The game of football is a game of numbers. This all starts with the defensive line. There is every theory and variation imaginable for your defense. It is obvious just by looking at the names of the types of defenses. You have the 5-4, 6-2, 10-1, 7-4, 8 gap, 3-4-4, etc.
Every offense tries to manipulate…
Category Archives: Defense Articles
Coaching the defensive line in youth football
Freeing up the Linebackers to make plays.
One of the challenges as a youth football coach is getting the players to understand many of their assignments are to help the team. Most kids think they need to be chasing the ball carrier and try to make every tackle on every play. In our scheme many times we use players to force the…
The 10-1 or Zone Blitz for Youth Football Defense
Now we’re talking about the next level of defense. If you have the talent, and the maturity, this can be a dominate defense that is almost impossible to block against. It confuses an offense like no other.
I wrote an article earlier talking about the 1985 Chicago Bears 46 defense modified for youth football defense. The…
The 46 Defense or Chicago Bears 46 for Youth Football Defense
I see it every year on the field. Some yahoo who watches too much TV and played High School Football is going to revolutionize the youth football league with his mastery. One of the great examples is the 46 defense.
When I first started coaching Buddy Ryan was the coach for the Chicago Bears. He was…
Always remember the nose guard in short yardage situations.
I cannot tell you the number of times I have been in a short yardage situation and the opposing defense does not put a nose guard on our center. We have an audible in place between the quarterback and center and run our quarterback sneak, usually on a silent snap. I have had quarterbacks run…
How Should I Run Goal Line Youth Football Defense?
No matter what type of defense you prefer or what type of schemes you run, everybody needs to have a goal line defense. Your players need to be ready and coached on what to do when their “backs are up against the wall” and the opponent if inside the five yard line. I cannot count…
Safety – Speed and Smarts for the Youth Football Defense
I will try to convince you in this post, or at least explain my position, that the safety is the most important position on your youth football defense. Our defensive scheme relies on our safety to be a run stopper, pass defender, rusher and “the final hope”. Our safety needs to be have speed, smarts…
How many different Youth Football Defenses do I Need?
I will give my opinion and it may shock all who read this article. After 20+ years of coaching, I have concluded, that absolute perfect number of youth football defenses you should have is ONE. Let me give some reasons why.
Become an EXPERT coach at this one defense
Easier for the kids to learn one base…
Reality Check – One Defender makes Most of the Tackles
This post is going to be an eye opener for many of you coaches out there. As hard as it is to believe, most youth defense rely on one or two players to make the majority of their tackles.
If you have coached before and have kept old record, do yourself a favor and check the…
Should I Run an Odd or Even Defensive Front?
Every coach I speak with has a particular defense they feel is the “best defense” for youth football. I am a believer that you may prefer a certain base defense, but you need to tweak certain areas depending on your upcoming opponent. One area of tweaking is the defensive front and whether to run an…
