Ideas on Situational Defense, RPO Split Coverage, and Early Down Pressure
Aug 29, 2023 4:29 pm
Coach ,
Defensive success must go beyond “who has the chalk last.” Sure, we all want to outscheme, but having a focus on details, and a strong understanding of your defensive arsenal will help far beyond having the chalk last.
Today we start by looking at situational preparation, then share an idea on coverage for RPO and finish with early down pressures.
Win the Critical Situations
Ultimately the goal of a defense is to get off the field. The more money downs you win the more likely that you are to win. Understanding the proper breakdown of this specifically can be a big change.
Breaking down the number of runs and passes from 11+, 7-10, 4-6, 2-3, and 1 allows you to really get a visual of what this opposing coordinator is trying to accomplish.
Then having your arsenal ready and utilize these preparation items to sharpen your mind and defense up as much as possible. This starts with watching tape the right way. Florida State Defensive Coordinator Adam Fuller explains the process they use with the Seminoles in this video:
Additionally, he covers how they breakdown and view 3rd down in this video:
Lockdown the RPO
Conflicting the Defense and Defending the RPO seems to be more and more who has the chalk last. Therefore, understanding different ways to lock down the RPO becomes more and more vital as coaches get more and more creative with how they use RPOs and who they read.
Using combo coverages to attack the RPO can be a huge aid to your defense. This complicates the read and gives you some different movements in addition to your normal base coverages that can create confusion or false reads from the QB.
Playing coverages that allow for multiple forms of run support from a two-high look can allow for numbers advantages over offensive alignments. Jason Makrinos, Robert Morris University Defensive Coordinator, explains how they dictate where they want to go utilizing their “Cover 9 Trick” concept.
Don’t Wait
Don’t wait to take it to the offense, apply the pressure early and often. This aids in the removal of tendency.
This can additionally create some chaos for the offense and create more opportunities for your athletes.
The saying goes “perception is reality” and if there is constantly a perception that pressure is coming this creates issues for the other side.
This also opens up the idea of sim pressures and increases easily the range of pictures that you are showing the opposition. Purdue Assistant Coach Noah Joseph explains an early down “Blitz Check” he has used in this video:
Those are just a few ideas which hopefully validate what you are already doing, or spark an idea on how you can enhance what you do.
Have a great week of preparation and practice and good luck this weekend!
Always be growing!
Coach Grabowski