Coordinating Run and

Pass Defense
G entlemen, it is an honor and a privi-
lege for me to have been selected to
be a speaker here today. I am especially
Diagram 1

pleased that the topic assigned me deals

with defense since this year our defense
was able to finish nationally in three cate-
gories: 10th in rushing defense — 121
yards per game (2.8 per attempt); fifth in
pass defense — 79 yards per game; third
in total defense — 201 yards per game.
But the most important statistic of all is
Diagram 2
that in all 11 games, our defense gave up
only four second half touchdowns, two of
these came from seven- and four-yard dri-
ves resulting from offensive turnovers. Only
one second half touchdown was scored
after the opposing team gained possession
on their side of the 50-yard line.

Defensive Philosophy
Basically, our defense is an overshifted
one. We play the standard 52 defense, with
an overshifted secondary. Factors deter-
mining the side of the overshift are: 1) the
field, 2) the formation, 3) offensive tenden-
cies. On occasion, our rover is allowed to
go into the sidelines.
We do not play a containing defense.
George Welsh Out theory is to Force the ball to bounce
outside — to the sidelines if possible. The
Head Coach ball carriers must not be given vertical
seams to allow them to get two-way cuts
U.S. Naval Academy on our defensive backs. They must be
bounced to the outside so that they cannot
Annapolis, Md. turn their shoulders upfield. In theory, we
even try to make the isolation play bounce
all the way outside to the point where the
ball carrier goes out of bounds or one of
our defensive backs will be completely
unblocked and make the tackle.
It is our philosophy that we must stop
the run first. Statistics show that teams will
throw an average of 18 to 20 passes while
running 50 to 60 times. Therefore, regard-
less of which coverage is called, two backs
in our secondary will have the responsibili-
ty to force the run.
In order to accomplish these aims, we
flop eight of our defensive personnel to bet-
ter utilize their talents. Our nose and tack-
les remain constant while our rover, strong
end, linebacker, and strong corner work as
one unit and our quickside corner, willie
linebacker, mike linebacker, and free safe-
ty work as another (Diagrams 1 & 2).
of the two outside men on the two outside
men on the line of scrimmage. This player
must be strong enough to stand up a tight
end vs. a blast block and agile enough to
get to the top of the I vs. sprintouts. He
must have enough quickness to get to the
sidelines in pursuit.
Linebacker: Better of the two inside
people at going to the wide side curl area.
Rover: A defensive back with linebacker
temperament. He has to be able to play the
run first, pass second.
Strong Corner: This is the only man on
the strong side who must play pass first,
then react to the run.
Quickside
Willie: Quicker of the outside two men
on the line of scrimmage. He must have the
speed to play a back man to man.
Mike: This man must be strong enough
to stand in there and play power plays and
he must also be quick enough to play cut
backs.
Quick Corner: Same type as Rover
except he must also be able to play man
coverage. The Quick Corner plays run first.
Safety: Like the Strong Corner, he plays
pass first, run second.
Diagram 3: Our Basic Coverage
Vs. Drop Back

Selecting Our Personnel — Criteria

Strongside
Strongside End: Bigger and stronger

• AFCA Summer Manual — 2002 •

 turning his head, then the flanker can crack
George Welsh at a Glance
him. When the rover recognizes this threat,
Experience: Head Coach, Virginia, 1982-2000 (134-86-3); Head he takes a step up and when the play
Coach, Navy, 1973-81 (55-46-1) comes his way, he must drive to a point
behind the tight end’s position 3-4 yards
Career Head Coaching Record: 189-131-4 deep. If the flanker is set very wide, then
the rover can forget the crack and go up the
Conference Championships: Atlantic Coast Conference 1989 & field. If the play starts off tackle or inside,
1995 the rover will bounce in his place and wait
until the ball comes to him.
AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Awards: 1975, 1980 & 1989 The rover’s job is to force the ball carri-
er off his running track and preferably to the
Notes: In 1989, Welsh led Virginia to its first-ever ACC championship, posted the outside. We want the ball running to the
schools first 10-win season and coached the Cavaliers in their first New Year’s Day sidelines with the backer, strong end, and
Bowl. Welsh and Virginia won their second ACC crown in 1995 by beating Florida State. strong corner running to clean him up. The
Virginia was the first ACC school to defeat the Seminoles since Florida State joined the most difficult thing to coach is reading the
conference. He was named ACC coach of the Year a record five times (1983, 1984, relationship between the blocker and the
1989, 1991 and 1995). At 55-46-1 he is the winningest coach in Navy history. He led the ball carrier. If the ballcarrier is in phase with
Midshipmen to a 23-16 come-from-behind victory over BYU in the first Holiday Bowl. the blocker, we then attack the block low
and hard.
Diagram 11

Diagram 4: Our Basic Coverage Diagram 8: Our Basic Coverage

Vs. Sprint Strong Vs. Boot Strong

When the rover gets a split read, he now

knows to force tighter to the line of scrim-
Diagram 5: Our Basic Coverage Diagram 9: Our Basic Coverage mage. He must now read on the run the
Vs. Sprint Weak Vs. Boot Weak relationship between the guard and the ball
carrier. The guard must not be allowed
around the corner. The ball carrier must be
forced deep and wide.

Drill for Teaching Ballcarrier and

Diagram 6: Our Basic Coverage
Vs. Counter Strong
The Run Force by Our Defensive Backs
The single most important coaching
point that I can pass on to you with regard
to our secondary support is how we force
the run.
Diagram 10
Blocker Relationship
The defensive secondary coach stands
with the ball carriers and tells them, “at the
dummy” or “Wide.” If he says, “at the
dummy,” the ballcarrier takes the ball and
runs straight at the dummy.
Diagram 12

Diagram 7: Our Basic Coverage

Vs. Counter Weak

The rover reads the direction of the ball

Rover (quick corner) lines up facing in at then the tight end who 1) blast blocks, 2)
a 45 degree angle reading the quarterback down blocks, 3) arc blocks one of our other
for action. If he can see the flanker without backs who is waiting his turn. The rover

• AFCA Summer Manual — 2002 •

then drives low and hard into the dummy
which simulates the blocker.
Diagram 13
If the coach says, “wide,” the ballcarrier
stays high to allow the defensive back to
Diagram 14
read the relationship between the ball car-
rier and the blocker, in this case the defen-
sive back bypasses the blocker and goes
to the ballcarrier.
The second part of this drill is to add a
fullback and run your split read.
When the rover sees the blocker dis-
appear, he now must drive closer to the
line of scrimmage and be prepared to
take on a guard or if the ball carrier isn’t
in phase, bypass the guard and attack the
ballcarrier.
I have a seven-minute film that will show
our run force in action.
Gentlemen, I thank you for your time
and patience. It has been an honor and a
privilege to be here.

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• AFCA Summer Manual — 2002 •