Defense in an Offensive World

Jeff Sims
Friday July 29, 2011

In a world where scores can easily reach into the 60s, 70s, and 80's, the Chicago Rush look at things a little bit differently.

Defense CAN help to win games in the Arena Football League.

In three of the past four seasons, the Rush has held their opponents to an average of under 50 points per game. After their ArenaBowl victory in 2006, the 2007 Rush defense led the league with a 44.9 points per game against average. They repeated that effort in 2008 with a 47.8 average.

With an off-year last season where they ranked eighth in the league (54.2 ppg), the Rush has returned back to lead the AFL once again this season. The Rush defense has allowed an average of 46.3 points per game, which once again leads the league just ahead of the second place Arizona Rattlers (46.4 ppg).

There is one common denominator in each of the seasons where the Rush defense has led the league in defense. That is Rush assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Walt Housman.

Housman was not with the team in 2010 and spent the season as the defensive line coach at Holy Cross University. He returned to the Chicago Rush this season at the request of current head coach Bob McMillen.

McMillen has been more than pleased with not only his defensive coaching staff, but the players that have performed for them on the defensive end this season.

 "I think that we have the best defensive coordinator in the league in Coach Hous," McMillen said. "Then we have Titcus Pettigrew (defensive backs coach), working with the defensive backs and the jack linebackers, who understands the game. When you have two guys like that that understand the game like they do, you can have nothing but a great defense. Plus we have guys that want to work and compete on every play. "

Pettigrew was a wide receiver/defensive back when the league still played ironman football. He was the MVP of the AF2's ArenaCup championship game in 2002 as a member of the Peoria Pirates. He then spent two years in the AFL with the Columbus Destroyers and Grand Rapids Rampage, respectively.

Combined, Housman and Pettigrew have put together a defense this season that has done what no other defense has done before.

The team set an AFL record with 56 turnovers this season. That bested the previous record of 49 set by the Pittsburgh Gladiators in 1988.

The team also set a record with 42 interceptions. That beat the record that was set by the 1992 Orlando Predators, who put up 29 that season.

"On a 50 yard field, it is all about angles and body position," says Pettigrew. "We are truly blessed that (the players) trust us and that they trust the system."

The accomplishments are pretty impressive for a team that actually finished the season ranked 11th in the league in total defense giving up an average of 294.6 yards per game.

It is this philosophy of coach Housman that Pettigrew feels gives their defense the opportunity to make plays.

"Hous is a statistical guy," said Pettigrew. "From a defensive standpoint, the mentality is bend but don't break. We understand that the more opportunities that an offensive team gets, they are going to make mistakes. With that being said, looking at the statistics, we are tops in scoring defense. We are (higher) in yards per game because we allow teams to have more plays. A lot of teams want to get in your face man to man. You can be one and done and get that back and forth scoring going easily. Our mentality on a 7 or 8 play drive is that you won't win. We look to negate the big plays."

Pettigrew also credits the players that he has worked with all season for their hard work in practice and willingness to learn, making this defense unit what they have expected it to be.

"They come to play hard and come to practice with their lunch boxes each day," he said. "Nobody has an ego. And what I love about these guys is that they are sponges for people who can teach this game. I have been blessed enough to be put in the position to try to help these guys out. They have been shocking all the time and I have been pleased with the effort."

The defensive backfield has been consistent all season. DB Jason Simpson played in all 18 games and had 8 interceptions. Other players making contributions this season at DB were Perry Kyles, Greg James, Justin Hannah, and Kelvin Hemphill.

Rookie of the Year candidate Vic Hall had broken the single season record for interceptions in just 13 games played. He was surpassed during the final week of the season by Orlando Predators DB Rayshaun Kizer who finished the season with 16 interceptions. Hall's 15 interceptions are still an AFL rookie record and a Chicago Rush season record (previously held by Dennison Robinson in 2008 with 13). He missed the final four games of the season with a turf toe injury.

At the beginning of the season, the coaching staff swore they made a great move in bringing in jack linebacker Kelvin Morris to replace the popular fan favorite and 2010 AFL Ironman of the Year, DeJuan Alfonso. Morris did not disappoint as he had 9 interceptions on the season, which ranked tied for 6th in the league. Two of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns. His 6 foot 4 inch frame caused many quarterbacks to overthrow receivers or have passes tipped or blocked. He was also able to move over to defensive back after Hall went down with the turf toe injury. Two of his interceptions came in that game against Iowa.

Coach McMillen believes it is the work ethic of the defense that makes them what they are.

"It is the way that those guys work (that makes them successful)," said McMillen. "If you come out to a practice, you will see it. These guys are constantly hawking the ball. They have a goal every practice that they have to get four interceptions every practice. If they are supposed to make a play and they don't make it, they are doing 10 to 20 push-ups because they are upset with each other. You (normally) don't see four or five guys including Kelvin Morris (jack linebacker) competing for balls like those guys do in practice. They expect to be the best defensive backfield in the league."

It is also their mentality individually and as a unit that has made them strong enough to compete against the best that the AFL has to offer. To be a defensive player in this league, you have to be able to have a short memory if you miss a play and be ready for the next one to come your way. It is this mentality that allows the best players to go out and be effective.

Pettigrew believes that "you instill it in their minds where it is almost muscle memory. If you practice it enough, it happens. So if you keep consistently telling yourself (get a turnover), no matter how you get it done, it is going to happen in the game. If you don't prepare like that, you are not going to get it done. We've got the type of guys that take it personal if they don't get their takeaways in practice."

It is this mentality that at times, has made this defense dominating.

In week 18 against Georgia, the team picked off Force quarterbacks a total of six times setting a new Rush team record.

Earlier in the season, the team set a new franchise record against the Philadelphia Soul by forcing them into nine turnovers.

It is not just the defensive backfield that has had a stellar season. The defensive line of Chicago set a new franchise record with 34 sacks this season. That beat the previous team high of 23 set in 2004.

Leading the pressure on the line were defensive linemen Quartez Vickerson (9.50 sacks), Mark Weivoda (8.5 sacks), and Martin Parker (4.5 sacks in 5 games played). Since the lifting of the NFL lockout, Parker has signed a deal with the New York Giants.

"Everything is a team effort," said Morris. "It starts up front (on the defensive line). We do have a lot of picks, but it does start up front. It also starts at the top with Hous. Hous is by far the best defensive coordinator I've ever had. He puts everybody in the right situations and the right positions to make plays. It's just up to you to make them."

So as has been shown throughout the season by the Chicago Rush, Arena Football League games can be won with defense.

"Yes it can (win games)," Pettigrew confirms. "If you get the right personnel with the right attitude, the right techniques, and the coaching, you can put it together in this league to stop people no matter who they have."

The team has won the central division title and will be hosting a first round playoff game on Friday night against a team they have already seen and defeated twice this season, their divisional foe, the Dallas Vigilantes.

And even though at times he seems discontent with his team and never satisfied, yelling and cursing into his headset when his defense gives up big plays, even coach Hous has recognized the effort and accomplishments of his defense this season.

"We had a nice run this season and we did some nice things," he said. "Am I happy with the way that we have played this season, yes."

But as always, in the mentality of his defense, he is looking ahead at the next play and the ultimate goal, an ArenaBowl championship.

"We've got to do what we've got to do," he said. "Through the course of the year we did some nice things, but none of that matters now, we are going to the playoffs. Dallas is a hell of an offensive team and we better be on our mark and everything we did in the regular season doesn't matter now. It is a one game season for the next three weeks."