There are many different paths to the Quarterback.
You can get there with speed, power, numbers (blitzes), counter moves, stunts, pursuit, a coordinated pass rush, etc.
The outside Speed Rush is a classic technique.
Here are a few fundamental points.
Mixing it up
Most great pitchers have more than just a fastball.
Pass Rush is no different. It’s a chess match, a battle of wits between two exceptional athletes.
Having a great Speed Rush in your toolbox can be game-changing. But you’ll also want to have a few off-speed pitches at the ready.
Angles
When it comes to the Speed Rush, angles are everything.
We’re trying to win a race here, so why take the long route?
In clear Pass Rush situations, this can start with the stance. A slight tilt in the stance can set a pass rusher up for success when it comes to those crucial first steps.
Obviously the GET OFF is important, but a great get off can be wasted if our angles are not taking us where we want to go.
As the play begins and we close ground, we want each step to take us closer to our destination, aka the Quarterback. I see a lot of young players waste steps by running the long track around the Offensive Lineman.
In the clip below we see that each step is threatening the Offensive Lineman and bringing the pass rusher closer to the QB.
Win the Edge
Offensive Linemen are big and strong.
When using a Speed Rush, we don’t want to take on the entire Offensive Lineman, but instead one of their EDGES.
If we can defeat the outside arm — and we’ve used great speed and ANGLES — we have a good chance of winning the rep.
There are many specific moves that can be used to defeat that arm. This is where you get into all your chop, swat, windshield wiper, forklift, wax-on-wax-off techniques. There are a lot of options available, but that’s a topic for another day.
The fundamental concept here is to defeat the arm — win the edge.
Bend and Finish
Again, we have one ultimate goal here, which is to put pressure on the QB.
Getting past the Offensive Lineman means nothing if we don’t bend the edge.
To help bend the edge, point your inside foot in the direction you want to go.
Final Thoughts
You could write an entire book about Pass Rush Techniques (in fact, Craig Roh wrote a great one).
But when looking for starting points for the Speed Rush, it doesn’t hurt to focus on ANGLES (including Get Off), winning the edge, and then bending to finish the play.
Bonus Video
I did a quick video recently about the concept of a Linebacker making a Defensive Lineman “right”. Check it out here:
All the best,
Jon Svec
Defensive Coordinator
St. Francis Xavier University
X-Men Football
IG: @jonsvecx
Twitter: @jonsvecx
Jon Svec is the author of the e-book Canadian Football Chalk Talk: Defensive Basics.