KTH Royals

Playbook – Defence
 Playcalling
Every play is called by a series of words and is called by the LB in the huddle or on the field. If a play is called by a coach on
the sideline it does not apply until it is repeated by the LB.

The words in the playcall are codenames for the assignments of each position group. All plays follow the same structure and
is called as follows:

“[Coverage] – [LB Section] – [DL Formation followed by DL Stunts]”

Note that the LB Section can be empty. Also note that the DL Section can contain 1 or 2 words, if no DL Formation is called,
Base will be played.

Assignments:
The assignments during a play changes depending on if our opponents are executing a pass or run play, we have to react to
what they do. During pass plays each defensive player (excluding DL) is assigned to a Zone or Man to cover. However, as soon
as the ball is airborne, everyone needs to chase the ball.

During run plays each defensive player is assigned to a gap which is yours to contain and prevent any potential ballcarriers to
come through. If your assigned gap is not threatened by the RB you will chase the person carrying the ball. DL will always get
their assigned gap communicated to them through the [DL Section] of the playcall. LBs will fill the empty gaps closest to them
(A or B), DBs will fill the gaps closest to them starting from the outside.
 C-Gap
TE

B-Gap
G

A-Gap
C

A-Gap
G

B-Gap
TE

C-Gap
Gap identification

LoS
 Strong side identification
Strong/Weak side:
As there are duplicates of all gaps on either side of the Center on the OL, we distinguish which gap
we are referring to by Strong and Weak side. This is VERY important to learn for the DL and LBs.
Strong side is always called out by the LB!

We have a general set of rules to identify the strong side.

• If there are more than 1 receiver (including WR and TE) to either side of the field, this side is
automatically the strong side.
• If there is a WR on one side and a TE on the opposite side. The side towards the WR is the
strong side.
• If there are the same amount of WRs or TEs on either side, the side that the RB starts on is the
strong side.

Summary: Priority order (WR > TE > RB)

 Strong side identification
W W
G C G R Right R

LoS
Strong
1. If there are more than 1 receiver (including WR and TE) to either side of the field, this side is automatically the strong side.

igh t W
TE G C G ro n g R
St R

LoS
2. If there is a WR on one side and a TE on the opposite side. The side towards the WR is the strong side

R Q
B B

Lef t
Strong TE G C G TE

LoS
3. If there are the same amount of WRs or TEs on either side, the side that the RB starts on is the strong side.
 Playcalling (DL and LB)
DL Formations
- Base: All DL stand in Heads Up on the Guards.
- Alpha: All DL stand in Inside Shade on the Guards.
- Bravo: All DL stand in Outside Shade on the Guards.
- Heavy (Left/Right): Playside DL in Outside Shade on Guard. Backside DL in Heads Up on Center. LB Outside Shade on Guard.
Playside = The side that is called, Backside = The opposite side of what has been called.
Example: Heavy Left = Playside is Left, Backside is Right.
If no stunt is attached to the DL formation you attack the closest gap. Additionally, in heavy formations the Backside DL
attacks the strong side gap.

DL Stunts
- Ozone: All DL attack the Outside shoulder of the person in front of them.
- Iris: All DL attack the Inside shoulder of the person in front of them.
- Shark: All DL attack the Strong side shoulder of the person in front of them.
- Weasel: All DL attack the Weak side shoulder of the person in front of them.
 Formations (DL)

Alpha Base Bravo

G C G G C G G C G

DL DL DL DL DL DL

Heavy left Heavy Right

G C G G C G

DL DL LB LB DL DL
 Stunts (DL)

Iris Shark – Strong Left

G C G G C G

DL DL DL DL

Ozone Weasel – Strong Left

G C G G C G

DL DL DL DL
 Stunts (DL)

Heavy left - Strong right Heavy left - Strong left

G C G G C G

DL DL LB DL DL LB

Heavy left base shark- Strong right Heavy left base weasel- Strong right

G C G G C G

DL DL LB DL DL LB
 Playcalling (LB and S)
Blitzing
When a blitz is called, the blitzing player will rush towards their assigned gap without reading what type of play the offense is
executing.

When blitzing, you are not allowed to start your blitz from outside of the box, meaning further out than Outside Shade of the
Guards or Inside Shade if there is a TE present. Also, you are not allowed to be moving forward when the ball is snapped. This
means that you need to be stationary at any given depth before approaching.

Blitz Playcalling (in LB Section)

- Samurai: Strong Side LB blitzes assignment gap
- Wizard: Weak Side LB blitzes assignment gap
- Engage: Both LBs blitzes assignment gaps
 Playcalling (DB and LB)
Coverage
The coverage plays are named according to how many defensive players are covering the Deep Zone. This will be denoted as
Cover X where X is substituted to the number of players covering the Deep Zone.
NOTE: The remaining players will evenly distributed cover the middle parts of the field (all the other zones). This essentially also
splits the Hook Zone into segments if more than 1 person is covering that area.
If you have several Zones as your assignment, for example Hook to Curl, that means that your primary responsibility is to cover
the Hook Zone and then progressively move into covering the Curl Zone.

