FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

Before I post my pass pro stuff, I will add one thing on outside zone.  Many teams cut, or crab block the back side.  We did it a bit differently.  Our idea on the outside zone was that it was hitting from the playside guard out, it was never designed as a cut back to the back side.  As a result of this we practiced our outside zone steps with the back side(bucket drop step to 45 degree angle and continue on that track).   However once our lineman establish their 45 degree track they proceed, if a DL comes across the face they stay with him forever and always however if they backdoor the play we released them and let them try to run our backs down(not a good proposition for 99% of DL).  THe backside tackle was actually what we reffered to as the TD block, it was his assignment to get to the third level and get rid of the safety who would be the touch down saver on this play.  In a game my junior year our TE was assigned to this and whiffed on the block end result a 40yd gain instead of a touchdown and a toungelashing in film.  Thats just how we ran it at adrian.  Pass pro stuff in the next post.

[ADAWGISADAWG4LIFE]

This is from my OL notebook which I made for all of my OL.  It covers everything from the ground up, literally from the 2 point stance, film breakdown sheets(for the player) all the way through the pass pro which Im posting.  If anyone is interested in the other stuff, let me know.

Pass Protection

Pass protection is the offensive lineman's greatest challenge.  It is a skill that requires patience and individual concentration, combined with total effort.  Good pass protection is key to offensive confidence and success, from a technical standpoint is the most difficult of any technique to master.  Perfection can be achieved by any lineman who has reasonable physical ability, pride, desire and exerts effort to be the best.  Pass protection should allow you to be physical, you should strive to pass protect with controlled aggression.  Being passive is not allowed.  You will be held accountable for your performance and your goal should be nothing less than a "protection shutout"

Areas of Focus
-   No Mental Busts!
-   No Penalties!
-   No Sacks!
-   No Pressures or Knockdowns!
-   No Batted or Deflected Balls!


The Ten Commandments of Pass Protection

1.   Know your assignment, split and alignment.
2.   Know your QB set-up point on each protection.
3.   Know your sets and technique vs. all alignments.
4.   Never miss a line call.
5.   Set quickly and strong.  Make your stand at the L.O.S.
6.   Do not allow inside penetration.  Never get beaten inside on man protection.
7.   Never take an outside fake.  Always respect an inside fake and anticipate the rushers second move and counter accordingly.
8.   Shuffle for positioning.  Always keep one foot on the ground!  Do not cross your feet, keep your base; maintain a slightly inside out position on the defender.
9.   Finish your job; keep the rusher away from the QB.  No knockdown, loafers don't last long.
10.   Refuse to be beaten!!

Pass Protection Fundamentals

Tempo:
-   Set up in one motion
-   Set on the move
-   Base your set on the defenders alignment
-   Dictate attitude and establish your position on the man.
-   Set with speed and quickness.
-   Beat the rusher to the set up-spot.
-   Prevent oversetting in slide and man protection

Target:
-   Get your head and eyes on the target.
-   Sight adjust the landmark to give you leverage.
-   Anticipate the initial and second move.
-   Concentrate, look at a small target and watch it in.
-   Maintain your position on the rusher.
-   Your eyes lead your body, aim small, miss small.
-   Proper targets allow you to keep a relative position between the rusher and the QB.
-   Honor inside moves, dishonor outside fakes.

Footwork:
-   Coordinate your hands and feet; carry your feet under your hips, your hips are tied to your knees.
-   Keep your center of gravity down.
-   Be an athlete and a knee bender.
-   Keep a wide base and maintain balance and body control.
-   Give ground grudgingly.
-   Have a foot pressure demeanor in order to redirect.
-   Cover the rusher up, nose to nose, toes to toes.

