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Blocking against the blitz

Struggling O-lines are common problem.

By DAWN REISS
Published September 9, 2005

Crystal River senior Joe Bertine starts laughing when asked how many tackles a game he makes at cornerback.

Seven, eight or nine? "At least," Bertine said. "It's probably like 10 or more."

He's not the only one. Many county safeties are averaging eight and nine tackles - something the deepest defender in the backfield shouldn't have to do if a line is holding. It's a common problem.

Why? When opponents blitz, the lines don't hold and everything else goes with it.

"In our area, people blitz a lot," Crystal River coach Craig Frederick said. "Obviously, if you've got a young line that's what you want to do. The offensive line can't handle it. Probably the quarterbacks around here don't have the receivers, or teams don't have the quarterback capable of handling it."

It's hard for inexperienced athletes to pick up the blitz. "We just need to be a little more dominant there," Frederick said. "There were some people we couldn't handle on their (Dunnellon's) defensive line. We had to double-team, and when we double-teamed that meant the linebackers are coming free."

Despite recording only 35 yards of offense last week, Citrus coach Rik Haines said his blocking schemes can handle the blitz. But if receivers don't get open, it makes it difficult.

"Our blocking schemes are solid, and we were solid last week," Haines said. "Our kids just got confused by what they saw sometimes. But our schemes should have picked them up."

The 'Canes keep it basic, with two pass and two run blocks. Haines doesn't plan on changing even if they're struggling with the blitz.

"We don't change," he said. "If you're riding a donkey and you change in the middle of the stream, both your butts are going to get wet."

Haines knows the importance of a good line. "You're only as good as you're offensive line, and I think we have a good one. I just think the level of competition has overwhelmed them at the start. Maybe we should have played St. Mary's of the Poor and somebody else, but we didn't. We wanted to play two good teams."

Lecanto coach Bob LeCours quickly realized where the work needs to be done after a 48-20 loss. The Panthers focused on pass protection during the bye last week.

"It's the easiest thing to learn, but unfortunately it's been one of our biggest weaknesses," LeCours said. "Teams that have been successful have blitzed."

[Last modified September 9, 2005, 01:18:20]