This transcript covers a defensive line coaching session focused on the “attack react” technique — a philosophy where players attack first and then react to what the blocker does, rather than reading and reacting.

ALIGNMENT PRINCIPLES

Alignment is determined by the position of the running back. If a defender is lined up away from the back, they should play looser, expecting zone blocking. If aligned tight or toward the back, they should play foot-to-crotch to account for the threat of a backside cutoff. The recommended starting point is roughly “credit card” alignment depth from the ball.

WHEN TO USE ATTACK REACT

This technique applies to outside shade alignments — one technique, three technique, five technique, and nine technique. The defender’s key is the tip of the blocker’s pad.

SHANK LAG (ATTACK REACT LAG)

A variation called “shank” or “attack react lag” involves lagging the eyes to the adjacent gap while maintaining body presence in the assigned gap, allowing a defender to effectively two-gap from a one-gap alignment. This has been particularly effective against two-high shell looks.

HAND PLACEMENT

One-gap hand placement uses the “man hand” down the sternum and the “gap hand” on the tip of the pad. In shank mode, the gap hand moves underneath the armpit to enable two-gapping. Thumbs up, elbows in, and eyes below the hands are emphasized throughout.

THE SPRING CONCEPT

The defender should think of themselves as a coiled spring — using their entire body weight to explode into the blocker on contact, being the aggressor rather than absorbing the block.

TEACHING PROGRESSION

The drill progression builds from the ground up:

Six-Point Explosion — The player starts with six points of contact on the ground (fingertips, knees, and toes). The toes must be curled into the ground to enable a true push. The emphasis is on exploding out, not up, with hands going straight to the target rather than cocking back, and hips fully unlocking on contact.

Three-Point Layout — The same mechanics applied from a stance, with feet remaining locked into the ground while exploding out with proper hand placement and lockout.