Punch:
-   Develop a decisive punch
-   Stop the initial charge
-   Deliver your hands under and up for a leverage lock-out, do not punch high.
-   Strike your punch on the move as close to the L.O.S. as possible.
-   Force the rusher to restart, redirect and re-seperate.
-   Create separation by restarting, refitting and re-sinking to get back to balance.
-   Don't come off your legs on contact; keep leverage in your legs with your shoulders square.
-   Snap your wrists and elbows.
-   Patience and timing are key, you must develop poise.  Don't jump the gun.
-   Snap a punch and lockout.

Finish:
-   "IT AINT OVER TILL ITS OVER" Don't cut anyone loose.  Help VIOLENTLY.  Scan or finish a rusher as far away from QB as possible.  Compete and fight your ass off.
-   Maintain a reactive position for the interval.
-   Follow; do not put your arms or hands out.


Pass Protection Schemes


Lorena (B.O.B.):

The Lorena or Big on Big blocking scheme is our basic protection for our 5 step drop passing series. 
In this protection each lineman is responsible for the man over him, with the uncovered man or men becoming an option blocker and looking to decisively help out on hard charging lineman.  It is the job of the center or option blocker to step to the side that needs the most help and keep his eyes on LB's looking out for any blitzes and or stunts.  This scheme works only as well as each individual, you cannot be beat.  No inside penetrations are allowed, as the inside is the shortest route to the QB. 
Tackles are responsible for keeping the width of the pocket while giving up as much ground as needed.  It is imperative that the DE's be forced outside of the QB to open throwing lanes and to prevent deflected passes.  Guards and centers have the responsibility of keeping the depth of the pocket.  The intention upfront should be to give each inch grudgingly no one gets anything easy.  It is again important to prevent inside rushes so as to keep lanes open, guards and the center must also work hard to identify stunts and interior blitzes while keeping the defensive lines hands down.

Ramrod:

The Ramrod protection scheme is designed for our 3 step drop and quick's passing game. 
In this protection each lineman is responsible for the man in front of them as well as the gap to their inside.  If you are going to be beat in our Ramrod protection make them beat you outside as that is the longest route to the QB.
The intention by all linemen in the Ramrod protection is to take an aggressive step toward the line of scrimmage to prevent the defensive lineman from getting their hands up.  The step out must be aggressive and controlled as you cannot lose balance and give up your inside lane.  All of the lineman should be stepping down hard to prevent the inside rushes.  Outside blitzes are not adjusted for as the QB should be reading hot. 
Keeping the lineman's hands down is key in this series as the quick pass will not come out with the same loft and trajectory as our 5 step series thus is more susceptible to being batted at the line. 

Boot / Waggle:

The boot and waggle protection schemes are designed for use on our boot and waggle plays.
In this protection the uncovered lineman will responsible for pulling and sealing the corner for our QB.  All other lineman will be a in big on big blocking with the center looking to help on the guards emptied gap.
On our boot protection the Guard will be pulling away from the original strength of the formation.  On our waggle series the guard will pull to the original strength of the formation.   
The guard will pull while looking right off the tackles hip, if he sees no pressure coming he will widen and look for an outside blitz, if at that point no outside rush is evident he will peel back and look for weak side pressure.   

Roll Out:

Roll out protection is designed to be used as its name indicates, on our rollout series of passing plays. 
The offensive linemen on rollout protection will work to move the pocket to the direction of the call.  Our calls will be made using verbal signals.  IF the pocket is sliding to our right then our offensive line in unison will take a gap step with their right foot to cover the gap to their right at which point they will shuffle slide out to the right making the defense engage them.  The play side tackle will take an aggressive set on the DE looking to take him on one in case we have an outside blitz and the RB cannot help. 
The backside three linemen (Center, Guard and Tackle) are responsible for sealing the backside of the line.  They will do so by taking their gap step along with a short shuffle slide and then hinging as to create a moving wall along the backside of the play. 

Play Action:

Our play action protection is a more aggressive style of big on big protection.  When using this scheme we will be looking to sell the run and then protect for the pass.  This will be accomplished by taking a hard step towards the defensive linemen to sell them and the LB's that it will be a run.  From this point the offensive lineman will then retreat back into his normal more passive style of pass protection.  Selling the run on the first step is key, but following our B.O.B. rules after the first step becomes the number one priority.


