Blitz and Engage
Go get the Running Back
As with most things, there’s a risk/reward to this one.
Let’s get right into it.
B and E
It has a couple different names:
Blitz and Engage (B and E for short), Green Dog.
Essentially it’s a more aggressive way to cover the Running Back in Man-to-Man Coverage.
Typically it’s a Linebacker executing this technique. They are tasked with covering the Running Back in Coverage, but instead of sitting back and waiting, the Linebacker Blitzes to the Running Back through the Line of Scrimmage.
It can play out a couple different ways.
I’ll break down three of them here.
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Now back to today’s article…
Running Back Leaks Early
If the Running Back leaves on a route right away, the Linebacker must go Cover them.
If you were to see this happen, you wouldn’t even know there was a B and E on.
The Running Back leaves, the Linebacker goes and covers the Running Back.
Simple football.
Running Back Checks and Leaves Late
This is where it gets interesting.
If the Running Back sets up to block initially, the Linebacker will begin their Blitz.
The Linebacker isn’t Blitzing a Gap. They are Blitzing to the RB, wherever they can find an opening to get there.
The Linebacker must keep their eyes on the Running Back, their primary target.
When the Running Back then leaves on a route, the Linebacker must break off their Blitz and go get them.
Running Back Blocks
This is what we were hoping for when we called the B and E.
The Running Back is now part of the protection. This means we get an extra Blitzer.
Again, the path must be to the Running Back.
Once the Linebacker meets the Running Back in the backfield, there is a decision to be made.
The conventional choice is to grab the Running Back and not let them go. (Blitz and Engage)
This is especially true if the Linebacker has any sense there might be a Screen Pass developing.
If, however, the Linebacker’s instincts (and game plan) tells them to continue towards the Quarterback, at some point you just have to take a chance.
This is the risk/reward I mentioned earlier.
If the Defence gets fooled and the RB slips out late, it could be a big play for the Offence. More often than not, however, the RB was blocking all along. So go get the QB.
Final Thoughts
There you have it.
A simple concept that can be added to your Man-to-Man Pressure Plan.
All the best,
Jon Svec
Defensive Coordinator
St. Francis Xavier University
X-Men Football
Email: jsvec@stfx.ca
Twitter: @jonsvecx
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