GOING THROUGH The MOTIONS - Setting Up Your Defense To Counteract Pre-Snap Motion - AFCA Weekly

12/2/2017 GOINGTHROUGHTHEMOTIONS:SettingUpYourDefenseToCounteractPreSnapMotionAFCAWeekly
GOINGTHROUGHTHEMOTIONS:SettingUpYourDefenseTo
CounteractPreSnapMotion
afcaweekly.com /2017/01/goingthroughthemotionssettingupyourdefensetocounteractpresnapmotion/
1/16/2017
ByCodyAlexander,CornerbacksCoach,LovejoyHighSchool,Lucas,Texas,&Author,Coaching
Blog,MatchQuarters.com
IfNoOneMoves,TheyWontMove.
Offensesutilizemotionandshiftingtooutleveragethedefensetoattackhowadefensesetsitsstrength/front.Auburn
University,forexample,hasbuiltanentireoffensebaseduponusingpresnapwidereceivermotiontomove
defensesandtooutleverageadefensesalignment.
PHOTOA:AuburnUsingPreSnapWRMotionToConfuseADefense.
Jetmotionsareanothergreatwaytogetadefensemovinginaspecificdirection.Defensesareforcedtomovewith
thejetmotiontotryandgainoutsideleverageonaquickmotion.Thisrotationcanbecounteractedbyanoffense
withcounterplaysandplayactionpasses.
SimplemotionhasallowedteamslikeAuburnaswellasteamswhorunSlotTvariationstoexposedefenseswho
overrotateortrytospintowardthemotion.
Prostyleoffensesusethetradingandshiftingofoffensiveplayerstogetthedefenseconfusedortooverrotate.Ina
prostyleoffense,theTEcreatesanextragapandcanplayuponhowthedefensesetsitsstrength.
OffensivemindedcoacheslikeBradHarsin,theheadfootballcoachatBoiseState(aswellaspreviouslyArkansasSt.
andTexas)havemadealivingonmovingplayersaroundtogainleverageonopponents.
PHOTOB:BoiseStateUsingMotion.
UnliketheAuburnSlotTjetmotionsthatusespeedtooutleveragethedefense,prostyleoffensiveshiftsand
motionsuseadefensesalignmentandrulestolureadefensetosetacertainway,beforeshiftingormotioningto
gainleverage.
Anaddedvaluetoallthismovementoccurswhenteamsutilizeunbalancedsets,whichisyetanotherwaytoout
leveragethedefense.
Motioningandshiftinginanoffenseisacatandmousegame.Theoffensemovesitspiecesaround,probingtofind
theweakspotinadefense.
Aprimarykeyfordefensivesuccess,however,isthatadefensemustbesoundandmoveaslittleaspossible.Ifthe
defensedoesntneedtomove,thentheoffenseissimplyshiftingjusttoshift.
HowWeGotHere
Motionisanoffenseswayofisolatingaplayerinmancoverageorforcingarotationofthedefensetogainan
advantage.
Defensesthataremanheavy,andlockplayersontheirman,canbeattackedusingmotionaswell.Offenseswill
oftenmotionareceivertoseeifthedefenseisinmancoverage,ortocreateamismatch/leverageforthereceiverin
motion.
Footballisallaboutangles.Utilizingmotionsandshifts,givesanoffenseawaytoquicklyresetthefrontandattack
thedefense.
TacticssuchasTEtradesandmultipleshiftsforcethedefensealignthecorrectway,muchliketheswinginggate
duringaPATattemptforcesthedefensetoaccountforeveryplayer.Eliminatingthethreatofmotionsandshiftsreally
boilsdowntothewayadefensesetsitsstrength.
Defenseswhoutilizealignmentsthathavestrongandweaksides,aresusceptibletoshiftsandmotionsbecauseif
anoffenseflipsitsformation,thedefensemustthenrealignaswell.Thiscancreateamassofhumanityinthemiddle
asdlinemenandlinebackers,aswellaseventhesafeties,areshiftingfromonesidetothenext.