Protection Adjustments

Fan:

Fan protection will be used when we have an imminent threat of an outside blitz and the backside of the play is secure.  In fan protection our Center, Guard and Tackle will operate as a unit.  The center will become responsible for the call side DT, the guard will become responsible for the call side DE and the tackle will take responsibility for the Jet blitz.  All three linemen will slide out and fan to block the Jet.

Back Help:

Back help will be provided on certain passing plays out of formations where have a man in the backfield.  The back will make a call based upon the strength of the defensive front he will do so by counting the number of men on either side of the center.  The side with more men will become the help side.  The help will be indicated with a number call, odd numbers for left side help, even numbers for right side help and a zero call will indicate there will be no back help at all.
We will also receive help from the Y or FB when they are on the line as well.  It is up to the offensive line to know when the Y or FB will be releasing into a pattern and when he will be staying home to help protect. 

Max Protection:

Max protection is exactly what it says; we will keep the maximum number of blockers in to help in our protection.  This is a seldom used protection as we would much rather release and read our hot routes.  In max protection both our RB and our Y will stay in to help.  This scheme will use the same techniques as our big on big series; however outside rushes will be less dangerous as that is where our help will be.

Other Keys:

Pass Rushing Strength:

Know the strength of the rush, always identify best pass rusher as well as which side is overloaded.  Know what they want to do and when they want to do it!

Set Up Points:

Make a conscious effort to know the quarterbacks setup point.  It becomes much easier to block for someone when you know where they are going to be.  This is your responsibility, learn the play not just your assignment.   



***As a side note I do not like slide protection and fought not to use it, we used to for one game this last season with negative results.  It was forced in by our WR coach who has become the OC.  The reasons is the same reason that Penn States DL coach loves it.  It creates real problems on the backside of the protection the way that it is taught.  Most programs will have all the lineman slide to the strength call this creates a sever problem with the backside DE.  If the DE takes a hard rush upfield it puts the OT in terrible position to recover as he will have to turn his hips and break rules of pass pro by creating lanes.  Even if you have an RB coming over to pick up the corner this puts you in a bind of having an RB blocking a DE, if the DE is worth his salt he wins 9 out of 10 times.  Our current OC taught that the OT was to ignore the end on his slide step which again even if he takes a step down the line to squeeze and then pursues upfield, he will have an edge on the OT and create seams by breaking the line to recover.  However, I would like to hear how other programs run the protection as I am convinced that our OC always had "the best way" to do everything.

[victorybell_57]

slide protection is great for a number of reasons. i am not sure what you mean by the backside de causing problems. i see slide pro as a slide side, and a man side. depending on what you do with you rb, there are different rules for running a slide.

basic version under center with rb in. center on back slides, taking a-b-c gaps. it's not always an a,b,c slide though depending on the pressure. sometimes it can be a a/c/d slide. basically, you are sliding to your gap/landmark. if you have your help hand inside you can sift slanters off to the next lineman with your eyes still on your outside gap to pick up pressure. if nobody shows, violently slam back inside to help. ala you slide to the zone drop side, etc. the slide side pops their shoulders at the same angle and takes their slide steps. should be 3 guys working as a wall to protect. if you use a blitz pick-up period each day for 10 minutes, you can start to see how this stuff sifts it way out. the line calls are much easier to read/call and use. a lot of teams use the tackles to make these calls because they can see the edge pressure and communicate this so the guard and center know edge pressure is coming and they'll probably trade guys off. for example, will off the edge, de slant to guard, dt slant to center. 3 for 3.

man side, or "backside" of the slide. teams use different calls to call out what slide it is, 3 man, 4 man, or 5 man slide. i have always heard that your manside guard sets on #1 (zero, shade, 2, 3t, etc.) and the tackle has number 2 (99% of the time it's the de). tackle on the man side has to vertical set so he doesn't get caught up in the slant, drops, etc.

