Dwight Freeney of the' Indianapolis Colts stretches over running back Cedric Benson of the Chicago Bears to recover

a fumble.

Ball Disruptions In Winning With Defense

By Justin MacDonald, Defensive Coordinator, Apache Junction (AZ) High School
A|)iitbe Junction HS, we believe our dfl'cnse bas as miicli responsibility as our offense in winning football. We u y to iicbievc tbis by creating turnovers and scoring points. We have bad ronsideiable success at tbis. We led tbe state in takeauays lasl season ivitli &2 in 14 games! Tbe must important aspect in tlie correction (if turnovers is simply iusiilling tbe proper mentality in tbe playeis. You don't just talk abotit it. You liave to sbow your plaj'cts how itnpoi t;iiu it is to actively practice turnover tt^cliniqncs. We defitie ball disruptions as a conscious maneuver to directly take tbe

At

ball away from the opposing offense. We tjreak this itito hvc categories:

I. CAUSED FUMBLES:
We feel tbat this is tbe greatest area in which our delen.se can gain an advantage and the most important ball disi iipti(Mi. We break tbe t\pes of fumble- causitig maneuvers into lbttr subcategories that we work on individtially each week. Hit Hard: Tbe first and easiest of tbese concepts is simply to punisb the ball- cat rier on every play. If he is concerned about pain or his safety, he isn't thinking about ball security. Hat on the ball: Coacbes talk abotu this at tbe lowest levels of football. We specifically drill it. We want

our players to put tbeir facemasks on the (ootball as tbey run tbrougb tbe ball-carrier tiu head-on tackles. A "crash pad" or high jump mat is effective in minimizing ground imjiaj t. but etnpbasize body collision. Tag Team: We drill tbis concept at least twice a week. Two defenders form a triangle wiili tbe balkai lier wbo attempts to score thiough au end /one about 10 yards away. Botb defenders hit ibe ball-carrier. T b e tackier who makes initial contact sboulri have tbe dominant position and make a "you-yoti" call. As each of tbe defenders drives tbe ball-carrier back, the second of tbe two punches or nps the football. We tell our players to bold the ball carrier tip

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Ball Disruptions In Football: Winning With Defense

for just a second, and the ball slioiild be free on the way to the ground. Open-Field Tactics: A key to otir success is our effori to simulate many of the exact situiitions and angles that occur in a game. In the openfield,we ahvays want to make a concerted effort to strip the ball; we've already given up positive yards; we want to make a l")ig play to negate thai gain. Based on the defender's evaluation of how the carrier is securing the hall, he will use one of three main techniques. The Hammer: If there is no space between the ball-carrier's body and his tricep, meaning we can't see the hall from the back, or if he is swinging his arm, we want to bring down the hammer. Grab the (ullaj* with the away hand, violently yank the ball-carrier back and strike down on the top of the ball, nearer to his fingers, with a closed fist. Secure the away hand over or around the shotilder to giab the jersey on the carrier's chest. Try to straighten his ball arm to his side so he can'l secure it. Always run the feet and never be dead weight. Punch and Rip: If we can see ball from behind - we call it "turtle head", we want to use a similar techniqtie with the away hand and throw a violent upper cut into the ball. If the ball doesn't dislodge, open ihe hand, twist the palm outward, grab ihe front of ball by the carrier's fingers and \ iolenily rip his arm down and pull it behind his back as you run your feet, '^'e teach our player to ride the carrier's facemask itito the turf. The entire maneuver should be as fast and violent as possible. Fingers: If a ball-carrier is already engaged with a defender and is securing the ball tight to his chest, we want to secure his body with one hand and grab his fingers on the ball with the other. We "peel" his hand down and away from the ball. Recovery: We specifically drill recovery tactics and strongly encour-

age you lo do so also. You ran onh' expect players to kntnv what they've been taught. We have a scoop and score station and often use multiple players to simulate offensive tacklers and defensive blockers who usher the ball-carrier into the end zone. We also work an angle pursuit drill to deflect an opponent off a clear path to the ball and box him out from iTcovering. Finally, we work ground tactics when fighting for a ball. If two opposing plavers have their hands on the hall, one should loll inlo the opponent and use body leverage to separate his body fiom the hall by rolling onto his arms and wrenching the ball free. Of course we always teach people to fall around the ball, and keep their knees in a fetal position to protect the ball and the player. We even coach the players not directly involved in the pile to habitually indicate that our team has the ball to help "sell" any unsure officials. 2. INTERCEPTIONS AND PASS BREAK UPS: The next two ball disruptions are skills we begin instilling in spring. The advantage we try to create in the mentality' of our defenders is that a reception is never complete until the receiver becomes a ball-cajTier, at wliich time we will use fumble tactics. This mentaht)' allows our players to break up many passes that have been caught but not secured. We want receivers to have to "earn" their catches. Therefore, we never condemn a player who get.s a pass interference call for being aggressive aud playing through the receiver's body to break up the pass. There are five phases to this technique: Attack Angle: Our aiming point is the far, downfield side of the shoulder We take a tackling angle first. Hands: Our top, or downfield, hand shottld grab the bottom of the

