Crafting a defensive call sheet that pressures the offense can be a grind—how do you pick the right calls for every situation without overwhelming yourself or your players?
Coach Tom Miller from the University of St. Francis has perfected this process, turning a messy call sheet into a simple, game-ready plan by focusing on key scenarios and film breakdowns that keep your defense one step ahead of the offense.
That’s why today we’re diving into how Coach Miller builds his call sheet with clear, effective steps that make preparation fast and methodical.
Today’s article is taken directly from our newest release: “The Cyclone Defense: The Complete Series”
Building Your Defensive Call Sheet
Coach Miller simplifies it by starting broad and narrowing down based on two essentials: situational matchups and film review. Here’s how he does it:
- Start with Everything: For a given week, list all your favorite calls across scenarios like 0-and-10, first-and-15+, second-and-9+, etc., against common personnel (11, 10, 20, 21). Drag them across every column—every call is a contender at first.
- Trim with Film: Review the opponent’s tendencies on film (e.g., 75% RPO on second-and-1-to-8 out of 10 personnel, 100% pass on first-and-15+). Delete calls that don’t fit—like run-heavy defenses in obvious passing downs—and tweak for specifics, like gap-scheme RPOs.
For example, if the opponent’s second-and-incomplete out of 11 personnel is 62% RPO with gap schemes, Coach Miller adjusts the call sheet to counter that, keeping only the defenses that match. Rare looks, like 21 personnel with just two plays in four games, get a plan but not a ton of focus—keeping the sheet lean and simple.
Get all the details and tricks you need to unlock the full potential of these zone pressure schemes with The Cyclone Defense: The Complete Series
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