DEFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY

1. “LEFT”/””RIGHT” ALWAYS GIVE DIRECTION CALL; THIS CALL TELLS THE NG TO ALIGN IN “A”
GAP TO THE CALL AND THE REST OF THE FRONT SEVEN ALIGN
ACCORDINGLY. WITH 22, 21, 12 PERSONELL SAM GOES TO THE CALL; MIKE
GOES TO THE CALL; WILL GOES AWAY FROM CALL.
-WITH NICKEL DEFENSE, SAM GOES TO THE FIELD (OR THOWING STRENGTH);
MIKE GOES TO FIELD (OR THROWING STRENGTH); WILL GOES INTO BOUNDRY(OR
AWAY FROM STRENGTH)

2. GAP SOUND TERM USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE ALL THE GAPS
‘COVERED” WHICH THE OFFENSE CREATES THEIR FORMATION’ IF “GAP
SOUND”, OFFENSE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RUN THE BALL.

3. LEVER(CUT BACK)/SPILL(OVER TOP) REFERRING TO THE MIKE/WILL LB’S; PREDICATED BY WHICH SAFETY IS
“LOW”; ONLY APPLIES VS 2 BACKS; INDICATES “RUN-FIT” RESPONSIBILITY;
APPLIES TO CERTAIN RUN PLAYS <ISO/LEAD DRAW/POWER/COUNTER/ZONE>
THE “LOW SAFETY” WILL HAVE CUT-BACK AND THE OUTSIDE LB LEVERS’
PLAY TO FAST FLOW LB

4. EAGLE STRONG 5-3 FRONT; CALL TO THE TE; GOOD VS THE RUN GAME;
MIKE FAST FLOW – WILL SLOW FLOW; STRONG SAFETY IS LOW
SAFETY
[8 IN BOX] SS/SAM/MIKE- TRAVEL TO CALL; WILL/FS- TRAVEL AWAY; SAM ON
THE LINE OVER THE TE & READING THE RELEASE

5. OVER 4-4 FRONT; CALL AWAY FROM TE; INSIDE LB’S ‘STACK’ 3 TECH./SHADE
& 5 TECH; LB’S IN GAPS VS 1 BACK; SAM SLOW FLOW; MIKE FAST;
WILL SLOW FLOW
[8 IN BOX]

6. EAGLE WEAK 5-3 FRONT; CALLED TO TE; FREE SAFETY IS THE LOW SAFETY;
*ONLY FOR 21,22,12 WILL FAST FLOW; MIKE SLOW FLOW; SAM ON THE LINE OVER THE TE READING
PERSONEL GROUPS THE RELEASE
[8 IN BOX]

7. OVER SOLID 4-4 FRONT; CALL AWAY FROM TE; FS IS LOW TO TE SIDE. SAM ALIGN AWAY FROM
*ONLY FOR 21,22,12 TE
PERSONEL GROUPS

8. OVER FLEX 4-4 FRONT’ CALLED AWAY FROM TE; SS IS LOW SAFETY (EXCEPT VS. 20);
SAM SPILL, MIKE LEVER; WILL MOVE OUTSIDE OF TE, FS LEVER

9. NICKEL 4-2 FRONT; BEST PASS DEFENSE; NOT GAP SOUND; CALL AWAY FROM
*CAN HAVE 3 BACKERS THROWING STRENGTH OR IF ON THE HASH – ALWAYS CALL FRONT INTO THE
ON THE FILED BUT BOUNDARY; NICKELSUBSTITUTES FOR SAM;’; SAFETIES LINE UP IN 2 DEEP
ALIGN IN NICKEL RULES LOOK; CAN BECOME GAP SOUND; WILL ALWAYS LINES UP TO THE CALL (OR TO
THE BOUNDARY), MIKE TO THE FIELD OR TO PASSING STRENGTH; SAM/NICKEL
ALINGS TO THE FIELD; WILL ALIGNS INTO BOUNDRY
[6 IN BOX] *APPLIES TO 10/11/20/ EMPTY PERSONNEL GROUPS

10. DOLLAR 3-4 FRONT; LONG YARDAGE PACKAGE WITH 3 DEFENSIVE LINEMAN,
*NICKLE RULE FOR LB 2 LB’S AND 6 DB’S. DEFENSIVE TACKLE AND INSERT A BACKER OR DEFENSIVE
ALIGNMENT BACK

