming the wall while the right halfback tries to recover the ball4 ,,defending ,,against ,,an ,,on-,,side ,,kick ,we also work on defending against the on-side 7short7 kick because we know the opposition will attempt to use it against us4 ,the last year ,i was at ,kentucky1 we were playing ,cincinnati and ,i knew they would attempt an on-side kick4 ,i sent #aa players into the game with the sole responsibility of recovering the kick and not permitting ,cincinnati to get the football4 ,i wish ,i could report that we were successful1 but ,cincinnati recovered its on-side kick4 ,however1 our boys at least knew we had worked on defending against the on-side kick and we were not surprised when the opposition used it4 ,when we are expecting an on-side kick1 we want to get our best ball handlers up close to the restraining line so they can field the ball4 ,figure #if illustrates our receiving alignment defending against the on-side kick4 ,our halfbacks and quarterback are at the #de-yard line1 with the fullback deep and the ends in their usual alignment4 ,we put our five interior linemen close to the restraining line for two reasons4 ,first1 we do not want them to handle the football4 ,second1 we want them to block or wall off for the man who is going to field the ball4 ,our quarterback is our surest ball handler so we place him in the middle1 hoping he will be the one to field the ball4 ,note the halfbacks are inside of the end men on the restraining line in front of them4 ,if the ball is kicked to our left1 our front men sprint quickly to a point in front of the football where they can block the men on the kicking team before they can recover the football4 ,the halfback on the left side is instructed not to try to advance the football1 but merely to fall on it and get possession of the football4 ,the quarterback and right halfback swing in behind the left halfback in the event he mishandles the football4 ,if the kick were to our right1 the right halfback would handle the ball with the other two backs backing up the right halfback4 ,if the ball is kicked down the middle1 we want the quarterback to fall on the ball1 with the two halfbacks swinging in behind him in the event he mishandles the ball4 ,our five front men would block in front of the ball for their quarterback4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #if ,,our ,,extra ,,point ,,and ,,field ,,goal ,,protection ,our extra point and field goal protection are the same with the exception that on the latter we must cover the kick4 ,our point-after-touchdown and field goal attempt blocking rules are as follows3 ,center--,our center's main responsibility is to make a perfect snap to the holder1 and then he braces himself and holds his ground4 ,we actually try to get our center to grab the ground with his hands so that he cannot be knocked backwards4 ,should the latter occur1 the center would leave a hole in the line4 ,the center must hold his ground1 and he should keep both feet stationary4 ,guards1 ,tackles1 ,ends--,the other six linemen have exactly the same blocking rules4 ,the guards and tackles do not take splits1 so the line from tackle to tackle will be tight4 ,the ends will split approximately six inches4 ,none of these men can move their outside foot4 ,it must remain stationary4 ,they will line up looking in at the football4 ,on the snap of the ball1 the guard will step with his inside foot toward the center4 ,he will put his head in front of the center's leg1 with his neck firm against it4 ,the guard must keep his outside leg stationary as the tackle will put his head and neck firmly against the guard's leg4 ,the end will use the same technique putting his neck against the tackle's outside leg4 ,we are trying to build a solid wall so the opposition cannot penetrate it and get to our kicker4 ,we are trying to force the opponents to rush from the outside1 rather than permitting them to rush inside4 ,up-,backs--,the up-backs line up about a yard deep and a yard inside our offensive ends4 ,they are in a position where they can reach out and touch the tail of our end on their respective sides4 ,the up-back's assignment is to keep his inside foot in place and force the rushers to go wide4 ,he cannot move his inside foot1 and he must not be knocked down4 ,on a field goal attempt he has wide responsibility to his side of the field4 ,he will leave as soon as he hears the thud of the ball4 ,holder--,the holder lines up about six yards and one foot deep and his responsibility is to place the ball on the tee in a good position1 permitting our kicker to get his foot into the ball4 ,figure #ig illustrates our place kicking formation4 ,the whole operation for the extra point or field goal attempt should take only one and three-tenths seconds4 ,if it takes longer than this1 it is likely the kick will be blocked4 ,we have our extra point and field goal kickers out #bj minutes early every day practicing their specialties4 ,we have a set of goal posts approximately one-half as wide as the regulation width that our kickers practice kicking through4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ig ,,defending ,,against ,a ,,field ,,goal ,,attempt ,when we are trying to rush a field goal attempt1 we never rush from both sides at the same time1 and we always play our #c-;deep pass coverage4 ,the only exception is that our safety will line up a little deeper so he can handle the ball if the situation warrants it4 ,we are always as conscious of the fake field goal attempt and pass as we are of the actual place kick4 ,we only rush from one side at a time1 and it will probably be our right side if the kicker is right-footed4 ,we overload to that side1 as illustrated in ,figure #ih1 trying to get one of our fastest ends in there to block the attempted place kick4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ih ,,conclusion ,i think the kicking game is very important as it is tied in closely with our defensive football4 ,you must be sound in all phases of the kicking game1 as neglecting any one phase can cost you a football game4 ,in order to have a winner1 our kicking game must be sound4 ,,chapter #g ,our ,offensive ,running ,game ,the number one objective of offensive football is to score4 ,if we cannot score1 then the only alternative is to kick4 ,we never want to surrender the ball to our opposition outside of the #d-;down zone other than by kicking it to them4 ,we cannot possibly win the tough football games if we lose the football by fumbles1 interceptions1 blocked kicks1 or anything else other than by kicking the ball to our opponents4 ,,basic ,,principles ,,and ,,requirements ,,of ,,offensive ,,football ,offense is based on two primary principles1 running with and_/or passing the football4 ,they go hand in hand and complement each other in all respects4 ,a team must pass sufficiently in order to keep the opposition from putting all of its strength on or relatively close to the line of scrimmage4 ,a team also must be able to advance the football with its ground game so the opposition does not have to defend against only one phase of the game1 the passing attack4 ,the main requirements for playing offensive football are3 7#a7 explosive speed1 and 7#b7 a real desire to carry out the specific assignment1 whether it be to block1 run or fake4 ,offense is a game of skill and perfection1 and many hours must be spent working on it4 ,a ,sound ,offense ,a sound offense is one in which each play is designed to gain ground1 and if executed perfectly there is a good possibility for a long gain and_/or scoring a touchdown4 ,if the offense is going to operate at maximum efficiency1 the bad play must be eliminated completely4 ,the bad play is one that does not gain yardage4 ,if the offense is based on the #d-yard per play or short thrust offense1 such as ,oklahoma has used so successfully in the past under ,bud ,wilkinson1 it is clear to see how a bad play can stymie the offensive attack4 ,the sound attack also utilizes the best personnel available1 such as the best ball carriers carrying the ball1 the best blockers for blocking1 and so on4 ,if you will analyze your offensive attack1 you are likely to learn this does not always occur4 ,the best blocker might be carrying the ball more often than your best ball carrier1 who in turn might not be a strong blocker4 ,we had a fine team at ,texas ,a ,m in #aief1 but when ,i look back over the season ,i now realize ,i did not utilize my backs to maximum efficiency4 ,our quarterback1 ,roddie ,osborne1 was a very fine football player1 and like the great ones he enjoyed running with the football4 ,roddie did a terrific job of running with the ball1 but we had other outstanding backs1 such as ,all-,american ,john ,crow1 ,all-,american ,jack ,pardee1 and ,lloyd ,taylor1 a great competitor4 ,when the season was over and we tabulated our final statistics1 we found ,roddie had carried the ball nearly as many times as the combined carries of ,crow1 ,pardee1 and ,taylor4 ,in order to maintain maximum results with the offense1 it must be presented to the squad so they all have a complete understanding of what you are trying to accomplish and how it is going to be done4 ,unless the players have a thorough picture and understand the reasoning behind your offensive attack1 maximum efficiency is impossible4 ,i firmly believe that the simpler the offense1 the better4 ,the fewer things a boy has to do and remember1 the better he will execute the fundamentals you have taught him4 ,if executed well1 the player will have more confidence in what he is doing and his own ability4 ,consequently the greater the chance the offensive attack has of being successful4 ,,our ,,offensive ,,terminology ,to be sure that we are all talking the same 8language0 and can understand each other readily1 we have adopted the following offensive terminology3 ,flow--,direction in which most of the backs start4 ,on-,side--,lineman on side of point of attack4 ,off-,side--,lineman on side away from point of attack4 ,near ,back--,halfback on side of flow4 ,far ,back--,halfback away from side of flow4 ,on-,back--,of the two remaining backs in the backfield1 the back toward call4 ,off-,back--,of the two remaining backs in the backfield1 the back away from call4 ,point of ,attack--,spot where ball crosses the line of scrimmage4 ,over--,defensive man over any part of the offensive man4 ,cut ,off--,shoot the head and shoulder past the defensive man1 destroying his correct pursuit angle to the football4 ,set--,fake pass protection block4 ,slam--,entertain defensive man with shoulder and forearm4 ,n_/,t--,no one there4 ,position ,lateral--,getting self in position to receive lateral from the man with the football4 ,covered--,designates offensive man with a defensive man over him on ,l4,o4,s4 ,l4,b4--,linebacker4 ,m4,l4,b4--,middle linebacker4 ,l4,o4,s4--,line of scrimmage4 ,man on ,l4,o4,s4--,defensive man down in #c- or #d-point stance on the line of scrimmage4 8#f0--,right end4 8#g0--,left end4 ,club--,a vicious running head and shoulder block attacking the defensive man's upper extremities from the blind side4 ,this block is used in the area approaching the point of attack4 ,color--,first man approached with different color jersey4 ,motion--,back leaving before snap of the ball4 ,ice--,receiver going to outside or inside and becoming a possible receiver after making his block or when no one shows4 ,yell 8,ice0 when open4 ,trail ,junction ,blocker--,ball carrier straddling the outside leg of junction blocker4 ,stay close to him4 ,pursuer--,defensive man pursuing the ball carrier4 ,gap--,space between two offensive men4 ,flare--,call to tell a back to run a flare route4 ,drive ,man--,man who does the driving on a two-on-one block4 ,post ,man--,man who stops the progress of the defensive man on a two-on-one block4 ,odd ,defense--,offensive guards not covered4 ,even ,defense--,offensive guards are covered4 ,box ,defense--,only two deep men in the secondary4 #c-;,deep ,defense--,three deep men in the defensive secondary4 #i-,man ,front--,box defense4 #h-,man ,front--,three deep defense4 ,position ,ball--,bring ball immediately into belly1 elbows in1 ball in fingers4 ,drive ,block--,a vicious head and shoulders block and turn opponent4 ,climb ,block--,a brutal drive block4 ,chop ,block--,open field block on men in the secondary by throwing your body 7extended7 at his throat4 ,crack ,back--,a vicious low reverse body block4 ,groin ,block--,a low drive block with upward action aimed at defensive man's groin4 ,fill--,protect the area to your inside4 ,shoot ,out--,springing from your original stance1 hitting on your hands and feet running 7used to get downfield74 ,against the ,grain--,direction in the secondary opposite the flow4 ,on ,linebacker--,denotes 7on-side ,l4,b4 ,n_/,t ,m4,l4,b474 ,position--,getting to a spot between the man you are to block and the ball carrier4 ,roll ,back--,position and block defensive man from blind side4 ,eagle--,call to tackle and guard to switch assignments4 ,head ,on--,man nose on nose4 ,we want all of our players and coaches to understand and use our offensive terminology4 ,one or two words either explains the descriptive action we want or identifies some segment of the offense or the opposition's defense4 ,the terms are simple1 meaningful and descriptive4 ,,our ,,offensive ,,stance ,the offensive stance is very important4 ,it is difficult enough trying to attain maximum results when they are lined up in their proper stance1 but it puts your players at a distinct disadvantage and handicaps them greatly if you permit them to assume a stance that is improper and incorrect4 ,therefore1 we put first things first1 and try to coach our players always to take the proper stance4 ,offensive ,stance for ,linemen ,the stance for the linemen1 with the exception of the center1 is basically the same1 with allowances being made for various physical characteristics1 which vary from individual to individual4 ,the inside foot is forward1 the feet staggered in an arch to toe relationship4 ,the tackles and ends exaggerate the stagger from heel to toe since they are further removed from the center and quarterback4 ,the feet should not be spread wider than the individual's shoulders1 with the weight of the body concentrated on the balls of the feet4 ,the heels should be slightly in1 with the cleats on the heel of the forward foot almost touching the ground4 ,the ankles should be bent slightly4 ,the knees should be bent slightly more than #ij degrees1 and turned slightly in4 ,the tail is even or a little higher than the shoulders1 and splitting the forward and rear heels4 ,the back is straight1 shoulders square1 neck relaxed1 and eyes open keeping the defensive linebacker in line of sight4 ,the hands are placed down slightly outside of the feet1 elbows relaxed1 and thumbs in and slightly forward of the shoulders4 ,offensive ,stance for ,center ,the center lines up in a left-handed stance with the feet even and slightly wider than the shoulders4 ,the weight is on the balls of the feet1 heels turned slightly in1 with the cleats on the heels of the shoes almost touching the ground4 ,the knees are slightly in and bent a little more than #ij degrees4 ,the tail is slightly higher than the shoulders and about two inches in front of the heels4 ,the center places his left hand inside his legs down from between his eye and ear almost directly under the forehead1 with the fingers spread and the thumb turned slightly in4 ,the shoulders are square1 the back is straight1 the neck is relaxed1 and the eyes looking upward4 ,his right hand grasps the football like a passer4 ,he should reach out as far as possible without changing his stance4 ,the center is coached to place the ball on his tail as quickly as possible with a natural turn of the arm4 ,he should drive out over the ball with his head coming up and tail down1 keeping his shoulders square as he makes his hand-back to the quarterback4 ,quarterback's ,stance ,the quarterback is coached to get into a football position with the feet slightly wider than the shoulders1 weight on the balls of the feet1 heels and knees turned slightly in1 knees bent slightly1 and a natural bend at the waist in order to be in a good position to receive the ball from the center as he snaps the ball on the hand-back4 ,the elbows must be bent and in close to the body4 ,the quarterback's right hand goes up in the center's crotch4 ,he turns it slightly to the right4 ,at this spot he applies pressure with the hand to his center's tail4 ,the left hand must be in a comfortable position1 making slight contact with the right hand1 and it is used to trap the ball and to assist the right hand in taking the football from the center4 ,halfback's ,stance ,the feet of the halfback should not be wider than the shoulders1 and staggered in a heel to toe relationship with each other4 ,the weight should be on the balls of the feet1 but will vary slightly depending upon the direction the halfback must move in carrying out his particular assignment4 ,with the snap of the ball he should throw himself in the direction he is going1 and he should not use a cross-over step4 ,his knees should be bent a little beyond #ij degrees1 with the knees and heels turned slightly in1 and the tail a little higher than the shoulders4 ,the halfback's shoulders should be square1 with his head and eyes in a position to see the defensive linebacker on the opposite side from him4 ,the inside hand should be down1 slightly forward and inside of the knee with the thumb turned a little to the inside4 ,the body weight should be forward slightly4 ,fullback's ,stance ,the fullback lines up with the feet even and a little wider than his shoulders4 ,the cleats on the heels of his shoes should touch the ground4 ,the heels and knees are turned slightly in with the weight on the balls of the feet4 ,the head and eyes are in a relaxed position1 but where they can see the second man standing outside of the offensive end4 ,the hands are directly in front of each foot with the thumbs turned in4 ,the shoulders are square1 the back is straight1 the tail is directly above the heels1 with the weight slightly forward1 but not to such an extent he cannot start quickly in a lateral direction to either side4 ,,offensive ,,line ,,splits ,the use of intelligent line splits by the offensive guards1 tackles and ends must be mastered in order to realize the full potential of our basic offensive attack4 ,without proper line splits1 it is impossible for the offense to function at #ajj efficiency4 ,therefore1 we must present line split theory and coach our linemen in such a way they will have a clear understanding of why and when we want to move in1 out or remain stationary4 ,mastering the intelligent use of line splits is one of the most important single duties of the offensive linemen4 7,the other is a quick offensive charge together on the starting count47 ,the ,pre-,shift ,position ,when the linemen leave the huddle and come up to the line of scrimmage in a pre-shift position 7hands on knees in a semi-upright stance71 the basic split rule for the guards is to split one full man4 ,the tackles and ends will split slightly more than one full man4 ,as the linemen go down into their offensive stance1 each man 7except the center7 will move in1 out or remain stationary1 depending upon the particular defensive alignment and the individual's split rules4 ,our ,basic ,split ,rules ,our offensive basic split rules are as follows3 ,,even ,,defense3 #a4 ,guards--full man2 don't move4 #b4 ,tackles--man over you1 split one-half man4 ,if no one is there1 use a common sense split which would be to cut the split down on a wide play and take a maximum split on an inside play4 #c4 ,ends--,line up a little over a full man split1 and use the common sense split rule which would depend upon the play4 ,never move more than one-half man either way4 ,,odd ,,defense3 #a4 ,guards--,take a full man split1 but never so wide that if a man should jump into the gap between the guard and center1 you could not cut him off4 ,after taking the proper split1 then apply the common sense split rule4 #b4 ,tackles--,if there is no inside linebacker3 7a7 ,wide play called--split in one-half man4 7b7 ,inside play called--fake split and don't move4 ,inside linebacker3 ,split out one-half man4 #c4 ,ends--,take good wide splits and apply common sense rule1 never split more than one-half man either way4 ,in order to split intelligently it is important to determine first of all if the defensive man will move with you when you move 7,figure #ii;a71 or whether he is keeping his spacing on his own defensive man 7,figure #ii;b74 ,you are attempting to determine as quickly as possible if your defensive man is taking a variable or a static position4 ,figures #ii;a-b illustrate variable and static spacing1 respectively1 by the defensive linemen4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ii;a ,illustration3 ,,figure #ii;b ,do not ever emphasize that you are splitting to get good blocking angles1 but you split in order to isolate a defender4 ,if the defender splits when the offensive man splits1 you can isolate him4 ,if his split is static1 a good blocking angle will be the result4 ,your linemen should never split merely to get the angle1 however4 ,it will also help the linemen if they have a clear picture of where the ball crosses the line of scrimmage 7the critical point of attack71 and from where the ball is being thrown on a pass play4 ,then1 too1 there is no set rule that will cover all defensive situations and the offensive men must be able to apply the common sense split rule along with the basic split rule4 ,figure #ajj illustrates the pre-shift position of the right side of the offensive line and the application of the guard's1 tackle's1 and end's split rules4 ,from the pre-shift stance and position1 the offensive men are allowed to split one-half man either way1 according to the defense4 ,the inside always must be protected4 ,a defensive man must not be allowed to penetrate or shoot the inside gap as he is likely to stop the offensive play for a loss4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajj ,if the defensive man will move with the offensive man1 then the offense should be able to isolate one man and the point of attack should be directed toward him4 ,figures #aja;a-b illustrate the center's man and the offensive right tackle's man being isolated respectively1 and the critical point of attack being directed at the isolated defenders4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aja;a ,illustration3 ,,figure #aja;b ,it is very important for the offensive lineman to know his main objective in proper line splitting is either 7#a7 to spread the defense out1 or 7#b7 to isolate a man4 ,the main objective is never to split in order to get a good blocking angle4 ,this latter misconception can destroy any advantage we gain by splitting the line4 ,,our ,,snap ,,count ,in order for a team to operate at maximum efficiency offensively all of the players must get off with the ball at the same time4 ,they must uncoil as a unit and strike the opposition as quickly as possible4 ,the only advantage the offense has over the defense is the former knows where the play is going and when the ball will be snapped4 ,in order to maintain this advantage the offense must strike quickly as a unit4 ,should the defense penetrate the offense or the offense not get off on the ball together1 the offense loses its advantage over the defense4 ,the offense's advantage hinges on its ability to get off on the ball together4 ,whether or not the offense can do this well will depend upon their first initial movement1 which in turn depends upon the snap count4 ,at one time or another ,i believe we have used just about every imaginable snap count4 ,we have found that our line gets off better as a unit1 without leaning1 and hits quicker when we employ a sound snap count4 ,the quarterback can say what he likes if we are going on the first sound4 ,while in the huddle1 the quarterback will give the play and then cue the action with the first sound1 second sound or the third sound4 ,we use the same word for our sound snap count1 but the emphasis is placed on the first1 second or third sound4 ,for example1 if the quarterback calls1 8#bd on the second sound10 the team lines up in its offensive position1 and the quarterback says1 8,go60 ,since this is the first sound1 the ball is not centered4 ,then the quarterback commands1 8,go60 for the second sound1 the ball is centered and the team moves as a unit4 ,the quarterback can wait between his first and second commands since our snap count is non-rhythmic4 ,such a measure not only keeps the defense off guard1 but it also keeps the offense constantly alert4 ,automatics ,it is not my purpose to discuss the automatic versus the non-automatic systems of signal calling4 ,in the former the quarterback can use the automatic system or change the play at the line of scrimmage4 ,in the latter he runs the play that was called in the huddle and does not change it at the line of scrimmage4 ,there are advantages and disadvantages to both systems4 ,a strong argument that is advanced for the non-automatic system is that it gives the linemen time to analyze their block and mentally pick out the person they are supposed to block as they approach the line of scrimmage4 ,the people who favor the non-automatic system maintain they have fewer broken signals1 and fewer bad plays than the teams using the automatic play change4 ,while ,i am not stressing the merits of one system over the other1 frankly1 ,i would never send my players into a football game without several plays which could be automaticked at the line of scrimmage4 ,it is just common sense to realize certain plays are not good against certain defenses1 and it is useless in most instances to run a play directly toward the strength of a defense when you need to gain yardage in order to sustain your offensive drive4 ,therefore1 we always have a trap play1 an end sweep1 and a look pass as our automatics4 ,since they are few in number1 our automatics are easy to learn and they allow the quarterback to change his play at the line of scrimmage if he wishes to do so4 ,our automatic system is very simple1 and there is very little confusion when we change our plays4 ,as an example1 while we are in the huddle1 the quarterback will call play1 8#ah10 and the players will break from the huddle and go to the line of scrimmage4 ,after the quarterback gets the players down into their offensive positions and he sees he wants to change the play on automatic1 he will repeat the original play1 8#ah40 ,this will alert the players1 and they know the next number they hear will be the new play that will be run instead of play #ah4 ,after the quarterback has repeated the original play1 and has called another number1 8#bd10 as an example1 everyone on the offensive team knows the new play will be #bd1 and the snap count always remains the same4 ,faking the ,automatic ,if the quarterback wishes to fake an automatic so the opponents cannot catch on to what he is doing1 this can be done very simply4 ,as an example1 let's say the quarterback called the play1 8#cj10 in the huddle4 ,at the line of scrimmage he decided to fake or dummy the automatic4 ,at the line he will say any number other than the one he called in the huddle4 ,this notifies the boys it is a fake automatic and they will not pay any attention to the next number he calls as they are going to run the play which the quarterback called originally in the huddle4 ,by using this two number system we can always play the automatic or fake it1 and it is impossible for the opponents to catch on because they do not know the play the quarterback called in the huddle originally4 ,it is impossible to use the automatic if the quarterback has elected to run the play on the first sound4 ,the majority of the time when we are going on the first sound we will be hitting fast and straight away1 and an automatic will not be necessary4 ,if the quarterback thinks there is any chance he might want to change the play for any particular reason1 he would not run the play on the first sound4 ,,the ,,offensive ,,huddle ,the entire offensive operation starts with the huddle2 therefore1 it is very important to insist that proper huddle techniques are carried out properly4 ,it is not too important the way the men are spaced or lined up in forming the huddle1 as long as everyone can see1 hear1 and get to their proper offensive positions with as little confusion as possible4 ,it is a must1 however1 for the quarterback to use the proper techniques in calling his plays and in controlling the huddle4 ,the ,quarterback ,controls the ,team ,a quarterback should never allow any talking in the huddle1 unless he asks a question and wants specific information4 ,therefore1 he should stand out of the huddle until it is completely formed4 ,this will give any player an opportunity to come and give specific information to the quarterback without talking in the huddle4 ,the quarterback should not just call a signal1 but on certain occasions he should make a few extra comments while in the huddle4 ,he should be forceful1 and above all he must be confident4 ,the team will run the play the way the quarterback calls it4 ,occasionally he should single out the man called on to make the key block and inform him the team is depending upon him4 ,after the quarterback has called the play1 and someone wants to check the signal1 the quarterback should not merely repeat the signal but the entire play over again4 ,the quarterback must know the tactical situation at all times4 ,if a substitute comes into the game1 the quarterback should always ask if there are any instructions from the coach4 ,the quarterback must always be conscious of the #be seconds between plays1 and he should use it to his advantage1 whether to speed up or slow down the game4 ,training the quarterback will be discussed in greater detail in ,chapter #i4 ,,the ,,quarterback',s ,,techniques ,i spoke previously of the quarterback's stance4 ,it is very important for him to take the same stance every time4 ,the center must know where to place the ball every time4 ,centers and quarterbacks should work with each other frequently giving them as much practice as possible4 ,each center or quarterback has particular traits1 and by the centers and quarterbacks working with each other they get to know one another better1 thus eliminating bad exchanges between them4 ,the quarterback should have his head up and always look straight ahead1 while observing the defense at all times4 ,he should be as comfortable and as relaxed as possible1 and he should never look down when receiving the ball from his center4 ,taking the ,snap-,back ,on the snap of the ball1 the quarterback should dip his hips so his hands will follow the tail of the center as he charges4 ,this technique will also help the quarterback push off4 ,the quarterback will take the ball with his right hand1 using the left as a trapper1 as was explained previously4 ,he should make certain he has the ball1 and he should not fight it1 before withdrawing his hands from the center's crotch4 ,as soon as the quarterback has possession of the ball1 he should bring it into his 8third hand10 his stomach4 ,such a procedure will help prevent a fumble4 ,he then wants to push off and execute his techniques as quickly as possible4 ,the quarterback must always be cognizant of the fact he cannot score without the ball2 consequently1 he wants to make certain he has possession of it before pulling out of there4 ,if he gets in a big hurry1 he is likely to drop the ball to the ground4 ,i have seen this occur many times4 ,after ,receiving the ,snap ,after receiving the snap1 the quarterback will operate in one direction or the other by using a pivot or a cross-over step4 ,the theory and techniques are basically the same4 ,first1 the quarterback must know the defensive alignment as this will determine how far he should pivot1 or if he needs to take a position step4 ,after he has recognized the defense and he has taken the first short jab step or pivot step1 he should have the ball in close to his body until he is ready to hand-off4 ,the head is the first part of the body around if using the pivot step1 and also the first to move in the direction the quarterback is taking if the cross-over step is used4 ,after the head is pointed in the right direction1 the steps can be adjusted to avoid running into the ball carrier4 ,the quarterback should not wave his arms or his body up and down as he should maintain the same level throughout the entire operation4 ,the quarterback should never flash 7show7 the football2 he always operates under control4 ,making the ,exchange ,it is important for the quarterback to know each man with whom he must make an exchange1 including his speed1 strong and weak points4 ,he should look at the target1 the far hip1 of the man to whom he is going to hand the football1 and he should be very quick with the exchange4 ,he should try to make the hand-off with the same motion he would use if he were dealing cards quickly4 ,quarterback ,faking ,the faking of the quarterback is very important4 ,he should always remember to carry out his fakes realistically4 ,incidentally we sometimes give the ball to the man who is supposed to be doing the faking4 ,we have found it helps our faking as the man is not certain whether or not the quarterback is going to give the ball to him4 ,when attempting a fake1 it is very important for the quarterback to look at the man he is faking to1 and not merely swing his arms in a half-hearted fake4 ,he should go through the same motions he uses when he actually gives the ball to the faker4 ,his fakes must be realistic for the offense to be effective4 ,the quarterback should remember he never stops moving while on offense1 except when faking to set up a drop back pass4 ,,ball ,,carrying ,,techniques ,every team wins or loses a great percentage of its games due to the manner in which the backs and ends carry the football4 ,all players1 not only the backs1 should be drilled in the proper mechanics and techniques of carrying a football properly as it is possible on occasions an interior lineman will have an opportunity to run with the ball4 ,the outstanding characteristics or strength of each ball carrier is likely to be different as one might possess outstanding speed1 another is a nifty1 shifty runner1 and the third is solid on his feet1 possesses power1 and is capable of running over the opposition4 ,every ball carrier must utilize his natural talents1 and should practice diligently to become as versatile as possible4 ,regardless of the individual style of a runner1 the most important point is for him to hold on to the football and not fumble it4 ,good habits1 careful handling1 and the execution of proper techniques will prevent fumbles on ball exchanges4 ,when a player has the ball in his possession and fumbles it1 he has committed the unpardonable sin in my estimation4 ,the ball carrier should remember to have one point of the football in the palm of his hand with the fingers around the end of the ball1 and gripping it tightly4 ,the other end should be in the crook of his arm1 which should force the football up close to his body4 ,if the football is carried properly1 and the ball carrier is determined to hang on to it1 the football should never be lost due to a fumble4 ,the ball is the most valuable object on the football field4 ,consequently if the ball carrier fails to hang on to the ball1 he is letting down his entire team4 ,once a player has control of the ball and fumbles it1 this is no accident4 ,it is either carelessness or lack of courage4 ,i can't build a winner with this type of player4 ,in a close game a fumbled ball can be the deciding factor in winning or losing4 ,a ball carrier should remember his primary objective is to gain ground2 if possible1 to score4 ,therefore1 he should move directly toward the opposition's goal line as quickly as possible1 unless there is a definite reason for doing otherwise4 ,there are always exceptions to the rules1 and a ball carrier may not be running toward the opposition's goal because he might be trying to make better use of a blocker1 dodge an opponent1 get to the opening1 time the play properly1 or he might have some other valid reason4 ,there will be times when top speed and the correct direction will not be sufficient to get the job done4 ,open ,field ,running ,techniques ,when a ball carrier is in the open field1 he should always keep the tackler guessing4 ,he should not tip-off whether he is going to try to outrun him1 run through him1 or dodge him1 until he is close enough to the tackler to give him the fake and then get by him4 ,the ball carrier should never concede he is down1 and he should always keep fighting to gain ground until the whistle stops the play4 ,the ball carrier should always realize and know exactly where he is on the field1 and just what he must do in order for the play to be successful4 ,in a majority of cases1 a ball carrier should be concerned only with running for a touchdown4 ,the ,importance of ,proper ,mental ,attitude ,the basic difference between ordinary and great athletes is mental attitude4 ,as far as football players are concerned1 the ordinary ball carrier will try to make a touchdown1 but he will be satisfied with a five or six yard gain4 ,the champion athlete1 the ,all-,american back1 is dissatisfied when he fails to score4 ,he is always going for the opposition's goal line4 ,the ball carrier actually does not succeed in his objective unless he runs for a touchdown on every play 7except for occasional tactical situations71 and he should never be made to feel he has accomplished his objective unless he scores4 ,a ball carrier must be made to realize when he does a poor job of carrying the ball1 the effort of the other #aj men has been wasted4 ,the ball carrier must always be aware of the yardage necessary for a first down and for a touchdown4 ,when the ball carrier has possession of the football1 he must realize he has the control of the game in his hands4 ,,our ,,blocking ,,techniques ,blocking techniques are basically the same for all linemen4 ,the blocks the backs are called upon to execute are basically the same1 too4 ,therefore1 we will not discuss the techniques of each position1 but merely discuss techniques and procedures as a whole4 ,the ,drive ,block ,the drive block or the one-on-one block was developed primarily for a fast hitting attack1 and is one that we use on many occasions4 ,all blocks consist of the following steps3 7#a7 the approach1 7#b7 the contact1 and 7#c7 the follow through4 ,,approach3 #a4 ,approach with short1 controlled step4 ,first step should be with the outside foot1 and it should not go beyond the forward foot4 ,the knees should be bent at this time4 #b4 ,split the opponent's course with the first step1 and aim the nose guard at the middle of the opponent's target4 #c4 ,keep the eyes on the target at all times4 #d4 ,uncoil off the forward foot4 ,do not duck the head during the uncoil4 ,,contact3 #a4 ,strike a jarring blow with the forehead4 #b4 ,bring the head up as contact is made4 7,the body will follow the head2 this will help arch the back47 #c4 ,the drive should be forward1 then upward4 ,the object is to knock the opponent off-balance1 thus depriving him of his traction2 this will make him easy to move out of the play4 #d4 ,bring the feet up fast with short1 choppy1 digging steps1 but still keeping the knees bent4 ,,follow ,,through3 #a4 ,stay on feet with the knees still bent and keep driving4 #b4 ,keep the feet well spread and under the body4 #c4 ,charge through the opponent4 #d4 ,keep the body between the opponent and the path of the ball carrier4 ,the most important single step in the drive block is keeping the feet driving the instant contact is made4 ,the ,reverse ,shoulder ,block ,this block is used primarily when the blocker already has position on a hard charging lineman4 ,,approach3 #a4 ,aim the far shoulder for the opponent's far hip4 ,this will help allow for the opponent's charge4 #b4 ,shoot the head and shoulders in front of the defensive man4 #c4 ,this movement must be sharp and on a straight line4 #d4 ,take a short positive step with the inside foot4 ,,contact3 #a4 ,uncoil off the near foot4 #b4 ,strike a good blow on the opponent's hip1 squeezing with the neck and head in the stomach4 #c4 ,bring inside foot up to help cut off penetration4 ,,follow ,,through3 #a4 ,bring the legs up fast and keep them driving4 #b4 ,the charge of