Picking Up Stunts

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Only after the offensive linemen have shown an ability to pass protect in one-on-one situations, should they work on stunt pick-up blocking.

During the course of a game it is necessary for two or more offensive linemen to work together to block defensive men who may be crossing, or stunting, with one another. These defensive maneuvers may be blocked by one of two methods: staying man to man or using zone blocking. In man to man (also called "man") pass blocking, the offensive lineman stays with and blocks his assigned man, wherever he goes. In zone pass blocking, the offensive lineman retreats and blocks any defender who comes into his assigned area of responsibility.

Man to man blocking often seems the easiest to teach. The offensive lineman whose defender goes behind or second on the stunt will give ground and pick up the pass rusher when he appears from behind the stunt.

Drill: Picking Up Stunts

The offensive line is divided into three groups. Each group will work individually with the defensive men executing a stunt (one defender rushing behind the other) as they pass rush. The coach should designate which defensive man will go first in the stunt before the players take their stances.

Both the offensive guard and tackle should power-step with their inside foot protecting against a single inside pass rush. When the blocker sees that his man is not charging straight ahead but is looping around behind the adjacent defensive man, he must give ground. If his man is going away from the target area, the blocker merely can give enough ground to allow him to wait for the defensive player to reappear, once again attacking the target.

When the opposite occurs and the defender is stunting toward the ball, the blocker must not only give ground but also must slide behind his teammate, moving toward the ball and getting in a position to stop the defender's charge.

In the third drill, the center should work with one guard and then the other when learning stunt pick-up technique.

If you do not anticipate a great deal of stunting by the defense, stay with man to man pick-up for all stunts. Each offensive lineman knows which man is his before the ball is snapped. No matter the stunt, the lineman knows that it remains his responsibility to block that man until the play is over. Indecision is a great hindrance: with man to man blocking there is no indecision.

Drill: Uncovered Linemen

Against certain types of defensive fronts, one or more of the offensive linemen may find themselves uncovered (without a man in front of them on the line of scrimmage).

When teaching uncovered linemen pass-protection technique, use the three-group approach (LT, LG, C, RG, C, RG, C, RG, RT). The coach, prior to the snap of the ball, should indicate to the person playing linebacker if he wishes him to rush or to drop off into coverage.

At the snap, the uncovered lineman's first responsibility is to block the linebacker positioned in front of him if the linebacker comes with a straight ahead rush or stunts with one of the defensive linemen. If the linebacker does not rush, the offensive blocker should always back away from the line of scrimmage so that he can see where help is needed and move there.

"Play Football The NFL Way" is the first Instructional Manual for Football Players and Coaches ever published by the NFL. It is the ultimate position-by-position guide of techniques and drills for Offense, Defense and Special Teams. Author Tom Bass is a former NFL coach with more than 20 years of experience with the Cincinnati Bengals, San Diego Chargers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Copyright © Thomas L. Bass 2006. All rights reserved.