Zone Blitzes & Coverages out of the 3-4 Defense Jim Hilvert Head Football Coach Thomas More College

Overview Why Zone Blitz? Keys to Zone Blitzing Teaching Blitz Coverage Two LB’er Blitzes Corner Blitz

Why We Like 3-4 Zone Blitzing Variations Defensive Ends Don’t Have to Drop Best Personnel on the Field

Keys to Zone Blitzing Communication Collision WR’s Safeties/DE/LB must talk to each other Collision WR’s Be physical and re-route any vertical route Dictate where ball will be thrown Don’t cover any route under 5 yds Defend deep / Give up Flats Must work vs Run & Pass

3-4 Rambo Defense Rover – Strongside OLB Stud – Strongside DE End – Weakside DE Nose – 0 Technique Mike – Strongside ILB Panther – Weakside ILB Bob – Weakside OLB Whip – Safety away from Passing Strength Free Safety – Aligns to Passing Strength

3-4 Rambo Defense

Blitz Coverage = Buzz/Box 3 6 Players in coverage 3 Deep are responsible for their 1/3 3 Underneath players are playing match up zone 2 SCIF Defenders (Seam/Curl/Flat) I/S alignment on any #2 displaced WR Responsible for collision on any vertical by #2 Feel #2 / See #1 / Listen

Blitz Coverage = Buzz/Box 3 2 SCIF Defenders Wall off any inside breaking route by #1 Curl Dig Break on Flat Route when thrown 1 #3 Match Player Opens up to #3 WR and react to route If #3 goes out, “PUSH” and over take new #3

Blitz Coverage = Buzz/Box 3 O/S Deep 1/3 Defenders Corners align 1x6 inside #1 WR Slow shuffle out and must play 3 Step Deep and deepest in their zone Middle 1/3 Defender One Safety is a Post/Seam Defender Will open up and run to middle 1/3 on snap 15 yards deep after snap of ball

Coverage = Buzz 3/Box 3 3 Deep / 3 Under Coverage

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO SLAM IN BOX 3 Rover and Bob are SCIF players Mike will blitz strongside “B” gap Panther will blitz strongside “A” gap Nose will work away from Blitz – 2 way go Stud and End are contain rushers Rover and Bob are SCIF players Whip is #3 Match Player FS is Deep Middle 1/3 Player

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO SLAM IN BOX 3

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO SLAM OUT BOX 3 Rover and Bob are SCIF players Mike will blitz strongside “C” gap Stud will “Longstick” to “A” gap Panther will blitz strongside “B” gap Should scrape right off Stud’s butt Nose will work away from Blitz – 2 way go Rover and Bob are SCIF players Whip is #3 Match Player FS is Deep Middle 1/3 Player

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO SLAM OUT BOX 3

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO BANDIT IN BUZZ 3 Bob will blitz weakside “B” gap Panther will blitz weakside “A” gap Nose will work away from blitz – 2 way go Stud and End are contain rush Rover and Whip are SCIF players Mike is #3 Match Player FS is Deep Middle 1/3 Player

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO BANDIT IN BUZZ 3

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO BANDIT OUT BUZZ 3 Bob will blitz weakside “C” gap End will stunt to weakside “A” gap Panther will blitz weakside “B” gap Should scrape off End’ butt Nose will work away from blitz – 2 way go Rover and Whip are SCIF players Mike is #3 Match Player FS is Deep Middle 1/3 Player

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO BANDIT OUT BUZZ 3

Tags for Two LB’er Blitzes Cross Tag Tells LB’er to exchange gaps LB’ers must communicate Split Tag Tells LB’er to run “In/Out” Combo Must communicate w/ DL Nose – Rome/London DE - Tracks

Tags for Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO SLAM IN CROSS BOX 3

Tags for Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO BANDIT SPLIT BUZZ 3

Corner Blitzes RAMBO WHISKEY 2 Bob will play Flat Boundary blitz Boundary Corner will blitz on snap Panther will blitz strongside “C” gap We use Panther as a distraction Nose will bull rush Center Bob will play Flat Mike must react to formation Vs 2x2 work to weakside curl Vs 3x1 work to #3 WR

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO WHISKEY 2 vs 2x2

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO WHISKEY 2 vs 3x1

Blitz Coverage = GOLD vs 2x2 6 Players in coverage Corners play Man to Man 3 Underneath players are playing match up zone 2 SCF Defenders (Seam/Flat) O/S alignment on any #2 displaced WR #2 Out - Jump route #2 In – Squeeze and look for crosser #2 Vert – Collision and funnel to FS If 3x1 check Buzz 3

Overload Blitz RAMBO ROMO GOLD Panther will rush outside to RB 3 Defenders off an edge to RB Ball must be on a hash Flutie – Field Boomer - Boundary Nose aligns as 3 Tech away from blitz Mike presses LOS and bails out Panther will rush outside to RB OLB to RB will delay blitz off edge DE will attack up field and then dip underneath

Blitz Coverage = Gold vs 2x2

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO ROMO GOLD vs 2x2 – “Boomer”

Two LB’er Blitzes RAMBO ROMO BUZZ 3 vs 3x1 - Flutie

Jim Hilvert James.hilvert@thomasmore.edu 859-344-3516 Questions? Jim Hilvert James.hilvert@thomasmore.edu 859-344-3516