the defensive man will put the blocker in a perfect blocking position4 #c4 ,keep the body weight into opponent4 #d4 ,if and when the opponent attempts to spin out1 go into a crab position around the outside thigh to prevent pursuit4 ,blocking ,linebackers ,the percentage of time the offense can block the linebackers will determine to a great extent how successful the offense will be4 ,if the linebackers are blocked1 the defense will usually break down4 ,,approach3 #a4 ,get off on snap of the ball4 #b4 ,whenever possible release to the inside to block an inside linebacker2 to the outside when blocking an outside linebacker4 #c4 ,stay low1 don't run in a circle1 but take the shortest route to the linebacker4 #d4 ,get to the point of attack in position to block before the linebacker can get there to defend it4 #e4 ,keep your body between the linebacker and the ball carrier4 ,,contact3 #a4 ,split the linebacker right down the middle with initial block4 #b4 ,thrust the body forward and upward1 hit the linebacker on the rise and elevate the shoulders on contact4 #c4 ,strike the blow with a low fundamental position1 hit with forehead and forearm4 #d4 ,make contact off top of the feet4 ,keep the feet underneath the blocker1 thus making it impossible for the blocker to follow-through properly if he lunges or leaves his feet before or while making contact4 ,,follow ,,through3 #a4 ,as soon as contact is made with the linebacker1 continue the leg drive4 ,the initial blow should knock him off balance and the leg drive should keep him this way4 #b4 ,keep the weight into the linebacker4 #c4 ,gain position follow through4 ,the blocker should continue to strive for position to eliminate any possibility of the linebacker being in on the tackle downfield4 ,downfield ,blocking ,the approach of the downfield block will vary with the play called and position of the defensive secondary men4 ,the approach we will discuss will be centered around attacking the defensive halfback4 ,the downfield block is a definite characteristic of all good football teams1 and it is virtually impossible to have many long runs without good downfield blocking4 ,,approach3 #a4 ,release rapidly on the line of scrimmage4 #b4 ,sprint shallowly just beyond the line of scrimmage4 #c4 ,when approaching the designated person to block1 aim for a spot in front of his original position2 this eliminates running behind the halfback when he comes up to make the tackle4 #d4 ,the blocker must have a clear concept of the point of attack and the prescribed path of the ball carrier4 #e4 ,the blocker should make the defensive man commit himself before he starts to make contact4 ,,contact3 #a4 ,once the defensive man has committed himself in a specific direction1 the blocker then starts his contact4 #b4 ,the blocker will get as close as possible to the defensive man 7about two yards7 and spring off his inside foot1 thus swinging his outside elbow and arm toward the head of the opponent4 ,this will cause a lifting motion and make it possible for the blocker to extend the entire length of his body in a horizontal position4 #c4 ,the blocker must aim his body at the opponent's throat1 trying to make contact with his hip4 #d4 ,the defensive man will not allow him to hit him in the throat1 but by aiming there he may hit him around the knees4 ,,follow ,,through3 #a4 ,the follow through will consist of keeping the body extended as long as possible and jumping up and trying to make another block4 ,the ,post-,lead ,block ,the post-lead block1 or two-on-one block1 is used to insure the blocking of the most dangerous defensive man1 and at the same time give the ball carrier the feeling of confidence that he can concentrate his efforts on whipping the one defensive man to the inside or outside of the man being double-teamed4 ,with this in mind1 the blockers are more conscious of turning the defensive man away from the play rather than drive him straight down the field4 ,by using this same method1 it makes it possible to cut off the pursuit4 ,,approach3 7,post ,man7 #a4 ,drive straight at the defensive man with a short controlled step4 ,first step is with the outside foot4 #b4 ,aim the nose guard at the middle of the target4 #c4 ,keep the eyes on the target at all times4 #d4 ,uncoil off the forward foot4 7,drive ,man7 #a4 ,take a position step with the inside foot and then a good step with the outside foot to get squared away4 #b4 ,from this new position aim the nose guard at the middle of the opponent and use as an apex4 ,from this position the middle of the opponent would be below the armpit and just above the waist4 #c4 ,keep eyes on target all the way4 ,,contact3 7,post ,man7 #a4 ,strike a good blow with the forehead4 #b4 ,drive straight through the opponent to stop his charge4 #c4 ,hit on the rise and keep the pressure applied1 keeping the knees bent at all times4 7,drive ,man7 #a4 ,strike a jarring blow with the forehead below the armpit of the opponent4 #b4 ,after good contact1 slide head past body and continue applied pressure with the inside shoulder4 #c4 ,keep the tail down1 head up1 and feet under the body4 ,,follow ,,through3 7,post ,man7 #a4 ,after good contact and feet are well up under the body1 turn the tail toward the drive man4 #b4 ,keep pressure applied1 feet moving in short1 choppy steps1 and drive man down the line4 7,drive ,man7 #a4 ,keep pressure with shoulder and neck1 and do not let man spin out to outside4 #b4 ,keep the tail to inside and do not allow defensive man to split4 #c4 ,keep feet moving in short1 choppy steps and move man down the line4 #d4 ,force defensive man into pursuit to help eliminate it4 ,the ,trap ,block ,,approach3 #a4 ,it is important to take the same stance as if going straight ahead1 but just before the ball is snapped1 the weight is shifted to the outside foot4 #b4 ,take a quick1 short1 #f-;inch step with inside foot and point toe directly toward spot to be trapped4 #c4 ,never raise the body up4 ,stay down and in a semicoiled position4 #d4 ,drive off the forward foot1 still taking short steps4 #e4 ,anticipate the person to be trapped1 to be filling the inside or floating in the hole4 ,,contact3 7see below7 ,,follow ,,through3 ,the contact and follow through are exactly the same as on our drive block1 which ,i explained previously4 ,the ,pass ,protection 7,drop back pass7 ,this technique is used by the guards and tackles when protecting the passer on a straight dropback pass4 ,it is good to go from a pre-shift position when using this type of block4 ,,approach3 #a4 ,take a short step backwards with the inside foot1 then a longer step backwards with the other foot4 #b4 ,while doing this1 turn the tail slightly to the inside and remember the inside gap must be protected4 #c4 ,after the second step backwards1 the blocker should be in a good football position 7tail down1 head up1 knees bent1 back straight1 and the body in a cocked position ready to strike a blow74 ,,contact3 #a4 ,look at the man to be blocked1 make him come to the blocker4 ,when close enough1 spring and butt him with the forehead1 trying to make contact with him at the numbers4 #b4 ,after contact is made and the charge of the offensive man has been stopped1 the blocker will take a step back1 regain his football position and make contact again4 #c4 ,at all times the blocker will be forcing the defensive man to the outside4 ,,follow ,,through3 #a4 ,when the blocker sees that he can no longer strike a blow with his head1 due to the position of the defensive man1 he will fake a blow with his head1 then slide it and his body in front of the defensive man4 #b4 ,he will lock him with his leg and at the same time apply pressure with his body4 #c4 ,at all times the blocker will be in a crab position and working his feet around to force the defensive man to the outside1 thus keeping him away from the passer4 ,the ,crack ,back ,block ,this block is used primarily by the ends when they are blocking an inside linebacker4 ,it can also be used by anyone who might be blocking directly in front of the ball carrier4 ,,approach3 #a4 ,release from line of scrimmage as quickly as possible and run straight at linebacker4 #b4 ,aim slightly above the knees of the linebacker4 #c4 ,get within a yard and a half before going into block4 ,,contact3 #a4 ,throw outside arm with a quick1 jerky motion in front of linebacker4 ,this quick motion will cause the head and shoulder to get in front of defensive man4 #b4 ,release off of inside foot to start block4 #c4 ,make good solid contact with the outside hip just above the defensive man's knees4 ,,follow ,,through3 #a4 ,after contact is made1 go into a four-point position with the arms extended1 and tail high into the air4 #b4 ,work the feet around and force the defensive man to go in front of blocker's head4 #c4 ,do not let defensive man get out behind the blocker's feet because this will allow him to pursue the ball from a proper angle4 #d4 ,keep tail up and feet working4 ,the ,junction ,block ,this block is used primarily by the fullback when he is blocking a true end or a corner man on a wide play4 ,,approach3 #a4 ,aim for a spot about a yard in front and outside of man to be blocked4 #b4 ,run low and hard at spot4 ,,contact3 #a4 ,extend the head and shoulders in front of and past the defensive man4 7,the blocker's head is pointing downfield47 #b4 ,the blocker will use his inside leg and hip to catch the outside leg and hip of the defensive man4 #c4 ,the blocker will then have his head and shoulders past the defensive man and his inside leg firmly against the outside leg of the defensive man1 with his hands down and his tail up4 ,,follow ,,through3 #a4 ,force defensive man to go inside by keeping feet moving and driving downfield4 #b4 ,do not extend body and fall flat on the ground4 #c4 ,do not let man spin to blocker's outside4 #d4 ,keep pressure on defensive man as long as possible4 ,the ,roll ,block ,this block is used when a small back1 in particular1 is trying to block a true end or corner man on the ground4 ,,approach3 #a4 ,aim for a spot about a yard in front and outside of the man to be blocked4 #b4 ,run low and hard at spot4 ,,contact3 #a4 ,with the head pointed at the outside hip of the defensive man1 the blocker will get about a yard and a half from him4 ,as the blocker springs1 he will drop his inside shoulder and turn his head down and to the outside4 #b4 ,the blocker will hit the outside leg of the defensive man with the part of his shoulder pad that covers the scapula of his inside shoulder4 ,,follow ,,through3 #a4 ,after contact has been made with the back of shoulder1 the blocker will roll to his inside and give a corkscrew effect4 #b4 ,stay as high as possible 7around the knees7 and make two or three complete rolls in the corkscrew fashion1 trying to knock the legs out from under the defensive man4 #c4 ,at all times the blocker must keep his head pointing downfield or no less than a #fj degree angle4 ,,numbering ,,the ,,defensive ,,alignments ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajb;a ,in making our blocking rules or assignments for all of the players versus all different defensive alignments1 there are several factors to take into consideration4 ,the rules must be simple1 and secondly1 they must be brief4 ,we have used several different kinds of rules1 such as1 8,inside gap1 over1 linebacker10 and others4 ,this was a good method1 but it amounted to quite a bit of memory work for the players because the majority of the blocks were all different and the players were required to learn a number of different sequences4 ,trying to adhere to the theory1 8the simpler1 the better10 we started numbering the defensive men as illustrated in ,figure #ajb;a versus the #e-d defensive alignment2 #ajb;b versus the wide tackle #f2 #ajb;c versus the gap #h defense2 and ,figure #ajb;d versus the ,eagle defense4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajb;b ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajb;c ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajb;d ,we start counting with the man over the center and number him zero1 and from there go both left and right numbering every man within two yards of the line of scrimmage1 as illustrated in ,figures #ajb;a-b-c-d4 ,we also number the men in the secondary4 ,we do this by merely continuing with our numbering beyond the end lineman in the direction the ball is going to go1 as illustrated in ,figure #ajc;a versus the ,oklahoma #e-d defense1 and ,figure #ajc;b versus the wide tackle #f-b defensive alignment4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajc;a ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajc;b ,application of ,our ,blocking ,rules ,by numbering the defensive men it is simple when making out the blocking rules to assign each man a number1 and the offensive man merely learns which numbered man he will block4 ,there will be certain plays in which a particular position must have one or two options4 ,as an example1 a rule might read1 8#c unless outside1 then1 #b40 ,the following are examples of blocking rules by numbers3 ,regular ,block--straight ahead ,on-,e #c ,on-,t #b ,on-,g #a ,c #j1 off-side ,off-,g #a ,off-,t #e ,off-,e #f ,trap ,block-- ,on-,e #c ,on-,t ,l4,b4 ,on-,g ,slam man #a or #b1 ,n_/,t #j ,c ,off-side ,off-,g ,trap ,off-,t #ast outside guard ,off-,e #f ,counter ,block-- ,on-,e #f ,on-,t #b ,on-,g #a ,c #a1 ,n_/,t #j1 ,n_/,t off-side ,off-,g #a ,off-,t #b ,off-,e #c ,by using this particular method it is also very easy to incorporate the backs into the blocking scheme4 ,when using the back to the side the ball is going1 in order to have a backfield man block a particular defensive player1 we merely add two zeroes to the number which has been assigned to the defender1 and the back gets this man4 ,as an illustration1 if we want our halfback to block the #c defensive man1 the halfback's block is #cjj2 and the #d man1 the block would be called #djj4 ,several complete illustrations would be as follows3 #cjj ,block-- ,off-,e #f ,off-,t #e ,off-,g #a ,c #j1 ,n_/,t off-side ,on-,g #a ,on-,t #b ,on-,e slam #c1 then #e ,h4,b4 #c #djj ,block-- ,off-,e #f ,off-,t #e ,off-,g #a ,c #j1 ,n_/,t off-side ,on-,g #a ,on-,t #b ,on-,e #c ,h4,b4 #d ,under ,block-- ,off-,e #f ,off-,t #e ,off-,g #a ,c #j1 ,n_/,t off-side ,on-,g #a ,on-,t #b ,on-,e #c ,h4,b4 #d ,over ,block-- ,off-,e #f ,off-,t #e ,off-,g #a ,c #j1 ,n_/,t off-side ,on-,g #ast man on line of scrimmage ,on-,t #bnd man on line of scrimmage ,on-,e #crd man on line of scrimmage ,h4,b4 #ast inside linebacker ,,attacking ,,the ,,defensive ,,alignment ,probably like many other football teams1 we have too much offense4 ,however1 in order to do an intelligent job of planning our attack versus the numerous defensive alignments1 one must have sufficient offense since not all plays are good against all defenses4 ,regardless of one's offense1 the first approach is to establish a good sound middle attack that is based on the trap1 fullback hand-off1 and a pass off of the same action4 ,unless a team can force the defense to respect the inside power and force the defensive linebackers and guards to stay 8at home10 it is almost an impossibility to perfect the outside attack4 ,after we establish the inside attack1 then we want to run far enough inside the defensive end to cut down his quick containment4 ,the next step then is to perfect the wide attack and the corner passes1 in order to have a well-rounded offense4 ,bootleg passes1 reverses1 and an occasional trick play are also needed in order to keep the defense 8honest10 and to make the above-mentioned plays more effective4 ,,going ,,wide ,it is an offensive must for a team to be able to go wide and to get the long gainer4 ,occasionally all of us get a good gainer from the inside attack1 but most long gainers are from passes or some form of wide attack4 ,previously we operated on the assumption if we could gain four yards on each play we would score with a sustained drive4 ,statistics will prove a team will generally stop itself by some error1 or the defense will stop the offense1 before the attack can make four consecutive first downs or gain #ej yards1 a majority of the time4 ,consequently a team must perfect its wide game4 ,there are several ways of going wide1 but regardless of the manner attempted1 the defensive end or corner man must be eliminated either by blocking him1 optioning him1 or throwing the football over his area4 ,the ,run-,pass ,option ,when trying to get wide against a corner man1 the run or pass option is one of the best methods to employ4 ,figure #ajd illustrates the on-guard blocking #a1 on-tackle #b1 and the fullback blocking the #c man4 ,the near halfback and the on-end will run their pass routes4 ,the #d man is not blocked1 and the passer is going to option from him4 ,as soon as the passer has possession of the ball1 he watches the #d man4 ,if he comes up to tackle the passer1 the latter throws to the open receiver4 ,if the #d man drops back to play pass defense1 the passer is instructed to turn upfield and run with the football4 ,if our passer feels he can gain at least four yards on the play1 we want him to run with it most of the time4 ,the play is much better against a team that uses a #i-man front than against an #h-man front alignment4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajd ,the ,quarterback ,option ,there are several kinds of option plays1 but the one designed to get wide is the two-way option1 in which the quarterback either keeps or pitches to the far halfback1 depending upon the reaction of the defensive man from whom he is optioning4 ,the blocking rules on the quarterback option play are very simple1 as illustrated in ,figure #aje4 ,the offensive guard and tackle to the on-side block their numbers1 respectively4 ,the on-end will block to his inside1 ,n_/,t 7,no ,one ,there7 halfback1 and the fullback will block the #d man with a junction block4 ,the quarterback must watch his man all the time in order for the play to turn the corner successfully4 ,he must option the #c man and not permit the latter to option the quarterback4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aje ,the ,three-,way ,option ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajf ,the other option play1 illustrated in ,figure #ajf1 is the three-way option with the quarterback playing the #d defender4 ,this option is in the same series with the outside belly play4 ,the quarterback has the option of 7#a7 giving the ball to the fullback1 who will hit off-tackle1 7#b7 keeping the ball himself1 after faking the fullback off-tackle1 or 7#c7 faking the off-tackle play and optioning off of the #d man by pitching back to the far back running wide1 after the defender plays the quarterback4 ,the on-guard blocks #a1 on-tackle #b1 on-end #e4 ,the fullback is responsible for making #c tackle him1 and the quarterback must watch #d man4 ,changing ,offensive ,blocking ,assignments at the ,line ,since there are numerous defensive alignments and we cannot always anticipate where our opponents will line up1 and due to the inherent limitations of the number rule blocking system1 we use a change-off for our blockers4 ,as an example1 ,figure #ajg illustrates a defensive alignment where the offensive tackle could not block his man 7#b7 on a play going wide4 ,therefore1 the offensive tackle merely calls1 8,tiger10 or any other code name1 and this alerts the end that he and the tackle are exchanging blocking assignments 7,figure #ajg74 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajg ,illustration3 ,,figure #ajh ,figure #ajh illustrates an exchange of blocking assignments between the tackle and guard1 as the code1 8,eagle10 has been called by the tackle4 ,ordinarily the guard's block is #a and the tackle's block is #b1 but as ,figure #ajh illustrates1 it would be difficult for the guard to sustain his block on a play going wide4 ,therefore1 8,eagle10 or any other appropriate code word1 changes the blocking assignments between the guard and tackle4 ,on certain occasions the center and guard can exchange assignments1 too1 by using a code call4 ,,conclusion ,my objective has been to present each phase of our offensive running game1 which can be utilized against the various defensive alignments4 ,our offensive passing game will be discussed in ,chapter #h4 ,my philosophy