Don’t Ever Ask Me “What’s The Defensive Call?”
Today’s FirstDown PlayBook and USA Football’s Coach & Coordinator “Game Plan” guest get’s one thing straight with his defense in the very first defensive meeting of every year. He makes it clear that he never wants his defense to ask him the question “what’s the defensive call?” Seasoned coaching veteran Art Kaufman knows that if they are asking that question then it may be too late. Coach Kaufman gives them the defensive call for the entire season in the first meeting and then the defense evolves from that point.
Coach Kaufman knows that the game of football is often played at a warp speed pace these days. Some offenses value the number of snaps as much as they do the quality of the snaps. Other offenses value the amount of time at the line of scrimmage prior to the snap so they can call a play based on how the defense is aligned. Either way, if you are a defensive coordinator the offense is attempting to have the chalk last right before the ball is snapped.
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Today, FirstDown PlayBook and guest host Keith Grabowski sit down with defensive coach Art Kaufman to sort through some of this. Coach Kaufman has coached our game at the FBS level for over thirty some years and has done it from coast to coast against all of the different offensive styles.
In addition to discussing his approach to the hurry up spread offense, Kaufman also explains that although the offense would have you believe they can run about any play from any formation, experienced coaches and players know better. They are the masters of filtering through the window dressing and narrowing down what the offense really has in mind based off of the formations and backfield sets!
Below is an example of a defensive line stunt that would be called and executed two different ways based on the running back’s position in the backfield at the snap.
Here is a “Scoop & Score” drill that can be used to involve your entire defense and defensive staff.
