4-4 Swarm Clinic Notes

Speaker: Tim Murphy, http://coachtimmurphy.com

SIMPLE – PLAYERS DON’T THINK

Goals
1. Less than 7 points
2. 3 turnovers
3. No plays over 15 yards
4. Less than 100 yards rushing
5. All 11 players playing snap to whistle every play (no “loafs”: 25 updowns per “loaf” on Monday)

Alignment Rules

OLBs
• 0 or 1 receiver – 4x4
• 2 or more receivers – 5x2 inside the #2 receiver

ILBs
• 5 yards deep, stacked behind DT

DEs
• Head up on EMOL

DTs
• 3 to strong side
• 1 to weak side

FS
• 8-12 yards deep, splitting #1s

Cs
• 7-10 yards deep, inside #1
Run Philosophy
“Bounce and Attack”

• D-Line will bounce

Bounce
• Slows RB
• Forces him horizontally
• Forces him away from assigned hole
• Buys time for gang tackling

Contain
• Reduces width of field from 54 yards to 5 yards
• Reduces big plays
• Forces RB back to most of defense (which causes big hits and turnovers)
• Allows “fill” players to come aggressively

Fill
• Inside out tackles are easier to make
• Balances the talent differential
• Allows for big hits
• Is position specific
• Causes turnovers
Pass Philosophy
“Disrupt and Attack”

• D-Line will disrupt QB and TE

D-Line
• Get in throwing lanes
• Collapse pocket to force QB to throw off back foot
• No roll outs
• Jam TE on any release
• Attack relentlessly down field after ball release and strip receiver

Drill
1. Simulate QB Release
2. Lineman stops, plants, sprints downfield

Pass Rush
• Pass rush is never deeper than QBs arm
• DTs bull rush only
• DEs bull rush or rip, can spin when deep as QB

LBs
• Drop into throwing lanes
• Re-route receivers
• Break on QBs near shoulder
• Blitz from all areas
• Attack any receiver in box when ball released and strip receiver

Pass Drops
• OLBs – Drop to 1 yard inside numbers, 12 yards deep
• ILBs – Drop to 1 yard inside hash, 12 yards deep
• Drop at a 45-degree angle
• If on a hash, drop at 45 degrees and when you get to 12 yards, stop
• Zone is a 10x10 box centered on your drop landmark (5 yards in front, behind, to the left, and to the
right)

DBs
• Take away all deep routes
• Break on intermediate routes (< 15 yards)
• From sideline to 7 yards out is “no-cover” zone
• Deep third zones overlap on the hash mark by 2 yards (a route completed on the hash is the FS’s and
C’s fault)
D-LINE
“Moving Wall”

DEs

Run
• Cannot get pushed or go up field
• Protect LBs by jamming OL release
• Will make tackles, but not 1st on the scene most plays

Pass
• Rush the QB outside in
• Disrupt the vision of the QB and get a piece of the ball
• Be in the passing lane

Alignment
• Head up on EMOL
• 1 yard off ball, closer as reads improve

Stance
• 2-point stance – looks like 4-point stance with hands off the ground
• Outside foot slightly back
• Eyes on screws of helmet

Read
• Screws of helmet
• Quick and violent mirror

Blocks

Down
• Step inside
• Jam release for two steps inside
• Shoulders square
• Stay on LOS
• Lock for kick out block or ball
• If log block, treat like reach

Reach
• Immediately step outside
• Bench press numbers
• Keep outside arm strong
• Don’t get hooked

Base
• Step forward with inside foot
• Bench press numbers
 • Hold ground (don’t get pushed)
• Fight inside
• Find ball

Inside Pull
• Squeeze inside like down block
• Check QB for boot

TE Release
• Treat like reach for two steps
• Release
• Look inside for pass or kick out
• If kick out coming, wrong arm

Pass
• Rush outside shoulder with rip or bull rush

DTs

Run
• Cannot get pushed or go up field
• Protect LBs by jamming OL release
• Will make tackles, but not 1st on the scene most plays

Pass
• Rush the QB outside in
• Disrupt the vision of the QB and get a piece of the ball
• Be in the passing lane

Alignment
• 1 yard off ball, closer as reads improve
• If jumbo gaps, line up in gap

Stance
• 4-point stance
• 60% of weight on hands
• Eyes on screws of helmet
• Slant-side foot back (slant side is side to physical read)

Read
• Screws of helmet
• Step quickly and violently to physical read
○ T – step to OT but read OG
○ N – step to C but read OG
• Visually reads usually right, but pressure wins (always fight pressure)
• Punch on rise, aim for physical read’s numbers

Blocks

Down
• Step to blocker
 • Bench press numbers
• Fight across face

Reach
• Immediately step outside
• Bench press numbers
• Keep outside arm strong
• Don’t get hooked

Double Team
• Get down
• Create pile by getting flat or “corkscrewing” toward play

Pull
• Chase on LOS
• Block from next OL is coming
• Fight across face

Pass
• Rush gap with bull rush
ILBs

Run
• Fill “alley”
• Fill, scrape, fill “midline”

Pass
• Defend intermediate routes inside box
• Break up on short routes

READ GUARDS

Outside Play Read

Inside Play Read

Blocks

Double Team
• Bounce
• Read flow

Down
• Fill “alley”

Outside Reach or Outside Pull

Inside Reach or Inside Pull

Pass
• Drop 12 yards deep, 1 yard inside hash
Goal Line
DTs – 2i’s

DEs – Head up on EMOL

OLBs – Base or “down” alignment

• If a receiver to your side, stay in normal alignment

ILBs – Base or “down” alignment

• If OLB does not go to “down” alignment, the ILB does

FS – Replace “down” ILB

• If no ILB to replace, blitz outside

Corners – Base alignment

Cover 65 – Goal Line Zone Coverage

Zones
1. From center to outside EMOL – ILBs or FS
2. Outside EMOL to #1 - OLBs
3. #1 to sideline - Corners