Muchlikeuptempopacethatoffensesusetoday,teamsthatheavilyshiftalsounderstandthatthedefensewantsto
havecertainplayersalignedtoacertainformation.
Byshiftingormotioning,theoffenseisputtingthedefenseontheirheels,orforcingthedefensetoplaylefthanded.
Oncedefensesrealizethatteamscanhurtthembyshifting,mostbeginplayingtheirdefensiveendsbyfieldor
boundaryandthenjustflippedtheinteriorlineman,thuseliminatingtheneedtoshift.Eventhoughtheissuewiththe
linemanisresolvedwiththisadjustment,itstillleavesthelinebackerinabindifhisdefensivecoordinatorisnotsetting
thestrengthbyfieldandboundary.
In43and34defenses,thelinebackerswereoriginallynamedforwheretheyshouldlineup.TheSamLBis
positionedtothestrength,theMikeLBstaysinthemiddleandtheWillLBalignshimselfontheweaksideofthe
defensivestrengthcall.
DIAGRAM1:SamLBAlignedToStrongSide.
Tostart,mostdefensesaligntheSamLBtoanoffensesstrength,whichisusuallytheTEina21personnelProset.
Thenextstepintheevolutionofoffensewastheshiftto11personnel.Thistacticcausedproblemsforteamswhoset
thestrengthtotheTE,becausetheWillLBwasnowstuckguardingaWR.
SamLBsarealmostalwaysthemostathleticofalltheLBs.Sincethebeginning,manydcoordinatorshavewanted
theirSamOLBtoserveasmoreofastrongsafetythanaMikeLB.Theshifttomoreathleticoffensivesetsforced
DCstochangehowtheysetthestrength.
Astheprostylespread(11/20personnel)becamemoreprevalent,theSamLBhasbecomeevenmoreofahybrid
player,anddefensesstartedtosendhimtothepassingstrengthandawayfromtheTE(evengoingasfarasflipping
theresponsibilitiesofthesafeties:Strong=TEandFree=PassStrength).
TheWillLBhasbecomeahybriddefender,too,butmorelikeaMikeLBwhomustpossesstheabilitytoplayinspace
onlyawayfromthepassingstrength.
(Inactuality,however,theMikeLBusuallyonlyplaysinspaceversusa10personnel31set,anddependingonhow
ateamdefendsTrips,theyllspinintoCover3,andtheMikeLBmayneverleavethebox).
OnceoffensesfiguredoutthatthedefensewassettingtheSamLBtothepassingstrength,theybegantoput
formationsintotheboundaryandranchangeofstrengthmotions.ThedefensewassuddenlyleftwithaSamLBand
WillLBflipped,andtheoffensehadtheadvantage.
ThenextstepindefendingagainstthespreadoffenseanditsmotionswastoeliminatetheSamLBpositionaltogether
andreplacehimwithasafety.
Inbasic425schemes,therearetwoStrongSafetiesandonecenterfieldSafetywhoisneverreliedupontosink
intothebox.Therockandroll(RnR)conceptwasborn.(SeeDiagram2.)
DIAGRAM2:RnRConcept(RockAndRollConcept).
TheMikeLBandWillLBessentiallybecameboxdefendersandwererarelyaskedtocoverwidereceiversunlessit
was10personnel,22.InaRnRconcept,thereisaSpurandaWhipSafety(orstrongandweak).
TheSpurSafetyisakintothehybridNickelbacksseeninthemoderngametoday,andtheWhipSafetyservesasthe
DownSafetyandisalignedtotheboundaryinmost425quartersteams.
Whenoffensesbegantoutilizeshiftsandmotions,theSafetieswouldrotate,orrockandroll,toreshufflethe
strength.OffensessoontookadvantageofthisdefensiveadjustmentandattackedtheSafetyashetriedtoquickly
backpedalintoposition.