11. OVER NICKEL CALL LIKE OVER (AWAY FROM TE OR THROWING STRENGTH); SUBSTITUTE
SAM W/ NICKEL ALIGN IN COVER 5 “LOOK”; CAN BECOME GAP SOUND BY
PRESSURE

12. OKIE BASE PERSONEL STAYS ON FIELD/ 3-4 ALIGNMENT/ BEAR LOOK

Defense Term. Pg. 1

 DEFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY
13. “STUNTS” CHANGE UP MANEUVERS FROM BASE DEFENSIVE
ALIGNMENTS TO ATTACK THE RUNNING GAME.
14. “GAMES” TWISTING MANEUVERS USED BY DEFENSIVE
LINEMAN IN A PASS RUSHING EFFORT.

15. “SOLID” TE SIDE OF THE OFFENSIVE SET.

16. “FLEX” SIDE AWAY FROM TE SIDE OF OFFENSIVE SET.

17. “STRONG” THE SIDE OF THE FRONT TO THE PASSING STRENGTH

OF THE OFFENSE.

18. “FIELD” SETTING THE FRONT IS PREDETERMINED BY THE BALLS POSITION ON

THE FIELD. FRONT IS CALLED TO THE FIELD. ONLY CALLED WHEN
BALL IS ON THE HASH. SAM/SS ALWAYS TO THE FIELD; WILL/FS
ALWAYS INTO BOUNDRY

19. “SKY” CALL INDICATING SECONDARY FORCE TO THE TIGHT END SIDE.

20. “COMET” CALL INDICATING CORNER FORCE.

21. “SMASH” COVER 5 (CLOUD) CALL INDICATING CORNER TO BE AGGRESSIVE WITH TWO
SPEED. FUNNELING #1 INSIDE .

22. “CHAINS” COVER 5 (CLOUD) CALL INDICATING CORNER TO SIT AT THE CHAINS 1ST DOWN
MARKER. LOOSEN UNDERNEATH COVERAGE IN 3 OR 2.

23. “HARD BALL” CALL INDICATING INSIDE ALIGNED CORNER FORCE.

24. “BACKER” CALL INDICATING A LINEBACKER FORCE.

25. “BOX” CALL INDICATING DEFENSIVE LINEMAN FORCE.

26. “LEVER: RUN SUPPORT TECH. MAINTAINING OUTSIDE

LEVERAGE ON BACK READ.

27. “SPILL” LINEBACKER RUN FIT INSIDE OUT.

28. “CORE” AREA BETWEEN TE BOX INCLUDING SLOT AND WING POSITIONS

29. “SEAM ALERT” DENOTES THAT 3 RECEIVERS ARE SPLIT AWAY

*WHEN COVER 3 OR 4 FROM THE CORE OF THE FORMATION ALERTING
IS CALLED, WITH 3OR 4 THE DEFENSE TO SEAM ROUTES.
WIDES ITS AUTOMATIC

30. “SEE-SAW” ADJUSTMENT BETWEEN SAFETIES EXCHANGING

RESPONSIBILITIES.

Defense Term. Pg. 2

 DEFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY

31. “CARRY” TECHNIQUE USED TO RUN WITH INSIDE & VERTICAL

ROUTES.

32. “WALL” TECHNIQUE USED TO RUN WITH VERTICAL ROUTES.

33. “HOOK & THRU” TECHNIQUE USED WHEN THERE’S A POSSIBLE

VERTICAL CARRY INVOLVED.

34. “BANJO” TWO PLAYERS KEY THE SAME BACK TO DETERMINE

COVERAGE IN MAN TO MAN.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

35. “ICE” CALL THAT TAKES OFF A STUNT AND PUTS LINEMAN
IN BASE TECH.

36. “GREEN” CALL TO ALERT LINEMAN TO POSITION

THEMSELVES TO RUSH THE PASSER.

37. “CHECK” INDICATES THAT WE ARE CHOOSING FROM 2 OR

MORE COVERAGE CONCEPTS. ONCE A
DETERMINATION IS MADE WE STAY LOCKED.

38. “OMAHA” AUTOMATIC FRONT AND COVERAGE.

