Origins of the Shark/Jet front:
https://streamable.com/5s6x?t=31.7
Pass Rush Lane Concepts:
https://streamable.com/9w82?t=0.0
If you listen to the clinic (recommended), Schwartz is a fowled mouthed man.
Really is fun to listen to him speak about these concepts and the quick stories he has to share about some players and how these concepts developed. If not, here are some side notes on the clinic on what is covered.
– The origin of the wide 9 tech defensive end for Schwartz’s defense came from the need to stop the Alex Gibbs/Howard Mudd Outside Zone Play.
– Schwartz/Titans needed an answer to stop the Colts run game, which was Outside Zone, Inside Zone, Trap and Sprint Draw.
– The idea for the wide 9 scheme actually came from the success the Patriots had with an odd front scheme versus the Colts. The wide alignment of the Patriots OLB's (whom were also lanky with long arms to set the edge) eliminated a lot of runs and forced primarily inside zone runs. Schwartz wanted to figure out how to play 3-4 principles in a 4-3 and then became the birth of the 4-3 Wide 9 tech.
– An unintended benefit was the Titans stopped seeing the deep play action passing game from under center, because Peyton Manning didn’t want to turn his back on a wide 9 defensive end (esp. Jevon Kearse)
– The wide 9 initially served as a gameplan defense versus the Colts., but Schwartz decided that instead of multiple fronts, let’s just get good at playing the wide 9 front and eliminate something in the run game (outside runs).
– The scheme fit their personnel, but more importantly it puts players in position to take something away in the run game. “
It’s hard to run stretch into an attack 9 that’s knocking the **** out of the tight end.”
– The front carried over versus 11, 21, 10 or 12 personnel. Instead of a base 3-4 team that is an odd front versus 12 and 21 personnel and then an even front in nickel and passing situations. His guys only had one run front to fit, no matter what defensive personnel package they used.
– After their loss to the Raiders in the 2002 AFC Championship game, Schwartz and his staff started charting QB depth (where he releases the ball) and putting it in to the rush gameplan. "
Didn’t matter if you could beat the offensive tackle on an outside speed rush if the ball wasn’t there."
– When putting together their rush plan they want to know how much time do we have to get there, where are we rushing, where will he escape? Began to rush to spots rather than rushing protections and individual technique of offensive lineman. "
The way you rush on 3&8, is a helluva lot different then how you rush on 3&3."
– Began to get away from generic pass rush lane concepts & manuals and started to design the pass rush to be QB specific. EX: Would not try to keep contain on Peyton Manning, they wanted to force him out of the pocket and move him off his spot. QB like Michael Vick (Cam Newton these days), they wanted to contain but if he were to escape then force him to escape away from his throwing hand.