most teams slide with center taking a gap, and rb protects playside a-gap to outside threats. this is the simplest way and doesn't involve rule teaching.

there are different rules for sliding to shade and 4 man pressures though, too much to type. i have seen slide pick up some outrageous blitzes that OL never would have picked up in a man scheme. it's really easy to sort the junk out and pick up the proper guys in slide. the way defenses are running so many zone fires, slide is def the way to go for all of your 5 step drops.

most teams you see on tv use slide protection in some fashion, and depending on the front, you can have 3-4 linemen working as a wall to protect the qb. i would recommend calling any DI ol coach and asking for the finer coaching points in the slide. once you know it more, you'll like it much more than man schemes. you can email me if you want to know more about it.

[victorybell_57]

on a side note, would the MLB benefit from having more teams in playoff play? i had a discussion about this yesterday and i said yes because then the fans would still be interested late in the season if their team wasn't in first or second place. i was trumped out by traditional baseball fans though.

personally, i think the batting team should be allowed to place one guy in the field to "disrupt" the defense and take people out. the game would be fun to watch and you would see some nasty hits.

[Adam Sayer]

I like slide protection, but to protect like it's drawn up takes discipline...especially for younger players who don't get the idea of blocking a gap, not a man. It's like convincing a kid that 2+2=5. I played semi-pro with guys who didn't get slide protection. Some of these guys had college experience.

ADAWG does have a point that the back on the DE is a mismatch. What I would prefer, at the college level, is the back cut the DE (Obviously you can't do this in HS which is BS). Even if the DE is a great athlete and has good hands, the cut will slow him down and give the QB an extra second to throw. It will also slow the DE's rush. If he's expecting to be cut blocked, he'll slow up so he can avoid his knees getting taken out. I'm not 100%, but I think the backs at MSJ were taught to cut the DE.

Other ways to use slide (Both of these will help control the backside DE):
1. Use it for your quick game
2. Roll the QB to the slide side

If a defense does have a DE who rushes hard upfield, there's ways you can slow his rush with runs. Use his aggressiveness to your advantage. Options, Shovels, Screens, Draws...all ways to slow the backside DE.

Macke...you know damn well I'd cut the hell out of you. Wanna know why...Cause I cheat. I grab shoes, shoe laces, roll. In wrestling there's a move called a low single and a low single is where you shoot/dive in and put your shoulder on their shin and hands on their heel. Drive into their shin with your shoulder while you pick up the heel. It hurts like hell and is impossible to stay on your feet. Whenever I cut someone with good hands on the DL, I would do this. Not as pretty as in wrestling, but it still worked. Technically it's holding, but I was only called for holding once while I was cutting someone and odly enough, I wasn't holding that time.

Then again, give me an O-linemen who doesn't cheat and I'll give you a million dollars. We all cheat. But the best 'Cheating' I ever heard was the Donkey Punch. It's not what you think.

[70_dc_alum]

Dawg...i am with you any time you have to depend on a runnign back to block a DE you are in deep crap.  no offense to you skinny folks, but if an RB was tough and could block they would be playing on the line.  they get paid to run fast not stop 275 men.  i actually used to hate when they would try to help out and bump on the outside.  half the time they hit me not the DE (had a face mask bruise on my Tri for half a season my Sophmore year).  if they actually hit the DE they bumped the outside gving them momentum to the inside.  i finally told them to never hit my guy unless i already got my ass kicked.

loved the rest of the info on PAss Pro.  toughest job in football, yet the easiest to master with just a little discipline.  it is the biggest difference between a Frosh and a Sophmore in camp doing the little thing in pass pro.  you see more egos get smoked during the first day of one on one.

whatever happened to Tim Moore?

[70_dc_alum]

Sayer it should be outlawed to get called for holding while cutting, homw can a ref actually see???  we were taught the leg whip.  similar to what you describe with the shoulder through the opposite shin then once you make conact you roll into them and try to buckle the opposite knee.  devistatingly effectve becuase even if you miss time the cut and the try to jump you, your leg will take them out while spinnng.

