Tag: Kirby Smart

MQ Pressure Tape: Texas A&M vs Georgia (2019)

Sims & EYES pressures from the Bulldogs.

Georgia plays defense. I’m pretty sure everyone is on the same page with that statement. Since Head Coach Kirby Smart’s arrival in Athens, the Bulldog defense has been one of the top units in the country. Outside of Smart’s first year (2016), the Georgia defense has been in the top 10 in Defensive Efficiency every year. Within that four year span, Smart has led the Bulldogs to a 44-12 record, with five of those losses coming in ’16.

Georgia’s matchup with Texas A&M illustrates how the Bulldogs defend (and pressure) a Spread offense. A&M’s Head Coach, Jimbo Fisher, is one of the better offensive minds in the country and has produced numerous NFL QBs in his career. He is also part of the Saban tree and understands the Saban system. The battle of Smart and Fisher is a great look at two titans in the industry.

Georgia carries a plethora of pressures into every game, including Fire Zones (5-man), EYES or HOT blitzes (6-man), and of course Simulated Pressures (4-man). All of these combined give the offense a robust scheme to try and stop. Georgia’s scheme is built on manipulating the pass protection and layering the coverage in different ways to make the offense left-handed. MQ takes a look at the Bulldog’s package versus the Aggies.

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Georgia’s Mint Package

How Georgia and other Saban-ites strucutre their base Nickel defense.

The Tite Front has made a tremendous impact within defensive coaching circles the past couple of years. Since I first wrote about the front in October of 2016, it has become a top scheme across the football landscape with many defenses moving to the front as their base. The Tite Front plays on the Spread’s reliance on the open “B” gap “bubble” found in most four-down defenses.

The open gap is called a “bubble” because there is a natural opening in the four-man front and the conflict player is usually located there. Conflict players, which are usually the overhangs, are the ‘backers most offenses read when designing RPOs or packaged plays. The Tite Front is great against Spread teams that utilize Zone heavy run schemes to attack a defense because it gaps out the interior of the box (meaning everything is clogged up).

Gapping out the interior gaps with the Tite Front allows a defense to plug both “B” gaps by placing defensive linemen in them, mainly in what is referred to as a 4i technique (the Defensive End will align on the inside shoulder of the Offensive Tackle while reading the Guard). Many times in the Tite Front, the Nose will “lag” or attack the Center from a “zero” (head-up alignment) and “fall back” to the “A” gap to the RB’s side. This technique combined with the Tite Front blocks the natural cut-back lane found in Zone runs.

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The diagram below illustrates how the Tite Front forces a typical Zone to go East and West. Depending on the read for the QB (overhang or Mike) the result is still very similar. In a typical Tite defense, the Ni will be completely removed from the fit, allowing him to cover down and negate the Bubble or assist in pass coverage (more offenses are using play-action with pass routes behind them for their RPOs). If the QB is reading “Pass” or “Give,” the hanging Ni should force the handoff. The lagging Nose closes the natural cutback lane for the RB and forces him to bounce front side to a plugged “A” (Will) or an edge setting Jack. The Mike is a bonus in the fit because he is reading flow/mesh.

Tite vs ZN RD (Bub)

If the QB is reading the Ni and sees him hang, he may feel there is a soft edge and pull the ball. If this is the case, the Mike will collect him at the LOS with support from the Ni who will trigger if the QB pulls the ball (each player on half the QB). Either running result ends in an East-West movement or drastic cutback. All of these are a bonus for the defense.

As shown, versus the Tite Front a typical Zone is made to go horizontal (East-West). The RB is forced to hit the run in the opposite “A” gap where a LB is ready to insert. This goes against what many want out of the Zone, a clean cutback. When the RB bounces the zone all the way out the front door, there is an overhang presence that is not typically being read for an RPO pass. The defense has pinched every gap in the box and has forced the offense outside to free hitting players. The basic run fits are shown below.

01 Base Tite Fits

Georgia, in particular, uses the Tite Front as their base defense with two hybrids for OLBs (DE/OLB). The Bulldogs refer to their Nickel-based Tite Front defense as Mint. It is a unique package that has a plethora of adjustments off it. The Bulldogs can run most of their coverages and blitz packages from this personnel grouping.

Kirby Smart, Georgia’s Head Coach, mainly uses the Tite Front versus 11 or 10 personnel offenses. The modern offense has quickly been moving to the use of a hybrid TE/H/WR types that can align outside in the slot, on the line versus three-down defenses, or in the backfield as an extra blocker versus four-down defenses. To counteract the multiplicity of the modern “big” WR, the Bulldogs turn to their Mint package. Continue reading “Georgia’s Mint Package”

The Modern Bear Front – Georgia vs Notre Dame (2017)

Georgia used a Bear variation in thier Tite Front to help combat Notre Dame’s Pro Style offense.

The Modern Bear Front

Though the Georgia Bulldogs are known primarily for their three-down Nickel package known as Mint, their base package reflects a traditional 3-4 package. In their game versus Notre Dame in 2017, the Bulldogs featured two hybrid OLBs (not including their Jack ‘backer who is similar in every package) versus the various 12 pers. formations the Irish chose to run against them. One a true Sam linebacker (Base), the other a Nickelback (referred to as the Star/* – seen in the Mint package). When Notre Dame would switch to their 11 pers. package, Georgia could opt to sub in their Nickel package (in comes the Star). Even though new players come on, the packages function in similar ways. The pressures and fits many times only need minor tweaking.

