St. Edward Championship Football 5-Pack

with Tom Lombardo,
St. Edward (OH) High School Head Coach; 2015 Ohio Division 1 Champions

Getting a defense to play the entire field can be a hard task for an offense. Coach Tom Lombardo of St. Edward High School shows you how his team's read option offense led them to becoming one of the most highly ranked high school programs in the country.

The read option forces defenses to play disciplined football. You will see how Lombardo uses the read option to give his team four different places to go with the ball. In addition to the rules and philosophy of the read option, you'll learn the blocking scheme that's used based on the defensive front, as well as the QB read option, power read and jet power read that help complement the offense.

4 Options

Learn the four options that make up the zone read offense, which include gives, keeps, bubble action and gift action. You will also see:

• How to get everyone to run as if they are getting the ball
• How to attack a Cover 3 team with a quick hitch
• How each action is blocked and read by the QB
• How to get the QB and RB to act as one in the backfield

Blocking Scheme

Coach Lombardo breaks down how to block a stack, odd, 4 by 1 or 4 by 2 box to effectively block for the read option offense. He covers the blocking basics with and without the use of a tight end. Identifying the point and dot linebackers ensure lineman are clear on how to identify the most dangerous five defenders. You will also see how to identify the five most dangerous players within a defensive front.

Complements

Once you have the fundamentals of the read option down, you can add the complements to the offense. You will be able to use concepts such as QB zone read, power read, jet power read and power read option to eliminate dominate defensive lineman and linebackers.

Game footage is used to show you how to run each phase of the read option.

Coach Lombardo gives you a wealth of knowledge to run the zone read effectively. This offense gets multiple players involved and forces your opponents to guard the entire length and width of the field. This video is a must-have for any coach looking to introduce the zone read into their program!

80 minutes. 2017.

with Tom Lombardo,
St. Edward (OH) High School Head Coach; 2015 Ohio Division 1 Champions

Coach Lombardo opens up his QB practice and playbook to improve your team's success in the passing game.

He shares strategies for teaching, measuring and developing fundamental skills, as well as the drill work necessary for great QB play. Included is a detailed instruction of 20 plays using white board and game film to show how to make QB reads on cornerbacks, safeties and linebackers while attacking multiple coverages in the passing game.

Quarterback Evaluation

Lombardo's presentation about quarterback fundamentals includes discussion about measurable objectives to focus on in order to play at a high level. From a detailed approach to throwing the long ball accurately to creating opportunities for the QB to acquire leadership skills, there is an accountability system put in place for growth and development.

Practice Progressions

The quarterback practice includes a progression of six drills designed to build precision, timing and confidence with execution of the passing game. Decision-making ability is challenged by making the QB read and make adjustments to multiple coverages.

Lombardo breaks down his practice progression for his passing game. The areas he focuses on include:

• Routes thrown on air
• Long ball drill
• Half field route drills
• 1-on-1
• 2-on-2
• 7-on-0
• 7-on-7

Attacking Coverages

Being able to attack and identify coverages is vital to any passing success on offense. The major key in identifying coverages is understanding player attributes on the defense. Lombardo breaks down the following areas:

• Press and non-press coverage
• Speed of each corner
• Aggressiveness of each corner
• How DBs flip hips
• How DBs match to the tight end
• Split safeties

Coach Lombardo helps you learn to read and adjust to defensive alignments, and gives you the philosophy to take advantage of what the defense gives you. This video will help you improve the skills, leadership and confidence of your QBs with decision-making using Lombardo's passing system.

56 minutes. 2017.

with Pete Pappas,
St. Edward (OH) High School Defensive coordinator;
2015 Ohio Division 1 Champions

Allow your defense to play fast by simplifying and focusing on the over fronts fits, instead of running multiple fronts that force players to slow down and think.

Coach Pete Pappas shows how the 4-3 Over-Press Quarters defense can be a formidable run-stopping defense. It is an aggressive defense that attacks with gap control in an effort to "build a wall" and create tackles for loss of yards. Insurance is built into the system via scraping linebackers and tightly aligned safeties who provide a second level of defense for eliminating the explosive or long offensive plays.

Pappas provides everything you need to know to install the 4-3 over front defense, including run fits and blocking defeating techniques. The video demonstrates how to align and attack all kinds of different formations. Pappas' 4-3 defense has a fast, `downhill attack' mentality that helps force the offense into mistakes and allows the defense to dominate games.

Adjustments

For a defense that uses a gap control line scheme, consistency is the key. Pappas begins instructing his players with terminology that helps them understand where they need to line up and what the other team has on the field. This allows his team to be in good position to stop the run.

