Pass Rush Tools For The Toolbox

By Will Cinelli, The Scouting Academy

Each Thursday here on the FirstDown PlayBook Coaches Community website we will feature a breakdown of personnel and technique. This is provided by our friends over at The Scouting Academy who are our go to experts in this field!

We all know the value that a great pass rush can provide to a team. As a coach, how can you help your rushers become even more impactful and disruptive? Add tools to their toolbox.

Here, we examine the Cross-chop/Club move, as demonstrated by T.J. Watt of the Steelers. The key to the execution of this move is timing. Just as the tackle extends his arm to strike, Watt shoots his inside hand through and traps the outside arm of the blocker. Watt immediately follows up with the club to capture the corner and create a path for himself to get to the QB. Once he has the edge, the tackle has no shot to recover.

With this Cross-chop/club pass rush move, in addition to other weapons in his arsenal and a well-thought pass rushing plan, your player can start to become a “technician” as a pass rusher. If he can execute even a small number of pass rush moves at a high level, he will consistently generate pressure and disruption and get that QB feeling uncomfortable in the pocket.