39. “EMPTY” ANY FORMATION WITH NO BACKS IN THE

BACKFIELD.

40. “ZONE DOG” THE BLITZING OF A LINEBACKER OR DEFENSIVE

BACK IN WHICH A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN WILL
REPLACE THEIR ZONE RESPONSIBILITY.

41. “PEEL RULES” DENOTES THAT A CONTAIN RUSHER HAS A

RUNNING BACK.

42. “PALMS” DENOTES COMBINATION COVERAGE BETWEEN

LB’S & SECONDARY (1 LB / 2 DB’S)

43. “BRONCO” DENOTES UNDERNEATH TECHNIQUE USED IN

ZONE DOG COVERAGE (SEAM/FLAT).

44. 5 ½ FIELD COVERAGE; NO LOW SAFETY; CAN PLAY IT IN BOTH EAGLE

*COVER 2 AND DIME DEFENSES. MIKE RELATE TO #3 RECIEVER

Defense Term. Pg. 3

 DEFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY
45. BROWN ALL COLORS ARE SOME TYPE OF MAN COVERAGE; THIS IS A
MAN-FREE ROBBER COVERAGE OR A “BRACKET” COVERAGE;
OUTSIDE LEVERAGE – HELP IS INSIDE

46. 43 ALL NUMBERS ARE “ZONE” COVERAGES; WE WILL PLAY COVER 4

VS 2 BACKS AND COVER 3 VS 1 BACK

47. SILVER MAN-FREE COVERAGE (EVERYONE MAN W/A FREE SAFETY IN

MIDDLE OF FIELD); COVERAGE RUN WITH SOME TYPE OF BLITZ;
HELP IS INSIDE

48. PURPLE STRAIGHT MAN WITH NO SAFETY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD;
“BRINGING THE HOUSE”; INSIDE LEVERAGE; NO HELP

49. BLUE JUST LIKE BRIOWN EXCEPT NO ‘PASSING OFF’; SAFETIES

IN A TWO – 2 DEEP LOOK; RUN ONLY WITH DIME DEFENSE; HELP
IS INSIDE. MAN FREE W/WK SAFETY ROBBER AND ‘FUNNEL’
EVERYTHING OUTSIDE; ONLY RUN WITH NICKEL DEFENSE

50. 3 ROBBER W/ NICKEL DEFENSE; SAFETIES IN 2 DEEP LOOK; ON THE SNAP

THE FREE SAFETY (WEAK SAFETY) ROB’S THE WEAK DIG OR
CURL; WILL ALWAYS WORKS TO FLAT; MIKE ALWAYS WORKS
AWAY FROM WEAK SAFETY OR AWAY FROM CALL

51. TUSCON W/ NICKEL DEFENSE; EXACT OPPOSITE OF ‘3 ROBBER’; STRONG

SAFETY IS NOW THE ‘ROBBER’ TO THE FIELD; 3 RECEIVERS, THE
WILL ROB #2 AND MIKE WORKS TO #3; VS 2 BY 2, MIKE WORKS
WEAK OR TO THE CALL; WILL STILL WORKS TO THE WEAK FLAT

52. WEAK ROLL W/SAFETY LOW/WE WILL PLAY COVER 5 AWAY FROM LOW SAFETY AND
COVER 3 TO LOW SAFETY (ONLY RUN VS 2 BACKS)

53. 3 CLOUD W/NICKEL DEFENSE; WE WILL PLAY COVER 5 TO ONE SIDE AND COVER 3
TO THE OTHER- ROLLING COVERAGE INTO BOUDRY OR AWAY FROM
THROWING STRENGTH

54. SAINT ALWAYS ROLLING COVERAGE TO FILED OR TO THROWING STRENGTH

55. 4 OPEN W/NICKEL DEFENSE; 4 DEEP/3 UNDER; OUTSIDE LB’S ARE FLAT PLAYERS
– ‘BANGING’ #2 ON THE WAY OUT; MIKE IS MIDDLE PLAYER – WORK WITH
#3; GOOD ZONE DEFENSE FROM 15 YARD LINE TO GOALLINE

56. TAMPA MIKE IS MIDDLE 1/3 PLAYER; SAM/WILL ARE HOOK TO CURL, WORKING TO
CLEAR QUICK GAME THEN GET 8-10 YARDS DEEP AND READ QB
INTENTIONS