Zones
- Hook: Middle of the field: 3-8 yards
- Curl: Outside of the box, meaning outside the Guards to the sideline: 4-8 yards
- Deep: Everything deeper than roughly 8-10 yards

Man coverage
- Press: Start parallel to the DL, Bump receiver in front and follow.
- Loose: Start at 5 yards, keep a little bit of distance to receiver and follow.
 Zones (DB & LB)

Hook Zone
Curl Zone Curl Zone

Deep Zone
 Playcalling (DB and LB)
Coverage
Cover 1: All plays start with W. Cover 2: All plays start with G.
Cover 3: All plays start with C. Cover 4: All plays start with P.

Cover 1
- Wilderness: CBs Press Man – S Deep Zone – LBs Hook to Curl
- Wiggle: CBs Loose Man – S Deep Zone – LBs Hook to Curl
- Warrior (Left/Right): Playside CB Press Man – Backside CB Loose Man – S Deep Zone – LBs Hook to Curl

Cover 2
- Germany: CBs Deep Half – S Deep Hook-zone&Shallow Deep-zone – LBs Hook to Curl
- Gold (against Twins): Outside CB & S Deep Half – LBs Hook to Curl – Inside CB Deep Hook-zone&Shallow Deep-zone
- Guard (Left/Right): Playside CB Press Man – Backside CB & S Deep Half – LBs Hook to Curl
 Playcalling (DB and LB)
Cover 3
- Cloud: CBs & S Deep Third – LBs

Cover 4
- Prevent: CBs & S & Weak LB Deep Fourth – Strong LB Hook zone

Note that when we have 3 defender covering the middle part of the field we will always play Hook to Curl on 2 of them and then
play Deep Hook-zone&Shallow Deep-zone on the third. If we have 2 defenders covering the middle part of the field we will
always play Hook to Curl. If we have 1 defender covering the middle part of the field, they will play Hook Zone.

We need to remember everyones assignment, especially as LBs and S.

If we have a Blitz paired with a coverage, the coverage will subtract the blitzing defender and the above mentioned theory will
be applied. This also applies for Heavy Left/Right formations.
Example of Defensive alignment (against Spread): RB
DE: Heads up on G
LB: Heads up on G, 4-6 yd off LoS
CBs: Inside shade on WR:s, 7 yd off LoS
S: Behind LB, 10+ yd off LoS
QB

WR G C G WR

LoS
DE DE

4-6 yd

7 yd
10+ yd
LB LB

CB CB

S
Plays: Cover 1
 RB
Wilderness Base O-zone
QB

WR G C G WR

LoS
DE DE
CB CB

LB LB
Hook to curl Hook to curl

S
Deep zone
 RB
Wilderness Samurai Base Shark (Strong Right)
QB

WR G C G WR

LoS
DE DE
CB CB

LB LB
Hook Zone

S
Deep zone
 RB
Wiggle Bravo O-zone (Strong Right)
QB

WR G C G WR

LoS
DE DE

CB LB LB CB
Hook to curl Hook to curl

S
Deep zone
 RB
Wiggle Wizard Base Weasel (Strong Left)
QB

WR G C G WR

LoS
DE DE

CB LB LB CB
Hook zone

S
Deep zone
Warrior Left Alpha Iris RB

QB

G C G WR WR

LoS
DE DE
CB

LB LB
CB
Hook to curl Hook to curl

S
Deep zone
 RB
Warrior Left Engage Base Shark (Strong Right)
QB

G C G WR WR

LoS
DE DE
CB

LB LB CB

S
Deep zone
Plays: Cover 2
 RB
Germany Alpha Iris
QB

WR G C G WR

LoS
DE DE

Hook to curl LB Deep LB Hook to curl CB

CB
Hook-zone&Shallow
Deep-zone

Deep zone Deep zone

 RB
Gold Base Shark (Strong right)
QB

G C G WR WR

LoS
DE DE

Hook to curl LB Deep LB Hook to curl

Hook-zone&Shallow CB CB
Deep-zone

S
Deep zone Deep zone
 RB
Guard Right Base Iris
QB

WR G C G WR

LoS
DE DE
CB

CB LB LB
Hook to curl Hook to curl

Deep zone Deep zone

 RB
Germany Engage Base Iris
QB

WR G C G WR

LoS
DE DE

CB LB LB
CB
Hook zone

Deep zone Deep zone

Germany Heavy Right RB
(Strong Right)
QB

WR G G G WR

LoS
LB DE DE

CB LB CB
Hook to curl Hook to curl

S
Deep zone Deep zone
 RB
Gold Heavy Right Shark (Strong right)
QB

G C G WR WR

LoS
LB DE DE

Hook to curl Hook to curl

LB CB CB

S
Deep zone Deep zone