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Q: Coach,

I am a young High School defensive coordinator and teacher. Being 23 years old, I have this false belief that I can stop any offense. My defense of choice is the 4-3 Up "G", the defense I have played in through all my college years. The head coach wants me to run the 3-4, similar to that of the Steelers. Do you recommend that my blitzes and stunts all have separate names? For example, a middle linebacker blitz is called a "Mike Shoot". This is OK for one or two blitzes, but when it comes to combination blitzes the name of the scheme may become very long. For example, "Mike Shoot, Bandit go, Lobo press, cover 3." How do NFL coordinators label their defenses: with numbers or names?

Tony

A: Hello Tony,

Coaches are often most comfortable with the scheme that they have been exposed to as a player. At this stage in your coaching career you have the opportunity to add another dimension to your coaching knowledge by adding the 3-4 defense to your defensive package. In the long run this will give you a tremendous advantage.

One great thing is that you will be able to use the same coverage packages that you have used in your 4-3 defense. Now you can have an extra man in coverage or rush one of your 4 backers to give you a four-man rush.

We ran a very successful 3-4 while I was the DC in Tampa Bay. The method we had for calling blitzes seem to very easy for the players to pick up. First we named our four backers Sam Mike = the two strong side backers and Will Mac = the two weak side backers. Our two inside backers the Mike and Mac would switch sides with the tight end. Our two outside backers did not switch and learned to play both positions.

If we only wanted one linebacker to blitz we called his name = 34 Will cover 2. This told everyone that the Will was blitzing from the outside as he would on a run down. If 34 Mike cover 3 was called it told our team that the Mike was blitzing directly over the guard and would take either the A or the B gap based on the backfield action. This also was a run blitz. In all of these examples the coverage is not important right now.

When we involved the Will and the defensive end, we would call a 34 Will X-it cover one. This told our Will LB to blitz hard of the OT outside hip. The defensive end would step into the OT and then come around behind the Will to the outside. When we wanted to have the end go first, hard to the outside with the Will coming up the field three steps and then blitzing around behind the DE we would call 34 Will X-it CHANGE cover three. The first is a run blitz and the second would be used in passing situations.

All of our combination DL and LB stunts were called in this manner using different names, of course, for the inside players. The linebacker always went first unless the term CHANGE was added to the stunt then the DL went first.

To call a combined blitz we combined the names. A Mike and Will Blitz became a Millie. A Sam and Will blitz became a Saw blitz. Mac and Sam became a Smack. Sam and Mike became a Smike.

Tony, if you are interested in having a complete blitz package including blitzes from 3-4 and 4-3 you might want to go to my website www.CoachBass.com. Review the information on the three blitz clinics that are offered, Designing a Run Blitz Package, Designing a Pass Blitz Package and Developing an Effective Zone Blitz Package. Each clinic is about 25 pages. See if this is the type of information that you need to implement your new 3-4 defense, Coach Tom Bass.

Q: What is the best way to play man coverage?

Dewayne

A: Hi Dewayne,

I have always believed that the best way for a corner to play man-to-man coverage is by using a back pedal rather than turning to one side or the other and running off the line. To back pedal properly you must push off your front foot and step back on your first step.

You need to allow your shoulders to come up gradually and to always have your head and shoulders slightly in front of your hips as you back pedal. You want to step back with each step and to move your arms in a smooth motion just like you would if you were running forward.

Playing man coverage requires you to focus on the receiver and not on the quarterback like you would in a zone pass defense. You must allow the receiver to tell you where to go. It is important to know all the pass patterns that a receiver may run on you. Once you can recognize the pattern, you can leave your back pedal and roll over the foot in the direction you need to go to make your coverage.

Never look for the ball until you can physically touch the man you have in coverage. Always know where your help is so that you can concentrate on playing on the inside or outside shoulder of the receiver, never being caught in the position of being head up directly in front of him.

