Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Knights
DEFENSE
Criteria for Playing Defense
Rule #1: If they don’t score…we don’t lose!
Knowing your alignments & assignments are a condition of your opportunity to play.
“A man’s value can be measured by his distance from the football when the whistle blows”
Key Aspects of Positions
• Noseguard - will line up head up to the center, able
to command and fight a double-team
• Tackles - will line up head up on the offensive
tackle and rely on quickness to fill gap
• Inside Linebackers (Stud, Mike, and Whip) - line up
behind three linemen, often blitzing
• Outside Linebackers (Hawks) - contain
responsibility, stay home on counter & reverse
• Cornerbacks - plays pass, must come up on run
• Free Safety - middle zone in cover 3, must come
up on run
Gaps and Receivers
3 2
2 1
D C B A A B C D
2 1
LH LT N RT RH
C S M W C
FS
Defensive Huddle
3 yards
sideline
M
S T N TW
C H FS H C
“strong right”
multiple receivers
“strong left”
T N T DE T T DE
C H H C C H H C
S M W M W
FS FS
DE T T DE H T N T H
C H H C C C
M W S W
FS FS FS
Base Base Line Calls Pinch
T N T T N T
C H H C C H H C
S M W S M W
FS FS
Strong Weak
T N T T N T
C H H C C H H C
S M W S M W
FS FS
Blitzing Basics
P N Q P N Q
C H H C C H H C
S M W S M W
FS FS
P N Q P N Q
C H H C C H H C
S M W S M W
FS FS
Strong Whip Strong Right Hawk
P N Q P N Q
C H H C C H H C
S M W S M W
FS FS
P N Q P N Q
C H H C C H H C
S M W S M W
FS FS
Weak Hurricane Weak Mike
P N Q P N Q H
C H H C C H C
S M W S M W
FS FS
P N Q P N Q
C H H C C H H C
S M W S M W
FS FS
Pinch Stud Pinch Double Hawk
P N Q P N Q
C H H C C H H C
S M W S M W
FS FS
P N Q
C H H C
S M W
FS
Pass Coverage - FS & C
• We will usually be in Cover 3
• Corners are 5 yards off, outside shade of #1 receiver
• Exception: if receiver goes past outside numbers, stick to
numbers
• FS lines up to receiver strength call, which he makes after
seeing formation
• Corners and FS split field 1/4 - 1/4 - 1/2, with quarter field
to strength
• FS keys off end of line to his side (usually TE), looking for
stand-up into pass protection or release to route
• Corners face split between their receiver and end of line,
looking for same key
Pass Coverage - LBs
1
2 1
H S M W H
1/4 1/4
C FS C
1/2
1/4 1/4
LT N RT
3-5-3
S M W
Split-6 E T T E
M W
Split 6 Defense Positions
3 2
2 1
H E T T E H
C M W C
FS
• Tackles - down linemen responsible for A & B gaps
• Mike / Whip - inside linebackers responsible for A & B gaps and pass coverage
2 1
H E T T E H
C M W C
FS
• Tackles - responsible for A gap
• Mike / Whip - responsible for B gap and #2 or #3 receiver out of backfield (read near back)
2 1
H E T T E H
C M W C
FS
• Tackles - responsible for B gap
• Mike / Whip - responsible for A gap and #2 or #3 receiver out of backfield (read near back)