edge defense

Last year Wisconsin messed with Michigan gap defense plenty, but even that wasn't as bad as Michigan's Lovie Smithian edge defense on Saturday. As you might have guessed, such a wholesale disaster was the result of many issues. But I did find one play that included most of them.

This is a simple jet sweep, and a fine example of what an absolute disaster Michigan's run defense has become this year. The simple explanation for what went wrong on this play is that Michigan cracked but did not replace. They spilled without an edge. Gemon Green was the main issue but other culprits here who had a chance to make a play and didn't were Daxton Hill, who got crack-blocked by the WR, Brad Hawkins, who instead of funneling back to help got taken for a donkey ride, Donovan Jeter who didn't read the handoff and pursue, Carlo Kemp who didn't do enough to keep his LB clean, Josh Ross who got caught inside and then shoved to the ground, the refs because the shove was in the back, and Vincent Gray because he's Vincent Gray. Blame goes on the players yes, but also very much on their coaches, particularly whoever's coaching the safeties, because these issues were chronic.

[After THE JUMP: Spilling to nothing]

You have read somewhere that power offenses like Michigan are often dependent on winning big, strong, man-a-mano battles. While that's quite an oversimplification, it's also a truth. Run defenders are usually given pretty simple assignments like "defend this gap at all costs!" or "don't let anyone outside you and hit anyone who tries" so confusing them into leaving your lane open is not sustainable. Sometimes you just need to shove the dude out of the way to make a gap. Sometimes you gotta…

[MC5 lyric you know is coming is not safe for work]

There's plenty going on in that play, but we're going to focus on two opposing concepts that are in play on just about every running play:

FORCE PLAYER

Fritz Shurmer:

"The defender who is responsible for tackling or making sure the ballcarrier does not get outside of him.  It is his responsibility either to tackle the ballcarrier or to force him to cut back into the pursuit pattern."

I took that quote from a coachoover post post worth reading. The force defender is being pulled in two directions. He MUST set up far enough outside that he won't get edged, but he's also got to be far enough inside to keep the gap small. Typically you put a little money in the bank; if the ballcarrier tries to go outside of you he's going to either run right into you or the sideline. The sideline is helpful but also passive. Better to redirect the ballcarrier to your friends.

That said, the force defender can't be too conservative. Goal A is set the edge, but every step towards the edge is a lane that's one step wider. The force defender sets up at a 45 degree angle, able to attack upfield or across it. That setup also gives him leverage to not get blown back by a…

KICKOUT BLOCK

Football Outsiders:

Kickout block – On a running play, this blocker is running parallel to the line of scrimmage and his job is to to keep the outside edge rusher (usually a DE or OLB*) from crashing to the inside. It's almost always a fullback or a pulling guard who does the kickout block. Opposite of a crackback block.

* [or, like in the video above, a Cover 2 cornerback.]

If a force player has done his job well, there isn't much space between the force player's area of effect and the defensive pursuit. A kickout block attacks the force defender, thwacking him toward the sideline, preventing him from a tackle attempt, and creating a running lane over the resulting viscera. That's why FO says it's almost always an offensive lineman or fullback.

A kickout block is going to go as well as physics allow: the more accelerated mass you can hit him with, the more room there is to run.

[Hit THE JUMP to see it in action]