University of

Michigan Coach’s
Clinic

Kyle McElvany
4/4/2008
 University of Michigan Football Clinic, April 4th 2008

Base Defense: Tight 43 Press

Scott Schafer- Defensive Coordinator @ Univ. of Michigan

• Philosophy:
– 21 Personnel= 9 man front
– 1 Back 1 TE= 8 man front, if they walk someone out, so will we
– 1 Back No TE= 7 man front
– If they add blocker, we add defender
– Will backer is best athlete
– Basis- master Cover 2 – 3 – 4 and little man-to-man

• Secondary Alignments:
– Halfback: field corner to wide side
– Cornerback: boundary corner
– Strong Safety: SS always to run strength side, TE side, and opposite of FS
– Free Safety: formation safety, in 1 back, align to pass strength
– Call 2c overages in huddle, check to best one
– Vs. 22 personnel; we leave CB to boundary side unless best athlete is on other side

-should threaten 3 LB Blitz at all times

 University of Michigan Football Clinic, April 4th 2008

• Press Techniques (Bump-n-Run) :

• Stance:
– Focus on inside number of WR
– Narrowed base with staggered foot forward
– Facemask below numbers
– Weight on up foot
– Why stagger? Helps eliminate vulnerability to fade
– On WR movements; 1- Eyes 2-Feet 3-Hands
– Don’t need extremely fast DBs for this technique

• Shadow Technique:
– Kick slide, stay within arms length of WR, shoulders square, make WR declare his intent
before you turn
– “If his shoulders are high, he is going to fly”
– Key WR shoulder height
– If his height lowers, so are ours

• Why Bump and Run ?:

– Screws up route timing
– Buys time for DL to get to the QB
– Forces many patterns inside

• Open Step:
– Lead with knee at 45 angle
– Open to release side
– Throw arm opposite of release
 University of Michigan Football Clinic, April 4th 2008

Teaching and Attacking Coverages

Rich Rodriguez- Head Coach @ University of Michigan

• During Transition of Taking Over Program:

– 1st year is always the hardest
– 2nd year, if you have been teaching things right, you should see improvement in
upperclassmen
– Make best decision for program, not current team

• Teaching:
– You have to teach so all players get an “A”
– The only person a coach can blame for players mistakes is himself
– Allow them to help each other in practice
– A young athlete will respect the coach that makes him do what he would not do on his own
sooner or later
– Mentally test them if you can not physically practice at the time
– NEVER APOLIGIZE FOR BEING DEMANDING
– Believes in teaching at fast pace then eventually slowing things down
– Make them draw up plays on board with time limits
– Try to always work on 2 things at once (i.e. pass plays and 3rd down situations)
– Motivate with hope of recognition, fear of being pointed out, or chance to be finished
– Pictures of past greats are great motivators
– Must stress: it is not enough to just work hard, he must work hard to win
– Establish absolute control from day 1
– Make them know football, people like things they know well

• Why the Spread:

– Did it initially out of necessity (low caliber athletes and best chance at success)
– As a defensive coach: what is most difficult to defend? 2 minute offense and tackling in open
field = no huddle approach
– Make conditioning a factor

• Attacking Coverages:
– First thing to teach QB’s is types coverage
– 3 deep: - 5 areas to attack
– 3-4 different routes to attack holes in zone
– Attack high low (curl-flat) or east-west

• Cover 1:
– Find the mismatch
– Moving routes; slants, drags
– DBs: if inside foot is back, usually means zone coverage
 University of Michigan Football Clinic, April 4th 2008

• Cover 2:
– Attack deep 1/3s , hook, and middle of field (i.e. post-corner, smash )
– Safeties on has, if 2 deep, he will play deeper than normal because of larger coverage area

• Cover 4:
– Shallower safeties
– Attack: flats, deep middle, hook
– Make DB play his deep 4th

• Cover 0:
– Usually involves blitz
– Must have sound blocking
– Speed Option, quick pass game, screens

• Screens:
– QB needs to draw separation between DL and 2nd level defenders
– As OL gets up the field, he must at least block the defenders path of vision

Michigan Spread Offense

Calvin McGee- Offensive Coord. @ University of Michigan

“The Spread Offense is a system, not just a set of plays”

 University of Michigan Football Clinic, April 4th 2008

• Goals:
1. Create mismatches (such as TB types in slot)
2. Get your playmakers the ball
3. Shotgun: see the defense and make better reads
4. Make defense defend all skill players including QB
5. Make the defense play in space
6. Simple schemes for lineman

• Why :
1. Make defense defend entire field
– i.e. Bubble is another option for QBs in zone read play,
2. Play with multiple tempos
– Regular: Fast
– Indy: Really Fast
– Jet: Sprint back to the line when play is over
3. Makes QB a dual threat
4. Simple Execution
5. Execute base plays: get good at something
6. Thought process: numbers – angles – grass

