1. Southern Oregon Football
Blitz & Coverages From Nickel Personnel
Mike Hoskins
Defensive Coordinator
Southern Oregon University

2. DEFENSIVE PRINCIPLES 4-3 COVER 4 AS A BASE
ATTACK – ATTACK – ATTACK!!!!!
RELENTLESS PURSUIT
3 & OUT
CAMERA CLUB
2 WHISTLE DRILL
STOP THE RUN – COVER 4 GIVES YOU 9 IN THE BOX VS RUN!!!!!!

3. TEACHING PROGRESSION STANCE ALIGNMENT KEY REACTION TECHNIQUE
We teach all positions based on this progression. It is the basis for everything we do on defense.

4. WHY 4-3 DEFENSE GOOD VS RUN (COMMIT 9 IN COV. 4)
PENETRATING AND AGGRESSIVE
SINGLE GAP CONTROL (NEVER 2 GAP D-LINE)
EASY TO ADJUST VS ALL OFFENSIVE SYSTEMS
CAN COACH UP WITH 3 COACHES
FUN FOR PLAYERS

5. TIGHT FRONT

6. UNDER FRONT

7. WHY NICKEL - OKIE GIVES US MORE FLEXIBILITY ON PASS DOWNS
HARD FOR THE OFFENSE TO KNOW WHO IS BLITZING
CAN STILL PLAY BASE WITH OUR NORMAL DEFENSIVE PRINCIPLES
PUTS A BETTER ATHLETE ON THE FIELD

8. WHY NOT OKIE AS BASE ONE REASON AND ONE REASON ONLY – RUN GAME!!
4 RUN BUBBLES VS 3!!!!!!!

9. COMMUNICATION
NICKEL PLAYER RUNS ONTO THE FIELD SCREAMING “OKIE – OKIE – OKIE
PRE-DETERMINED DEFENSIVE LINEMAN COMES OUT
EVERYONE LOOKS TO SIDELINE FOR CALL – MUDDLE HUDDLE (C.P.)

10. COMMUNICATION WE ONLY CALL FRONT AND BLITZ FOR ALL ZONE BLITZ
WE WILL MAKE A FRONT, BLITZ & BLACK (MAN) CALL FOR ALL MAN BLITZ
WE MAKE A RIP OR LIZ CALL TO SET THE FRONT – NICKEL ALWAYS GOES TO THE FIELD

11. COMMUNICATION ON ALL FIELD / BOUNDARY BLITZ WE WILL MAKE CALL TO FIELD
ON ALL MAN BLITZ WE WILL MAKE CALL TO FORMATION STRENGTH
NOTE: THERE ARE EXCPTIONS – OPERATE USING CONCEPTS FOR CALLS AND WHO COVERS WHO

12. SIDELINE ORGANIZATION
DEFENSE ON ONE SIDE OF 50 YARD LINE – OFFENSE ON OTHER SIDE
EVERYONE MUST STAY BACK EXCEPT OKIE PERSONNEL – DISCIPLINE (C.P.)
OKIE PERSONNEL MUST STAY RIGHT BEHIND SIGNAL COACH
“OKIE IN – OKIE IN” “BASE IN – BASE IN”

13. OKIE FRONT

14. BLITZ PRINCIPLES STOP THE RUN – MAKE TEAMS 1 DIMENSIONAL
WE CONCENTRATE ON 1ST AND 3RD DOWNS
WE WOULD RATHER NOT BLITZ THE RUN GAME (C.P.)
CONSTANT PRESSURE ON QB – CHART KNOCKDOWNS

15. BLITZ PRINCIPLES LESS IS MORE – DON’T CONFUSE YOUR KIDS
“KISS” PRINCIPLE = KEEP IT SIMPLE AND SOUND
DICTATE TO THE OFFENSE (C.P.)
WE DON’T GET HUNG UP ON PROTECTIONS – WHERE IS THE BACK BLOCKING

16. BLITZ PACKAGE BLITZ BREAKDOWN:
5 MAN PRESSURES – USUALLY ZONE BLITZ (FIELD, MIDDLE, BOUNDARY)
6 MAN PRESSURES – MAN BLITZ
7 MAN PRESSURES – MAN BLITZ –RARELY USED
(BLUFF / SHOW)

17. COVERAGE PRINCIPLES ZONE BLITZ: 3 UNDER - 3 DEEP (SCIF, MIDDLE, SCIF)
DEFEND INSIDE OUT
WEAK TO FLATS
(LOOKING AT A 2 DEEP FOR NEXT YEAR)

18. COVERAGES PRINCIPLES MAN BLITZ:
6 MAN VS 2 BACKS – FS PLAYS #2 WEAK; REMAINING BACKER PLAYS #3 STRONG
6 MAN VS 1 BACK – 4 DB’S ON 4 QUICKS REMAINING BACKER PLAYS RB
(WE DO NOT PEEL A BLITZ PLAYER)

19. OKIE FIRE – FIELD BLITZ

20. OKIE SMASH – FIELD BLITZ

21. OKIE WIZZARD – BOUNDARY BLITZ

22. OKIE BUZZARD – BOUNDARY BLITZ

23. OKIE SORROW

24. OKIE MICKEY

25. OKIE MARS

26. OKIE SNAKE

27. PRACTICE ORGANIZATION
HAVE A BLITZ PERIOD EVERYDAY
USE GARBAGE CANS FOR LINEMAN
SCRIPT BLITZES INTO TEAM
PRACTICE WHAT YOU WILL USE IN THE GAME – LESS IS MORE
TEACH HOW TO BLITZ – DON’T JUST RUN IN THERE