Defending RPOs: Run Your Defense
By Mark Theophel, Defensive Coordinator Hartwick College With RPOs being talked about at almost every level of football across the country, it’s becoming increasingly important for defenses to come up with ways to deal with multiple options on every…
Variations of the 3-3 Stack Defense
Running a 3-3 stack or any other Odd Front defense allows for many advantages that offenses must contend with each week. On the most basic level, 3-Down fronts demand that the offense prepare for multiple pressure threats that could come…
Multiple Rush Options Out of the 3-3 Stack
Running a 3-3 stack or any other Odd Front defense allows for many advantages that offenses must contend with each week. On the most basic level, 3-Down fronts demand that the offense prepare for multiple pressure threats that could come…
Protecting Our Players, Protecting Our Game
In many of my conversations, both on the road recruiting and among other colleagues at the college level, I continue to hear a disturbing trend regarding what those in our profession are challenged to deal with in the midst of…
Using Half-Field Coverage to Double Team a Single WR
Facing a great WR who can exploit one-on-one matchups can be a difficult challenge for a defense. Coordinators are often faced with the challenge of assigning more than one player to cover just one offensive weapon, which becomes particularly problematic…
Simple Tips for an Effective Pass Rush
In coaching defensive linemen and linebackers in a base pass rush, there are several tips and points of emphasis that can extract maximum value from a one-on-one match-up. When coaching the outside cage rusher in particular, the key coaching point…
Coaching the Gap-Exchange vs. the Zone Read
In these modern times, the zone read has become one of the most heavily discussed plays in football. Many collegiate and high school offenses are built around it as their base offensive play, while many other systems have incorporated it…
Using the Punt Block/Return Team as a Weapon
Of all the ways to seize momentum in a football game, there are few things more devastating than a blocked punt. The field position swing that comes with a blocked punt drastically changes the expectations and the strategy of both…
Basic ILB Run Reads in the Multiple 3-4 Defense
Defending the run in our 3-4 defensive scheme rests heavily on our inside linebackers ability to diagnose blocking schemes and attack the line of scrimmage with speed and efficiency. To accomplish this, our LBs need to be disciplined in their…
Finding the Right Special Teams Personnel
It is continually said that special teams is 1/3 of the game, so much so that at this point it has become something of a cliché. Despite how coaches repeat it, we can easily forget just how impactfull special teams…