Thisbringsthejourneyfullcircle.Inthebeginning,defensivecoordinatorswantedtoaligntheirpersonnelbystrong
andweaktotheTEside(mainly21personnel),butasoffensesstartedtouseshifts,theyturnedtowardsettingthe
strengthbyfieldandboundary.
Thissamecyclehappenedagainasoffensivecoordinatorsbeganspreadingdefensesout.Asaresult,defenses
begandefendingthespreadbyaligningtheSamLBtothepassingstrengthbutwereexposedwhenteams
usedchangeofstrengthmotiontoputtheWillLBandSamLBinoppositeroles.Again,DCsadjustedbyshiftingback
tofieldboundarycalls.
SettingUpForSuccess
Asstatedearlierinthearticle,ifthedefensedoesntmove,neitherwilltheoffense.Motionisusedasameanstogain
leverageinaspreadscheme.Mostspreadoffensesutilizetwotypesofmotion:
1.QuickMotion
2.LeverageMotion.
Offensesutilizequickmotion(likeajetmotion)togetdefensestorotateorattempttobeatthemtotheedge.
Leveragemotionisusedwhenteamschangethestrength(likewhenadefensesetsitselfbaseduponthepassing
strength)togetthebestmatchuporoutleveragemancoverage.
Tocombatbothtypesofmotions,defensesneedtohaverulesinplacesothatdefenderscanlineupquicklyand
absorbanymotionstheymaysee.
Aneasywaytodothisisbydivorcingthefrontfromthebackseven.
BaseRules
Thefirstorderofbusinessisforthedefensetohaveabasesetofrulesforeachformation.Thisstrategyallows
defenderstoquicklyreadandreact.
Ifthedefensewasastrong/weakstrengthsettingteam,itwouldbecaughtoffguardifdefendersguesswrongonthe
strengthside.Astheoffensegotset,thewholedefensewouldthenbeforcetoflipitsalignment.Tocombatthisand
preventitfromhappening,defensesshouldbealignedfieldandboundary.
Withspreadanduptempostyleoffensebecomingthenewnormfordefensivecoaches,theeasiestwaytoalignthe
strength,andplacethedefenseinabestcasescenarioistokeeptheSamLBandCoverSafetypositionedtothe
field.TheWillLBandDownSafetytraveltotheboundary.
Whenyouthinkaboutit,thisalignmentrulemakessensebecausemostofthegameoffootballisplayedonahash
mark,sowhynotusethehashmarksasanalignmenttool?
Mostoffenseswillnotruntheirentireoffenseintotheboundary(FIB)andiftheydo,thedefensehasdonetheirjob
byessentiallymakingthemlefthanded.
Withtheadventofhybriddefensiveplayers,andmoredefensesshrinkinginsizetogainspeedtocombatthespread,
itsnottoomuchofareachtoaskaSamLBtofitintotheboxperiodically.
InDiagram3(shownbelow),thestrengthissettothefield.Iftheballisalignedinthemiddleofthefield(MOF)the
SamLBmustgotothesamesideastheback.
DIAGRAM3:AlignmentWhenBallIsInTheMiddleOfTheField.
Againstspreadteams,mostquartercoveragedefensessetthefronttothefield,aswell.ThisallowstheSamLBto
coverdownontheslot.Totheboundary,theWillLBservesasthefoldplayer.
Ifthebackjogs,orflipssides,nothingchanges.TheWillLBremainsthefoldplayer,andtheSamLBstaysinhis
coverdown.
Bytravelingdefensiveplayerstogether,defendersgaintheabilitytoselfcorrect.Italsobuildscamaraderiebetween
thosepairsofplayers.
TheCSandtheSamalwaystraveltothefield,whiletheDSandtheWillLBalwayspositionthemselvesheadtothe
boundary.Thisalleviatesthestressofwaitingforanoffensetolineup.
