PAT NARDUZZI- CLINIC NOTES/OVER COVER 4

PAT NARDUZZI

I have been going to clinics for a long time now, and enjoy all of them that I go to, feeling that I am always learning something.  The AC Nike Clinic at the beginning of February proved to be the best one yet, for the simple fact that Coach Narduzzi is the single best clinic speaker I have seen to this point.
I think the ultimate compliment is this.....me and a few of my coaching brothers looked at each other as soon as it was finished and the resounding statements was, "Damn, I wish I could go back and play for that guy".   There are very few people I have seen, and as you can see from past posts I have seen alot, that left me feeling this way.

It is widely known that he keeps the scheme and adjustment simple, so that his players can play fast...but what really stuck out to me was his emphasis on technique.  For a long time now I have believed that technique trumps scheme a lot of the time, especially as a high school coach, and to hear his emphasis on it made me feel like I was doing something right.
Below are the notes I took, with a few other things mixed in.  I would love to start a conversation about it, so feel free to comment below.

Spartan’s Identity

·      SPARTAN DAWGS

·      “A focused group of vicious brothers, forever bonded together, to wreak havoc upon all oponents”

·      Core Values: Big Plays, Relentlessness, Swarming

·      Force Turnovers, Be Hungary, Have SWAG

**This is created by the players for their identity

Spartan DAWGS 2011 (I believe)

Defensive Philosophy

Defending the Run Game- Defensive Philosophy

·      Stop the Run- Build A Wall

o   Make offense one dimensional

o   Defend Opponents favorite runs in practice

·      FUNDYs

o   Coach the Little Things

·      SPEED

o   Evolution of the 4-3 Defense

·      KISS

o   So they play fast

o   No thinking

o   BONE HITS- Chart Big Hits

·      Disguise

o   Always look the same pre-snap

·      Zone-Blitz vs Man Blitz

o   Zone blitzing is safer and easier

BASE DEFENSE vs. 2x2 (OVER CVR 4)

PRINCIPLES OF BASE DEFENSE

·      Alignment Rules

o   Allow for easy adjustments

·      Nine Men in the Box

·      Bounce Inside Runs Out (Spill and Chase)

·      Make Outside Runs Cutback (Force)

·      DL

o   Attack and React

o   Get a great takeoff and work from there

·      LB

o   Key Read and Run

o   Read the “Guys that don’t lie”- Uncovered Players

·      Safeties

o   Read Key

o   Play Run to Pass

·      CBs

o   Press

o   Play great technique

WHY COVER 4?

·      Gets 9 Men in the BOX

·      Allows LBs to RUN

·      GREAT against Shotgun/QB Run

·      GREAT for Screens

·      Takes away all underneath throws

o   Forces LOW % throws

·      Easier to predict the release in WR routes

REASON FOR CB PRESS TECHNIQUE

·      Attacking Mentality

·      Forces a bubble in the WR release

·      Keeps the WR off safeties

o   Safeties are generally the force players

o   The inside press tech of the CB keeps WR from having clean crack on $ on their way down to play run

·      Forces throws to the opponents secondary WR

·      Easier to Coach

·      PLAYERS LOVE IT

·      Restricts the routes that a WR can run

o   WR can only run 5 routes against an inside technique press Corner

CORNER PLAY

·      Press the #1 WR

·      Align to the Inside Eye of WR

·      Shadow Tech

o   Shadow first step with inside foot

o   Give a little ground

o   Once WR breaks cushion, offhand JAM

·      Gives the Illusion of FULL PRESS

·      Routes CB will see

o   Fade

o   Hitch

o   Post/ Post Corner

o   Corner

·      Play Run Support 2^nd

Safety Play

·      9x2 of #2

o   Outside alignment if TE

o   Inside alignment if removed

·      Stick Feet (Flat foot read)

·      Read QB to #2 to #1

·      Vs. Trips play YO-YO  (trips side safety rock down, away safety MOF)

·      Beat the CRACK BLOCK

o   Read MUST be fast

·      Key the QB- “Key the guy that throws picks”

LB Play

·      Heels at 5

·      3 match LB (ILB) plays Out to Vertical

·      2 match LB (OLB) plays Out to Vertical to In

LBs/Safeties

·      LBs can run in the run game.  Attack read. Safeties have force and BCR/Windback

·      In PASS game, Safeties get help from LBs rerouting WR

vs. TRIPS

All-22 Michigan St. vs Illinois- 2013

TCU Blitz Package

TCU Blitz Package

This season we are working on on transitioning to a 4-2-5 defense. For a few years now we have been a 3-4 and it has served us well, however, as often happens in high school, our personnel for the near feature dictates that we no longer can run the 3-4

Personnel 

I am a big proponent of fitting a system to a kid and not a kid into a system. Its hard enough to be a high school kid, nevermind a high school football player, so why not put more on myself to fit the system to them, then making them do something that makes it harder to create success.  