jersey near the hip to sectire the tackle (never reach; run ilu- feet through the receiver). A conimoti mistake is to swipe at the pass. We leach the players to "shoot" the arm nearest to the LOS, placing the hand in liont of the receiver's hands, palm out. Of cotirse, we nuisl use the proper hands; reaching with till' top hand <-omplet('lv takes the defender out of position to make a tackle. Shielding; Once the iibove body relationship is establi.shed but the ball hasn't arrived, the defender releases the dow-nfieid hand, rips it back around to join the other hand and accelerates in front of the receiver. tight to his body to shield him from defending the interception. Splitting the arms: If the receiver does catch the ball, the defender takes his outstretched fr<jnt arm and hammers violently down on the receiver's forearm, atteinpting to bring the arm hehind his back. Simultaneously, the dovvtifielci hand releases the jersey and strikes upwards into the other arm of the receiver attempting to split atid rip the receiver's arms off the- ball (tliink of a reverse "Gator Chomp") as he makes the tackle and rides the facemask into the turl. Highest point: Naturally, on deeper, higher passes, we teach our defendets to shield the receiver and leap up atid back towards the ball. A key to defending and intercepting deep routes like fades is to not look back for the ball if the defender is trailing, The ball is going to the teceiver's hands; RKUS on that, get there, and good things will happen.

3. ALTERED PASSES AND BATTED BALLS:

The final two-ball disruption categoiies pertain ino.stly to defensive linemen or blitzing backers. An altered pass is any situation where a defender has forced the QB lo change his arm angle, trajectory, or follow thidugh. There are a few simple conce])ls lor diese two disiii|)tions.

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Ball Disruptions In Football: Winning With Defense

Condense the pocket: An offensive linetnan's helmet is just as effective as our hand to limil a QB's follow through. Opposite hand up: We want to rush the QB hard aLid put our left liand up and in iiont of the throwing lane in tbe c;ise of a right-handed QB. Never leave your ieet in this situalion. Both hands and jump: If, at tbe last Tiioment hefot e the QB releases the ball, a hlocker is square in front of the defeTider, the defender should raise botli hands and elevate like a volleyball block to obstruct the passing lane.

by requiring all eleven players to break down on the ball at the end of the return or recovery. We have a unique defensive chant, only one wf)rd, which all eleven will say before they come off the field. We do it after every turnover, practice, pa.ssing games, and regular season games. Otu players take pride in it, and ihf player with the ball leads it. We tall it "getting paid."

tions are high points.

6. DRILLS:
We have a tiunovei; takeaway circuit every week where we use these drills. Scoop and score. QB pressure. One-on-one recovery. Ground fighting tactics (start both players on the ground, facing eaeh other, each having a grip on the ball.) Hal on the hall. 2 on I Tag Team, Sideline (ball inside arm, ball outside arm). Thi.s technique allow.s the player to strip the ball inbounds while making the tackle and pulling Ihe carrier out of bounds. Defender grabs Ihe collar, pulls violently, swings his hody around the hack of the carrier, punching ihe hall into ihefieldand twisting the hall carrier out of hounds. I.ateral pursuit, finger peel. QB in pocket and on the run (hammer down on extended arm. bringing his arms to his side). We often use slipcovers on our balls to reduce grip so that the defenders have a belter chance of success in the drills. This also reinforces hall security wiih our offensive players. Incorporate a takeaway element into tackling drills. Takeaway shotitd always he (in their minds.

5. IMPLEMENTATION:
Once again, things are easier said ihan done. We implement tliis atiiiude with a few strategies. Drill the technique.s every week. Mix and match. Return all INTs live to the whistle in practice. Otir offen.sive players are weD aware that they should keep their heads on a swivel, and we have a quick whistle to prevent injuries. In spring football, score ALL loose balLs, fumbles. INTs, and even incomplete passes. Work pursuit drills with ail players going for the ball. Teach them lo be in position to take advantage of a caused fumble. St't goals and rewards. Our goal is four takeaways and one score a gaine. I recently heard DeWayne Walker, the DC at UCLA, talk about his experience with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who figured the magic number was 19% ball disruptions per game would equal 70% wins. Wefigure4 takeaways and a score gives as a pretty good chance. We don't do helmet decals. The rewards the players get are more intrinsic. There is a point of pride in being part of the defense, and more so for the player who gets to hreakdown after a takeaway. Tlie only external reward a player gets is tlie improvement on his weekly impact rating that we calculate and record throughout the season. Ball disrup

4. SCORING:
lhc second part ofotti' defensive philosophy is lo scctre touchdowns. Most of these come from interce[> (ions, bul we Iry lo lake advantage of (Hher opportunities like loose fumbles and blocked ptints. Our basif philosophy on scooping and scoring fiunbles; Ii a ball is loose and we are the closest player in an open-lield siuiation, oui- players will get one dumre to Eield the ball cleanly on tbe run. If it is hobbled or dropped, we tell them to get down. On any rettun of a takeaway, the blocking is the key to scoring. The mosi important part of this is to first convince players that jtist getting tlie ball back isn't good enough and everyone's block could make th<' dilference. Secondly, the player with the ball makes a call so that all players are aware of ihe ttirtiover and can hlock to scoie. Many teams use OSKIE or BINGO or something similar. We tise a WETSU call, which is an acronym I stole from another coach; it stands for "we eat that sttiif up." After hearing a WETSU, players have to get to the neare.st ntmibers on the Held. They have to establish a clean path between the sideline and
inmibers. We tall it deanng Ihe sidetoalk

for the president. Finally, we encotirage good returns

Otir team believes tliat our defense can get the football back at any time, in any sittiation. Tbis proved true on countless occasions and won us games we may otherwi.se have lost. fakeaways are the fastest way to change the momentum of a game and increase yotir position of winning. If yoti put your philosopbv into piactice and your players adopt it and then own it, you will add an entirely new element to yotir chatices of allack.

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