The concept of an Overload Blitz, where you have more pass rushers attacking one side than there are blockers to stop them–is not new. However the way that Oregon carried it out a few times in the Spring Game is something I have not seen from a Duck defense in the past. While the more precise breakdowns will occur during the season, I’m going to take a break from my fun at SkyCity Online Casino to take a look at what blitzes to watch for during the 2022 Oregon football campaign.
Generally, the idea is to disguise where your blitz is coming from, and which defenders are pass rushing. This means of fooling the offensive line is the basis of the Zone-Blitz concept that has been around football, and at Oregon for a very long time. However another method to implement an Overload Blitz on one side is to simply move or stem defenders at the last moment before the snap of the ball.
Note how in the first play above–the Green defense has six defenders on the line-of-scrimmage as the offense is preparing to snap the ball, and five are standing up! Then watch how two linebackers move simultaneously over to the right, and create an overload of four pass rushers on three blockers. The quarterback can see that and knows nothing can be done, thus he is inclined to throw the ball as soon as he feels pressure…hence the Overload Blitz created a turnover!
The second play has two defenders with a hand on the turf, and this time the two linebackers move over to the left side to create an overload. Again we see No. 42, Jackson LaDuke get to the quarterback for a sack–even if the QB runs around and pretends it did not happen. The fact that this did not happen with a starting linebacker, but with a reserve–tells me that this blitz has been well coached, and makes me salivate thinking about the speed of Justin Flowe running through that open blitzing gap!
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It also begins my thinking of how an Overload Blitz on the right side can cause problems for an offense, but so could DJ Johnson and Brandon Dorlus on the left side being in one-on-one matchups on opposing offensive linemen? This will create headaches for offensive line coaches around the league, thanks to Dan Lanning!
Purple arrows above show offensive linemen doing nothing as we watch a Husky QB getting sacked, which never grows old!
If you would like to learn a little about Zone Blitzes, and how Oregon did it so well in past? Try this video created by yours-truly a decade ago. We will apply many of the same principals this fall, and this video has been viewed 104,000 times by football coaches and fans around the world. Oregon really did some great blitzing back then due to the leads that our explosive offense created, and the need for the opponent to try to catch up.
Beginning with the last week of August–you will see Coach Boles and I alternate doing analysis articles (with an occasional opinion article by you-know-who) on Thursdays. It will be great fun to learn some more football because….
“Oh, how we love to ponder about Our Beloved Ducks!”
Charles Fischer (Mr. FishDuck)
Eugene, Oregon
Top Photo by Gary Breedlove
Charles Fischer has been an intense fan of the Ducks, a season ticket holder at Autzen Stadium for 35 years and has written reports on football boards for over 23 years. Known as “FishDuck” on those boards, he is acknowledged for providing intense detail in his scrimmage reports and in his Xs and Os play analyses. He and his wife Lois, have a daughter Christine, reside in Eugene Oregon, where he was a Financial Advisor for 36 years and now focuses full-time on Charitable Planned Giving Workshops for churches and non-profit organizations.
He does not profess to be a coach or analyst, but simply a “hack” that enjoys sharing what he has learned and invites others to correct or add to this body of Oregon Football! See More…