[Adam Sayer]

I do agree that baseball would be more enjoyable if there were more teams able to compete in the post season. In baseball there are many, many times when teams win 90+ games and miss the playoffs. The Reds in 1999. Went 94-68 and had to play a play-in game...which they lost to Al Leiter and the Mets, 4-0.  I think you give the 3 division Champs an automatic spot, and add the next best teams based on their W-L record. If the season ended now, the 6 teams from the National League would be:

1. San Diego Padres (40-28) vs Bye
4. NY Mets (37-30) vs 5. Milwaukee Brewers (38-31)
3. LA Dodgers (39-30) vs 6. Atlanta Braves (37-33)
2. Arizona Diamondbacks (40-30) vs Bye

Wild Card - Best of 5
Divisional - Best of 5
Championship - Best of 7

[Adam Sayer]

We were taught that too, but in a different sense. When we had to log a DE, one technique we were shown (I never did...too much work) was to put your helmet in the DE's crotch and your shoulder on their thigh and whip your body and legs agound and roll up on the back of their legs. Watching our O-line coach do it...was better than half the stuff posted on Youtube.

[victorybell_57]

i was leg whipped one time, and i almost puked immediately. avoiding the cut is easy for guys that use their hands. you may get cut down, but you'll have some time to get up if you are scared of the dl coach killing you. i also never got cut that much, because when i did i put my cleats through their back as i got up and ran. however, the one time i was leg whipped, i never saw it coming and i felt like i was going to die.

sayer i never thought of sprinting out to the slide side, unless you are talking about good ol sprint out and moving the pocket. i like it though.

most pass pro schemes today are man/slide schemes where they call this at the line or with the play. there is always a man side and slide side. i do like the 5 man slide for playactions (power plays) and roll out plays where both the fb and tailback cut the DE. it is bs that you can't cut in high school, esp with so many de's being huge in today's game.

if you ever watch old michigan or lou holtz stuff, they used to do this a lot. I-twins, sprint to the twins side with both of the rb's cutting the de and sliding the line away from the play. any combo of pass plays can be used and have a te crosser if you like.

[BashBacker#16]

VicBell57,

You made us all eat crow last year with Franklin knocking off Wabash at FC...so, what's your prediction for Franklin in Week #2 vs. Wabash?  At #16 Wabash...  A side note, Coach Creighton is 29-5 at home.  Huff vs. Rupp should be a great matchup...

At least Sears won't be ripping off KO returns.  I have a feeling Bash may have this date marked...

Prediction???

[victorybell_57]

prediction?

i used to throw out some lofty predictions when franklin was getting thumped and building a machine. i also loved to hammer some other schools to get it going. i am still waiting for hanover fans to come back so we can get after each other a bit.

my predicition is this:

the fc football team has been working very hard to win the hcac championship. sears is gone and somebody else will have to step up. wabash is very in love with themselves and how they perceive their football team and it's success. it does do wonders for the school and the recruitment there. i imagine the lil giants are peeved over last year's game. this game will feature a very fired up wabash team with the fans out in full force chanting that stupid hard hat crap.

when all of it comes down to the opening kickoff the game is going to feature some intense contact from both sides. you'll see a fc team led by strong leaders who don't rattle and the same from wabash. this game will come down to the wire my friend. i know this though, theo's defense has been getting stronger each year and he has some horses over there. i heard he was employing a new 8-3 defense that lines everybody up at the line of scrimmage and you better block the right guy, or you are going down. it's supposed to be a bit more deadly than the vaunted 46. the fc offense is led by leonard, that's all i need to say on that topic.

prediction: fc 28 wabash 24

[victorybell_57]

oh, and i forgot, the FC wabash game will also feature the two best tailgating squads in the nation at the Division III level. FC traditionally has party buses, rv's, numerous kegs in the parking lots, music (sometimes live music), cornhole, tackle football, any assortment of meat to eat and fill your stomach, chili, and some of the best potato salad in the midwest. while i was bragging about the pre-game meals and drinks at the friendly confines of Faught Stadium, one depauw alum said the bashers can bring the pre-game party as well. this should be a great collaboration of much beer, meat, potato salad, and pre-game football before what could be one of the nation's best games this upcoming season.

yes, i said it. i actually am picking 6 games to highlight the nation's games this season.