Coach Pappas diagrams and shows film clips of his over front alignments and how it adjusts to many different formations. He explains the three strategies for defensive adjustments: alignment, movement, and blitzes. He explains:

• How to identify offensive formations
• How the defensive players recognize and communicate
• The slight adjustments to stay sound in the over front to formations such as double tight or 3x1

Linebacker Strategy

Any great team against the run has great linebacker play. Using diagrams, practice, and game clips, Pappas explains how his linebackers play various formations, track and scrape, and fly to the ball all under a gap control scheme. He teaches:

• Pre snap alignments
• Post snap keys
• Fit and techniques to defeat blocks

You'll see practice drills Pappas uses every day to improve the speed at which linebackers recognize and react appropriately to zone, lead and pass blocking.

Teams are using the 4-3 Over-Press Quarters defense to win championships. Pappas provides the foundation for making your team an attacking gap control defense in this video. Use the principles, philosophies and drills in this video to allow your defense to dominate the line of scrimmage.

62 minutes. 2017

with Pete Pappas,
St. Edward (OH) High School Defensive coordinator;
2015 Ohio Division 1 Champions

Increase your defensive takeaways and reduce your opponent's ability to score with the 4-3 Press Quarters Defense in this detailed video from Coach Pete Pappas.

Pappas shares concepts and techniques used by the 4-3 Press Quarters Defense to disrupt the rhythm and timing of the passing game. The pass-first responsibilities of the cornerbacks and safeties are coupled with techniques that improve their ability to take away the big play. This forces your opponent to make long, sustained drives in an attempt to score, giving your team more chances to force a punt or create a turnover.

Utilizing game film, practice film and drills, Pappas explains assignments, techniques, and responsibilities for the corners, safeties, and linebackers to stop the pass and eliminate the big play.

Shadow Technique for Cornerbacks

The key ingredient in the 4-3 quarter press system is for the corners to press the receivers. Pappas stresses the need to get a receiver off their route to disrupt the timing of the passing game. He teaches the "shadow technique" to improve the cornerback's ability to take away the vertical routes and be "in phase" with the receivers. Pappas explains how this technique is actually easier on the cornerback to be in a press alignment rather than in a traditional off alignment.

Scooch Technique for Safeties

A corner cannot press without help from the safeties over the top. In this scheme, the safeties play an important role in stopping the passing game. Pappas uses a scooch technique to put his safeties in proper reading and covering position to help with the deep ball or who they cover in man-to-man coverage scheme.

By using the scooch technique instead of a traditional backpedal technique, the safeties can play tighter coverage on the receivers. Also, the scooch technique allows the safety to be in a better position to defend against the run and make more plays in the passing game if they have no vertical threat in their zone.

Linebacker Coverage

A defense can't stop an offense from passing without the help of the linebackers. Coach Pappas stresses that the linebackers have a run-first job, but they should also be able to drop back and cover a receiver or tight end. Learn how the linebackers re-route, wall off and/or match the #2 receiver, cover the flats, leverage the blocker on bubble screens, and allow safeties to read and react to QB cues more aggressively.

This video gives you the concepts and techniques necessary to implement one of the most difficult defenses to pass the ball against for opposing quarterbacks.

76 minutes. 2017.

with Dan Scanlon,
St. Edward (OH) High School Offensive Line Coach;
2015 Ohio Division 1 Champions

The biggest determining factor for a successful offense is its offensive line. The "no glory positions" may be the most important when it comes to putting points on the board. Coach Scanlon discusses the basic fundamentals for run and pass blocking. He also covers the zone blocking system he uses to gain rushing yards.

Scanlon uses charts and diagrams to explain the rules and techniques for his offensive lineman. His system is designed so that all players know who they need to block and how to reach the block. In this video, you will learn:

• The difference between right side and left side stance
• Different alignments in pass protection and run game
• Aiming points for offensive linemen versus a head-up or shaded defender
• Play-side and back-side blocking rules in the zone read option
• How to handle blitzes and stunts

Blocking for the Zone Read Run Game

One of the hardest running systems for defenses to prepare for is the zone read running game. When an offensive lineman gets fit and drive, multiple running lanes open up. Using practice and game footage, Scanlon lays out the general rules for zone blocking schemes and breaks down what each lineman should do.

Additionally, you'll learn how to mix pulling linemen in the power and trap game, and how to combo block with illustrations and film footage.

Pass Blocking

Once a defense starts cramming the box with extra defenders, the passing game is ready to explode. Scanlon covers the fundamentals he teaches his lineman, such as the kick step without giving up too much ground. He also covers simple pass sets that can be used in every game

This video is filled with a wealth of knowledge on how to make your offensive line a cohesive, dominating unit.

91 minutes. 2017.