Rochester RocketsIllinois Class 4A State Champions

2010 and 2011

Steve Buecker-Defensive CoordinatorEmail- sbuecker@sps186.org

Playing and Coaching History• 11’-DC/ILb’s- Rochester High School (Derek Leonard)• 08’-10’-HC/OC- Lanphier High School • 05’-07’-DC/Lb’s- Lanphier High School (Don Goff)• 04’-Rb’s/Db’s- Varsity- Sacred Heart Griffin (Ken Leonard)• 02’-03’-Rb’s/Db’s- Varsity- Charleston High School (Brian Halsey)• 01’-O-line/Lb’s- Freshman- Charleston High School (Brian Halsey)• 95’-98’-Free Safety/Wr- Lanphier High School- (John Oaks)

Defensive Influences

• 4-2 Influences• Jay Hood and Chris Krich- Millikin University• Ken Leonard and Jim Mcmann- Sacred Heart

Griffin• Tom Matukewicz- Northern Illinois• 3-3 Influences• Chad Hetlett- Glenbard West• Jeremy Cordell- Glenbard South

How We Run Fit The Same from 3-3/4-2

• D-Line- Squeeze/Spill/Climb• ILBs- Window and Flow Read (Open/Closed)• Gap Control/Gap Exchange • OLBs- Outside Posts/Contain/Pitch man• Free Safety- Alley Player/Robber• Corners-Secondary Contain

Why We Run Fit this Way from 3-3/4-2

• Fundamentally Sound • Easy to teach/Same techniques in both fronts• Stays Consistent No matter what type of offense you are

seeing• Kids play Fast/ Have Fun with Movements• Forces run game east/west • Forces Offense to split practice time to Prepare for 2

possible fronts • Allows us to utilize our strength…Team Speed and pursuit. • It’s what I know! Believe! Teach and Sell!

Base (3-3 Front)

Tight (4-2 Front)

D-Line Play

• Fire off, step and punch, React to O-Lineman.• Block Reactions: 1) Base 5) Double Team 2) Down 6) Cut 3) Reach 7) Pass Set

4) Pull

D-Line Play

• Vs Base• Step n Punch outside ½ man• Squeeze and constrict the hole• Keep outside arm free• Maintain C-Gap Responsibility

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S M

D-Line Play

• Vs Down• Step n Punch Outside ½ man• Inside Hand to Chest and Outside hand to hip of tackle punch and reroute tackle. Dont allow free release up to LBs! • “Squeeze” flat down the LOS turning shoulders: 1. “Spill” Pullers/Fbs on any kickout blocks 2. Tackle Fb vs Veer option 3. Tackle Qb vs Speed Option 4. Bottom Line…. Hit or Tackle the INSIDE THREAT by getting your head

across and hitting with your outside shoulder(Wrong Arm) dip and rip up and through and “Climb” Square up)

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S M

D-Line Play

• Vs Reach• Step n Punch Outside ½ man• Run Feet Outside and Over top of the block..while working hands and hips over the top. • Never settle for getting reached,• Always continue fighting over top!

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D-Line Play

• Vs Pull• Step n Punch• As O-line pulls, get into his hip pocket and follow him FLAT down the LOS…He will take you to ball

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D-Line Play

• Nose• Fire off low with leverage, Step n punch• Mirror step with the centers movement• Fight the pressure must force a double team• Turn and sink hips in the hole to split to split the double team• Must be able to make a play vs a 1 on 1 block and

control the play side A-gap• Fall and make a pile, don’t get driven off the ball

Sam and Will (ILBs/Stacks)

• Window Reads• Key Step Down Hill Read and React to blocking

scheme and flow of the play• Open Window= Down block By Guard and

Base Block by the Tackle.• Press Down hill Attack Open B-Gap with inside

shoulder and inside foot.

Sam and Will (ILBs/Stacks)

• Open Window

S M W

T N R

Sam and Will (ILB’s/Stacks)

• Closed Window= All Down Blocks• Key Step down hill…Scrape to next gap out.• Gap exchange with DE tight off of his outside

hip • (DE is Now B Gap and LB is Now C Gap)

Sam and Will (ILB’s/Stacks)

• Closed Window

T N R

S M W

Sam and Will (ILB’s/Stacks)

• Backside Run -Attack Weakside A Gap to Pursuit

• Vs Pullers-Gun -“Rock n Roll”- ILB Rock with initial Flow, Roll Back over top to stay home for the cross key action while calling “Pull,Pull,Pull”

• (Qb Reading Backside DE, Zone,Gt, Boot, etc.)• Away LB stays home to tackle the Cross key

Sam and Will (ILB’s/Stacks)

• Backside Run Vs. Gun Read

“Rock n Roll”

S M W

T N R

S M W

T N R

Mike LB

• Triangle Read• Key Guards to the Backfield Flow• Key Step Down Hill• Attack A/B Gap towards the Pressure and “Flow” of

Blocking Scheme• “Slow to go…Fast once you Know”/ “Rock n Roll” • Dip and Rip through Armpit of Guard on Down Block• Vs Fast Flow- “Sweep” Attack down hill “Banana Angle”

through first available window• Inside/Out to the ball…stay on back hip of RB

Mike LB

• Triangle Read Fast Flow Read

“Dip n Rip through Guards “Banana Angle First Open armpit” window”

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M

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Strong/Rover (OLBs/Safeties)

• Read End Man On Line (EMOL) to • “High Hat”/ “Low Hat Read”: • High Hat=Pass- Work to Flat Drop• Low Hat=Run- Squeeze and Contain Ball• Vs Outside run= Squeeze and expand Flat down LOS• Vs Inside Run= Squeeze and Fold once ball has declared inside• “Gladiator Technique”=Inside Shoulder/Foot, Outside arm

free.• Pitch vs Option- Most of the time!• “BCR” vs Run away-(Bootleg,Counter,Reverse)

Strong/Rover (OLBs/Safeties)

• Outside Run• “Squeeze and expand” flat down LOS• “Gladiator Technique” Inside arm/inside foot

T N

$ S M

F

Strong/Rover (OLBs/Safeties)

• Inside Run• “Squeeze n Fold”

once ball has declaredinside, keeping outside leverage on the ball

T N

$ S M

F

Free Safety

• Robber Coverage• Down Hill Player/ Additional Run Player who

gets in the Box quickly especially vs 2 back Sets• Reads Uncovered O-Line and Progresses to a

2-1 pattern Read• High Hat/Low Hat • Down Hill Fit off LBs-“Banana Angle”• Alley Player/ QB to Pitch vs Option

Corners

• Secondary Contain• Pass First/Run Second• Pursuit angle with run away