Againstuptempospreadteams,thissplitsecondgaineddefensivelycanbethedifferencebetweenanexplosiveplay
fortheoffenseoralossofyards.
Divorcingthefrontfromthestrengthcall,allowsthedefensetoalignquicker.Thestrengthcallonlyneedstobecalled
once,tothefront.TheLBsandthesecondarydefendersknowwheretolineupbythepositionoftheballonthefield.
Creatingasetoffrontrulesandformationingyourdefensecreatesaquickanchorpointforthedefensiveplayers.
Alignmentsarequickandcrispwitheverythingdictatedoncetheoffenseisaligned.
Ifanoffenseputstheformationintotheboundary,thedefensealignshowitnormallywould,excepttheWillLBand
theDSarenowthetraditionalstrongsidedefenders.
IntheDiagram4(shownbelow),theoffenseisalignedinatripssetandhaspositioneditsformationintothe
boundary.
DIAGRAM4:UnderFront(RuleFor31).
ThefrontisalignedinanUnderFront(therulefor31)andtheWillLBcoversdowntotheNo.2WR,justlikethe
SamLBdoestothefieldside.
Asmoredefensesturntorelyuponhybridplayers,thisconceptisnotdifficult.TheMikeLBneverchanges.Ifthe
offensemotionsbacktothefield(changeofstrengthmotion)tocreatea22set,theLBsadjustandnoonereally
moves.TheSamLBstillcoversdowntotheNo.2WRandtheMikeLBalignsinazero.Thesafetiesdontgofar
either.Yourdefensivecoveragesareadjustedandthedefenseisalignedcorrectly.
Versusa10personnelifthedefensesetsthefrontstrengthtothefielditalmostensuresthatnomatterwhatthe
offensedoesthefrontwillnothavetobereset.
Eveniftheoffensemotionsto31FIB,thefrontisalignedinanUnderbecauseitissettothefield.
BlitzAdjustments
Therulesadefensecreatestosetitsstrengthdirectlycorrelateswithhowanoffensechoosestoattackit.
Offensesusemotionasaleveragetool.PositioningthefrontandtheSamLB/CSduotothefieldcreateslittle
movementwhencomingupagainstamotion/shiftteam.
Evenifblitzing,bysettingthestrengththetothefieldandpositioningthefrontformationally,itcanalleviateany
potentialproblems,too.
Ifadefenseisazoneblitzteamandblitzesbyformation,theadjustmentstomovementshouldalreadybebuiltinto
theirrules.Themainissueswithmovementarewhenanoffensechangesthestrength.Tocombatthis,whetheryoure
amanorzoneblitzteam,youjustneedtopullthechainwiththelinebackers.
Manblitzinggivesthedefensetheluxuryofhavingatwoshelllookanddoesntgiveawaytheblitzbecauseonesafety
isspinning.
Againstmotion,beingabletostaywithatwohighshellallowsthedefensetomoveevenlessbecausenooneis
sinkingbackorcomingdowntomeetthemotionman.Playersliterallyjustslideoverandareinposition.
CreatingablitzpackagewithlittleadjustmentstomotionallowsthedefensetostayintheblitzratherthanOmaha,
whichisanotherreasonwhyoffensesusemotionagainstblitzingdefenses.
Rememberourrecurringtheme:Ifnoonemoves,theoffensewontmove.
TopMotionAdjustments
Thehardestmotionsfordefensestodealwitharechangeofstrengthmotionsbecauseitforcesyourentiredefense
toadjust.HavingadivorcedfrontandsettingtheSamLBandCSpositionedtothefieldallowsforquickadjustments.
OtherthantheLBsandSafetiesadjustingtothewidthofWRs,theinteriorlinemanaretheonlyonesthathaveto
move,andthatsonlywhenteamsgofroma22formationto31formation.
Anydefensivebasealignmentmustaligntoanythingatanytime,evenmotionsandshifts.ATEtradeshouldonly
maketheLBsandinteriorlinemanadjust.
