Getting Your Defense Ahead - 1st and 2nd down Pressures from Noah Joseph

• By John Grayson

We’ve all worked for the offensive head coach that calls “last play” at practice, following a stop by the defense, there is inevitably “one more play.” If they hit a big one, then practice concludes. When does the defense get ahead? (If you do not know what I’m referring to, you may be that offensive head coach.) Coach Noah Joseph is trying to help! Traditionally you wait until 3rd down to call a blitz. Defense is in 3rd and 6+ and needs to throw, so you are comfortable bringing pressure. What about 1st and 2nd down? Coach Joseph is bringing the pressure to get ahead, but staying sound. We’ll be focusing on “Field Samurai Zoro” pictured below. 

The Art of Deception

In a traditional “over front” in a 4-3 defense you have two 5 tech (outside shade of the tackle) defensive ends, a 3  technique (outside shade of the guard) to the strong side, and a 1 technique (outside shade of the center) to the weak side. Defense’s have been lining up like this since the Kennedy administration.  Now what if I told you I could get you to that 5-1-3-5, an under front, without tipping your hand to the offense pre snap? 

Enter Coach Joseph. Coach Joseph lines up his defense in what appears to be an “over front” with a weak side stand up “joker” (J). The pre snap look and the post snap defense will be completely different. Now we’re getting ahead. When the ball is snapped, the Spur (S) player will blitz off the edge to create your 5 technique. The end (E) is slanting across the tackle to create your 3 technique. Your tackle (T) will slant across the guard from a 3 to a 1 technique. Your nose (N), 1 technique will slant, or long stick, across the guard to get your 5 technique. While all of this is happening, the Joker (J) who was on the line of scrimmage pre snap, looking like he is rushing, in fact drops into coverage. Okay, that was a lot to take in. Long story short, Coach Joseph has 3 down linemen, a stand up outside linebacker set in what appears to be an over front, and with an early blitz, will create a 4 down structure when the ball is snapped. 

How can I apply it? 

I just threw a lot of information at you regarding Coach Joseph’s very first blitz he goes over in his CoachTube presentation. Implementing it is the fun part. This is not a crazy exotic blitz that leaves you vulnerable on 1st or 2nd down, this is a chess move ala The Queen's Gambit that can confuse an offense and get them behind the sticks (2nd and 11+) early in a drive. 

How about using this simple structure but now sending a Mike (M) or a Will (W)? What about a free safety (FS) or a Field Corner (FC)? As long as you keep yourself post snap in that 5-1-3-5, you can essentially bring whomever you’d like which creates even more confusion for an offense. 

Think of that offensive tackle that just got beat by a Spur (S) on 1st down during the last series. Pre snap he’s staring at that Spur (S) promising himself he won’t get beat again. Your Spur (S) sets up as if he’s ready to blitz too. 

Game on, right? Now on the snap of the ball your Spur (S) covers the #2 receiver and that tackle has to deal with a traditionally faster free safety (FS)  blitzing off the edge while at the same time having that end slant across his face. Bad time to be an offensive tackle. 

Getting ahead while that offense gets behind will for sure even the playing field, let those head coaches keep winning the last play of practice while you send pressure on 1st and 2nd down. 

Coach Joseph’s entire course Texas 1st & 2nd Down Pressures is available here.  He goes over multiple coverage and supports all of his concepts with game film.