In our efforts to create pressure on the quarterback and register sacks we often dismiss the production of the pass rusher as something that occurs as either a function of extreme talent or because the individual simply “just beat” the man in front of him. To be sure, if a guy can’t get off and go on his own then it will always be more challenging to even move the QB off his spot. In addition, either due to defensive disguise, a breakdown in scheme understanding, or poor implementation of technique, the offense makes mistakes too and throughout all levels of football game-changing defensive plays (of which a sack is one) often occur in conjunction with the enemy’s mishaps.
At Cornell we use a specific PASS RUSH PROGRESSION in order to defeat the pass blocker up to the intersect point and put ourselves in a position to WORK A MOVE. Our pass rush progression consist of:
1 – Stance and get off.
2 – Get on the edge and stay on an edge.
3 – Keep feet moving.
4 – Long arm.
5 – Work a move.
The specifics of WORK A MOVE have been what we have spent our video and drill time on as much as possible recently. As the players have been able to implement our progression and “push the pocket” we have found that at these moments of truth it has not been exotic or complicated finishing techniques that have “gotten us home”. For our MOVE we focus on a simple ARM OVER or RIP and merely emphasize the details of “Down and In” for our arm over and “Low to High” for our rip. It is our OFF-ARM MENU that we have attempted to truly ingrain into the players as we know through film study that the ability to use this arm simultaneous to “flipping his hips” is what will “land the rush”. We define the off-armrm as the arm away from the arm that we are attempting to arm over or rip. Our off-arm menu consists of:
1 – Swipe.
2 – Club.
3 – Chop.
4 – Cup.
5 – Skate.
6 – Double swipe.
Here are the details:
1 – Swipe – attack the lower forearm toward the wrist from outside-in and high-to-low.
2 – Club – attack the outside and upper tricep/lower shoulder area from outside-in.
3 – Chop – attack the upper forearm near the the elbow from up-to-down.
4 – Cup – attack, grab, and grip the elbow joint from down-to-up.
5 – Skate – attack the back shoulder/scapula area from outside-in and front to back and grab cloth.
6 – Double Swipe – same as swipe – just using both arms to attack one arm of the blocker with immediate transition to the QB.