is to keep the offense simple1 be sound in our coaching1 and never settle for anything less than perfection in its execution6 ,,chapter #h ,our ,offensive ,passing ,game ,techniques ,the passing game is one of the two main weapons of offensive football4 ,in order for your passing game to be successful1 you must sell this phase of football to your players1 and then have good protection1 good receivers1 and a good passer4 ,these essentials of a good passing game go hand-in-hand1 and no combination of any two is any value without the third4 ,,the ,,passer ,it is beyond the wildest expectation of any optimist to hope for a good passing game without a good passer4 ,therefore1 select an individual who has the natural ability to throw4 ,there are certain things one can and cannot teach a passer4 ,it was my good fortune to have ,vito 8,babe0 ,parilli at ,kentucky1 one of the finest natural passers in modern-day football4 ,since his motion was natural1 we coached him very little1 other than on the basic mechanics of grip1 holding the ball1 etc4 ,i feel it is possible to over-coach the passers1 just like the kickers4 ,the ,grip ,assuming a boy has natural throwing ability1 the first coaching point to teach is the grip4 ,it is generally preferred for the passer to grip the ball with the point of his little finger touching almost in the center of the lace4 ,we feel if the points of any of his other fingers touch the lace1 he will be gripping the ball in the center 7the roundest part of the football71 consequently limiting his ability to get a good grip of it4 ,a passer definitely cannot throw the ball properly if he grips it with the point of the forefinger1 middle or third finger touching the lace4 ,the grip is very important4 ,the passer should not grip the ball as tightly in inclement weather as he ordinarily does under more ideal playing conditions4 ,when employing the ,t formation1 the quarterback is required to fake with the football1 and then set up to pass4 ,therefore1 he must always bring the football back into his stomach after every fake4 ,when the quarterback's forearms are touching his hips in a relaxed position1 he is able to keep the football closer to his body and it is easier to hide4 ,during the faking of the ball1 the quarterback should shift his entire weight toward the back1 rather than toward the extension of the arms and the extended football4 ,this1 too1 is very helpful to aid in hiding the football after the faking is completed4 ,the quarterback should be ready to throw the football the instant he gets back and sets up4 ,the ball should be held with both hands until the passer is ready to release it or fake a release4 ,this procedure will insure the passer of being in a relaxed position1 which is vitally important4 ,after the passer has set up to throw the ball1 it should be in a cocked position by the passer's ear4 ,this position enables the passer to save time as he prepares to release the football4 ,the ,release and ,delivery ,releasing and delivering the football are next4 ,if the passer has learned the grip and how to hold the football as explained elsewhere1 then the release and delivery will come more easily4 ,the passer must release the ball with a snap of the wrist4 ,very few passers have a good1 natural wrist snap4 ,consequently there are few good natural passers4 ,the wrist snap can be developed by drills1 and we use several different types4 ,in delivering the football1 which is actually part of the release1 the passer1 except in rare instances1 should step toward the intended receiver as he throws the football4 ,not only will the passer be more accurate1 but he will be going in the correct direction to cover his pass in case of an interception1 when he steps and throws in the same direction4 ,if he steps in one direction and attempts to throw in another or attempts to throw across his body1 the passer is throwing from an awkward position and throwing against his own weight4 ,the ,footwork ,perfecting the passer's footwork is very important4 ,he must know the spot from which he is going to throw the ball prior to his actual passing4 ,it is especially important for the protecting line and backs to know the spot from which the passer is going to throw4 ,they cannot do an intelligent job of protecting him unless they know and unless he makes certain he actually throws from that spot4 ,when throwing from the pocket1 the passer must retreat straight back1 set up as quickly as possible1 and stay inside the pocket formed by his linemen and remaining backs4 ,the running or optional pass is one of the best passes in modern-day football4 ,it should be perfected by those teams who base their attack partially on wide plays4 ,there are no definite rules or steps for the passer on the running pass1 because all athletes are a little different4 ,what might be right and proper for one passer on his fifth and sixth steps would be wrong and improper for another passer due to individual differences4 ,nevertheless1 the passer should have the ball up and in a position ready to throw it by the time he reaches a spot directly behind the area where his offensive end lined up originally4 ,he should start upfield as quickly as possible4 ,this not only makes the play more effective1 but it also puts him in a position to run if the defensive man drops back to cover the pass 7see ,figure #ajd74 ,individual ,passing ,principles and ,techniques ,passing is one phase of football in particular that needs constant practice and close attention4 ,it is also one phase which is overlooked and underworked by teams that do not have natural passers4 ,the following individual principles and coaching points should prove helpful in teaching a boy with natural throwing ability how to be a better passer3 #a4 ,push off with the left foot 7right-handed passer74 #b4 ,hide the ball on the way back to set up4 #c4 ,set up quickly4 #d4 ,get at least seven yards deep on most drop back passes4 #e4 ,be under control when you set up1 and be sure to be in a good position to throw the football4 #f4 ,look straight downfield4 #g4 ,stay in your pocket while throwing4 #h4 ,keep the arm cocked1 and the ball high at all times4 #i4 ,step in the direction of your pass4 #aj4 ,throw the ball out-of-bounds or hold it if no receiver is open4 #aa4 ,know the pass routes4 #ab4 ,know the receivers4 #ac4 ,know the weak and the strong defenders4 #ad4 ,know when to drive the ball or pull the string on it4 #ae4 ,don't throw interceptions4 ,,pass ,,routes ,a good passing game is based on the following primary objectives3 #a4 ,to flood an area1 that is1 to have more receivers in a particular area than there are defenders4 #b4 ,to get a one-on-one situation1 and let the offensive man outmaneuver the defensive man by using various cuts or patterns4 ,flooding ,an ,area ,flooding an area is perhaps the easiest and surest way of having a receiver open or in a position to catch the ball4 ,the basic thinking in this particular type of passing game is to assign two or three receivers to a particular area1 as illustrated in ,figures #aji-aaa1 making it impossible for one or even two defenders to cover the receivers if they stay spread out and run their routes properly4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aji ,illustration3 ,,figure #aaj ,illustration3 ,,figure #aaa ,offensive ,pass ,cuts ,there are numerous offensive sets a team can employ in order to force the opposition to cover using a man-on-man coverage4 ,when using different sets and formations1 ,i think it is more advisable to teach all of the eligible receivers pass cuts1 rather than having them classified under pass patterns which would affect the whole team4 ,as an example1 the quarterback could call a formation that would set the left halfback right and split the left end out4 ,he could then call a pass pattern to his right which would be a pattern to flood a particular zone1 and at the same time call a particular cut for the left end who will try to outmaneuver the defensive right halfback--who might be forced to cover him alone4 ,figures #aab-aae illustrate several individual pass cuts1 such as1 sideline1 deep1 out1 drive1 circle1 stop1 ,z-in and ,z-out4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aab ,illustration3 ,,figure #aac ,illustration3 ,,figure #aad ,illustration3 ,,figure #aae ,,pass ,,receiving ,a football team can have a great passer and good cuts and patterns1 but unless the receivers do their jobs correctly the passing game is of little value4 ,the pass receiving phase is broken down into the following six basic maneuvers3 7#a7 the release1 7#b7 the approach1 7#c7 faking1 7#d7 running1 7#e7 catching the ball1 and 7#f7 running with the ball4 ,release3 ,to be a good and consistent receiver1 the first prerequisite is clearing the line of scrimmage4 ,a good receiver should never be held up at the line of scrimmage4 ,he must work on this important phase of the passing game in order to perfect it4 ,every time an end releases downfield on running plays1 he should experiment on techniques which will aid him later on pass plays4 ,no two defenders are the same4 ,what is successful against one might not be successful against another defender4 ,approach 7,man-for-man coverage73 ,straight ,line ,approach3 #a4 ,run at three-fourths speed4 #b4 ,run at a specific point of the defender's body4 #c4 ,force the defender back1 attempting to get him to turn in the opposite direction of your final break4 #d4 ,make a good fake and step in the opposite direction of your final break4 ,weave ,approach3 #a4 ,run at three-fourths speed4 #b4 ,run an irregular course4 #c4 ,through the change of direction force the defender to change his feet4 #d4 ,the number of weaves will be determined by the cuts called and the depth in which the ball is to be caught4 #e4 ,give the impression that each weave is to be the final cut4 ,faking 7types73 #a4 ,head fake--accompanied by a short jab step in the opposite direction of the final break4 #b4 ,roll step--fake one way and roll off back foot directly toward the defender4 #c4 ,change of direction4 #d4 ,hook4 #e4 ,hook and go4 ,run 7immediately after faking to receive the ball73 #a4 ,run under control and relaxed4 #b4 ,by running three-fourths speed1 the receiver is able to adjust to poorly thrown balls4 #c4 ,keep the arm action parallel to the leg action1 until ready to catch the ball4 #d4 ,while running1 turn only the neck and head4 ,if the body is turned at the waist1 the receiver will be slowed down considerably4 ,catching the ,ball3 #a4 ,relax completely as the ball comes toward the receiver4 ,relax particularly the fingers4 #b4 ,follow the ball with the eyes all the way into the hands4 #c4 ,catch the ball in and with the hands4 #d4 ,never attempt to trap the ball next to the body4 #e4 ,eliminate all thought from the mind except catching the football4 ,all great receivers concentrate to such a degree they are actually unaware of the presence of the defenders4 #f4 ,a ball thrown directly at chest level or higher should be caught with the thumbs in4 ,if the ball is thrown below the chest level1 the thumbs should be turned out4 #g4 ,always try to get the body in front of the ball on short passes4 #h4 ,a ball thrown on the outside and away from the receiver should be caught with the thumbs out4 #i4 ,when attempting to catch a long pass1 never allow the inside arm to be in a position to blind you from seeing the football4 #aj4 ,catch the ball and tuck it away before running with it4 #aa4 ,every pass thrown to a receiver belongs to him1 and he should exert every effort to catch it4 #ab4 ,if the receiver cannot possibly catch the football1 he should not permit the opponent to catch it4 ,this is a cardinal rule4 ,running 7after catching the ball73 #a4 ,as soon as the ball is caught1 take it firmly in the hand1 tuck it under the arm1 and most important1 do not fumble4 #b4 ,drop the inside shoulder expecting immediate contact4 #c4 ,turn upfield to score4 ,,conclusion ,offense is based on two primary principles1 running with and_/or passing the football4 ,the passing and running games supplement and complement each other4 ,neither phase is of particular value1 however1 unless the quarterback knows when1 where1 why and how to use each phase1 along with the kicking game4 ,training the quarterback will be discussed in ,chapter #i4 ,,chapter #i ,training the ,quarterback ,all outstanding football teams have two distinct characteristics in common--a great fighting spirit and a great quarterback4 ,a smart1 capable quarterback is the greatest single asset a football team can possess4 ,success in a football game is determined mainly by the selection of plays4 ,poor selection of plays will destroy team morale and nullify the finest of teamwork4 ,quarterback generalship is simply the application of good common sense4 ,it consists of two parts--knowing what to do and making the team do it4 ,if a team has confidence in its quarterback1 it is likely the plays selected will be successful4 ,if a team does not have confidence in its quarterback1 it is likely the plays will not be successful4 ,the 8right0 quarterback inspires confidence4 ,one manner in which the quarterback builds confidence is through the selection of proper plays4 ,i do not mean to imply the 8right0 quarterback can grab-bag any play and make it work4 ,if he is wrong frequently as the result of his grab-bag selection of plays1 his teammates will lose confidence in him4 ,,three ,,types ,,of ,,quarterbacks ,there are basically three types of quarterbacks4 ,there is the quarterback who makes positive mistakes1 due to his total disregard for the basic principles of generalship4 ,he does not know his offense1 and has little understanding and knowledge why his plays are not effective4 ,he is unaware of what the defense is doing4 ,generally he calls plays quickly--any play to get the team out of the huddle4 ,he destroys team morale and spirit4 ,his team generally loses badly4 ,he is not coachable4 ,i cannot build a winner with this type of quarterback1 and ,i consider him highly undesirable4 ,the quarterback who works to avoid mistakes is a second type of individual4 ,he does what he is told and taught1 but from a tactical and mechanical standpoint only4 ,generally he lacks initiative4 ,he tends to be conservative in his quarterbacking4 ,his errors and mistakes are not the glaring1 positive type1 as in the first case cited4 ,although he is not brilliant in his quarterbacking1 he is dependable4 ,the third type of quarterback is the one every coach is seeking4 ,he directs his team to maximum results4 ,he is a student of the game4 ,he is logical in his thinking1 and bold in his action when necessary to win the football game4 ,he is confident1 which in turn gives his team confidence in him and the offense4 ,he is a winner through preparation1 and he will give you winners through his action and leadership4 ,unfortunately there are few such quarterbacks of this particular type4 ,consequently you must take what you have and develop what you've got4 ,regardless1 however1 a good quarterback must be a natural leader1 be smart1 have initiative and resourcefulness1 be unselfish1 have a good voice1 and good mechanical ability4 ,if your quarterback either lacks the ability to select the proper plays1 or does not have the natural ability to inspire your team to do its best on every play1 it is not likely you will have a winner4 ,from time to time ,i have been blessed with smart quarterbacks--and we have had winners then4 ,i attribute much of this success to my backfield coaches who have spent considerable time with the quarterbacks teaching them the what1 when1 why and how of offensive football1 and a knowledge of defensive football so they can do an intelligent job of field generalship4 ,as ,i indicated previously1 without proper play selection it is almost impossible to win the tough football games4 ,,field ,,position ,of the many factors that go into selecting a play1 probably the most important single factor is field position4 ,to aid our quarterback in his play selection1 we divide the field into different areas and zones1 as illustrated in ,figure #aaf4 ,each zone is given a name1 and there are some very important 8musts0 concerning each area4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aaf ,we divide the field into the following areas and zones1 with the most important coaching points listed as follows3 ,the 8,must0 ,zone 7,goal ,line to #c-,yard ,line7 ,in this zone we must move the ball out at least to the #c-yard line so it will be possible to kick from spread formation4 ,our kicker stands back #ac yards deep when we kick from our spread kick formation4 ,the ,three-,down ,zone 7#c-,yard ,line to #be-,yard ,line7 #a4 ,normally we will kick on third down with five yards or more to go4 #b4 ,we must make a first down with three plays4 #c4 ,we do not like to punt while in this zone4 ,if we can hold the football until we get past the #be-yard line1 we can put the opposition in their three-down zone with a #dj-yard kick4 #d4 ,run trap plays4 #e4 ,anticipate a goal line defense occasionally4 ,the ,first ,down ,zone 7#bj-,yard ,line to #dj-,yard ,line7 ,we must make a first down so we can continue to control the ball when we reach the ,free ,wheeling ,zone4 ,the ,free ,wheeling ,zone 7#dj-,yard ,line to #dj-,yard ,line7 #a4 ,easiest part of the field to score from4 #b4 ,go into our game planned offense4 #c4 ,it is a guessing game until you make a good gain1 then you should be a play ahead of the defense4 ,once you gain this advantage1 keep the pressure on the defense4 ,the ,scoring ,zone 7#dj-,yard ,line to #bj-,yard ,line7 #a4 ,try to score with a trick play or a scoring play which you have set up4 #b4 ,you may use a play the scouting report indicates should work4 #c4 ,figure on four downs to make the #aj yards4 ,the ,gut ,zone 7#bj-,yard ,line to #d-,yard ,line7 #a4 ,must 8out gut0 them4 #b4 ,do not lose ground4 #c4 ,try to get five yards or more on first down4 #d4 ,pass on first down or waste down4 #e4 ,must maintain control of the football4 ,the ,self-,scoring ,zone 7#d-,yard ,line to ,goal ,line7 #a4 ,minimum handling of the football4 #b4 ,score yourself if you have a play per yard4 #c4 ,do not pull linemen4 #d4 ,give the football to the best ball carrier4 #e4 ,must score4 ,our ,three ,,musts3 ,our quarterback must continuously remind our team of three very important principles affecting our offense1 which are as follows3 #a4 ,we must not get a penalty4 #b4 ,we must not break an offensive signal4 #c4 ,we must get our men 7blocks74 ,after your quarterback is thoroughly familiar with the zones and their relationship to each other1 then you can do an intelligent job of instructing and teaching him which plays should be run in the various zones4 ,consequently he will have a better understanding of field position4 ,,recognizing ,,and ,,attacking ,,defenses ,when working with our quarterbacks 8picking0 a defense1 we never tell them to attack the opposition's weakness but merely to run away from their strength4 ,the only time your quarterback really needs to know how to recognize a defense and its strengths and weaknesses is when he is changing plays at the line of scrimmage4 ,otherwise your quarterback will call specific plays in certain zones or areas according to your scouting report and game plans4 ,there are two basic defensive alignments1 which are even and odd4 ,if there are defensive men playing over our guards1 we call this an even defense4 ,if there are no defensive men playing over our offensive guards1 we call this an odd defense4 ,with respect to the secondary1 there are two alignments4 ,they are #c-;deep and box4 ,if there is a safety man1 it is a #c-;deep secondary and an #h-man defensive front4 ,if there is no safety man1 it is a box defense and there are nine men in close proximity to the line of scrimmage1 or a #i-man front4 ,recognizing and ,attacking an #h-,man ,front ,after the quarterback has determined whether the defense is odd or even1 and the secondary is #c-;deep or box1 he should then look and determine the number of men who are playing outside of his offensive end4 ,by doing this he can determine if the strength of the defense is inside or outside4 ,if there are two or more men outside of his offensive end1 as illustrated in ,figure #aag1 the strength of the defense is wide4 ,consequently the quarterback should run inside plays1 away from the strength of the defense4 ,as illustrated in ,figure #aag1 by looking through the inside and outside lanes it is easy to see these defenses are fundamentally the same4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aag ,you can definitely run against an #h-man front1 as illustrated in ,figure #aag1 because by splitting properly the defense has only two men outside of the offensive ends4 ,consequently you can run wide4 ,or the defense must have four men or less inside your end1 in which event you can run inside with your basic offensive attack4 ,the defensive team playing a gap #h defense1 as illustrated in ,figure #aah1 is trying to get penetration by shooting the gaps4 ,the quarterback must recognize what the opposition is attempting to do1 and he must eliminate the bad play4 ,consequently he should work slightly off the line of scrimmage in order to avoid being tackled before he can hand-off4 ,the strength of the defense is inside4 ,consequently the quarterback must run the corners4 ,the game situation and field position will determine which play the quarterback will call4 ,the quarterback should never throw a counter pass or a back up pass versus the gap #h defense because all the defenders cannot be blocked4 ,he stands a better chance of scoring if he selects a corner pass4 ,the block or action pass is very good because it helps to eliminate the bad play4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aah ,recognizing and ,attacking a #i-,man ,front ,if it is not a #c-;deep secondary1 then it is a #i-man front4 ,all #i-man fronts are basically the same1 as ,i have illustrated in ,figure #aai4 ,the quarterback wants to run at the man who is isolated in the defense1 and in most cases it is the defensive man over the offensive center's area4 ,the attack can go wide1 too1 but the offensive team must do an intelligent job of splitting in order to draw the defense in tight4 ,if the offensive guards take wide splits and the defensive men move out with them1 the defensive man over the center will be isolated and the quarterback can direct his attack toward the middle4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aai ,the corner passes versus a #i-man front1 with the quarterback exercising his option of running or passing1 are excellent because of the pressure exerted on the corner man4 ,if he drops off to cover an area for the pass1 the quarterback must run with the football4 ,if he rushes to contain the passer1 the short flat is open for a pass4 ,it is very important to teach your quarterbacks the different defenses1 and the strength of each defensive alignment4 ,as ,i mentioned previously1 we teach the quarterbacks to run away from the strength of the various alignments4 ,the quarterback must also be aware of the fact that he does not have to whip the entire defense1 but only the weak area in the defense4 ,if a defensive man is isolated or if there is not a defensive man on the line in a particular area1 we consider this the weak part of a defensive alignment4 ,playing the ,game on a ,blackboard ,we have a number of meetings with our quarterbacks going over strategy and game situations and drilling them in the principles of quarterbacking and field generalship4 ,it is difficult to expect a quarterback to make the correct decision at a critical time in a game unless he has been drilled to react to such a situation4 ,with this in mind1 for years ,i have used the procedure of having our quarterback coach and the quarterbacks play a game of football on the blackboard4 ,in order to explain our procedure more clearly1 let's assume it is early ,september and we are preparing for our opening game with the ,university of ,georgia4 ,we have been drilling our quarterbacks daily on the defenses we expect ,georgia to use in various parts of the field4 ,we have been drilling them on how to attack these particular defenses with our offense4 ,with this basic information1 we are now ready to work with the quarterbacks at the blackboard playing our football game4 ,a coach goes to the blackboard and draws a diagram of a football field1 along with the defenses we expect ,georgia to use on the hash mark1 in the middle of the field1 on the goal line1 and in a short yardage situation4 ,on the board the coach will also list the backfield personnel1 so the quarterback will have an opportunity to use his men properly4 ,to digress for a second3 the quarterback uses the wrong judgment if he calls for sweeps with a slow backfield1 does not employ the best blocker to block1 etc4 ,the quarterback must know his offensive personnel thoroughly4 ,the coach then explains to the quarterbacks1 who are observing what he is writing on the blackboard1 the condition of the field1 wind1 and the other tactical factors4 ,it is now time to play the game with a particular quarterback4 ,the coach will select a quarterback and say1 for example1 8,georgia kicked-off to us and we returned the ball to the #be-yard line on the right hash mark40 ,the coach will plot the position on the diagram4 ,the quarterback will then take into consideration the defensive alignment we expect ,georgia to employ in this particular section of the field1 and the quarterback must call a play accordingly4 ,if he makes what the coach considers a good call1 the coach will say1 8,you made four yards on the play4 ,it is now second and six40 ,if the quarterback makes a bad call1 the coach will say1 8,you lost three yards on the play10 and he will explain why the call was a poor one4 ,if the quarterback takes too long in calling his play1 he receives a five yard penalty4 ,when the quarterback makes a very good call1 the coach gives him a long gain or a touchdown4 ,by using this game1 a quarterback can learn to call plays by anticipating defenses in areas all over the football field4 ,he also learns to use his personnel properly4 ,we have found this game at the blackboard has helped our quarterbacks tremendously4 ,while one quarterback is playing the game1 the other quarterbacks are listening4 ,if the boy at the board fails to make a first down1 he must punt1 and the coach appoints another quarterback to take over4 ,after each play the coach will plot the position of the ball on the diagram1 and the players learn to know which defenses to expect4 ,we have found1 with other things being equal1 the quarterback who has the mental ability to sustain the ball for a long drive and a touchdown will usually be your best quarterback4 ,we also spend quite a bit of time going over situations4 ,the coach will cite a specific situation1 and then say1 8,what would you do in this situation80 ,the situations are usually the clutch ones1 and should the quarterback select the wrong answer in the game it is likely to lose the contest4 ,even though you drill the quarterbacks there is no fool-proof method of making certain they will always make the right decision4 ,the following example will illustrate my point4 ,early in ,september during our #aiei season1 our backfield coach1 ,phil ,cutchin1 was going over situations with our quarterbacks and said1 8,we are playing the ,university of ,houston 7our second game74 ,we are ahead by six points4 ,there are five minutes remaining to play4 ,we are on our own #ah-yard line4 ,it is a first-and-#aj situation1 and ,houston is playing a #e-d defense4 ,what would you do80 ,one quarterback said quickly1 8,coach1 ,i would throw a corner pass into the sideline40 ,phil answered1 8,yes1 and they would intercept the pass1 return it for a touchdown1 kick the extra point1 and we would lose the game1 #g-f40 ,the quarterback saw his mistake and said he was glad we had gone over this particular situation4 ,three weeks later the same quarterback was faced with almost the identical situation1 except that we were ahead by three points4 ,the other factors were the same as previously cited4 ,what did the quarterback do8 ,he threw the corner pass into the sideline1 and ,houston intercepted it4 ,fortunately ,houston did not score6 ,the point ,i am trying to make is your quarterbacks will still make mistakes even after you have worked with them4 ,,the ,,quarterback',s ,,guide ,in order for a quarterback to be outstanding1 he must be cognizant of certain pertinent information relating to his offense1 the opposition's defense1 tactical and strategical information1 and the principles of quarterbacking and field generalship4 ,offensive1 ,defensive and ,tactical ,information ,the following information is of value and significance to the quarterback3 ,information a ,quarterback ,must ,know ,about ,his ,own ,offense3 #a4 ,know your teammates thoroughly1 including your best ball carrier1 your best blocker1 best pass receiver1 best faker1 etc4 #b4 ,know all of your plays and everyone's blocking assignments4 #c4 ,know where every receiver is on every pass pattern4 #d4 ,know your best play and pass against every defense4 #e4 ,know and understand how each play fits into a series4 #f4 ,know and remember the plays that are working--keep running them4 #g4 ,know the reasons for the proper line splits4 #h4 ,know the plays the players have the most confidence in4 #i4 ,know the best plays for special situations--draw1 screen1 etc4 #aj4 ,know how to stop the clock4 ,information a ,quarterback ,must ,know ,about the ,defense3 #a4 ,what defense are they playing8 #b4 ,who is making the tackles8 #c4 ,are they stunting their defenses8 #d4 ,what type of pass coverage do they use8 #e4 ,do the linebackers run through8 #f4 ,are the ends crashing8 #g4 ,who is tackling the passer8 #h4 ,who is the best defensive man8 #i4 ,which man can we isolate8 #aj4 ,how quickly does the secondary revolve8 ,information a ,quarterback ,must ,know ,about the ,game3 #a4 ,time left to play is a big factor4 #b4 ,time outs left4 #c4 ,weather and field condition4 #d4 ,know which down it is at all times4 #e4 ,field position4 #f4 ,what yard line the ball is on4 #g4 ,which zone the ball is in4 ,game ,strategy ,the following game strategy information is of value and significance to the quarterback3 ,general ,information3 #a4 ,always know score1 time to play1 yards to go and down4 #b4 ,know your field zones1 and avoid giving the ball to the opposition in the #d-;down zone4 #c4 ,you are playing for a victory1 but remember a tie is better than a defeat4 #d4 ,know your own personnel and each man's capabilities4 #e4 ,know all there is to know about your opponents by studying scouting reports and movies4 #f4 ,know your offense1 including the blocking assignments4 #g4 ,be able to recognize any defensive alignment4 #h4 ,understand the importance of field position4 #i4 ,know when not to pass4 #aj4 ,know when to kick4 #aa4 ,use the wind intelligently4 #ab4 ,know when not to try for a score4 ,when ,to ,kick3 #a4 ,when in doubt4 #b4 ,normally for every touchdown lead you have1 you should kick a down earlier4 #c4 ,kick early with a strong wind or against a weak offense4 ,from #dj to #dj-yard line1 kick straight away and high4 ,inside #dj-yard line kick out of bounds4 #d4 ,when score is even1 or you are ahead1 always make safe kick to #c-;down zone4 #e4 ,kick early on a wet field2 let the opponents handle the ball4 ,when ,not ,to ,pass3 #a4 ,when the opponent expects a pass4 #b4 ,when you have two downs to make six yards or less4 #c4 ,in your own territory1 just before half-time4 #d4 ,when backed up and you are ahead4 ,type ,of ,pass ,to ,throw3 #a4 ,on long yardage1 throw short passes or to third man out4 ,draws1 screens4 #b4 ,on first down1 play passes4 #c4 ,on waste downs1 play passes1 long passes1 and screens4 #d4 ,when time is short1 throw near sideline4 #e4 ,when in doubt1 throw optional passes4 ,on ,wet ,field3 #a4 ,play conservatively and kick early4 #b4 ,no difficult ball handling4 #c4 ,avoid bad places on field1 also wide plays and cut backs4 #d4 ,do not be afraid to pass4 #e4 ,doubt the wisdom of a quick kick4 ,when ,not ,to ,try ,for ,score3 #a4 ,just before half time1 behind your own #dj-yard line4 #b4 ,when you are running clock out4 #c4 ,when you are preparing to give a safety4 #d4 ,when you have one down to make first down--go for first down4 ,when ,to ,try ,to ,score ,in ,one ,play3 #a4 ,when you have mental edge on opponent following a block kick1 a recovered fumble1 or an intercepted pass in the opponent's territory4 #b4 ,just before half-time in the opponent's territory4 #c4 ,on waste down in opponent's territory4 ,when ,to ,run ,your ,best ,ball ,carrier ,behind ,best ,blockers3 #a4 ,when you must have a first down4 #b4 ,in four down zone going in for a score4 #c4 ,clutch down in danger zone1 coming out4 #d4 ,save your best ball carrier in the free wheeling zone4 #e4 ,do not use him first play after a long run4 ,what ,to ,do ,on ,clutch ,down3 #a4 ,fake and give4 #b4 ,some kind of an optional play4 #c4 ,best ball carrier behind best blocker4 #d4 ,waste man effectively4 #e4 ,when trying to save time1 tell ball carrier to go out of bounds4 ,scoring ,area3 #a4 ,waste man effectively4 #b4 ,best ball carrier behind strongest blockers4 #c4 ,first down inside three--run ball yourself4 ,no ball handling4 #d4 ,make sure that on fourth down you will have the ball in the middle of the field where you can try any type of a scoring play4 ,what ,to ,run on ,waste ,down3 #a4 ,safe1 long gainers4 #b4 ,fake-give1 or optionals are normally effective4 ,when ,to ,speed ,up ,offense3 #a4 ,when you are behind4 #b4 ,inside the opponent's #ae-yard line4 #c4 ,when you have the wind to your back4 ,when ,to ,slow ,down ,your ,offense3 #a4 ,when you are trying to kill time4 #b4 ,just before the half in your own territory and you are ahead4 #c4 ,fourth quarter1 if more than one touchdown ahead4 #d4 ,when the wind is against you4 ,free ,wheeling ,zone3 #a4 ,try for long gainer4 #b4 ,use sideline intelligently4 #c4 ,use wind intelligently4 #d4 ,use best ball carrier as decoy4 #e4 ,utilize various formations4 #f4 ,try long gainer on first down and second down and go for first down on third down4 #g4 ,call trick plays that have been set up earlier4 #h4 ,try to keep ball in middle of field4 ,quarterbacks ,must ,remember3 #a4 ,poor field position calls for conservative plays4 #b4 ,when you are ahead and the game is drawing to a close1 play slowly1 conservatively1 and very deliberately4 #c4 ,when you are behind and the game is drawing to a close1 play faster1 be more reckless1 and get the ball out of bounds to stop the clock4 #d4 ,when you are in scoring territory1 you must score4 ,any yardage gained without scoring is of slight value only4 #e4 ,any yardage you make deep in your own territory which does not serve to get the team into the free wheeling zone is of slight value4 #f4 ,if you are ahead by #aa points and there is not more than five minutes remaining to play and there is a strong wind against you1 it is smart to take a safety instead of trying to punt out from inside your #aj-yard line4 #g4 ,time works with you when you are ahead2 against you when your team is behind in score4 #h4 ,figure what the defense would normally expect in any given situation1 and then do the opposite4 #i4 ,if a play fails1 you must know why4 ,tips for ,quarterbacks3 #a4 ,you must have genuine confidence in yourself and your ability4 #b4 ,you must have the confidence and respect of your team4 #c4 ,you must have personality and leadership2 then exercise it4 #d4 ,you must know the ability of your own personnel4 #e4 ,play the percentages for ultimate team victory4 ,consequently you must study scouting reports and have a clear picture of the game plan4 ,you must be able to recognize defenses immediately1 and be able to direct your attack away from the strength of the defense4 ,you should think with the defensive signal caller by putting yourself in his place4 ,remember it is a guessing game until you make a gain4 ,after a gain you should be one play ahead of the defense4 #f4 ,eliminate bad plays as they will defeat us4 ,any play that does not gain is a bad play4 ,only a fumble or a penalty can stop our offense if you eliminate the bad plays4 #g4 ,run more offensive plays by getting out of the huddle quickly4 #h4 ,after a penalty or a time out1 have your play called and the team ready to play at the line of scrimmage4 ,do not follow this procedure when trying to run out the clock4 #i4 ,try to score in one play after a break in an effort to demoralize the defense4 ,should you follow this procedure several times and not be successful1 discontinue it2 otherwise1 you will demoralize your own team4 #aj4 ,never try to score just before the half from deep in your own territory4 ,run out the clock and get a fresh start the second half4 #aa4 ,when you are behind1 never try to score in one play4 ,play the game as if it were a tie contest2 otherwise1 you can be out of the game before you realize it4 #ab4 ,normally we like to pass on first down and on a waste down4 ,on short yardage1 throw play passes4 ,on long yardage1 throw in front of the deep men4 #ac4 ,first down is your important call4 ,if you make five yards or more1 you have the advantage4 ,if you fail to make four yards1 the defense has the advantage4 #ad4 ,on clutch downs and short yardage1 run fake gives because the defense must go to the first fake under such circumstances4 #ae4 ,remind your line to tighten up on the goal line1 and do not call plays that require linemen to pull as the defense may break through and throw us for a loss4 #af4 ,do not pull a play out of the hat4 ,if you are in doubt1 run an option run-pass4 #ag4 ,we will rehearse weekly every situation possible1 such as saving time1 killing time1 giving up a safety1 side line offense1 etc41 so that you will automatically make the right decisions in the game4 ,,conclusion ,it is virtually impossible for a quarterback to know and do everything correctly4 ,however1 a coach must work with his quarterback1 and the individual must spend many additional hours studying and preparing himself so he will be able to handle any situation that arises4 ,it is an absolute must for your quarterback to be well prepared if you expect to have a successful football team4 ,if you are rebuilding a football team1 it is very important for you to pick your quarterback first1 find out what he can do well1 and then build your offense around him4 ,,chapter #aj ,planning for a ,game ,planning for any phase of football is important1 but planning for a particular game is vitally important4 ,i tell my players our staff will study1 prepare and plan one hour for every minute the players are on the practice field4 ,then we actually spend this much time in our practice and game preparation4 ,the typical fan has little conception of the amount of time we spend planning for a single football game4 ,,out-,,of-,,season ,,planning ,our planning commences in early summer when ,i assign each assistant coach to a particular game opponent for the coming season4 ,if we do not have as many coaches as we have football games1 several assistants will have to double up and prepare for two opponents4 ,each coach will secure as many movies as possible on his particular opponent and break-down the films4 ,he also familiarizes himself with the returning personnel1 and studies each player's characteristics1 strengths and weaknesses4 ,the coach will observe the returning quarterback's movements in particular1 looking for tip-offs4 ,does he look at his receiver all the way downfield8 ,does he have a favorite pass route8 ,does he have a favorite receiver8 ,does he favor action or drop back passes8 ,does he like to operate to his left or right8 ,such information1 along with additional scouting information1 helps us get a 8book0 on the quarterback4 ,it is important to know the opposition's strongest and weakest positions on offense and defense4 ,the coach looks at the films1 and attempts to get as much reliable and valid information as possible from them4 ,then when the coach 7scout7 sees his opposition in the fall he will do a better job of scouting them because he is familiar with the offense1 defense1 and the returning personnel4 ,,in-,,season ,,planning ,during the season we like to see an opponent play at least three times4 ,we feel we can do a better job of planning after we have a fairly clear understanding of what our opponents are likely