Top 10 Most Read #ArtofX Articles of '21

Here's what people were reading from MQ this year.

As we close 2021 and begin 2022, I wanted to take the time to thank every person reading this. Without you, there is no MatchQuarters. It is always humbling to nerd out on football and have people generally interested in it. I do appreciate you and our interactions. The growth of this site challenges me to keep getting better.

Six years ago, I was staring down my 30th birthday. I was utterly lost and directionless. Then, over the Thanksgiving Break in ‘15, I broke down and finally asked God for a change in my life. I was burned out, jaded, and quickly ruining my relationship and marriage with my best friend. I had hit rock bottom. Little did I know that the worst year of my life (2016) would be a conduit to my greatest success, happiness, and the birth of MatchQuarters.

I detailed my journey in Cautious Aggression but never really described the genesis of MQ. The Monday after that Thanksgiving Break, my head coach and good friend was fired out of the blue. Before the post-Thanksgiving chaos, I had everything planned out in my mind, but life has a way of throwing and landing haymakers on your plans. Everything I superficially thought was necessary to be successful was now quickly gone. I promptly was nothing more than a Corners Coach. Luckily I had just enough wisdom to stick around, even knowing it would be challenging. Nothing great comes easy.

Fast forward to the Summer of ‘16, I was left to sit on my hands. I had all these creative juices flowing, yet I was muzzled. From the darkest moment in my life, I was given back the itch to write that had always been there since my youth. What would I write about? Football, of course!

With a few lucky breaks and the help of some great people, MQ was able to grow into the community it is today. And that is precisely what it is, a community. But, of course, MQ is nothing without the people that follow, interact, and buy my books. I honestly do appreciate it.

Those who knew me in ‘15-’16 probably don’t recognize me today. I’m not the same. I still struggle with my ego, doubt, and lack of confidence that led to my original downfall, which I detailed in my “Zero-Sum Game” article in June. However, I am now in a much better place. It is incredible what can happen when you decide to make a concerted change for good in your life and open yourself up to help.

Finally, we can all change and find success when everything around us looks bleak. Dig deep, look inward, and start by placing one foot in front of the other. As we transition into a new year, I want everyone to know they are appreciated, and even though things might be dark, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Failure is just another avenue to learn (LEARN > lose). As I always say to my players, find a way to “Do Better.”

Simply put, thank you!

- Coach A.

**As an extended thank you, I’m offering 22% off of a subscription FOREVER! Click above.

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1- Taking Steal Coverage to the Next Level

The STEAL concept has been a system for split-field coverage teams to take the weak side or boundary Safety and “steal” him in coverage on the other side of the field.

2- Dec. ‘21 Blitz of the Month

The three-safety system has become a normal defensive structure after being introduced to major college football four years ago in Ames. One of the programs that picked up on the trend early was Tulsa.

3- The Favre Path

Creepers, or replacement pressures, have been a hot topic this year. The hybridization of defenses at all levels has created the meshing of front structures. Replacement pressures have been around since the ‘70s when the godfather of the Fire Zone, Bill Arnsparger, invented them while coaching for the Dolphins.

4- Where Single-High & Two-High Collide: 6-Cross

We’ve seen this before. A two-high shell system takes the NFL by storm and challenges offenses to change their protocols and systems. No, Tampa 2 is not coming back, and though time moves in a flat circle, the settings and scenarios change.

5- DB 101: Drill Work From Winter to Fall

Like in the classroom, it is vital to have a syllabus or “calendar” for when and how coaches will teach certain things. Most coaches are familiar with a fall install and usually follow that for their individual periods in the fall, but what do you do with the rest of the calendar year?

6- The Multiplicity of the Panthers Defense

The adaptability of [Phil] Snow was no more clear than his final year at Baylor. Within the first two years, Rhule and Snow knew they had a problem. The Big 12 was eating them up on defense, and a change needed to be made. The experiment in Ames with the 3-3-3 was now taking over the Big 12. Snow decided to try his hand at the system, and it paid dividends.

7- If you are playing a Zero-Sum Game, you are losing.

Early in my career, I wanted to do everything my way; this is funny looking back because I had done nothing at that point, yet was rich with entitlement. I was also playing a zero-sum game. Meaning, I was focused on a winner-takes-all mentality, which was also my worldview.

8- The Mex Path

Baylor Head Coach Dave Aranda’s MEX, or a Center-insert simulated pressure, is one path that is constantly popping up on Saturdays. The simple pressure uses the O-line’s Zone technique or Slide protection against it. In many cases, the ILB away from the RB will insert on a “V-Tech” path while the other ILB works to stack, tracking the ball on what is referred to as a “ball-fit.”

9- 3rd Down Study: Falcons Path

One of the more famous trees within the Saban system is his NFL Simulated Pressures. Each pressure within the system has a particular way to set the front, whether from an Odd or Overload alignment. One path, in particular, has become a staple within any system that uses these Sim pressures.

10- Nov. '21 Blitz of the Month

Not every 5-O pressure has to be exotic. Many times, placing five defenders on the line will create man-blocking across the board. When that happens, a defense can either manipulate the one-on-ones to get an advantage in personnel or use lopping stunts to “pin” linemen and create natural rush lanes.

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…& don’t forget to check out MQ’s latest project, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙓 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬:

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