Winning the 1 on 1 Pass Rush

San Diego State is in a 3-3-5 personnel spacing as a bear front running a Tampa 2 Sim Pressure.

The Rush:

Both DE's work out to contain while the Nose works strong to balance the pass rush. The Mike is in the pass rush as the weak side interior pass rush.

The Coverage:

Tampa 2 with a safety in the high hole

By covering up all the OL the defense forces the OL into 1 on 1 blocking. The slide of the OL sends the OT to a LB who is dropping to the strong hook. The Center in the slide works to the Nose. The DE weak occupies the OT leaving the the sliding OG 1 on 1 against the Mike on the sim pressure. Sim pressure is a 4 man pass rush concept, often the pressure doesn't create unblocked players on clean run throughs. What sims do really well is isolate 1 on 1 pass rush matchups that favor the defense. 

The Mike uses a very nice pass rush move here to win the 1 on 1. The OG is setting aggressively, the Mike attacks the momentum of the OG then crosses face. You can't fight physics, an object in motion stays in motion. On OL aggressively setting has trouble redirecting. This type of move is the same concept of a crossover dribble in basketball.

Would you run into a defender when you want to score in basketball? If the defender is in great position where you are moving are you going to run into a wall or change direction? QB is the basket, find a way to score.

This same body movement is a cut used by ball carriers.

This is where cross training can be applied in and out of season. In a circuit for RB cuts a defender can be developing pass rush skills. In a pass rush circuit for blitzers a ball carrier can develop open field evasion skills. Playing pickup or varsity basketball can make you better as a pass rusher. The key is players understand how and when to apply these movements in pass rush situations.

Hit 'em with the Crossover!

Great execution by the Aztecs and really good coaching of pass rush technique by Zach Arnett and Rocky Long.