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4-4 Defense
 4-4 DEFENSE
Youth football coaches should play zone COVER 3 defense. Play the blitz package
and have fun. The 4-4 is a good defense because you don't need as many good
defensive players as some other defenses. It can be a very aggressive defense,
and you can cover the various formations. I believe you do need good outside
linebackers that are athletic. They must cover the run and the pass. I like the idea
of having a strong side OLB and weak side OLB. They flip flop with the formation.
We are hoping you can get an idea or two from the different looks. We are throwing
out these ideas so that you will think and maybe incorporate an idea or two. I hope
this will benefit you.

When coaching the secondary we always stressed 3 things.

1. Stance
2. Alignment
3. Responsibility

Stance: CORNERS
1. Narrow base: feet under armpits
2. Outside foot up: toe to instep stagger.
3. Weight on balls of feet; Sole of shoes have full contact with ground.
4. Bend in waist; Pads over toes
5. Bend in knees; Hands to knee level
6. Hips square to LOS
7. Head and shoulders turned in toward the ball.

SAFTIES
1. Narrow base
2, Inside foo up
3. Weight on balls of feet
4 Bend in waist and knees
5, shoulders and hips are square to the LOS

ALWAYS
1. Keep feet alive
2. Have an awareness of wide receiver split
3. FINISH
NEVER
1. Panic-you are not beat until the ball is thrown. Put head down and get to WR.
2. When playing off the ball-NEVER be driven to a heads-up position.
If you read a 3 step drop, snap your eyes back to the WR to recognize route.
1. Read the front shoulder of the QB
2, Focus on the point of the shoulder as to what 1/3 of the field he is intending to
throw to
3. Key shoulder level for trajectory
a. Parallel - short zone
b. Up - deep zone

When the ball is thrown, the interception point is 6-8 yards in front of the receiver
at the moment you recognize the pattern. Drive to the interception point. If you have
no chance for the interception, make certain you tear away his upfield arm. This is
the arm that is farthest from the flight of the ball. If the receiver is too far away for
you to tear away his upfield arm, then you must make the tackle.

1. If you are in a trail position (1 to 2 steps behind) read the receiver's earhole.
2, When the earhole disappears and you see the receiver's eye, anticipate
seeing his hands.
3. When the hands come up, punch through the pocket with your inside hand
and clap the receiver's hand.

On a hitch pattern, always come up on the outside under control, He already has
gained 5 yards, KEEP IT THERE.

Basic principles for Zone Defense

1. Know your area of responsibility. Who is your first threat.
2. See the ball at all times.
3. Never allow receiver to get behind you in deep zone responsibility.
4. Don't cover grass- find receiver.
5, Communicate
6. Maintin leverage
7. Keep cushion. Three yards.
 MECHANICS of Back Pedal
1. Steps are 6-8 inches in length
2. Backpedal about 3/4 speed of full potential
3. Reach back with each step and pull weight over his feet just as though he were
running forward with his weight on the balls of his feet.
4. Raise feet only high enough from the ground to have the cleats clear the grass.
5. Do not overstride.
6. Both knees should be bent to permit the feet to extend back past the hips.
7. Keep the chin pulled down, the head and shoulders out in front of the forward
foot.
8. Move the arms in a normal relaxed manner with elbows at a 90 degree angle.
Move them in a pumping action. Kee the elbows in to the sides and don't cross
arms in front of body. 9. STAY in backpedal as long as possible. Usually 15
yards before turning and running.

Techniques for Man Coverage

1. Corner at 5 yards deep-keep 3 yard cushion. Too much can be worse.
2. Keep feet alive and active.
3. Do not allow flag or out
4. Do not go for inside fake. Slide with the fake and get in his hip pocket.
5. Take the outside fake. (Cover)
6. Do not lose outside position.
NEVER PEEK or look at QB. Stay with your man.
7. Whwn receiver looks, you look.
8. On inside cut- bump him and squeeze him in. Be on the top shoulder.

Denfensive Technique Numbering

8 967 5 4 4i 3 2 2i 101 2i 2 3 4i 4 5 769 8

 BASE ALIGNMENT

Left End - 6 technique Key TE Run to c-gap Run Away -Trail Pass- Contain

Right End - 5 Technique Attack tackle Run to -C Gap Run Away -Trail Pass
- contain

Left Tackle - 3 Technique Attack Guard Run to B Gap Run Away - Pursue
Pass - inside rush

Right Tackle - 2 eye Tech Attack guard Run to - A Gap Run away - Pursue
Pass - inside rush - Aiming point neck of center

SAM (strong side OSLB) Key - Near Back Run To - Alley Contain Run Away
- Cutback/counters Pass- Cover called Alignment 8 Tech

Mike (Strong side ILB) 2 eye Tech Key Guard to Back Run to - Read key
Run Away - Read Key Pass - Cover Called Has A Gap

Will (Weakside ILB) 3 Tech Key - Guard to Back Run to - Read Key
Has B Gap Run Away - Read Key Pass Cover called

Hawk (Weakside outside LB) Key Near Back Run to- Alley contain
Run Away-cutback/counter C GAP

4 Down Linemen key the ball. Attack man over on snap

Tackles must squeeze down on traps.

Outside LB Split Rule: Up to 4 yards, play normal. Greater than 4 yards-split
the difference and 5 yards off the LOS. Normal alignment is 2 wide and 4 deep.