57. SMACK BLITZ THE SAM LB OUTSIDE OF TE; USUALLY RUN WITH “SILVER”
COVERAGE; MIKE HAS RB STRONG VS 2 BACKS; WILL HAS RB WEAK VS
2 BACKS; SS HAS TE VS 2 BACKS; √’S MIKE VS 1 RB (MIKE NOW HAS TE)
AND WILL HAS RB VS 1 BACK; MIKE FAST FLOW/WILL SLOW
[SS IS “LOW SAFETY”]

58. SLAM BLITZ THE SAM LB FROM OUTSIDE OF TE BY ALIGNMENT THROUGH THE
“B” GAP; RUN WITH “SILVER” COVERAGE; ALL MAN RESPONSIBILITY
SAME AS “SMACK” STUNT; MIKE FAST FLOW/WILL SLOW
[SS IS “LOW SAFETY”]

59. WILL WILL LB BLITZES HIS GAP BY ALIGNMENT; USUALLY RUN W/”SILVER”
COVERAGE”; FREE SAFETY HAS RB WEAK; MIKE HAS RB STRONG; SAM
HAS TE; MIKE IS SLOW FLOW
[FS IS “LOW” SAFETY]

60. MUG MIKE LB BLITZES HIS GAP BY ALIGNMENT; USUALLY RUN W/”SILVER”
COVERAGE; WILL IS SLOW FLOW; WILL HAS RB WEAK; SAM HAS TE; SS
HAS RB STRONG
[SS IS “LOW SAFETY”]

Defense Term. Pg. 4

 DEFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY
61. √ ACE AUTOMATIC SECONDARY ADJUSTMENT TO A FAR SET IN
PRO/TWINS; WE TREAT LIKE A 1 BACK SET; THE FREE
SAFETY IN NOW “LOW” AND THE CUT-BACK PLAYER; WILL IS
NOW FAST FLOW AND MIKE IS SLOW FLOW; ANTICIPATE
“COUNTER” BACK STRONG OR “SPLIT ZONE”; IF WE HAVE A
BLITZ ON, WE WILL NOT √ ACE – THE BLITZ TAKES
PRECEDENCE

62. MOVEMENTS
A. RIP CALL SIDE END “RIPPING” INTO NEXT GAP <EXCHANGE WITH
OUTSIDE>
B. BLOOD CALL TO NG AND 3 TECH TO SLANT TO GAPS TO THE CALL
C. G NOSE CALL TO NG ONLY; NEXT GAP TO THE CALL
D. TAM CALL TO 3 TECH ONLY; NEXT GAP TO THE CALL
E. KNIFE CALL TO END AWAY FROM CALL TO “KNIFE” HIS GAP
F. FIRE ALL LB’S ARE BLITZING THEIR GAPS
G. CROSSFIRE 3 MAN TWIST BETWEEN NG/MIKE/WILL; IS A ZONE BLITZ AND
CAN BE RUN
TWISTING DIFFERENT WAYS
H. OPPOSITE CALL TO NG TO ATTACK “OPPOSITE” A GAP AWAY FROM
CALL
I. PIRATE 3 MAN TWIST W/END AND TACKLE AWAY FROM CALL
SLANTING TO THE CALL & NG LOOPING FOR CONTAIN
J. POP 3 TECH RUSH B GAP CONTAIN, 6 TECH END STUNT TO A GAP
“NOW”
K. EASY END RUN KNIFE, 3 TECH LOOP OFF END & REPLACE
RESPOSIBILITY
L. EX NOSE ENGAGE & COME OFF TO CALL, END RIP A GAP
M. TEX 3 TECH RIP B GAP W/ PENETRATION, END RUSH BGAP
N. TIM 3 TECH TAM “NOW”, NOSE LOOP TIGHT TO B GAP
P. BUC CALL TO NG AND END TO CALL TO SLANT NEXT GAP AWAY
FROM CALL. 3 TECH LOOPING FOR CONTAIN ON PASS
63. ALIGNMENTS
A. TOUGH CALL FOR THE NOSE TO PLAY IN A 3 TECH
B. STACK CALL FOR NOSE AND 3 TECH TO PLAY 2 TECH ON GAURDS.

Defense Term. Pg. 5