to do4 ,we want to have a fairly definite idea of what our opposition will do offensively in the following situations3 #a4 ,first down and #aj yards to go4 #b4 ,second down and long yardage4 #c4 ,second down and short yardage4 #d4 ,third down and long yardage4 #e4 ,third down and short yardage4 #f4 ,fourth down and short yardage4 #g4 ,unusual and special situations4 ,conversely1 we want to find out what our opposition will do defensively versus the above situations4 ,in order to give you a run-down of our procedures1 let's consider a typical week preceding ,saturday's game4 ,sunday's ,schedule ,the coaching staff will meet together early ,sunday morning and go over the film of ,saturday's game4 ,while the assistant coaches are studying and grading the film1 ,i will meet with the assistant coach who scouted the team we will be playing this coming ,saturday4 ,in addition to receiving a thorough scouting report from him1 ,i want his recommendations offensively and defensively of what we should do against the opponent4 ,the scout will then complete his report as he will present it to the squad members on ,monday night4 ,in the meantime the other assistant coaches have completed their grading of the film1 and then we discuss personnel4 ,as the result of game performance1 we commence to make plans as to the personnel we will be using in the upcoming game4 ,monday's ,schedule ,on ,monday morning the scout will give his report to our entire staff4 ,he then answers questions relating to the opponent we will be playing on ,saturday4 ,after we have fully discussed the opposition from every aspect1 our defensive coaches will have a separate meeting and make plans to set up the defenses which they would like to use4 ,the offensive coaches have a similar meeting1 and map out their strategy versus all of the various defenses the opposition has used in various situations4 ,we recognize the fact that some plays are good only against certain defenses and not all plays are successful against all defenses4 ,therefore1 we try to limit our offense to the best possible plays against our opposition's anticipated defenses4 ,of course1 we must have a valid1 reliable1 comprehensive scouting report in order to make our plans4 ,we also understand and recognize the fact that some teams will change practically their entire offensive system from game to game4 ,however1 this gives such teams only one week to perfect a new 8favorite0 series1 and this is almost an impossible feat4 ,all of our coaches will meet together again around #aj3cj ,a4,m41 with the defensive coaches making their recommendations for ,saturday's opponent4 ,the strategy is discussed at length before a decision is reached4 ,let me digress for just a second to say that once we have made our decisions1 we will stick with them tenaciously for fear of confusing our players by changing defenses later in the week4 ,the procedure is repeated again1 this time with the offensive coaches4 ,all coaches1 regardless of position or whether they specialize in offense or defense1 will enter the discussion4 ,we have found following such a procedure helps us do a better job of coaching1 and some of our best suggestions relating to offense have come from our defensive coaches1 and vice versa1 defensive suggestions have come from the offensive coaches4 ,we are always open to suggestions6 ,after we have made our plans1 we can then make out our work schedule for ,monday afternoon4 ,although ,i usually make out the remainder of the schedule for the week each night after practice1 you can see the necessity of waiting until ,monday in order to make out the day's work schedule4 ,after lunch we will have a short squad meeting4 ,first1 we go over last ,saturday's game discussing both the good and bad points4 ,then we will inform the squad of our plans for this coming ,saturday's game1 and change assignments1 make adjustments1 etc41 at this time4 ,the boys who do not have late afternoon classes meet at #c3cj ,p4,m41 and we go over last week's game movie4 ,each coach will sit with the players whom he has graded and discuss their performance in the film4 ,if time permits1 we like to have the ends and backs meet in one group and the interior linemen in another group for separate viewings of the film4 ,we feel such a practice is highly desirable and eliminates the confusion that generally occurs when all of the players view the game film at the same time4 ,on ,monday and ,friday our regular practice commences at #e3cj ,p4,m41 since our boys take their laboratory classes on these two days4 ,it is impossible to set up a practice schedule if key personnel are absent due to late labs every day of the week4 ,the boys who played in ,saturday's game will be out in sweat clothes for approximately #de-ej minutes4 ,they will stretch and loosen up1 before we spend most of the time learning and rehearsing the defenses they will be using for this coming ,saturday's opponent4 ,our procedure is to have the 8red shirts0 come out of the huddle and line up in the different offensive formations we expect to face1 and our defense will adjust accordingly4 ,for the last #ae minutes of the session a scrub team will run the opposition's favorite plays about half speed so the regulars will have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the offense4 ,then the boys in sweat clothes take several short sprints and we send them to the showers4 ,the boys who did not play in last ,saturday's game have a good workout emphasizing and practicing fundamentals4 ,at times we terminate ,monday's practice session with a short scrimmage against the freshman squad4 ,after a late dinner on ,monday night1 we have another squad meeting where the scout will give a complete oral report to the players on our upcoming opponent4 ,he will discuss personnel1 favorite plays1 passes1 defenses1 kicking game1 and any additional pertinent information relating to the opposition4 ,he then hands out a comprehensive typed scout report to the squad members4 ,frankly1 ,i do not believe a boy can do an intelligent job of playing without studying his scouting report4 ,tuesday's ,schedule ,we will have a staff meeting early on ,tuesday morning in order to set up the practice schedule for the afternoon4 ,a typical ,tuesday practice session will last approximately one hour and #ce minutes1 plus the last period which does not have a specific time limit for the reasons ,i explained previously4 ,our schedule is generally set up so that the first five minutes the linemen will be firing out and hitting the big sled or seven dummies1 and the backs will be having a fumble drill or working on stance and starts4 ,our exercises and agility drills precede this drill for the linemen and backs4 ,the second period will usually be #bj minutes in duration1 which will vary from week to week according to our needs4 ,a typical period will have our first team secondary working on pass defense against a scrub team who will be throwing the opponent's passes4 ,at the same time1 in another area we will have our first and second team guards and tackles working on defensive techniques4 ,our backs will be divided into two groups4 ,one group will work on our polish drill1 and the other on the secondary drill4 ,our third and fourth lines will be working as teams on blocking4 ,at the termination of the previously mentioned #bj minute period1 we exchange the backs and linemen1 and the coaches repeat the drills again with their new groups4 ,our next period will be working on individual techniques by positions for approximately #ae minutes' duration4 ,during this time our coaches generally work on weaknesses or correct errors which they observed in last ,saturday's game film4 ,or they will work by positions on recommendations which were made at ,monday's coaches' meeting4 ,our team drills and 8team learning0 are next on ,tuesday's practice schedule4 ,the first and third teams will work on our offense for ,saturday's game4 ,the first team will run about three plays to one compared to the third team4 ,during this time the second team will work on defense against the scrub team1 which will be running the opposition's plays and passes4 ,at the termination of #bj-be minutes the first and second teams will change around1 with the first team working on defense1 and the second and third teams working on offense4 ,this period continues for #bj-be minutes4 ,the first and second teams will work on the kicking game next4 ,as ,i stated previously1 we use our kicking game as a conditioner and at the same time doing something functional with respect to perfecting our protection and coverage4 ,when they do it properly1 normally this phase of the practice schedule lasts #aj-ab minutes4 ,if not executed to our satisfaction1 the period is longer in duration4 ,while the first two units are working on their kicking game1 the third team will usually be working on their defensive play4 ,after completing their #bj minutes' defensive drill1 they must have their kicking game practice4 ,after we have set up ,tuesday afternoon's schedule we will amend offensive and defensive plans if necessary4 ,we generally spend the remainder of ,tuesday morning evaluating player personnel4 ,after lunch we will have a short squad meeting for about #ae-bj minutes if we have amended our offensive or defensive plans or if we are going to make any changes of any nature involving the offense or defense4 ,some time after lunch and before our specialists take the field at #c3aj1 with our regular scheduled practice commencing at #c3cj ,p4,m41 our defensive coach will meet with our defensive signal callers and our offensive coach will meet with our quarterbacks1 and go over defensive and offensive plans and strategy1 respectively4 ,after practice we will have a brief staff meeting again and we will review our entire practice schedule4 ,at this time ,i want my assistant coaches to make recommendations for the next day as ,i want to work on the schedule at night for the following day4 ,i discussed our procedures in ,chapter #c4 ,wednesday's ,schedule ,the procedure is the same as previously--staff meeting and set up the afternoon's practice schedule1 which will be about one hour and #cj minutes1 excluding the last drill which is not timed4 ,after setting up the exercises and the agility drills1 we will have our linemen firing out1 the same as on ,tuesday1 and the backs will be polishing plays4 ,the next #be minute period will be first team on defense against the scrub team1 and they will practice defense over the field4 ,the scrub team will run the opposition's plays and tendencies1 and the defense is full speed with the exception of tackling the ball carrier4 ,during this time1 on another field our second and third teams will be running our offense versus the opposition's defenses4 ,during the next period the first and second teams will exchange and repeat the same drills listed above4 ,the next period will usually be #bj minutes' duration with the third team working on defense over the field1 and the first and second teams working on special situations such as quick kicks1 passes1 etc4 ,the next period will be devoted to our kicking game4 ,we also usually have a few goal line drives on ,wednesday4 ,our ,wednesday's practice schedule will vary more than the other days because we spend about #bj minutes on group drills and about six minutes full speed on goal line defense1 and phases of this nature4 ,after ,wednesday's schedule is completed and out of the way1 the staff will usually go to the projection room and view films of this week's opponent4 ,after lunch we will again have a short meeting and inform the squad of any changes we have made or plan on making4 ,we will also discuss the previous day's practice4 ,the defensive signal callers and the quarterbacks will meet separately with their respective coaches for about #bj minutes1 which is our usual procedure daily during the football season4 ,after ,wednesday evening's dinner we have a squad meeting and go over the film of the opponent we will be playing on ,saturday4 ,thursday's ,schedule ,thursday morning we will again have an early staff meeting and we set up the afternoon practice schedule first4 ,after five minutes of firing out for the linemen as units1 and the backs working on stance and starts or a quick fumble drill1 we will have three #be minute periods where we will stress learning and perfection more than body contact4 ,we will have three different groups working at the same time4 ,the first unit will be working on offense versus the opposition's defenses1 over the field4 ,the second unit will be working on their defenses versus the opposition's offense1 being run by the scrubs over the field4 ,the purpose of this is to check our defensive signal caller to see that he is calling the correct defense in various sections of the field4 ,in a third area we will have the third team working on all phases of the kicking game1 such as quick kicks1 spread punt1 punt returns1 on-side kick1 etc4 ,at the termination of the #be minute period1 the teams will change4 ,the first unit will go to the defensive drill2 the second unit to the kicking drill2 and the third unit will go to offense4 ,when the second #be minute period has terminated1 we will change for the third period4 ,following such a procedure gives each unit #be minutes of offense1 of defense1 and on the kicking game4 ,then we send the players to the showers because we do not want them to leave their game on the practice field and be tired on ,saturday4 ,after ,thursday's schedule is set1 the staff will spend the remainder of the morning discussing the progress which has been made to date in preparation for our forthcoming opponent4 ,we also discuss personnel at this time4 ,after lunch we will have a very short meeting1 merely taking time to discuss or review our defensive game plans4 ,our defensive signal callers and quarterbacks will meet as usual1 as ,i mentioned previously4 ,our regular practice session will commence at #c3cj ,p4,m4 ,the coaches meet after practice1 as is our usual procedure4 ,we do not meet with the squad on ,thursday evening after dinner1 however4 ,friday's ,schedule ,since ,friday's practice schedule will not be longer than #cj minutes' duration1 we do not have to spend much time in setting it up4 ,we will work as a group and have a short1 snappy workout in sweat clothes1 going over all of the situations that are likely to occur during the game4 ,after we rehearse kick-offs1 returns1 on-side kicks1 and a couple of goal line drives1 we send the boys in4 ,as ,i stated previously1 due to ,friday afternoon labs1 our practice session will commence at #e3cj ,p4,m4 ,a typical ,friday evening dinner menu1 if we are playing on ,saturday afternoon1 would be as follows3 ,tomato soup ,fruit cocktail cup #ad ounce choice sirloin strip1 medium well done ,one-half baked potato mashed1 topped with ,american cheese ,green beans ,assorted bread 7but no hard ,french bread7 ,one pint of milk or iced tea ,vanilla ice cream1 one dip4 ,after dinner we will go to a movie as a group or we go some place where we will all be together4 ,at #aj ,p4,m4 the team will return from the movie to the dormitory or hotel where they are staying4 ,lights will go out and players will be in bed by #aj3bj ,p4,m4 the night before a game4 ,saturday's ,schedule ,on ,saturday morning the football managers will telephone the players in their rooms at #h3cj ,a4,m4 ,the boys who want coffee or juice will be served at #i ,a4,m4 ,the pre-game meal will be served at #aj ,a4,m41 and will consist of the following3 #aa-ab ounce choice sirloin strip1 well done ,green peas ,dry toast1 two slices 7no butter7 ,honey ,hot tea 7no cream74 ,we will have a squad meeting at #aj3cj ,a4,m41 and leave for the stadium at #ab3aj ,p4,m41 preparing to meet our opposition at #b ,p4,m4 ,during the squad meeting we will go over all tricky situations that might arise during the game4 ,after the meeting the defensive and offensive coaches will meet with the signal callers and quarterbacks respectively1 and review our final game plans4 ,after we arrive at the stadium1 we send our passers out to warm up about #ca minutes before game time1 and the backs and ends will come out about #bf minutes before game time4 ,our linemen start warming up about #cj minutes before the game4 ,as #b ,p4,m4 approaches1 we always feel we are ready and we have done the very best we can to get ready for our particular opponent4 ,i failed to mention a procedure we follow which we think is highly desirable4 ,during the week of the game1 the assistant coach who scouted ,saturday's opponent lives in the football dormitory with the players4 ,from #g3cj-aj3jj ,p4,m4 nightly1 when we do not have squad meetings1 he will show films of the opposition in the dormitory4 ,he will answer questions and give the players any information they are seeking on our opposition4 ,we find our players do a better job when they understand why we ask them to do something4 ,on the field many times we do not have the time to explain why4 ,the assistant in the dormitory does have the time to explain why and as a result the players do a more intelligent and better job of playing4 ,,grading ,,the ,,game ,,film ,grading the game film is a very definite part of our planning4 ,if we do not know who is doing what during a game1 we can't do an intelligent job of planning and coaching4 ,i am sold on our grading system1 and we feel that through the study of films we can determine who to play1 and also who not to play1 in critical situations4 ,knowing this information in advance has won a number of football games for us4 ,our procedure for grading films is for one coach to take one position and grade every player in that position offensively and defensively4 ,it is possible for a player to get one of three possible scores1 plus 771 minus 7-71 or ungradable 7,u71 on each play4 ,our criteria is as follows3 ,plus 77--,if the boy carries out his assignment and gets his job done properly1 his coach will give him a plus4 ,his technique of execution might not be the way he was taught1 but we are concerned with the fact either he did or did not do his job4 ,minus 7-7--,if the player failed to carry out his assignment and_/or his man 8whipped0 him1 then he is graded minus 7for the particular play74 ,ungradable 7,u7--,if a player is not shown in the picture or he does not have the opportunity to help out on the play1 he is ungradable and would receive 7,u74 ,an example would be the defensive right end when the play goes away from him and in all probability he will not have an opportunity to take part in the play4 ,after getting a grade for each play1 like symbols are added together1 and the total number of offensive 7or defensive7 plays participated in to determine percentages4 ,divide the sum total of plus and minus signs into the total number of plus signs in order to arrive at the percentage of plays that got the job done4 ,we have found that a player must grade at least #fa on offense and on defense in order to be a winning football player4 ,we grade the offense and defense separately4 ,if a player consistently makes a good grade on defense and a poor grade on offense1 we know either we have to play him only on defense or we must give him more offensive work4 ,we have several other expressions1 which we have borrowed from baseball terminology1 that we use in our grading system4 ,they are as follows3 ,,rbi--,stands for runs batted in1 and means something extra good1 such as intercepting a pass1 causing or recovering a fumble1 blocking a punt1 throwing a key block--a real clutch play4 ,these are what we call the 8big plays0 and they are the ones that win the tough games for you4 ,if your team does not make many big plays1 you will not win many tough games4 ,we place a great deal of emphasis on the big play4 ,frankly1 we would rather have a boy make three or four ,,rbi's1 even though his grade is only #ej-ee1 rather than have a boy get #fe-fh and never make any big plays4 ,errors--,if a player busts an assignment1 gets a penalty1 misses a tackle in open field1 permits a receiver to get behind him1 fumbles the ball1 or commits some act of a similar negative nature1 we consider this bad and he is given an error4 ,a player who consistently makes two or three errors per game simply cannot