We have seen a move to more hybrid kids at our school. We no longer have a big 300 lb nose tackle, but we do have 6 250 lb kids that can do a little work on the line. We dont have the 235 lb LBs anymore, but we do have faster, 22lb kids that can play either MLB or W/s/$ in this system.

4-2-5 

When transferring defenses, I believe in always starting to learn from the best, and recent history tells us its this guy....

2014 AFCA Coach of the Year, Gary Patterson.  You cannot read anything on the internet about the 425 without immediately being directed to him. I have read a lot of information so far, and it is all clear and concise in his system. It has been about as much of a smooth transition as one could hope for up to this point, and that is a credit to Patterson's simpleness, and me gaining the information by way of Brophy and Coach Hoover.   

Blitz Package

The easiest thing I have been able to install is the blitz package due to an excellent film I found.  

The Blitz Package

Coverage and Philosophy

Bullets

Bullets are inside linebacker blitzes.  

Smokes

Smokes are Safety Blitzes. Lions are Smokes but with an exchange with the End.

DOGS

Dogs combine the Safety and the Inside LB to the same side. 

Bullets Thunder

Bullets Thunder brings both ILB and a Safety. The Safety must make a COP call to tell his DE that he has the DE in coverage. 

ALL PLAYBOOK PAGES COURTESY OF JIM LIGHT FOOTBALL, CHECK OUT HIS INCREDIBLE SITE. 

Hopefully this helps you have half the success of Gary Patterson. Any questions, as always, leave in the comment sections, Ill always answer as best I can. 

Finally....Defense!! Some defensive ideas and Al Golden "Utilizing Safeties to Stop the Run"

After 21 posts, I finally get to do one on defense and its a great way to start with some notes from Al Golden's Nike AC Clinic on "Utilizing the Safeties to Stop the Run".  



First to start off with some a quick defensive thoughts:

1 Mistake on Offense= 2nd Down
2 Mistakes on Offense= 3rd Down
3 Mistakes on Offense= Punt
1 Mistake on Defense= 6pts!!!

This is the stress of a defensive coordinator. 


AL GOLDEN

The following are the "Snake" Blitzes

Snake=Strong Safety Blitz
Sloop=Flat Defender

Other notes:

• Seam always plays #2 inside out
• Corners must always be ready to crack replace
• If your $ is getting cracked on the way in they check "Cobra" and have the corner run the blitz, play cloud force, and roll $ down to hard corner. 

Against 10,12, and 22 personnel he is going to use "2 sloop" a form of cover 2 as the coverage behind the pressure. 

Against 21 personnel he uses "Cover 9"  basically a Fire Zone concept coverage

There is also the option of bringing the Free Safety from the weakside. Behind it, he plays a combo coverage with "Cover 2" to the pressure side and a man concept to the strong side of the formation. A free safety blitz is called Flash. So this play is Over Flash Combo in the style of Front/Blitz/Coverage.  

Note for the Free:  The Free in pressure always follows the stick player and plays off his butt. 

I love this last pressure, especially against a team that likes to run weak out of this formation. I'm not always crazy about end/"elmo" force, but here it seems as if it would work fine. 

Mark D'Antonio Clinic Notes- Nike Atlantic City

Coach Mark D’Antonio

“WINNING THOUGHTS”

Program Goals:

1)      Lifelong Relationships with Players, Coaches, Staff, and Team

2)      Graduate all players with a meaningful degree/launch their career/have them be self sufficient men

3)      Win…..Success!!!

4)      Be Positive in the community

Plan for Success:

1)      Make the right choices (Moral/Spiritual)

2)      Family (Foster a sense of trust)

3)      Discipline and Maturity

4)      Use Resources (FB, Academic, Social)

a)      Player

b)      Coach

c)      Chemistry

Let Players Make the Mission Statement for the Program

Michigan State’s 2012 Mission Statement

The Challenge: Work Hard- Live Right- Graduate

1)      Toughness: The hardest steel is forged in the hottest fire

2)      Hard Work: We will carry ourselves with a relentless work ethic. We are the hardest workers in the country

3)      Unity: We will not approach the season as individuals. We grow together through every challenge we face. Brotherhood is formed through adversity, based on communication, and cemented in trust.

4)      Finish: We make it a habit to finish everything we do. Every workout, every drill, every practice, every game. Teams that finish are the teams that are committed to winning.

