How to defeat a pulling blocker
Last week I shared the below clip of what I called a "force" technique from Dante Fowler on my Twitter.
To say the least, it led to a spirited debate with dozens of coaches weighing in on what exactly is and is not a force.
Today I wanted to use this D-Line Examples to clear the air by detailing what a force is and all the different techniques you can use to defeat a puller (force, wrong arm, dent). Enjoy!
Force
The key with any force is to constrict the gap while not letting the RB get outside of you.
To do this hug the hip of the blocker, collision the puller with a low shoulder and keep the outside arm free so you can make the tackle.
The only downside to it is that it's hard on your shoulders.
Wrong arm
The wrong arm, on the other hand forces the RB outside.
By hugging the hip, ripping your outside arm into the inside arm of the puller and getting vertical you can force the RB to bubble outside where your defense can chase him down for a TFL.
Furthermore, inexperienced blockers have a tough time with this and you don't bang up your shoulder.
Dent
This technique is all about reckless abandon and disruption.
Once you see the down block from your opponent, key down the line and meet the puller head up at full speed so you make the play inside or outside the puller.
If your D-Line is physically superior to the OL you're facing, then this is the technique to use.
Each of these techniques has their pros and cons so make sure to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your D-Line and opponent to determine which is best for your team.
As Sun Zhu said,
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles
See you again next week.
And whenever you are ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:
Learn how to develop top tier pass rushers and a lethal pass rush attack here (1,000+ students)
Learn how to turn your D-Line into a block destruction machine here (1,100+ students)
-Craig