01 Base Tite Fits

The natural alignment of the Tite Front (above) lends itself to multiplicity. The ability to gap out the box allows a defense to stay in lighter packages versus heavier formations like 12 pers. When defending offenses like Oklahoma that feature a hybrid (flex) TE and a traditional inline/H-back TE (blocker), the ability to keep a Ni on the field while still being able to match the size in the box is critical. Modern offenses with the addition of hybrid TEs have made it difficult for defenses to match sub-packages with offensive personnel. Add tempo, and it’s next to impossible.

When a defense wants to match the size of an offense, it can take it’s Ni off the field and sub a traditional OLB or another hybrid DE. Georgia bases out of a traditional 3-4 with two hybrid OLB/DEs with the Sam usually being more athletic and having the ability to play to the field. The Jack and Sam versus a 12 pers. formation will function similarly. In Georgia’s case, the Sam in 2017 was #7 Lorenzo Carter, who currently plays for the NY Giants (3rd Round).

The main difference, as illustrated below, is the Sam aligns in a true 9 tech. and will relate to the TE. He can even be used in coverage, working the vertical Hook or taking the 1st player to the flat (called a ‘Backer 9). This type of thinking is what helped Georgia match up with Notre Dames multiple formations and sub-packages. The ability to get into a Bear Front in multiple ways also factored in against the Irish’s Zone heavy scheme.

01 BS vs 12p [ND]

In a traditional Bear Front, the defense will align in two 9s, two 3s, and a “zero” Nose. The ILBs will be in 30s or stacking the DTs (the ILBs can align wider depending on where the back is set). Coverage variations can stem from a multitude of two-high or single-high coverages. Obvious adjustments need to be made with the overhangs attached to the box, but most coverages can easily be modified to fit a defense’s needs. Plus, this package is mainly used versus 21 or 12 personnel, which in modern football are basically the same grouping.

If a team isn’t inserting the OLBs as contain, the overhangs can be used to cut the flat versus a two-back set or press and carry a TE in 12 pers. Below, the Jack and Sam could be “first-to-flat” players allowing them to sit next to the LOS, which is more natural, and carry the first back into their zone. Essentially, the Bear Front clogs all interior gaps and creates free-flowing ILBs with two contain players to funnel runs inside. Drop a SS or Rover on a TE and the defense has something that resembles the old Bear 46 (below).

04 Bear Str Roll

The “modern” Bear Front aligns similar to it’s older counterpart but uses 4i techniques instead of 3s (to align with the Tite Front). The Nose can play similarly as well from a “zero.” The overhangs, like their traditional counterparts, can play contain or assist in coverage. The beauty of the Tite Front is that the defense can get to a Bear alignment in a multitude of ways, even stemming to it (moving to it pre-snap) on the QB’s indicator. It really boils down to a DC’s imagination. A defense can even blitz to a Bear Front.

The Bear Front is a great front against Zone schemes for the same reason the Tite Front is so popular, it clogs all interior the gaps and forces runs to go East and West. The two edge players create natural walls and inhibit Zone Reads (hybrid on the QB – match speed with speed). The front constricts the offenses space, funneling everything inside to free-flowing ILBs. In 2017, with Notre Dame featuring a heavy Zone Pro Style Spread scheme, it is no wonder Georgia used this front in numerous ways to defeat the Irish in South Bend. Watch any Georgia game, and this front will be used in one way or another. It is versatile and adaptive. Exactly what a modern defense needs in its toolbox. Continue reading “The Modern Bear Front – Georgia vs Notre Dame (2017)”

THSCA Football Lecture – Kirby Smart (2018)

Learn how one of the top defensive minds evolved his defense.

One great thing about being a coach in the state of Texas is “Coaching School” at the end of the summer. The Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) puts together a massive conference that covers everything from professional development to sport specific clinics. If you have ever been to football’s national convention held by the AFCA, then you have an idea of what this convention looks and feels like. There are regional meetings to elect representatives for leadership positions in the association as well as rule committees for each sport. The association functions as the voice of coaches across the state and works with the UIL (Texas’ athletic governing body).

The convention isn’t just about football, though it is dominated by football coaches. That shouldn’t be a shock in a state that worships the game. Most head football coaches in the state are either the athletic director for the district or coordinate the campus they are on. This means that most decisions about sports for a district or high school are centered around the head football coach. As with college football, many times you are “hired to get fired” in Texas. Every head coach in the state has a crucial role even outside of football. They basically make sure every high school runs smoothly in the athletic arena.

This year’s convention in San Antonio saw a record number of coaches from all sports. There were lectures and clinics for everything from swimming to soccer, track to football. It is one of the greatest transfers of knowledge in the state and everyone is invited. For many staffs, this is the last days of summer and many spend it as a time to come together for fellowship and plan for Fall Camp. Arkansas Head Coach Chad Morris and Georgia’s Head Coach Kirby Smart were the two main football speakers for this year’s convention. Below are my clinic notes for Coach Smart, which was one of the best I’ve been to. This will be different than my Don Brown clinic notes in the fact that I will add a little more commentary (and no PDF). Continue reading “THSCA Football Lecture – Kirby Smart (2018)”

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