Building a championship football team

by Paul W. Bryant

PASS DEFENSE BY POSITIONS

Defensive End (Flow toward a defensive end)—After lining up in his proper stance and position, when he sees the action coming toward him he crosses the line of scrimmage approximately two yards deep in the offensive backfield. His inside foot should be forward, and his shoulders parallel to the line of scrimmage, as he plays off the outside blocker. He must contain the passer quickly. He cannot permit the passer to get outside of his position. On certain defenses he will drop off and cover the short flat, especially when a back is flanked to his side of the field.

Defensive Ends (Versus drop back pass)—After lining up in his proper stance and position, when he recognizes a drop back pass, he turns to his outside and sprints, using a cross-over step, to a spot 10 yards deep. He never takes his eyes off the passer. When the passer gets set to throw the ball, the defensive end must stop and set up, even if he has only gotten five yards deep. He must get into a good football position quickly, which is tail down, head up, back straight, weight on the balls of the feet, knees slightly bent and feet even. When the passer steps in one direction as if to throw or fake the pass, we want the end to start in that direction, even if he “takes the fake.” Should the latter occur and the passer not throw the football, then the end must bring himself under control quickly and sprint for the football when the passer releases it, regardless of where it is thrown.

Defensive End (Flow away from a defensive end)—After taking his proper stance and position and he recognizes the play going away from him, he commences his angle of pursuit through the area where the defensive safety man lined up originally. When he sees a pass develop, he stops and still facing the passer and wide side, he tries to get back into a position to help out in the deep off-one-third. He gets as deep as he can and puts his hands high. Consequently the passer must throw the ball high and get it over him. Since the ball is thrown higher, 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 football. When the ball is thrown, the end must sprint for it.

Defensive Linebackers (Versus straight drop back pass)—If, after lining up in their proper position and stance, they recognize the play as a straight drop back pass, 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 12-14 yards. They should never take their eyes off the passer. As soon as he gets set to throw, the linebackers should set up in a good football position regardless of their depth at the time. The linebackers must take the first passing fake of the quarterback or they will never be able to knock down the short passes. When the ball is thrown, they both must sprint to it.

Defensive Linebacker (Flow pass toward a linebacker)—After the linebacker has lined up in his proper stance and position and recognizes the flow is coming toward him, he must expect a running play first. The hole he must check will depend upon the defense that has been called. After he has checked for a run but sees a pass developing, he must turn to his outside and sprint for his short one-quarter area using a cross-over step, or he will sprint to the flat on his side and cover this area. He, too, must get set when he sees the passer get set, and he takes the first fake. If the ball is not thrown, he regains his balance, position, etc., and sprints for the ball when it is thrown.

Defensive Linebacker (Flow away from the linebacker)—From his proper stance and position when he observes the flow going away from him, he steps in and checks the counter play and then starts his pursuit for the football. When he recognizes a pass developing, he will plant and try to get back to his short one-quarter area by using a cross-over step. He will continue to go back to his one-quarter area still facing the direction of the flow. He is trying to get to a depth of 12-14 yards. However, he must come under control and maintain a good position when the quarterback gets set to pass. He then plays his regular pass defense. 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 together. When the ball is thrown, he sprints for it.

Defensive Halfbacks (Versus straight drop back pass)—After the defensive halfbacks have lined up in their proper stance and position and the ball is put into play, their first step is back and out. Each halfback starts toward his deep one-third zone as he sees the straight drop back pass develop. Although they commence slowly, the longer the passer holds the ball, the faster and deeper they cover their one-third areas. The deep men do not take the passing fake, such as the ends and linebackers must do. When the ball is put into the air in his area, the halfback must sprint to intercept the pass. It is very important that the halfbacks take the shortest and straightest line to the football once it leaves the passer’s finger tips.

The defensive halfback will never get closer than eight yards to the sideline when he is covering a deep one-third of the field. As he gets close to the sideline and the passer is still holding the football, the defensive halfback will bend away for the sideline but still remain in a position to see it.

If the ball is thrown deep over his head, the halfback is permitted to turn his back (whirl around) on the passer and go after the football. We feel he can cover more ground and get to the ball faster using the whirl around method than if he plants, pivots, keeps his eye on the ball, and then goes after it. This is the only time we will permit a 3-deep defender to take his eyes off the football.

Defensive Halfback (Flow pass toward a defensive halfback)—After the halfback has lined up in his regular position and he recognizes an action pass or a running pass coming toward him, he starts back and out. His area of responsibility is the deep one-third to his side of the field. He must always be as deep as anyone in his area, and he must be in a position so that he can cover his whole zone. If the football comes into his zone, he is responsible for it. He must play the ball at the highest possible point he can reach it safely. He must not get closer than eight yards to the sideline because this cuts down his ability to cover the entire one-third, his responsibility. When the ball is thrown, he must sprint for it.

Defensive Halfback (Flow pass away from the halfback)—After lining up in his proper position and stance and recognizing the flow is starting away from him on the snap of the football, his first step is back and out. He must get his width in case of a roll-out pass. On his third step he will plant, pivot to his inside, and get depth covering his one-third to his side of the field. Regardless of flow or action his pass responsibility is the deep one-third of the field that he lines up in.

Defensive Safety (Versus straight drop back pass)—After the safety has lined up in his proper position and stance and he sees the ball has been put into play, his first step is back and out, favoring the wide side of the field. He starts running slowly, but the deeper he goes, the faster he runs. He cannot permit a receiver to get behind him. He must be as deep as the deepest receiver anywhere on the football field. His responsibility is the deep middle one-third, and if the ball is thrown in his area, he must play the ball and not the receiver. 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 it. If the ball is thrown in one of the deep one-third areas to his right or left, he does not sprint for the ball. Instead he sprints for a spot between the place where the ball will come down and the opposition’s goal line. In case the opponent catches the ball, he will be in a position to tackle the receiver. If the ball is tipped into the air, the safety man should be in a position to catch the ball. 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 10 defensive men.

Defensive Safety (Flow pass in any direction)—After the safety has lined up in his proper position and stance and sees the flow pass develop, his first step is back and out toward the flow. His area of responsibility is the deep middle one-third of the field, but he goes back facing or favoring the flow. He must get as deep as the deepest receiver and be in a position to cover the middle one-third, as well as be in a position to help out on deep passes from sideline to sideline. He must remember he is the safety, and he must prevent the touchdown regardless of where the ball is thrown.

All Defenders When the Ball Is Thrown—When the ball is thrown to any deep one-third area, the procedure is the same. Let’s assume the play is a straight drop back pass and it is thrown into our defensive right halfback’s one-third zone area, as illustrated in [Figure 61]. If he is in the proper position, he will give an oral signal while the ball is still in the air. His signal tells the other defenders he is going to touch the football, and they should get set in the event it is tipped into the air. The safety will get between the halfback and the opposition’s goal line. He should assume a good football position and be alert for the tipped football from his halfback. The defensive ends, linebackers and the other defensive halfback will be sprinting for the football. When they hear the right halfback’s oral signal, they will stop about five yards away from him, get into a good football position, and watch for the tip. If our defender intercepts the football, his teammates will turn around quickly and block aggressively for him. The technique as I have described it is illustrated in [Figure 61].