play for us4 ,his play will cost you more ball games than you will ever win with him4 ,consequently1 we watch the errors column very closely when we are grading film4 ,,conclusion ,coaching football is a race against time4 ,time lost on the practice field can never be regained4 ,we attempt to utilize every minute possible in preparing for our opponents and our practice sessions4 ,,chapter #aa ,our ,drills ,there are many good football drills4 ,since we place a great deal of emphasis on defensive football1 it is only natural our drills for the most part emphasize individual and team defensive techniques4 ,,drills ,,for ,,the ,,secondary ,the following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques for the defensive secondary3 ,defensive ,cuts ,drill 7#f-h men73 ,with a defensive man standing in a good football position1 the coach will move the ball back and forth1 and the player will plant1 pivot to the inside and sprint in the direction the coach is pointing the football4 ,he will then throw the football and the defensive man will sprint to catch it4 ,the ,defensive ,cuts ,drill is illustrated in ,figure #abj4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #abj ,intercept ,drill 7#h-aj men73 ,eight or #aj secondary men will line up behind each other4 ,one player at a time will run toward the coach who will throw the football directly at the player1 or to either side of him4 ,the defensive man should intercept the pass1 as illustrated in ,figure #aba4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aba ,tip ,drill 7#h-aj men73 ,following the same line up and procedure described previously for the ,intercept ,drill1 instead of the player catching the football he tips it back to another player who is training him1 who intercepts the pass4 ,the ,tip ,drill is illustrated in ,figure #abb4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #abb ,running the ,line ,drill 7#f-h men73 ,a defensive man will line up straddling a line about #ce yards long1 facing the coach4 ,on a command from the coach1 the player will start backwards using a cross-over step but keeping his eyes and head on the coach4 ,he will try to change direction as many times as possible1 always using a cross-over step1 keeping his eye on the coach 7passer71 as he zigzags properly from one side to the other down the #ce-yard line4 7,running the ,line ,drill is not illustrated by diagram47 ,covering ,third-and-,fourths ,drill 7#b complete defensive secondaries73 ,the entire secondary can be set up in a #d-spoke or #e-spoke defense1 as illustrated in ,figure #abc4 ,a coach1 simulating a passer1 will stand facing the unit4 ,he will simulate either an action pass or a drop back pass1 and the men must react properly to the simulated backfield action4 ,when the ball is thrown1 all defenders must sprint for it4 ,the ball is placed on either hash mark and in the middle of the field and a full offensive backfield may or may not be used to establish flow for the defensive secondary's proper reaction4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #abc ,dog ,fight ,drill 7,for defensive halfbacks and corner men7 7#f-h men73 ,place a defensive halfback or corner man in his regular position4 ,a pass receiver runs a direct route in front of the defensive man's regular position4 ,a coach or passer throws the ball1 and we want the defender to play full speed through the receiver for the football1 as illustrated in ,figure #abd4 ,it is merely one-on-one and gives both the receiver and defender practice fighting for the ball4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #abd ,dog ,fight ,drill for ,safety ,man 7#h men73 ,we put a safety man in the middle of the field and receivers on each hash mark4 ,on a signal from the coach1 the receivers start down the field and the passer drops back with the football4 ,the safety man must stay in the middle of the field as he gets depth in order to be in a position to cover both receivers4 ,when the ball is thrown1 the safety man sprints full speed for the interception1 as illustrated in ,figure #abe4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #abe ,outside ,drill 7#ae-be men73 ,we set up a skeleton offensive unit of ends1 center and a complete backfield versus the defensive ends and secondary1 as illustrated in ,figure #abf4 ,the offense works full speed running its outside plays and passes1 and the defense is drilled in stopping the wide attack4 ,big ,tip ,drill 7#b complete secondaries73 ,the entire defensive perimeter is used in our ,big ,tip ,drill1 illustrated in ,figure #abg4 ,a coach will establish flow by running to his left or right simulating backfield action1 and the defense must react and rotate accordingly4 ,the coach will then pass the ball1 simulating an action pass1 and the defender nearest to intercept the ball will yell an oral signal indicating he is going to tip it4 ,the other defenders get in a good football position1 and look for the tip4 ,as the first man tips the ball1 the defender nearest to it will intercept it and return the pass4 ,the others will head downfield as blockers4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #abf ,illustration3 ,,figure #abg ,tackling ,drill in the ,secondary 7#h-aj men73 ,figure #abh illustrates a drill which we use on the sideline1 teaching our backs to utilize the sideline properly as the 8twelfth man40 ,the dots represent shirts which are placed six yards from the sideline4 ,the defensive tackler 7,t7 gets in a good football position1 which ,i have described previously1 and makes the ball carrier come to him4 ,the ball carrier may take any course or use any individual tactic he wishes to evade the tackler1 as long as he stays inside of the six-yard area4 ,we do not want the tackler to meet the ball carrier head on1 but we want him to approach his man from an angle1 keeping leverage on the ball carrier in order to force him out of bounds4 ,the tackler should keep his head in front of the ball carrier1 and should try to butt the football with his helmet4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #abh ,,drills ,,for ,,the ,,defensive ,,ends ,the following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques for the defensive ends3 ,peel-,off ,drill 7#aj-ab men73 ,figure #abi illustrates a good drill to teach reaction and to protect his area1 which we use for our defensive ends4 ,the end assumes his normal defensive position4 ,the first backfield blocker attempts to block the end1 then the second1 and finally the third blocker4 ,as soon as the first man leaves1 the second starts1 and then the third blocker leaves1 giving the defensive end experience in playing one blocker at a time but in rapid succession4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #abi 8,reading0 ,drills 7#h-ab men73 ,figure #acj illustrates a 8,reading0 ,drill which we use for our defensive ends4 ,the end has to play properly the block of the offensive end1 pulling guard1 on-side halfback and_/or the fullback4 ,these are the situations he will face in a game4 ,this drill teaches quick reaction and play recognition for the defensive ends4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #acj ,all ,secondary ,drills3 ,since we consider our ends as part of our defensive secondary1 as ,i explained previously1 they will take part in all of the drills explained and illustrated in ,figures #abj-abh1 if feasible4 ,,drills ,,for ,,the ,,defensive ,,interior ,,linemen ,the following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques to the interior linemen3 ,butt ,ball ,drill 7#h-aj men73 ,an offensive man is given a football and told to run a straight line laterally back and forth1 carrying the ball on the side he is moving toward4 ,the defensive man must be in a good football position moving back and forth with the offensive man1 butting the football with his forehead4 ,he bounces back and forth and keeps butting the football trying to knock it out of the ball carrier's arm4 ,the tackler's head should be up and his back straight4 7,the ,butt ,ball ,drill is not illustrated by diagram47 #d-on-#a ,drill 7#f-h men73 ,figure #aca illustrates four offensive blockers playing one defensive man4 ,the coach stands behind the defensive player1 and indicates by hand signal the starting count and the blocking assignments of the offensive men4 ,the defensive man must react to the various blocks--double team1 wedge1 trap1 etc41 and fights pressure4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aca ,a ,m ,wave ,drill 7#i-ab men73 ,on a signal1 the offensive men will uncoil on the defensive men1 illustrated in ,figure #acb4 ,the defenders must control the blockers with their hands and forearms1 locate the ball and pursue in the direction the coach points or runs with the football4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #acb #c-on-#c ,drill 7#af-bd men73 ,the offense runs a hand-off to the right or left halfback1 or to the fullback4 ,the coach1 standing behind the defensive team1 indicates which back will carry the football4 ,the defensive man varies his techniques from head on1 inside1 outside or linebacker4 ,if the play is in one defensive man's area1 he must whip his blocker and make the play4 ,the other two defenders take proper pursuit angles on the ball carrier4 ,the drill is full speed both ways1 and we do not want the men stopping until they hear a whistle4 ,figure #acc illustrates our alignment for the #c-on-#c drill4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #acc ,middle ,drill 7#ad-be men73 ,the middle drill is similar to the previous drill1 only the interior linemen are used offensively and defensively1 as illustrated in ,figure #acd4 ,the defensive alignments are changed around and the offense runs all situations4 ,at times we use the down marker and chains simulating down and distance when doing this drill4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #acd #g-,man ,spin-,out ,drill 7#h-ab men73 ,figure #ace illustrates a player moving from a good defensive position hitting the sled1 spinning out1 and hitting every other pad on the machine4 ,if moving to the right1 we want the players to hit the sled with the right shoulder1 keep a tight arc1 spin out correctly1 and deliver a good blow to the alternate pad4 ,we drill the players right and left as we want to give them practice spinning out both ways4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ace ,circle ,drill 7#e-g men73 ,one player gets in the middle of a circle about five yards in diameter in a good football position4 ,on a signal from the coach the middle man starts moving his feet1 body crouched1 pivoting slowly4 ,the coach will call out a boy's name who is on the outside of the circle1 who will rush in facing the defender and deliver a shoulder blow4 ,the defender should step with the foot closest to the rusher and deliver a forearm shiver or shoulder blow to the man4 ,he should play only two or three men1 and then get out of the circle1 permitting another of the men to move to the middle4 ,figure #acf illustrates our circle drill4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #acf ,leverage ,drill 7#h-ab men73 ,figure #acg illustrates our ,leverage ,drill and we have two groups going at the same time in opposite directions4 ,four blockers are lined up one behind the other1 with the defensive man lined up on the outside shoulder of the blocker facing him4 ,on a command by the coach1 the defender must play the first blocker with a shiver and the other blockers one at a time with the forearms1 shoulders and hands as he retreats and reacts1 not permitting himself to be hooked from the outside and blocked in4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #acg ,explode ,drill 7#i men73 ,the offensive men will line up with their inside knee on the ground1 and the defensive man in the gap between the two offensive men1 as illustrated in ,figure #ach4 ,the defensive player will explode and uncoil on his count with his tail down1 head up1 and feet moving after bringing them up under him after his initial contact4 ,the coach will give him a hand signal1 and the defensive man must spin out properly1 ending up in a good football position4 ,it is important for the defensive man to get under the offensive men on his initial charge4 ,we also let the blockers go full speed and teach the defensive man to react from a two-on-one block4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ach ,defensive ,reaction ,drill 7#ad-ah men73 ,with the interior linemen from tackle to tackle1 we place defensive men head on the center and tackles1 as illustrated in ,figure #aci4 ,a coach will stand behind the defensive men1 facing the offensive men1 and give hand signals indicating starting count and blocking patterns4 ,the defensive men must react and pursue the football properly4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #aci ,alabama ,wave ,drill 7#h-ab men73 ,four men line up facing a coach1 in a good football position1 feet moving as illustrated in ,figure #adj4 ,the coach points to his right and the players using a cross-over step must react in that direction4 ,he then points in another direction and the players stop1 plant and start in this direction as quickly as possible4 ,the drill is not only a good conditioner1 but teaches quickness1 too4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #adj ,rushing the ,passer ,drill 7#ab-af men73 ,using the two-man ,crowther sled1 two defenders explode into the machine with a good hard blow on the snap of the football1 spin out laterally1 and rush the passer playing through two blockers 7,x71 as indicated in ,figure #ada4 ,the defensive men must hit with the inside shoulder before spinning out to play through the blockers at the side and rear of the sled4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #ada ,gauntlet ,drill 7#aj-ab men73 ,we are primarily concerned with the tacklers in this drill4 ,two rows of jerseys five yards apart is the area the ball carrier 7,x7 is permitted to run with the football4 ,the tacklers 7,t7 are five yards apart one behind the other4 ,the ball carrier tries to get by the tackler1 and the coach is checking on the latter's football position--bend at the knees1 back straight1 hit on the rise1 and follow-through4 ,if the coach stands behind the ball carrier1 he will be in the best position to observe the tacklers1 making certain they do not close their eyes on contact1 etc4 ,figure #adb illustrates our ,gauntlet ,drill4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #adb ,defensive ,bucker 7#d-f men73 ,the individual ,bucker ,drill1 not illustrated by diagram1 is used when we work in small groups4 ,it teaches the correct form for delivering a blow with the hands1 shoulders or forearms4 ,a coach or manager moves the ball to simulate the start of a play1 and the defensive man reacts and moves quickly on the sight of the ball4 ,,drills ,,for ,,the ,,linebackers ,the following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques to our linebackers3 ,all ,secondary ,drills3 ,since our linebackers are a part of our defensive secondary1 every drill relating to pass defense mentioned and illustrated previously1 are also used for our linebackers4 ,eye-,opener ,drill 7#h-ab men73 ,figure #adc illustrates four large dummies1 a line of ball carriers 7,o7 and a line of tacklers 7,x74 ,the ball carrier either fakes at one hole and goes through the next one1 or goes through the first hole trying to beat the tackler4 ,the linebacker tries to keep leverage on the ball carrier1 trying to meet him in the hole4 ,the tackler must be careful he does not over-run the ball carrier4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #adc ,eye-,closer ,drill 7#ab-ae men73 ,figure #add illustrates our ,eye-,closer ,drill with the offense running its middle attack and the linebackers in particular reacting to every situation they are likely to encounter in a game4 ,illustration3 ,,figure #add ,the linebackers also take part in the following drills which ,i have discussed and illustrated previously3 #a4 ,defensive ,bucker ,drill4 #b4 ,gauntlet ,drill4 #c4 ,middle ,drill4 #d4 ,pursuit ,drill4 #e4 ,wave ,drill4 #f4 ,peel-,off ,drill4 ,,defensive ,,drills ,,for ,,the ,,team ,when we have defensive drills for our entire team1 it is usually three-quarters full speed1 or as we commonly refer to it1 full speed except for tackling4 ,we also have drills in which our linemen run half-speed and the defensive secondary1 full speed4 ,at times one side of the line will be full speed and the other half-speed4 ,the offense is operating full speed and does not know which side of the defensive line is full speed and which side is half-speed4 ,our game condition scrimmages are about the only time our entire defensive unit will play full speed1 with the exception of full speed goal line defensive scrimmages occasionally4 ,we learn and rehearse our defenses as a team1 but seldom scrimmage full speed as a team4 ,,conclusion ,we think our drills are functional in nature1 and this is why we use them4 ,i cannot see the value of employing drills which are not functional and which do not adhere to the individual and team techniques we will use in a game4 ,we want to drill and rehearse the players in practice the way we want them to perform in a game4 ,,chapter #ab ,those ,who ,stay ,will ,be ,champions ,quitting comes easy for many people4 ,many do not want to pay the price to be a winner4 ,it requires little effort to be a loser--and anyone who tries can be most successful4 ,the 8solid citizens0 who finish my 8course0 will be better men as a result of having stuck it out4 ,the boy who sets his mind to do what is required of him in order to be a winner is not only the type of boy we are looking for1 but he will get the most from the program4 ,those who stay will be champions and will become winners not only on the football field but in life itself4 ,walter ,d4 ,wintle's poem about a person's state of mind has a great deal of meaning to it4 ,we have the poem posted in various places throughout our building so our boys can read it from time to time4 ,the poem is as follows3 ,it's ,all in a ,state of ,mind ,if you think you are beaten1 you are2 ,if you think you dare not1 you won't2 ,if you like to win1 but don't think you can1 ,it's almost a cinch you won't4 ,if you think you'll lose1 you're lost2 ,for out in the world you'll find ,success begins with a fellow's will2 ,it's all in a state of mind4 ,for many a game is lost ,ere even a play is run1 ,and many a coward fails ,ere even his work is begun4 ,think big and your deeds will grow1 ,think small and you'll fall behind2 ,think that you can and you will2 ,it's all in a state of mind4 ,if you think you are out-classed1 you are2 ,you've got to think high to rise2 ,you've got to be sure of yourself before ,you can ever win a prize4 ,life's battles don't always go ,to the stronger or faster man1 ,but sooner or later1 the man who wins ,is the fellow who thinks he can4 ,we must inspire our boys to the degree they think and know they are capable of doing what it takes to win4 ,teaching the boys how to accomplish this is extremely gratifying and one of the rewards of coaching4 ,from time to time ,i have been asked1 8,coach1 what has been your greatest thrill as a football coach80 ,trying to single out the 8greatest thrill10 or even one of my greatest thrills as a coach1 is very difficult for me to do4 ,the game of football has been thoroughly rewarding to me4 ,i recall one thrill in particular1 the day our #aief team at ,texas ,a ,m defeated the ,university of ,texas1 #cd-ba1 in ,austin4 ,you like to win 'em all1 but the real thrill is the story behind this particular game4 ,it actually started in the spring of #aied when ,i first went to ,texas ,a ,m4 ,the ,aggies had not won the ,southwest ,conference ,championship in #ae years4 ,we hoped to remedy this situation in time1 so we commenced our building program that spring4 ,in the fall we took our players to ,junction1 a small place in ,south ,texas1 for pre-season training4 ,the work was hard and the weather was hot1 and many boys dropped by the wayside4 ,many did not want to pay the price to be a winner4 ,that fall ,i imagine those who had not remained for early season practice felt they had made a wise decision since we won only one