Sometimes good things take time to develop.
That’s the story of the Long Stunt.
Let’s get into it.
The Long Stunt
For the purpose of this article, the Long Stunt is a Stunt involving three defenders.
Two of the Defenders will be Penetrators, and the third will Loop over top of BOTH Penetrators.
This may or may not be paired with a Blitz.
Pros
These can play out nicely against both the Run or the Pass.
In the Run game, we can sometimes create confusion in the Counts and get a free hitter to the point of attack.
In the next clip we see a Long Stunt paired with an Edge Blitz. Again, it works out well in stopping the Run.
In the Passing game, we can sometime create confusion in the Pass Protection scheme with a Long Stunt.
This can potentially create a free hitter, or at least a favourable pass rush angle.
Cons
The above clips look great, but it’s not a perfect science.
I see two main limitations when it comes to the Long Stunt.
First, it takes a long time to develop. This is especially true versus the Pass.
Sometimes it all works out great. We confuse the protection, and the Looper is set to have a free path to the Quarterback. But by the time the Looper gets there, the ball is long gone.
It helps to take a TIGHT angle when Looping. Stay close to the mess of players you are working over top of. This can limit this con, but it still takes some time to get home.
The other challenge is that all three players must work together to make this happen. They must all use great technique and timing for the Long Stunt to work out. If any of the three do not execute things well, the Long Stunt will fall apart.
Final Thoughts
Adding a Long Stunt might be the wrinkle your playbook has been looking for.
If you add one in, be sure to allot enough practice time to get all participants working together versus all the different looks you might see (ie. Run TOWARDS the Looper, Run AWAY FROM the Looper, Pass, etc.).
All the best,
Jon Svec
Defensive Coordinator
St. Francis Xavier University
X-Men Football
IG: @jonsvecx
Twitter: @jonsvecx
To read more check out the Canadian Football Chalk Talk e-books series, which includes: Defensive Basics, Linebacker Toolbox, and Modern Pressures.