Again,thebestwaytocombatmotionistonotmove.Ifthedefensedoesntneedtofliporreshuffleeveryoneonthe
field,thenoffensesjustlineupandplay,makingiteasierforthedefense.
ShownbelowinDiagrams510,arethetopthreemotionadjustmentsseenintodaysgame.Withspreadoffense
beingthedominantformoffootballtoday,itisnthardtofathomthesethreemotionsasbeingthetopthreeseenby
mostdefensivecoordinators.
DIAGRAM5:(10)22to31ChangeofStrength
DIAGRAM6:(20)21AcrossFieldMotion
DIAGRAM7:(11)22to31ChangeofStrength
DIAGRAM8:(11)31to22TETrade[FIB]
DIAGRAM9:(11)22to31TETrade[FIB]
DIAGRAM10:(21)21TradeChangeofStrength
Concerns,Conclusion
ThemainconcernfacingteamsthatsettheSamLBandCStothefieldiswhattodowhenanopposingoffensealigns
31intotheboundary.
Inany31FIB,theSamLBbecomestheMikeLB.Evenin20personnel,ifateamchoosestosettheformationinto
theboundary,theSamLBbecomesaboxplayer.
Asdefensesusemorehybridplayerstocombattempoandspreadschemes,theconcernforputtingasmallerplayer
intheboxisarealconcern.Thatbeingsaid,however,mostoffensesdonotruntheirentireoffensefrominsidethe
boundary,andiftheydo,thedefensehasdonetheirjobbyforcingtheoffensetodowhatisnotnormal.Most
offensesuseFIBmuchlikemotion,asameanstooutleverageadefense.
IfadefenseisfacedwithusingasmallMikeLB(theSamisinthebox),itcanhandleseveralplaysagamewherethe
SamLBhastoholdthebox.Inaperfectworldthedefensewouldaligntotheoffensewiththecorrectpersonnel,but
againstuptempoteams,andteamsthatutilizeshift/motion,thatcantbethecase.
Uptempoandspreadschemesforceadefensetosimplify.Thebestwaytoholddefensiveformationalintegrityisto
stayinatwoshellandbumpthelinebackersonmotion.
Spreadoffensesaremoreconcernedwithwidth.Thoseoffenseswanttogettheirathletesinspace.Thebestwaythat
defensescancombatthisstrategyistoplaceadefensesbestathletestothefield.
Divorcingthefrontstrengthfromthebackseventostrengthallowsfordefensiveflexibility,whileallowingyourdefense
toadapttoanyformation.
BaseRules:
1.SettheSamLBandCStothefield,andsetthestrengthoftheformtothefieldversusa(10)22.
2.Keepthestrengthrulesassimpleaspossible(Sam/CStothefield,strengthtothefieldif22,and
checkUnderto31sets).
3.DontconcernyourselfwiththeSamLBbeingtheMikeLBin31FIB.Iftheoffensewantstoputallits
athletesinlimitedspace,thenitislimitingitsoptions(whatwecall,makingitselflefthanded).
4.UseapullthechaintechniquewiththeLBs.Withmotion,eveninman,alltheLBsneedtodoisadjusttheir
alignmentsbacktothebaseofthenewformation.
5.Alwaysremember,ifthedefensedoesntmove,flip,orreshufflewithmotion,theoffensewillstop
motioning.
CodyAlexanderistheCornerbacksCoachatLovejoyHighSchoolinLucas,Texas.Heisalsotheauthorofthe
coachingblog,MatchQuarters.com
VisitWebsite:MatchQuarters.com
ContactCodyAlexanderbyEmail:coalexan732@gmail.com
FollowCodyAlexanderonTwitter:@The_Coach_A

GOING THROUGH The MOTIONS - Setting Up Your Defense To Counteract Pre-Snap Motion - AFCA Weekly

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