football game4 ,those who stayed1 although beaten in every game except one1 seemed more determined than ever to prove their point4 ,they fought their hearts out in every game and although beaten they won the admiration and respect of everyone for their courage4 ,while it was disappointing to lose1 ,i felt deep down in my heart if those boys stayed1 they would be champions by the time they were seniors4 ,the following year we had a good team1 but we lost the final game of the season to the ,university of ,texas1 and with it we lost the ,conference ,championship4 ,so close1 yet so far was the elusive championship and a victory over ,texas4 ,from the beginning of the #aief season the determination of the senior group was evident4 ,consequently we went into the final game of the season with ,texas in ,austin1 undefeated4 ,there was more to it than just a mere football game4 ,the ,aggies had not beaten the ,university of ,texas in ,austin for a period of #cc years4 ,in fact they had never beaten ,texas in ,memorial ,stadium1 the site of the #aief battle4 ,the afternoon of ,november #bi1 #aief could mean a great deal to this group of boys who started setting their sights at ,junction in #aied4 ,the public was aware of the fact these boys could win the ,southwest ,conference ,championship1 have an undefeated season1 and break the 8jinx0 at ,memorial ,stadium4 ,they probably were not aware the stakes were higher4 ,these boys had a chance to prove to themselves that they were men2 they could and would do what it takes1 no matter how tough it may be1 to become champions4 ,the greatest thrill was not in the final score1 #cd-ba4 ,the thrill was watching those boys work1 grow1 develop and rise from a season in #aied where they won only one game to an undefeated season in #aief4 ,these boys paid the price to become champions4 ,they were champs then1 and they will always be champions1 because they know1 understand1 and are willing to do what they must do to be successful4 ,the boys who started at ,junction as sophomores are as follows3 ,don ,watson1 ,lloyd ,hale1 ,jack ,pardee1 ,gene ,stallings1 ,bob ,keith1 ,dennis ,goehring1 ,dee ,powell and ,bobby ,lockett4 ,as for the boys who dropped out because the going was too tough1 who can remember their names8 444 ,for out in the world you'll find ,success begins with a fellow's will2 ,it's all in a state of mind4444 ,index ,a ,m wave drill1 #bbb-bbc ,action pass3 coverage of1 #ge-gg from broken backfield1 #gh-gi from flanker set1 #d-spoke coverage versus1 #if-ig from floater set1 #d-spoke coverage versus1 #ih-ii #d-spoke pass defense against1 #ib-ic ,africa1 #af ,against the grain1 #adc ,aggies1 #bcb1 #bcc ,agility drills1 #bji ,alabama wave drill1 #bbf-bbg ,ant plan1 #af-ag ,assistant coach1 #bjc1 #bjd1 #bab group work1 #ba responsibility1 #bb specialist1 #ba-bb type of man1 #ah-bj ,automatics1 #aea-aeb faking1 #aeb ,backs3 flanked out1 defense adjustments versus1 #ef-eg in victory defense1 #dg ,bad play1 #ada ,ball carrying techniques1 #aee-aeg mental attitude and1 #aeg open field running1 #aef-aeg ,baltimore ,colts1 #c ,baseball terminology1 #bad ,berry1 ,ray1 #c ,best defensive player1 in victory defense1 #dg-dh 8,big plays10 #bad ,big tip drill1 #bah-bai ,blocked kicks1 #aad1 #aae ,blocking techniques1 #aeg-aff blocking linebackers1 #aei-afj crack back block1 #afd-afe downfield1 #afj-afa drive block1 #aeg-aeh junction block1 #afe pass protection1 #afc-afd post-lead block1 #afa-afb reverse shoulder block1 #aeh-aei roll block1 #afe-aff trap block1 #afb-afc ,box defense1 #adc1 #aij ,bucker drill1 #bbh ,butt ball drill1 #bbb ,butt block1 #abj ,center1 #aad extra point and field goal blocking rules1 #acg in goal line defense1 #di-ej offensive stance for1 #ade in quick kick formation1 #abe spread punt blocking rules1 #aai ,champions1 #bca-bcd ,chop block1 #adc ,church1 #bj ,circle drill1 #bbd-bbe ,clemson ,college1 #af ,climb block1 #adc ,club1 #adb-adc ,coach3 assistant 7see ,assistant coach7 backfield1 #ahg1 #aie-aif dedication1 #aj defensive1 #ba-bb1 #bjh1 #bab head 7see ,head coach7 high school1 #bb long term contract1 #i-aj mental toughness1 #aj necessity of a plan1 #aa offensive1 #ba-bb1 #bje1 #bjh1 #bab qualifications1 #aj quarterback1 #aid staff1 #aa and winning team1 #i-aa ,coaching3 division of duties1 #ba-bc over-coaching kickers1 #aab rewards of1 #bcb teaching and1 #bc 7see also ,planning for a game7 ,color1 #adc ,conerly1 ,charlie1 #b ,corner man3 defensive stance1 #dc left1 defensive3 #d-spoke pass defense versus action pass1 #ic from flanker set1 #if-ig from floater set1 #ii #d-spoke pass coverage versus straight drop back pass1 #ia from flanker set1 #ie from floater set1 #ih #d-spoke pass defense versus roll-out pass1 #ie right1 defensive3 #d-spoke pass defense versus action pass1 #ib from flanker set1 #ig from floater set1 #ii #d-spoke pass coverage versus straight drop back pass1 #ia from flanker set1 #if from floater set1 #ig-ih #d-spoke pass defense versus roll-out pass1 #id ,cotton ,bowl1 #c ,courage1 example of1 #d-g ,covered1 #adb ,covering third-and-fourths drill1 #baf-bag ,crack back1 #adc ,crack back block1 #afd-afe ,cross-body block1 #abj ,crow1 ,john1 #ada ,cutchin1 ,phil1 #aie ,cut off1 #adb ,dedication3 coach1 #aj players1 #ab ,defenders1 pass defense by1 #he ,defense1 #bd-fa axioms1 #bg errors1 #bf gang tackling1 #bh goal line1 #dh-ea importance of belief in1 #fa limiting offense1 #bf numbering system1 #bh-cd advantages of1 #cd objectives1 #bd-bg offensive-minded1 #be pass 7see ,pass defense7 personal challenge1 #bf-bg philosophy of1 #bf reaction football1 #bf scoring1 #be1 #bf signal callers1 #cc1 #cd #f-b alignment1 #ec-ef split-,t1 #ea-ee stance1 #da-dc surprise1 #dd-df team proposition1 #bg-bh techniques1 playing of1 #cd-da versus backs and ends flanked1 #ef-eg versus single wing offense1 #eg-fa versus unbalanced line1 #ef victory1 #df-dh ,defensive alignment3 attacking1 #aga even1 #aij numbering1 #aff-aga odd1 #aij ,defensive bucker drill1 #bbh1 #bcj ,defensive coach1 #ba-bb1 #bjh1 #bab ,defensive cuts drill1 #bae ,defensive ends1 drills for1 #bbj-bba ,defensive football 7see ,defense7 ,defensive interior linemen1 drills for1 #bbb-bbh ,defensive reaction drill1 #bbf ,defensive secondary3 drills for1 #bae-bbj stunting in1 #aje-aaj ,desire to excel1 #ac ,dietzel1 ,paul1 #b ,dog fight1 #be ,dog fight drill1 #bag for safety man1 #bah ,downfield blocking1 #afj-afa ,drills1 #bae-bcj for defensive ends1 #bbj-bba for defensive interior linemen1 #bbb-bbh defensive1 for team1 #bcj functional1 #bcj for linebackers1 #bbh-bcj for secondary1 #bae-bbj 7see also under ,name of ,drill7 ,drive block1 #adc1 #aeg-aeh ,drive man1 #adc ,eagle1 #add 8,easy0 touchdown1 #bd1 #be1 #bg1 #fa #h-man front1 #adc recognizing and attacking1 #aij-aib #h technique1 #dj ,ends3 blocking rules3 extra point and field goal1 #acg-ach spread punt1 #aai tight punt formation1 #abc defense versus single wing offense1 #eh defensive stance1 #db in #e-spoke defense1 #gj flanked out1 defense adjustments versus1 #ef-eg goal line defense1 #di left1 in punt return1 #abg-abh left1 defensive3 coverage of action pass from broken backfield1 #gh coverage of straight drop back pass1 #ge from broken backfield1 #gh pass defense by1 #ha-hb in quick kick formation1 #abe right1 in punt return1 #abh right1 defensive3 coverage of action pass1 #gf from broken backfield1 #gi coverage of straight drop back pass1 #ge from broken backfield1 #gg #f-b alignment1 #ec-ed in split-,t defense1 #eb in victory defense1 #dg ,errors1 #bd1 #bf ,even defense1 #adc ,explode drills1 #bbe-bbf ,extra-point1 blocking rules1 #acg-ach ,eye-closer drill1 #bbi ,eye-opener drill1 #bbi ,far back1 #adb ,field goal3 blocking rules1 #acg-ach defending against attempt1 #aci ,field position1 #ahg-aij ,fighting spirit1 #ahf ,fill1 #adc ,films1 of game1 #bjc1 #bjd1 #bjf1 #bab grading1 #bac-bad ,first down zone1 #ahi #e-spoke defense1 #ca1 #cb1 #cc1 #ff-gc 7see also #e-spoke pass defense7 #e-spoke pass defense3 advantages of1 #he-hf dividing the areas1 #ga-gc principle of1 #hg #e technique1 #ch ,flanker set3 #d-spoke coverage versus straight drop back pass from1 #ie-if #d-spoke coverage versus action pass from1 #if-ig ,flare1 #adc ,flooding an area1 #agi-aha ,flow1 #adb ,football3 ,american way of life1 #c-d intrinsic values of1 #d-g winning1 theory of1 #h-ag ,four ,horsemen1 #a #d-on-#a drill1 #bbb #d-spoke defense1 #cj-ca 7see also #d-spoke pass defense7 #d-spoke pass defense3 advantages of1 #hg-hi alignment1 #hi-ij in #dj series1 #ii principle of1 #hg versus action pass1 #ib-ic from flanker set1 #if-ig from floater set1 #ih-ii versus flanker set1 #ie-ig versus floater set1 #ig-ii versus roll-out pass1 #ic-ie versus straight drop back pass1 #ij-ib from floater set1 #ig-ih #d technique1 #ce1 #cg ,free wheeling zone1 #ahi ,fullback3 in goal line defense1 #ej-ea offensive stance for1 #adf in quick kick formation1 #abe ,fumbling1 #bg1 #bh ,gain1 ,bob1 #aab 8,gangster10 #ajh-aji ,gang tackling1 #bh ,gap1 #adc ,gap #h alignment1 #cb ,gauntlet drill1 #bbg-bbh1 #bcj ,gilmer1 ,harry1 #b ,gipp1 ,george1 #c ,goal line defense1 #dh-ea challenge of1 #dh ,goehring1 ,dennis1 #bcc ,going wide1 #aga-agd change-off for blockers1 #agd quarterback option1 #agb-agc run-pass option1 #agb three-way option1 #agc-agd ,grange1 ,red1 #a ,groin block1 #adc ,guards3 blocking rules3 for extra point and field goal1 #acg-ach for spread punt1 #aai defense versus single wing offense1 #eh defensive stance1 #db goal line defense1 #di middle3 in punt return1 #abg in split-,t defense1 #eb in quick kick formation1 #abe right1 in punt return1 #abh #f-b alignment1 #ec versus single wing offense1 #ei ,gut zone1 #ahi ,hale1 ,lloyd1 #bcc ,halfbacks3 defensive1 pass defense by1 #hc-hd defensive stance1 #dc in #e-spoke defense1 #gj left3 #d-spoke coverage versus action pass from floater set1 #ii in goal line defense1 #ea in quick kick formation1 #abe-abf left1 defensive3 coverage of action pass1 #gf from broken backfield1 #gi coverage of straight drop back pass1 #ge from broken backfield1 #gg #d-spoke pass defense versus action pass1 #ic from flanker set1 #ig #d-spoke pass defense versus roll-out pass1 #id #d-spoke pass coverage versus straight drop back pass1 #ia from flanker set1 #ie-if from floater set1 #ih offensive stance for1 #adf in punt return1 #abh right3 #d-spoke coverage versus action pass from floater set1 #ii in goal line defense1 #ej-ea in quick kick formation1 #abe right1 defensive3 coverage of action pass1 #gf from broken backfield1 #gi coverage of straight drop back pass1 #ge from broken backfield1 #gg #d-spoke pass defense versus action pass1 #ia-ib from flanker set1 #ig #d-spoke pass defense versus roll-out pass1 #id #d-spoke pass coverage versus straight drop back pass1 #ia from floater set1 #if1 #ih #f-b alignment1 #ed in victory defense1 #dg ,head coach1 #ah1 #bc delegation of responsibility1 #bb1 #bc example1 #ai group work1 #ba 7see also ,coach7 ,head on1 #add ,henderson1 ,gene1 #aad ,high school coach1 plan for1 #bb ,holder1 in extra point and field goal attempt1 #ach ,howard1 ,frank1 #af ,huddle1 offensive1 #aeb-aec ,ice1 #adc ,inspiration1 #bcb ,intercept drill1 #bae-baf ,intercepting passes1 #bg1 #fb1 #ff1 #aje 8,it's ,all in a ,state of ,mind10 #bca-bcb ,junction block1 #afe ,keith1 ,bob1 #bcc ,kicker3 blocking rules for tight punt formation1 #abd over-coaching1 #aab in quick kick formation1 #abe-abf ,kicking1 in defensive football1 #bd-be ,kicking game techniques1 #aaa-aci extra point blocking rules1 #acg-ach field goal attempt3 blocking rules1 #acg defense against1 #aci kick-off1 and its coverage1 #acj-acg kick-off return1 #acb-acd on side 7short7 kick1 #acd-acf defending against1 #acf-acg place kicking formation1 #ach punting1 #aaa-aaf punt return1 #abf-acj quick kick formation1 #abd-abf spread punt formation1 #aaf-abb1 #abf tight punt formation1 #abb-abd ,kick-off1 #bg1 #acj-acg coverage1 #acj types1 #acj-acb ,kick-off return1 #bg1 #acb-acd middle1 #acc right1 #acb ,l4,b41 #adb ,le,baron1 ,eddie1 #b ,left end 7see under ,ends7 ,left halfback 7see under ,halfbacks7 ,left tackle 7see under ,tackles7 ,leverage drill1 #bbe ,lewis1 ,tommy1 #c 8,lightning10 #aji-aaj ,linebackers3 blocking by offense1 #aei-afj defensive3 #d-spoke defense versus action pass1 #ic #d-spoke pass coverage versus straight drop back pass1 #ia-ib pass defense by1 #ahb-ahc defensive stance1 #db-dc drills for1 #bbh-bcj in #e-spoke defense1 #gj #d-spoke coverage versus straight drop back pass from flanker set1 #if inside1 in goal line defense1 #ej-ea left1 in punt return1 #abh left1 defensive3 coverage of action pass1 #gf-gg from broken backfield1 #gh-gi coverage of straight drop back pass1 #ge from broken backfield1 #gh middle3 in goal line defense1 #di-ej defense versus single wing offense1 #eh outside1 in goal line defense1 #ea right1 in punt return1 #abh right1 defensive3 coverage of action pass1 #gf from broken backfield1 #gi coverage of straight drop back pass1 #ge from broken backfield1 #gg #f-b alignment1 #ed in split-,t defense1 #eb strong side1 defense versus single wing offense1 #ei in victory defense1 #dg weak side1 defense versus single wing offense1 #eh ,linemen3 blocking techniques1 #aeg defensive interior1 drills for1 #bbb-bbh interior1 blocking rules for tight punt formation1 #abb middle1 in victory defense1 #dg offensive stance for1 #add-ade spread punt blocking principle for1 #aai warm up time1 #bab ,line splits1 #adf-aej basic rules1 #adg-aej pre-shift position1 #adg ,lipscomb1 ,gene 8,big ,daddy10 #b ,lockett1 ,bobby1 #bcd ,long term contract1 value of1 #i-aj ,l4,o4,s41 #adb ,mc,kenzie1 ,jim1 #bf ,man on ,l4,o4,s41 #adb ,meals1 pre-game1 #baa1 #bab ,michigan ,state ,university1 #aac ,middle drill1 #bbc-bbd1 #bcj ,m4,l4,b41 #adb ,moore1 8,scrappy10 #aag ,morale3 coaching squad1 #ba for defense1 #be1 #bf squad1 #ba team1 #ahf ,motion1 #adc 8,must0 zone1 #ahh-ahi ,nagurski1 ,bronco1 #b ,near back1 #adb ,new ,york ,giants1 #b1 #ae #i-man front1 #adc recognizing and attacking1 #aib-aid #i technique1 #da ,notre ,dame ,university1 #c ,n_/,t1 #adb ,numbering system for defense1 #bh-cd advantages of1 #cd ,o',brien1 ,davy1 #b ,odd defense1 #adc ,off-back1 #adb ,offense3 advantages over defense1 #aej assignment football1 #bf main requirements of1 #adj mistakes1 #be objective1 #adj primary principles of1 #adj sound1 #ada-adb ,offensive coach1 #ba-bb1 #bje1 #bjh1 #bab ,offensive football 7see ,offense7 ,offensive-minded defense1 #be ,offensive passing game techniques1 #agf-ahe passer1 #agf-agi pass receiving1 #ahc-ahe pass routes1 #agi-ahb ,offensive running game1 #adj-age attacking defensive alignment1 #aga ball carrying techniques1 #aee-aeg basic principles of1 #adj blocking techniques1 #aeg-aff going wide1 #aga-agd huddle1 #aeb-aec line splits1 #adf-aej numbering defensive alignments1 #aff-aga quarterback's techniques1 #aec-aee requirements of1 #adj snap count1 #aej-aeb stance1 #add-adf terminology1 #adb-add ,off-side1 #adb ,on-back1 #adb ,one-six formation1 #aba #a technique1 #ce-cf ,on linebacker1 #adc ,on-side1 #adb ,on-side 7short7 kick1 #acd-acf defending against1 #acf-acg ,organization1 in building winning team1 #ae-ag ,osborne1 ,roddie1 #ada ,o technique1 #ce 8,out-mean10 #ac1 #ag ,outside drill1 #bah ,over1 #adb ,owens1 ,jim1 #b ,pardee1 ,jack1 #f1 #eg1 #ada1 #bcc ,parella1 ,babe1 #aad ,parilli1 ,vito 8,babe10 #agf ,pass coverage1 #gc-ha of action pass1 #ge-gg from broken backfield1 #gh-gi of end out1 #gi of flanked back and split end out to opposite sides1 #hj-ha of straight drop back pass1 #gd-ge from broken backfield1 #gg-gh zone coverage1 #gd ,pass cuts1 #aha-ahb ,pass defense1 #fb-aaj coaching point1 #fb #e-spoke1 or #c-;deep1 #ff-gc advantages of1 #he-hf #d-spoke pass defense1 #hg-hi 7see also #d-spoke pass defense7 individual effort in1 #fb objectives1 #fb-ff pass coverage1 #gc-ha 7see also ,pass coverage7 phases3 covering areas1 #fc1 #ff holding up the receivers1 #fc1 #fd-fe rushing the passer1 #fc-fd by positions1 #ha-he predetermined rotation1 #ii-ajd principles of1 #aaj stunting in the defensive secondary1 #aje-aaj versus action pass with broken backfield1 #gh-gi versus broken backfield1 #gg-gh ,passer1 #agf-agi footwork1 #agh grip1 #agf-agg passing principles and techniques1 #agh-agi release and delivery1 #agg-agh rushing of1 #fc-fd warm up time1 #bab ,passes 7see under ,name7 ,passing1 principles and techniques1 #agh-agi 7see also ,passer7 ,passing game3 essentials of1 #agf primary objectives1 #agi 7see also ,offensive passing game techniques7 ,pass protection1 #afc-afd ,pass receiving1 #ahc-ahe ,pass routes1 #agi-ahb flooding an area1 #agi-aha offensive pass cuts1 #aha-ahb ,pass rush1 #fd ,peel-off drill1 #bbj-bba1 #bcj ,penalties1 piling on1 #bh ,personal protector3 spread punt blocking rules1 #aai1 #abj tight punt formation blocking rules1 #abc-abd ,phillips1 ,o4 ,a4 8,bum10 #bi ,piling on1 penalty for1 #bh ,place kick1 blocking1 #aci ,place kicking formation1 #ach ,planning1 #af ,planning for a game1 #bjc-bad grading game film1 #bac-bad in-season planning1 #bjd-bab out-of-season planning1 #bjc-bjd week preceding game1 #bjd-bab ,players3 dedication1 #ab desire to excel1 #ac leaders1 #ad physical condition1 #ac 8solid citizens10 #aj1 #ad1 #bca traits necessary1 #ab type1 #aa ,point of attack1 #adb ,position1 #add ,position ball1 #adc ,position lateral1 #adb ,post-lead block1 #afa-afb ,post man1 #adc ,powell1 ,dee1 #bcd ,practice1 #bjf1 #bjg-bji1 #baj1 #baa time essential1 #bad ,punt 7see under ,kicking game techniques7 ,punter1 #aab-aad timing of1 #aad-aaf ,punting1 #aaa-aaf ,punt return1 #abf-acj left1 #abf-abh middle1 #abh-acj ,pursuer1 #adc ,pursuit drill1 #bcj ,quarterback3 characteristics of1 #ahg faking1 #aee field position1 #ahg-aij in goal line defense1 #ea greatest asset1 #ahf guide for1 #aif-bjb in huddle1 #aeb-aec making the exchange1 #aed-aee offensive stance for1 #ade-adf option1 #agb-agc passing1 #aje playing game on blackboard1 #aid-aif in quick kick formation1 #abe after receiving snap1 #aed recognizing and attacking defenses1 #aij-aif stance1 #aec taking snap-back1 #aec-aed team confidence in1 #ahf techniques1 #aec-aee tips for1 #bja-bjb training of1 #ahf-bjb types of1 #ahf-ahg ,quick kick formation1 #abd-abf surprise element1 #abf ,,rbi1 #bad 8,reading0 drill1 #bba ,receivers1 holding up1 #fd-fe ,reverse shoulder block1 #aeh-aei ,rice ,institute1 #c1 #e1 #f1 #aac1 #ace ,right end 7see under ,ends7 ,right guard 7see under ,guards7 ,right halfback 7see under ,halfbacks7 ,right tackle 7see under ,tackles7 8,robber10 #ajg-ajh ,robinson1 ,jackie1 #gb ,rockne1 ,knute1 #a ,roll back1 #add ,roll block1 #afe-aff ,roll-out pass1 #d-spoke pass defense against1 #ic-ie ,rose ,bowl1 #a ,rotation1 predetermined1 #ii-ajd ,running game 7see ,offensive running game7 ,running the line drill1 #baf ,run-pass option1 #agb ,rushing the passer drill1 #bbg ,safety man3 defensive3 coverage of action pass1 #gf from broken backfield1 #gi coverage of straight drop back pass1 #ge from broken backfield1 #gg pass defense by1 #hd-he defensive stance1 #dc in #e-spoke defense1 #gj in punt return1 #abh #f-b alignment1 #ed in victory defense1 #dg ,scoring1 on defense1 #be ,scoring zone1 #ahi ,scout1 #bjd1 #bjg 7see also ,coaching7 ,scout report1 #bjg ,scrimmages1 #bcj ,secondary3 alignments1 #aij defensive1 drills for1 #bae-bbj #f-b alignment1 #ed in split-,t defense1 #eb-ec1 #ed #c-;deep1 defense versus single wing offense1 #ei ,secondary rotation1 defensive calls for1 #ajj-ajd ,self-scoring zone1 #ahi-aij ,set1 #adb 8#g10 #adb ,seven ,blocks of ,granite1 #a #g-man spin-out drill1 #bbd #g technique1 #ci ,shoot out1 #adc ,signal callers1 #cd1 #ce in adjustments versus backs and ends flanked1 #eg ,signal calling1 automatic versus non-automatic1 #aea-aeb ,single wing offense1 defense versus1 #eg-fa 8#f10 #adb #f technique1 #ch-ci #f-b alignment1 #ec-ef versus single wing offense1 #ei1 ,fig4 #cg ,slam1 #adb ,snap count1 #aej-aeb ,sooners1 #b1 #bf ,southern ,methodist ,university1 #aaf ,southwest ,conference ,championship1 #bcb1 #bcc ,split1 #f1 #cb ,split-,t defense1 #ea-ee ,spread punt formation1 #aaf-abb1 #abf advantages1 #aag blocking rules1 #aah-abj coverage1 #abj-abb line splits1 #aag-aah ,staff meetings1 #bb1 #bc 7see also ,planning for a game7 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