Football Defensive Terminology and Concepts

L.O.S.

LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

MIKE

INSIDE LINEBACKER (ILB)

BUCK

ILB

MONEY

DEFENSIVE BACK - COVER LINEBACKER USED IN DIME & RABBIT PERSONNEL

SAM

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (OLB) ON STRONG SIDE

JACK

OLB ON WEAK SIDE

HIGH RED ZONE

AREA OF THE FIELD FROM +20 TO +11 YARD LINE

GOAL LINE (GL)

AREA OF THE FIELD FROM +3 TO GOAL LINE

PASSING STRENGTH

TERM REFERRING TO FORMATION STRENGTH. THE SIDE OF THE FORMATION WITH THE MOST QUICK RECEIVERS (WR'S)

NUB

TIGHT END TERM REFERRING TO ANY FORMATION WHERE AN ATTACHED TE IS THE ONLY ELIGIBLE TO THAT SIDE

LOW RED ZONE

AREA OF THE FIELD FROM +11 TO +3 YARD LINE

BOX

TERM REFERRING TO PLAYING OUTSIDE ANY PULLERS

SPILL

TERM REFERRING TO PLAYING INSIDE ANY PULLERS

CONTAIN

TERM REFERRING TO KEEPING THE BALL INSIDE FIB FORMATION INTO THE BOUNDARY

BOUNDARY

TERM REFERRING TO THE SHORT SIDE OF THE FIELD

FIELD

TERM REFERRING TO THE WIDE SIDE OF THE FIELD

TE SIDE

SIDE OF THE FORMATION WHERE THE TE IS ALIGNED

OPEN SIDE

SIDE OF THE FORMATION WITH NO TE

TILT

TERM REFERRING TO THE DIRECTION OF THE SAFETY SPIN

SNIFFER

WHEN THE Y IS OFF THE BALL AND IN THE CORE OF THE OFFENSE

CORE

AREA IN BETWEEN THE OFFENSIVE TACKLES

LOW GEAR

TO THE RB SIDE, POTENTIAL OF BEING THE READ KEY

HIGH GEAR

AWAY FROM THE RB, HARD CONTAIN

C AREA PLAYER

ANY OFFENSIVE PLAYER IN C GAP (ATTACHED TE OR SNIFFER)

CRASH PLAYER

DIVE PLAYER ON ZONE READ

RAM/LION

DENOTES WHERE THE FIELD IS

3 ON 2 FUNNEL

3 DEFENDERS ON 2 OFFENSIVE PLAYERS

2 ON 1 FUNNEL

2 DEFENDERS ON 1 OFFENSIVE PLAYER

APEX DEFENDERS

PLAYER BETWEEN ENDMAN OF THE LOS AND THE NEXT WR

BANJO (2 ON 2)

MAN/MAN DEFENSE TECHNIQUE WITH 2 LINEBACKERS PLAYING MAN/MAN ON 2 WR'S BASED ON THEIR RELEASE.

BLITZ CONTAIN

MUST KEEP EVERYTHING INSIDE

BLOOD

UNDER THE FIRST BLOCK

CUT

On receiver except out

CONE

OUTSIDE LEVERAGE MAN BY CORNER (TOPPER); SAF TAKES ANYTHING IN FROM X (NAIL)

CLOUD

CORNER IS IN FLAT; SAFETY OVER TOP

CATHY

LIKE CLOUD BUT CORNER IS IN RUN FIT

MOD MAN

OUTSIDE AND DEEP

MES

MAN EXCEPT SHALLOW

HOOK

ONE YARDS INSIDE THE HASH

MATCH

MAN WR/TE VERTICAL & OUT

PUSH

2 OPEN TO HOOK WITH EYES ON #2

3 BACK & THRU

TAKE #3 WR MAN ON OVER ROUTE AND UNDER ROUTE

3 UP

IS 3 TAKE #3 WR MAN ON OVER ROUTE ONLY

4/1ST CROSSER

MAN ON #4 OR NO #4 LOOK FOR FIRST UNDER FROM FIELD

OUTSIDE RELEASE

TERM REFERRING TO WR RELEASE

OUT OF PHASE

TERM REFERRING TO YOUR POSITION ON THE WR

RAT

LOW HOLE PLAYER

SEC FORCE

TERM REFERRING TO SOMEONE WHO IS NOT A PRIMARY RUN DEFENDER

SEAM

3 YARDS OUTSIDE THE HASH

ZORRO

TERM REFERRING TO ZONE

INSIDE RELEASE

TERM REFERRING TO THE RELEASE OF A WR

MEG

MAN EVERYWHERE HE GOES

TUFF

NICKEL

3 DL, 1 OLB, 2 ILB, 5 DB IN THE GAME

SPEED

4 BEST PASS RUSHERS, 2 ILB, 5 DB IN THE GAME

RABBITS

4 BEST PASS RUSHERS, 1 ILB, 6 DB IN THE GAME

SUMO

5 DL, 3 ILB, 3 DB IN THE GAME

HEAVY

4 DL, 2 OLB, 1 ILB, 4 DB IN THE GAME