To learn the techniques in greater detail search the defensive back archives in the Tips and Drills area on NFLHS.com, Coach Tom Bass.

Q: Hey Coach,

I am going into the 9th Grade this fall. There are two camps that I want to go to this summer. One is the Art Monk Camp, a camp that has football greats as instructors. The other camp is a camp that my High School sponsors. The camp will have a lot of instructors that may be my coaches next year. This could be my first chance to impress them. The problem is that my mom says we only have enough money for one football camp. Do you think I should go to my schools camp or the high prestige camp? Your input will be very helpful.

Daddy Long Legs

A: Hi Daddy Long Legs,

In this case, I really think it would be better for you to attend the camp at your high school. Not only will you have the chance to meet other players on the team and the coaching staff., but also by attending your high school camp, you will be come part of the team and will not feel like an outsider when fall practice begins.

Equally important, you will be exposed to the techniques that your coaches are going to want you to learn. You can then add these techniques to your practice schedule for the remainder of the summer.

Going to the Art Monk Camp would be great and I am certain that you would learn a great deal. Art was a tremendous player. Maybe, you could think about going to his camp next summer after you have taken a year to get yourself established on your high school team, Coach Tom Bass.

Q: Hi, Coach. I'm starting high school football as a freshman next year and I'm hoping to play as a HB. Unfortunately, although I'm fairly fast, my agility and balance could use improvement. I'm doing some traveling over the summer and won't be able to go to any of the fitness camps my school offers. I have three weeks to train before the preseason practices begin. What do you recommend? Thanks for your time.

David

A: Hi David,

It is great that you are going to be traveling this summer. That is one of the greatest learning experiences in the world. What you could think about is getting some type of workout in every day as you travel.

I know that the last thing you want to do is carry extra workout gear but you might bring along a jump rope and do that each day. You should also do daily step-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups if you can find something to grab a hold on to exercise.

You can find a park and run straight sprints one day and run five yards and break at an angle for five yards to the right, then five yards straight ahead and break to left then five yards straight ahead again. After a short rest repeat the drill only this time use a crossover step when breaking at the angle. Rest and then use a spin move to go on the angle. All of his will help your balance and conditioning.

If you have more time every other day you could go for a distance run. Start out with thirty minutes and slowly over the summer work up to an hour. You may be in different spots where distances will be hard to determine but you can always use your watch to determine the length of your run.

David, three weeks will not be enough time to get you into shape for fall two-a-day practices. Please get motivated and set out a workout routine for the time you are traveling. You will realize the benefits when the season begins, Coach Tom Bass.

Q: Hello Coach Bass! I'm playing QB in Ukraine, but I can't throw the ball farther than 40 yards. Can you give me some tips to increase my ability throwing far.

Yura

A: Hello Yura,

It is great to hear from a football player in the Ukraine. For a quarterback it is much more important to be accurate in your passing than to be able to throw the ball for a great distance. Many quarterbacks do not have the great arm strength and seldom attempt to throw a ball 50 or 60 yards.

They learn very early to anticipate when the receiver is making his break and when he will come open. It is then that they release the ball and allow the receiver to run under the ball to make the catch. This timing is usually when the receiver is just 15 yards down field. By doing this you eliminate the need to throw the ball 50 yards.

The second technique in throwing deep is to make certain that you are passing with your body and not just your arm. Step forward with your front foot, lead with your hips and chest and finally bring your shoulders and passing arm forward to the target. Keep the ball high above your shoulder pad, bring your passing hand forward and follow through and give the ball a nice loft so that the receiver can make the catch without breaking stride.

When you are throwing to a receiver deep on the sideline, try to aim for a spot five yards inside of the path of the receiver and the ball will naturally sail on to his path. If you throw to his path the ball will fly out of bounds.

I hope this helps in your deep passing and good luck to you and the team. Please let me know how the team is doing, Coach Tom Bass.

To submit your question to Coach Bass, send an email to "Ask Coach Bass."

"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 Buccaners.

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