10 Commandments of Pass Rush
(Most Important Maneuver on Defense. We will rush the passer more than any
other single thing on defense. Never be surprised by a pass)!
1. Pre-determine your move (have a plan). It will aid your quickness.
Believe in it. Mix things up, but don’t be too cute.
2. Don’t tip yourself. Study your stance, steps, and body lean. Crowd the
ball.
3. Get off on the ball or movement. Find what moves first. Get the rhythm.
4. Never align or attack head-on. Attack ½ man, 1 side or the other.
5. Work your moves close to the blocker-Know his set. Is he short or deep?
6. Close the distance between you and the blocker as quickly as possible.
7. Use your hands on all moves – must have an over/under and a check.
8. Same hand, same foot…on all slaps, swims, rips (puppet).
9. Turn your numbers, make yourself small, give it and take it away.
10. Understand – they can’t block you…you can only block yourself!!! Make
them work.
11. Be sudden and brisk with your hands. Not lethargic!! Razor not a
sledgehammer.
12. Sell all fakes. They’re never as good as you think (Dbl them). Hat, hand,
and foot.
13. Keep weight, feet, upper body moving forward. Get penetration.
Advance, don’t dance.
14. Use on move, then one counter. Never give in. (Rip-Re-Rip) (Rip-Swim)
(Rip-Hump)
15. Use power rush 1 or 2 times a game. One arm’s longer than two.
16. Use quick moves vs. short set. Inside move is fastest to QB.
17. Spin or club back if deeper than ball, keep coming!
18. Never jump or leave feet. Run through QB. Use his body as a cushion to
break your fall. Land on him, Stay on his up-field shoulder.
19. Know the QB’s escape route and mechanisms.
20. All QB’s “run at own risk”. Lawn Mower!
21. Find QB on all interceptions.
To achieve the distinction of being known as the “best” defensive team in the
league, we must have “great” defensive linemen.
There are three ingredients that make defensive linemen “great”:
1.PHYSICAL CONDITION
You must be able to give 100% effort on every play. You must train and push
yourself beyond what seems your physical limits to achieve the physical
condition that will enable you to dominate your opponents.
2.DESIRE TO PLAY
Wanting to be successful on every play and giving your best in whatever task
you undertake to reach your goal.
3.PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE
He knows his job thoroughly and has deep pride to perform in a competent
manner. Intensity is a combination of a will to win and being sure of your
responsibility.
Keys To Defensive Line Play
Run Rules
1. Hit Hard
2. Stay Low
3. Pursue
Pass Rules
1. Get Off
2. Techniques
3. Close
Explode to point behind the offensive man’s heels!
Rushing the Passer
THERE ARE THREE IMPORTANT POINTS TO BEING A GOOD PASS
RUSHER:
1. GAME PLAN
Have a plan by knowing your opponents’ techniques. You must learn his
weaknesses and take advantage of them. (You must study film and practice
execution of the plan).
2. INITIAL MOVEMENT
Getting off the ball on movement, not on sound.
3. PUSH
Continuous movement to crush to pocket. Make the QB move off of his set-up
spot.
IMPORTANT POINTS PERTAINING TO THE PASS
1. Initial Movement
You should be triggered by ball movement. Ball first, then man. Never sound!
2. Push
Continuous rush. Pressure is the single biggest aspect of football. Always attack
half the man and then be ready to counter back if the offensive man over-
compensates.
3. Attack Blocker With Hands
Hands make contact first. (Battle is won by the quickest extension of the arms),
head and shoulders are always secondary to the hands and arms. Go through
your man, not around him.
• Accelerate away from the blocker and through QB
Never stop feet during rush. You must go upfield, not sideways to make your
move, then accelerate. Try to out-run your shoulders.
• Stay Alive
Skim Grass. Do not use high-steps or you will be a one-legged player. Use
quick feet and arms and you will be consistent in crushing the pocket. Always
finish your rush.
• Passer’s Arm Action in your Direction
If QB is looking in your direction and his hand separates from the ball, get your
hand or hands up as high as possible without leaving the ground in order to
obstruct his vision downfield. If you have to jump, go straight up and spike the
ball with both hands.
• QB Leaves the Pocket
If QB breaks out of the pocket, use correct pursuit angle and tackle him at the
correct cut-off point. Remember, we want to flush him, run him down, and punish
him!
PASS RUSH PROGRESSION
Phase of the Rush
• Initial Quickness
• Technique
• Close
Initial Quickness
• Reaction to the Ball/Man
• Get on the man right now-don’t allow him to respond. (Close Cushion)
• Change-ups come in the form of:
1.Depth of the ball
2.Stepping w/upfield foot
3.Don’t come off hard
• Keep head up, ready for next phase
Technique
• Head up throughout the rush (A must in order to see the target)
• Head and eyes fixed on the target
• Drive inside foot on the target (To avoid drift and wasting time)
• Outside leg to have heel in the ground to gain power and balance while in
contact with opponent.
• Shield arm up (Give no hitting surface) *Critical
• Drive arm around to help shield the body
Close
• Must pull yourself around blocker, to the target
• Find lane to the QB
• Look to clean edges with rip or resetting of hips
• Must accelerate and keep momentum going in order to keep balance and
speed
Stance
• Eyes must be up – you must expand vision
• Hip should be slightly lower than shoulders
• Ball of up foot should be even with the hip so that knees should be pointed
both in toward your body and into the ground. There must be space
between the thigh and the stomach
• Back foot must be in towards the body to prevent false stepping.
• Down hand must be brought in tighter. Will help in get-off.
• Balance point should be higher
• 90% of your weight should be on your push leg. You must be able to
maximize your explosion. If weight is not distributed like that, you will
false step. (You will push with the foot you are trying to step with.)
Steps
• You must decide which foot to step with. Up foot will close cushion
quicker.
• Angle of your step is critical: You must gain depth at all times. Never take
a step that might increase the width of your original alignment.
• Pointing of the toe is critical. If toes are pointing out, then you are gaining
width and working away from your blocker and the QB.
• When in contact with your opponent, you must get as much cleat in the
ground as possible. (Power comes from the ground.)
• When in contact with the blocker, your steps should increase in the
distance.
Eyes
• You must have tremendous peripheral vision.
• You must be able to see the ball. Your primary blocker as well as the
blockers adjacent to him.
• The ability to expand your field of vision increase your awareness of the
type of protection you will get.
• Your eyes control the spinal cord, which means the body will work in the
direction of the eyes.
• Great players have great vision.
• Your eyes will take you to the ball.
Feel
• You must work through your opponent. You must be able to react to your
opponents balance points. Arms and legs at the same time your eyes are
eyes are working to the QB or the next blocker. You cannot be a robot.
You must work through what’s coming. Anticipate the next blocker – stay
in control, know that you’ll always need your arms out in front of you.
Space
• Develop awareness of how your body moves in relationship to space.
• Critical factor is how you move against one opponent and then against
many.
Balance
• Head should always be over feet. When it gets out of mid-point, you will
always get out of control and hit ground.
• You must work to stay balanced by dropping your hips. (Which is done by
bending your knees and ankles, and grabbing the ground with your heels
and toes).
