Spill & Kill: Defeating Your Opponent's Run Game

with Drew Sanders,
Vandegrift (TX) High School Head Coach;
Texas 6A Div. II Regional Semi-Finalists, 12-1 final record (2018); Undefeated District 13-6A Champions;
#1 Ranked Defense in 13-6A; Most interceptions in school history (12)

Vandegrift High School head coach Drew Sanders provides the system that has worked well for his defense through the years. The "spill & kill" philosophy he uses is designed specifically for programs with personnel that aren't necessarily the fastest or most athletic. If your own players fit that description, then looking into the spill & kill approach is sure to benefit your team's performance come game day.

Philosophy Behind Spill & Kill

Sanders kicks things off by covering his philosophy on spilling the football against the run. You'll watch as he diagrams both a hard shoulder technique and a spill technique to taking on lead blockers. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of having an overlap player regardless of the philosophy of defending the run.

Coach Sanders then diagrams several plays and demonstrates the specific run fits against each play using a spill philosophy.

Calls and Stunts to Use Against Modern Offenses

The next portion of this presentation includes diagrams of some of Coach Sanders' favorite defensive calls against the run. He also spends time detailing the proper techniques and coaching points for stunting defensive lineman. You'll see several stunts that either cancel gaps or exchange gaps, as well as several run blitzes that are effective against a variety of offensive schemes. Sanders' blitzes will allow your defense to penetrate and disrupt plays in a sound, coordinated manner.

Coach Sanders does a fantastic job of explaining his philosophy to defend the run and showing several calls that can be incorporated into any defensive structure. With the help of the "spill & kill" approach, your defense can be tougher than ever against the run!

56 minutes. 2019.