1. Walk up to the line

“I’m looking to see if there’s going to be a tackle or a tight end on the line. Usually, if there’s a tight end on my side and it’s a passing situation, I know he’s going to be releasing up field. That gives me a little more room to get around the edge.”

2. Getting into and coming out of his stance

“With some teams and some tackles I can tell if it’s going to be a pass or running down. Sometimes teams use a three-point stance for running and a two-point for passing. Also, sometimes some tackles will be leaning back more and a little higher up in their stance when it’s a passing situation because they want to get off the ball quicker.”

3. Engage when ball is snapped

“Main thing is to get off the ball as quick as possible. The key factor to getting the sack is getting the edge on the tackle. If I can get off the ball quicker than him, I can make it to his outside shoulder before he gets a hand on me. Then usually I get the edge and I can get to the quarterback unless he releases the ball right away.”

4. Techniques used during the pass rush

“The one I use is the speed rush. Just speed to the edge. If the tackle is trying to block me and if I get past that outside hand, and that outside hand comes up and I get my arms past, then he can’t block me.”

5. How to attack a double team

“A double team is kind of hard. It especially depends on how they do it. Wisconsin and Temple will motion a tight end over before the snap and the tight end will be outside the tackle, outside my shoulder, so I will take off and he’ll be right there to chip my outside shoulder so it slows down the edge rush. In that case, hopefully I can get the inside move.”

6. How to fight off the lineman yet focus on the QB at the same time

“The main thing is just vision in general. Subconsciously you see where the quarterback is and feel when you’re close to him.”

7. Getting to the quarterback

“We are all taught to come with the outside hand. So, I will come with my outside arm, my right arm, and I’ll be trying to go for the strip. Yet at the same time I try and wrap up.”

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