Controlling the Defensive Line with the Inside Wham Play

We love controlling the defensive line with the inside wham play. The inside wham play is an excellent play to call against disruptive defensive tackles. Most defenses load up with big disruptive kids at the DT position. It seems like every week we play against tough defensive tackles. We needed to come with something that would take care of the those dominate DTs and the wham play was the answer.

We love having our play-side wing execute the wham block because he has an excellent angle on the defensive tackle. Most of the time the wing will either wash the DT down or he will knock the DT to the ground. This block usually opens up a huge hole off-tackle. You can wham a dominate nose guard as well.  This block will catch the defensive tackle or nose off guard and it will slow down their rush. We absolutely love the inside wham play vs. he wide tackle 6-2 defense.

Controlling the Defensive Line with the Inside Wham Play (with motion)

Inside Wham Blocking Rules:

Center:  Blocks backside A-gap defense.

Right Guard: Inside-Over-Free blocking rules.

Right Tackle: Work onto outside linebacker.

Left Guard: Inside-Over-Free blocking rules.

Right Tackle: Inside-Over-Free blocking rules. If he has a defensive end on his outside shoulder you could have him base block him.

Tight-end: Base defensive end out.

(3): Jet motion, wham DT. The (3) is whamming the first defensive lineman inside of the TE. The (3) cannot go or lean forward until the ball is snapped. The (3) cannot lead with his helmet.

(4): If the defender is playing press coverage, run off. If the defender is playing off coverage, stalk block.

(SE): If the defender is playing press coverage, run off. If the defender is playing off coverage, stalk block.

(1): Catch snap, hand to the (2).  It’s important that the QB gets his head around and executes a good handoff.

(2): Lateral step, take handoff, cut off the (3)’s wham block. The (2) cannot come to the QB for the ball. It’s the QB’s job to get him the ball out by the point of attack.  Lateral step, square up to the point of attack and get downhill.

. @AlexJKirby Wham may be my favorite play in football @audia_nick @21cougars pic.twitter.com/sSV7ajWSJG

— James Light (@JamesALight) December 17, 2016

Wham Without Motion 

Coaching Points

• Motion player cannot go or lean forward until the ball is snapped. This is the aspect that takes the most practice.
• It’s important that the (3) gets a little depth on his motion so he gives himself an good blocking angle on the defensive tackle.
• Make sure you league allows wham blocks (within the rules). No spearing or blocking from the back. 
• When defensive tackles are tough to block and/or getting serious penetration you can wham them. Wham them when you want to run outside a penetrating DT and trap when you want to run inside of the penetrating defensive tackle.
• You can run with the (3) aligned in a traditional wing/tight-end alignment. You can still execute this play with the (3) lined up behind the TE. We elected to run this off of jet motion because we run a ton of jet sweep.

Here is some game film of our wham block.  Our call is hammer, but this is a wham block.  Look at the holes this block opens up. 

(See Also) Inside Zone Wham Series