#1 – Tell us your basic defensive philosophy?
Protect & Defend Each Other: Do your job and attack every play with Malice in your Heart and Directed Resolve in your Action. “Discipline, Desire, Ruthless and Relentless”
#2 – What fronts and coverages do you use?
Upfront: Over, Under, Even, Bear, Okie, Junk. Backend: Combinations of 4 over 3, 3 over 2, 2 over 1, Trap, Man Free, 3 Buzz, 3 Spot, 2 (2 Kathy)
#3 – With the recent proliferation of the spread offense, what are your priorities in how to stop this offense?
RPO [PWR READ, FAN READ]: Evaluate Pers. and Attack the Formations-in an Effort to Disrupt and Limit the Plays Continuity. i.e.,-Defend the 1st Threat (Give: Plug to Bounce), Bait/Disguise the 2nd Threat (Illusion of Access), Force the 3rd Aspect (Q in space). [*Our Goal is to Tag the Q 12-14 times a game.]
4 Threats/Empty
• Assess the 1 on 1 match up’s up front. Can ‘We’ Win Specific “Hat for Hat’ matchups.
• Assess the top personnel and the Tendencies of various Formations.
• Create the Illusion of Urgency (5-6 man games) and Mask it with Various Coverages.
• Pressure Game: “Live by the Sword, don’t Die by it!” 2.3 or less to “Get Home!”
#4 – Similarly, many schools now run the no-huddle offense. What are the key elements to slowing down the no-huddle offense?
• PRACTICE IT.
• Define Formation Tendencies.
• Establish an AUTO sequence. [See it, Set it, Call it; EYES NEVER LEAVE THE FIELD]
• Win the 1st Down Battle!; [Win it!]
• Diminish the Success Rate of each subsequent TEMPO Attempt.
#5 – You’ve had some great defensive teams – what drills do you find effective in your daily practices to improve your overall defense?
•Pursuit Drill [Plant Foot-Drive Foot/Pic Ambush] Everyday! [Great things happen when we run to the ball!!]
•Station Work: Rotating Circuits [Palace of Pain, Tackle Circuit, Combat, Agility, Cross fit] Exploring ones Character! We always try to do this period right before a ‘Good on Good period’. Objective: Operate at a high level when Gassed!
•Sub Group Work: Pressure Period, Cov. Combination’s, Red Zone Period, 1 on 1’s [At all levels]
#6 – You also have had some great red zone defensive teams – what are the keys to being an efficient defense in the red zone?
• The Basic Scheme should be fairly simple for the kids in the RED.
• Box Players are consumed with the Run Game and the Skill kids are locked in on the throw game.
• Create Coverages that work from the Inside/Out and the Outside/In.
• Obviously, Formation’s & Personnel’s predicate the Law of the Land down deep.
• Delivering, Flipping (MOD) and Sitting are aspects that must be Utilized in the Backend! ***Beware the Rise of the Infamous PICK!
#7 – In recruiting defensive players, what are the intangibles in an athlete that you look for?
• Do they have the Intellectual Qualities [Potential] that separates them from their Peers? i.e. does the prospects classroom performance correspond to their Football IQ. Can a Prospect ‘Speak’ to his Degree desires, or the importance there of, as passionately as he does to his Football desires.
• Does he hold [Genuine] elements of Humility within his Character? Can he define the word?
• Is he a Captain?
• How do his Coaches react when his Work Ethic is raised?
• What is the Coaches first response when asked how the Prospect handles Adversity –both on and off the field?
• Does he look you in the Eye?
• Does he hold his phone in his Hand-all the Time?
• Instincts: Does He impact all plays, within his area (consistently) and also when the ball is away.
• Is he a ‘Bastard’ on the field? Does he create havoc, is he Relentless, is he a Threat to the Game- In a Good way!
• Can he Run like a Deer, move like a Cat and strike like a Bear?
• Does he hand the official the Ball after he scores?
• Does he look to his Teammates after a Big Play?
David s. Wissman
Defensive Coordinator -Sacred Heart University Football
2013/2014 NEC Champions
2013/2014 FCS Playoffs
203.360.2978
@coachwissman