Leadership Council (Eagles):

1)      Vision

2)      Not scavengers, leaders go where action is

3)      Use trouble or problems to excel

4)      Teach and train the organization

Winning Thoughts:

1)      Commitment

2)      Communication

3)      Trust

4)      Mentor Meetings

a)      Discuss Goals

b)      Write them down

c)      Give Player Evaluations

d)     Eat meals together (without discussing football)

e)      Match up players with Mentor they want

5)      What is most important to each position group? Write it down. Focus on technique.

O-Line

-          Eyes on Aiming Point

-          Establish Leverage

-          Elbows in

-          Drive your backside knee

Quarterbacks

-          Manage the game

-          Make good decisions

Running Backs

-          Assignment

-          Execution

-          Finish

-          Ball Security

Wide Receivers

-          Locate the ball

-          Hands in Front of Eyes

-          See your hands catch the ball

-          Tuck

-          Ball Security

6)      Effort

Toughness

Knowledge

7)      It is a long season. Do you keep your players and coaches fresh? Both physically and mentally?

8)      Do you let assistant coaches speak to the team?

a)      Yes!! This is very important

b)      Empower your coaches to serve as leaders on the team

c)      Keep it fresh for players not always hearing your voice

9)      Red Line Thoughts

a)      Know the fundamentals of the field

b)      Bottom of Numbers 6yds- Top of Numbers 7yds

c)      Distance from hashes to sideline and between each other

d)     Be able to use your vision and break technique based on this.

Cover 3 Dividers

Ball in Middle of Field=Divider 1 yd on Top of the #’s

Ball on Hash= Wide Side- Split Difference between #’s and Hash/ Boundary- Bottom #’s

 

No Coverage Zone

The backfield and the area 5-7 yds from the Line of Scrimmage, Sideline to Sideline

-          This area is not accounted for in coverage. Instead it will be rallied to afte r  a catch.

-          **This is especially important for linebackers, as to not get sucked up on a shallow crossing route and allow a completion to a route behind them.

3 Deep Seams

Receivers cannot be allowed to run in the seams. Corners need to get depth on their divider vs Seam routes. Corners can squeeze #1 receiver as long as there is no threat of #2 in the seam or a second level deep crosser.

2 Deep Seams

We want to funnel players into seams that were previously described as Keep Out Zones in Cover 3. The keep out zones for Cover 2 are:

10)  Special Teams

a)      Emphasize Individual Drills

b)      Know the ABC’s of Special Teams POSITIONS

11)  Staff Evaluations

a)      Evaluate Players and have Players evaluate Staff

b)      Empower Players

12)  In all drills begin with football position

a)      Everything starts with power position

b)      Knees bent

c)      Toes Forward

d)     Even agilities need to start in this position

13)  Blocking/Tackling/Catching/Ball Protection/Throwing/Running=MOST IMPORTANT

Tackling Coaching Points:

·         Bend at the knees, not at the back

·         Hit on the rise with head up

·         Hit with the near leg and near shoulder

·         Back straight, head up, tail down

·         Don’t overextend

·         Rip up with arms

·         Don’t play in body sections

             Tackling Circuit Progression:

·         Fit

·         Step to Fit

·         Step out and back in

·         Stick

·         Angle Tackle

·         Open Field

·         Game Situations

14)  Put players in adverse situations where they must think to succeed

15)  Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least. PRIORITIZE!!

16)  WIN!!! Does what we do give us the best chance to win??

                    “Anticipate the Difficult by Managing the Easy”- Lao Tzu

 

Punt Coverage

As a gunner, watch the arms of the punt returner and your landmark when they come up

·         If you are further then 10 yds away explode into him

·         If you are less then 10 yds start to throttle down and anticipate catch and tackle

Use Towel drill (Race for towel while keeping leverage)

Kickoff Coverage

Aim for 4.0 hangtime

Use leverage indy drills for coverage teams

Maintain lanes is of maximum importance

Punt Team

Under 2.0 getoff

FG

1.27-1.35 FG get off

Defensive Philosophy

Ø  Simple/Comprehensive/Appear Complex

Ø  Pressure and Affect the QB

Ø  Stop the Run

Ø  Red Zone Defense/Get used to adversity

Ø  Turnovers (MSU has won 95% of games they were +2 in)

Ø  Tackling (Aim for 90% made tackles as a unit)

Ø  Limit Explosive Gains

Ø  Limit Errors (Physical/Mental/Structural)

Defensive Line Fundys

·         Steps

·         Attack

·         Flat Back

·         Finish

Linebackers

·         Know the defense

·         Attack the LOS

·         Play Square

·         Leverage the Football

·         Anticipate and Target Blockers

·         Be a Great Physical Tackler

Defensive Backs

·         Change of Direction

·         Tackle in Space

·         Deep Ball Judgment

Defensive Back Play

Change of Direction

Work on Plant-Point-Accelerate

Operate in a 3 foot circle of yourself

On deep balls, work to get your hands on top of the football