1.) mount union rivalry game against either john carroll or baldwin wallace. jcu and bw have been scrambling the past two seasons to get their monster going again, and i see this season as a great one to compete with the mighty raiders. in years past, all but the hair on a horse's hind end have separated these teams. i look for one of those games to be top notch. i dare say if one of those games turned out differently b/n these teams, you could have had another national champion out of the oac. but they didn't, so let's move on.

2.) FC vs wabash. last year's game was awesome and there are always high tensions playing in-state games of this nature. granted FC doesn't have the freak that is sears playing in blue and gold, but the squad coming back is highly talented. chad rupp is as talented as you will find at quarterback and the defense has taken huge strides in recent years. one pre-game speech by defensive coordinator said it all last year, "hey guys, you can only have a team come into your house and slap your mom, beat up your dad, eat your food, and kiss your sister while you sit around and watch. sooner or later you have to grow some hair on your chest and take your house back. today we are taking our house back." well said matt.

3.) FC vs MSJ. since leonard has taken over, this has been a bruising game with msj coming out on top. all the games have been close but no cigar for franklin. the hitting has been intense, and some great athletes have played on both sides. while msj's success has led to the departure of hilvert, i am sure huber will have the boys from hills playing tough, and i know FC wants this game.

4.) north central vs wheaton. north central's only loss last year. if you get a chance, get to a north central game. great stadium, tough conference, should be a great game. it was nc's only regular season loss last year and i expect this one to be a ball buster.

5.) capital vs mount union. #1 beat #4 last year. you don't think that's up on the weight room wall? not a far drive for the hcac'rs either, it would be worth the admission.

6.) wabash vs depauw or FC vs HC. rivalry games are awesome, the hate, the bitterness, the jealousy, the closeness, the recruiting, the teams hitting on the field. come one come all and enjoy these bell games. the best in the land if you ask me. i am partial toward the fc hc bell game though, way more ego involved is always fuel for the opening kickoff.

*my bonus game: the bridge bowl. i'll let the msj/tmc crowd weigh in. i'm sure this will be great to read.

oh, and i typed all of my comments using the robin leech voice, read it again with that in mind, and it seems way more dramatic.

[Adam Sayer]

I played my first flag football game yesterday...we got destroyed. The team we played had a lineman from Ball State and a lineman from Vanderbuilt and a football coach from Tiffin who played WR and could flat out run. I've seen him before but don't know where. He had dreds. They also had some other guys who played ball before. On my team, I'm the only person who's played college football and I think we only have 3-4 guys who played HS football. It will be a long season.

The Bridge bowl will be tough. MSJ has to proove a lot to people. They have a new OC and a new DC and a lot of inexperienced players filling starting roles. Rockin Rod will bring in the players, but it will be a different philosophy on both sides of the ball. I heard Soriano is a spread guy. MSJ could be going back to the looks of 2001 and 2002...with a little more success of course, on offense. Defense...I don't even know who's running the defense or if they will even keep the 4-4 look (which is what I think Hilvert ran). I do believe the game will be very emotional. If TMC and MSJ play the BRidge Bowl last year 20 times, MSJ wins 19...but TMC showed up and won the one that counted. WHo knows wat will happen. The best team doesn't always win on Saturdays..unless your Mount Union.

[victorybell_57]

http://iuhoosiers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/061907aaa.html

this is very sad and our prayers go out to his entire family.

i did hear a message in church this past week for father's day, and it seems to make sense in times like this. in a nutshell the priest said "your time on earth is short, god already has a place picked out for you with him...."