If you are getting beat with Tackle in 2eye techique, move him to headup or 3
technique.
 Cover 2 vs Twins

Split difference-5 yards deep

7 yards deep

10-12 yards deep

cover 3 zone

5 yards 7 yards
8-10 yards

Trips Cover 3

Trips bump ILB out.

5 yds
7 yds
Curl Flat
 5 yd

7 yd

10 yd
 Definitions
Cover one - One man free
Cover 2 - Two deep Zone or Man
Cover 3 - Three deep zone
Cover 4 - vs Ace or spread set
Cover 5 - vs Twin set
Cover 6 - vs Trips

1 2
7
4
5-6

10-12

Corner 7 yard rule - If wideout is within 7 yds of the sideline, play headup or inside.

Pursuit in cover 3:
Playside corner- come up fast on the OUTSIDE on sweep. Keep outside arm free
and outside leg back.

Safety - Fill inside out on sweep. You have cutback if you take proper angle.
Stay one yard BEHIND runner in pursuit.

Backside Corner - Take proper pursuit angle.

 Cover 5 vs Twins. This can be an automatic call.
This is played with 2 deep

If they have twins and split

end- check to cover 3 flat

Right corner Jam SE with hands. Read #2. deep

If he breaks his pattern off- Play Flat
If #1 and #2 go vertical, take #1 deep

Can play Zone

 Cover 3 Roll
Good vs flood patterns, This can be an automatic call on certain sets. This will take
away the flood pattern.
Safety align up deep
enough so that he feels
comfotable covering deep
outside
Flat

Seam 7-15 yds

2/3 field
Deep outside

Vs Trips
Sam reads #2 & #3. If either goes flat, he goes flat.
If # 2 and #3 goes vertical (this covers all go) he goes vertical

Safety- If #3 goes flat - Rob #2 on seam. This covers the flood.

1 2 3

5 yd 5 yd

7 yd
7 yd SAM WILLIE

8-10 yd

corner safety
On flood-Sam has flat
Corner deep outside
Safety - seam
 Cover 1 (Man Free)
Corners have #1 Sam and Willie have #2
Safety is free
#2
#1
#2 #1
5 yd
5 yd

Willie
SAM

FREE

INSIDE LB's If not stunting-Back out of backfield (FB)

 Trips with Cover 3

Cover 2 Man under

Safeties have 1/2 field each

Safety split the distance of the receivers or go no further than the hash or one yard
inside the hash. Align 10 - 12 yards deep.
Corners- deny the slant. They can chase the receiver because they have help over top.

Two Deep-Play Man or Zone under

You can move 1 & 2 to LOS and fire them off corner. 3&4 take slots

1 2

3 4
 2 Deep - Play Man or Zone

Corners - 7 yds Read # 2

#2 goes flat take flat
#2 & #1 go vertical go vertical

Quarters

1/4 1/4
1/4 1/4

Motion

Easy way is to go to automatic Man or play Man on Right side and Zone on Left side.
You can stay and play Cover 3 or bump the OLB and ISLB out and play trip rules
where OLB reads #2 & #3

Linebackers bump
 Play trip Rules

Can play double slot rules.

 STUNTS
When calling stunts, you can call weak stunt, strong stunt, or both strong and weak.
You will then play Cover 1, Cover 2, or Cover Zero.
Stunt to the heels of offensive linemen.
TAB-Tackle/Backer
Can run one TAB (strong or weak)

One Tab Out

Tab Out
One Tab In

Red - Right Liz - Left

Skull in (Strong) Skull Out

Bones- Weak Out

Bone In Weak
Outsidside stunt man has contain.
 Combine the Two (Give this a name)
Skull in and Bones Out
Cover Zero

Bend- Backer and end

Fire (Outside LB) Fire to Near Back. Fire one or both

Slant to or away from formation

Slant Left
 Tiger In Tiger Out

Lightning In Strong Lightning OUT Weak

RAIN - Cover Zero This Tab Out=Bend

Thunder Cover Zero Ends hold up ends and then rush

 You can use this combination of two stunts
One Tab Out Strong Fire Weak

Stunts vs Option
On this stunt, they can go on the snapor I liked it when they would read and go now. Yo
this to one side or both sides.

Dive
Dive QB
QB

Pitch Pitch

OLB cheat up to LOS and on the snap step with the inside foot to the hip of TE
aiming for near back. Come hard.

Pitch
QB Dive
pitch
QB

Dive
 Dive Pitch

QB

Blitz Out Cover One

#2 #2

#1 #1
Free

A Few ideas vs Trips

Cover Zero

TE Man

FS C C
 CoverZero

TE Man

FS C C

VS Spread Cover Zero

SPY
5 yds Deep
5 yds Deep

This can be an automatic call

#2
SPY

Other Looks from 4-4 Defense

 Throwing out A SHORT YARDAGE DEFENSE
60 Short Yardage Base
Call off in Twin or Trips

60 Double A
T's Gap
ILB B Gap
E's Step to shoulder of TE-c Gap
OLBers-Step Cross over plant. Contain
B E E B

60 Double B
T's - B Gap Move to headup
ILB - A GAP
E's - Same
ROLB - Same
LOLB - Fire or Walkaway
60 single strong A

RT Moves to 2 technique

60 A Weak
Left Tackle moves to 2 technique