• Michigan Run Game:

• Zone Runs:

– OZ , especially vs. tight playing LBs

– Belly (IZ)
– Option
– Sweep
– Outside Zone, Belly, Draw is 80% of run game

• Man Runs:
– QB Iso and Draw (same blocking scheme

• Zone Runs:
– Trap, QB Power, and Dart
• 2 Back Shotgun Zone Read:
– Playside RB must run like he’s the ball carrier in regards to reading defenders
– Zone Option blocking is identical to Belly play
– Best play: zone option to bubble
– Bubble: Can be pre or post snap read by QB; if it is pre snap decision, QB does not bother
with faking zone
 University of Michigan Football Clinic, April 4th 2008

(photo courtesy of www.freep.com)

Running Back Blocking

Fred Jackson- Running Backs @ University of Michigan

• Philosophy:
– Must be willing to block every place if needed
– Not a complete running back if you cannot block

• Fundamentals:
1. Pre Snap Look-look where the defender is coming from
 University of Michigan Football Clinic, April 4th 2008

2. Stance- a good stance = good blocking angles

3. Start- ’’6 step directly at point of attack
4. Approach
5. Bend Knees- get in hitting position
6. Contact- if he isn’t tough, he wont be a good blocker
7. Base- feet always underneath you and drive through on contact
8. Finish- run through the man

• Pass Protection:
1. Body Position
2. Position relative to QB
3. Position relative to rusher

• Approach:
1. Sprint to rusher
2. Breakdown at arms length away from rusher
3. Take course that places outside foot at crotch

• Common Causes of Breakdown In Pass Protection:

1. Failure to get set quickly
2. No inside leverage
3. Over aggressiveness
4. Dropping your head and losing balance
5. Feet to wide
6. Straightening legs
7. Turning to sideline
8. Elbows out
9. Honoring outside rush fake
10. Giving ground too rapidly

Offensive Line Techniques

Greg Frey- Offensive Line Coach @ University of Michigan

• Center’s Stance:
– Shoulder width apart
– Comfortable position, toes even and pointed up field
– Mental capacity to be a leader
– Stripes of ball on a imaginary line with your forehead when down

• Mechanics of Shotgun Snap:

 University of Michigan Football Clinic, April 4th 2008

– Hands on laces like throwing football

– Do not snap/flick wrist
– Your arm should go in a pulley like motion in a nice straight line during snap
– Cannot let ball go with them on run blocks, try to follow through with snapping hand
– If ball goes too high or low it is because of hip level
– Center sometimes wears receiver sticky glove

• Zone Blocking:
– Always want to gain ground, no bucket steps
– Never cut on front side of zone
– On 1st step hips should be pointing at defender, accelerate off 2nd step
– Taught OL to read hip of nearest play side defender
– Should not chase defender more than 3 steps
– Front side blockers, don’t lose ground with 2nd step
– On IZ (Belly), no crossover steps, more base blocking
– Shorter and quicker first steps
– 2nd step never comes across body with hands shooting, 2nd step comes at crotch of defender
– Have both QB and Center started cadences

Michigan Strength and Conditioning

Mike Barwis - Strength & Conditioning @ University of Michigan

• Philosophy:
– Olympic lifts except snatch
– Also includes squat, Romanian dead life, and bench press

• Schedule:
– Off Season: 3 days a week
– In Season: 2 days a week
– In Season 2 day lifts: training must continue through season at high level
 University of Michigan Football Clinic, April 4th 2008

– Key is manipulating variables (less sets & exercises but higher intensity)
– We are strong because we supplement lifting with other exercises

• Balance and Functional Training:

– How well can you establish control of your body ?
– Stability balls, medicine balls, boxes,
– Stability Ball Progression:
○ Sit and Control, feet on floor
○ Sit and control, feet out
○ Sit, feet down, arms explode out with movement
○ On knees on ball (30 seconds, 60 seconds)

• Daily Workout Progression:

1. Olympic Movements
2. Non fast twitch (conventional) lifts such as bench press
3. Balance and stability
4. Prehab and injury prevention exercises
5. Explosives and plyometrics
6. Core
7. Functional Flexibility

• Injury Prevention / Prehab:

– Rubber bands used to stabilize joint areas
– Body doesn’t twist, focus on stable, single joint
– Sets of 12 progress from 1-2 sets, 2-3 sets. Etc

• Plyometric:
– Key is explosion
– Muscles stretching like rubber band= stored energy
– Body adapts to intensity which increases speed
– Box jumps: faster you get off the ground , the quicker you become. Start box jumps out with 24 inch
box if possible
MICHIGAN STRENGTH & CONDITIONING CLINIC- JUNE 28TH