Playing a 4-2-5 Defense

Lee-Davis High School

Confederate Football
Jason Meade
Head Football Coach
Lee-Davis High School
meade@leedavisfootball.com
804.513.2460
www.leedavisfootball.com
 Chuck Noll
Head Coach
Pittsburg Steelers
1969 - 1991
If you want to win, do the ordinary
things better than anyone else does –
day in and day out. We’re not going to
fool people or outscheme them. We’re
just going to out play them. Because
we’ll know what we’re doing. When we
get into a critical situation, we won’t
have to think. We’ll play fast and
fundamentally sound.
 BUILD
ƒ The deeper the foundation, the stronger
the individual
– This applies to life, academics, and football
ƒ The goal is for each player to be at his
best on the final play of his football
career
– We will build on each rep, drill, practice, and
game
– Constant improvement
 BUILD
ƒ The product of our profession is
BUILDING successful lives
ƒ The byproduct of our profession is
winning football games
– The little things make this possible
ƒ Our role as coaches is to take our
players to a level that was not possible
for them to achieve on their own
 Team Defense
ƒ Desire – Relentless pursuit
ƒ Team Defense
ƒ Know your role, understand your fits
ƒ Control what you can control
ƒ Defensive Standards:
ƒ 1. Intelligent
ƒ 2. Hostile
ƒ 3. Tough
ƒ 4. Relentless
ƒ Pack Mentality – Takeaways
ƒ Spill Everything – Great Angles (Inside out)
 4 -2 -5
ƒ Started as an answer to two TE formations
ƒ Allowed us to be balanced
ƒ Allows us to be multiple
ƒ Even Front
ƒ Under Front
ƒ Odd Front
ƒ Allows us to get 9 players involved in the run
game
ƒ Our #1 Goal is to stop the Run
ƒ Allowed up to keeps thing simple
 4 -2 -5
ƒ STOP THE RUN
ƒ We always work to get both Inside
Linebackers on the playside
– B Gap and a Free Hitter
– Run to daylight

ƒ We always want to force the pass deep

and outside
– Corners play with inside leverage
 Principles of Pursuit
ƒ Accountability
– We will be accountable to each other. All members of the defensive team will
develop tremendous pride in the great effort that they give on every play.
ƒ Respect
– Intense effort will bring about a sense of respect and accomplishment from
within. This will create a bond between you and your teammates that is built
on mutual respect, and these feelings will permeate through our defensive
unit.
ƒ Aggressive attitude
– There is no question that intense effort leads to an aggressive style of play.
We will take tremendous pride in swarming to the football. This will have an
intimidating effect on the ball carrier. Nothing is more demoralizing to a ball
carrier than having to un-pile from under five defenders after every play, with
the other six defenders forming a wall around him.
ƒ Confidence
– The blend of accountability, respect, and aggressive play will lead to a strong
synergy within our defense. The combination of these qualities will lead to
success and with success comes confidence.
 Base Package
ƒ Fronts ƒ Coverages
– Base – 4-2-5 – Cover 3
– Under – Under Front – Robber
– Stack – 3-3 Stack – Cover 4 / Double Robber
– Cover 1 / 0
ƒ Tags – Cover 3 Roll (Strong)
– G
– X ƒ Disguises
– Wide – Buzz
– UP – Sugar
– Prowl
ƒ Stunts and Blitzes – Move
 Gaps
A

Y
D C B A A B C D

“Lucky” Call
 Techniques
A

Y T G G T Y

9 6i 5 4i 3 2i 0 2i 3 4i 5 6i 9
6 4 2 1 1 2 4 6
 Communication
ƒ There is no huddle
ƒ Everyone looks for the signals
– Mike may echo the call to the front
ƒ Moving away from this practice
– Dog will give the Down and Distance
ƒ Stud will make a “RODGER” or “LUCKY” call
ƒ The strength is determined by the TE
ƒ If there is no TE, then to the side with the most recievers
ƒ If it is balanced, usually a “LUCKY” call
– Strength may be based on the back
ƒ There is no separate passing-strength call
Base
 Base
vs. Pro

Z Q

Y X

E T N A
6i 2i 2i 5
J R
3x3 S M 4x3
C 30 30
1x7 C
1x7
D
8-10

“Lucky” Call
 Base Responsiblities
ƒ End and Axe
– 6i or 5, C Gap, Chase into
the line, Dive, O/S Rush
lane - Contain pass rusher
– Axe may cock
ƒ Stud and Mike
– 30, toes at 4, B Gap, Free
Hitter, QB, Based on
Coverage
ƒ Dog
– 7-8 yards deep
ƒ Tackle and Nasty
– 2i, A Gap, Chase into the
line, Dive, I/S Rush lane
ƒ Jack and Rover
– 3x3 or 4x3, Force Player,
Fold for Cutback-Boot-
Reverse, Pitch
ƒ Corner
– 1x7, inside
ƒ Depth depends on ability
 Base
vs. Pro

Z Q

Y X

E T N A
C A A C
J R
D S M D
C Force B B Force
Secondary C
Force Secondary
D Force
Alley

“Lucky” Call
 Base
vs. Spread

Q A

Z H

Y X

E T N A
5 2i 2i 5
J R
3 x Apex S M 3 x Apex
C 30 30
1x7 C
1x7
D
10
“Lucky” Call
 Base 3 vs Option
ƒ Base responsibilities:
– Tackle and Nasty – Dive
– End and Axe – Dive (Spill everything)
– Stud and Mike – QB
– Jack and Rover – Pitch
– Dog – QB to Pitch, Fit-in
– Corners – Secondary/Late Pitch

ƒ Responsibilities change with the coverage

 Base 3
Run Fits and Pursuit Angles

Z Q
Force Y X
Secondary
Force Alley
E T N A
J R
S M
C
C
Deep D
Pursuit
Angle
“Lucky” Call
 Base G
A

Z Q

Y X

E T N A
6i 3 2i 2i 5
J R
3x3 S M 3x4
C 30 30
1x7 C
1x7
D
8-10

“Lucky” Call
 Base X
A

Z Q

Y X

E T N A
6i 2i 2i 3 5
J R
3x3 S M 3x4
C 30 30
1x7 C
1x7
D
8-10

“Lucky” Call
 Base Wide
A

Z Q

Y X

E T N A
6i 3 2i 2i 3 5
J R
3x3 S M 3x4
C 30 30
1x7 C
1x7
D
8-10

“Lucky” Call
Under
 Under
vs. Pro

Z Q

Y X

J E T N A
9 5 1 3 Loose
5 R
S M 4x3
30 20
C
1x7 C
D 1x7
8-10

“Lucky” Call
 Under
vs. 3R

Z Q

Y X

E T N A
5 1 3 Loose
J 5 R
3 x Apex S M 4x3
30 20

C
C D 1x7
1x7 8-10

“Lucky” Call
 Stack
vs. Spread

Q
B

Z A

Y X

E N A
5 0 5
J R
3 x Apex 3 x Apex
S B M
40 00 40
C C
1x7 1x7
D
10
“Lucky” Call
 Blitzes
ƒ COMMUNICATION IS KEY
ƒ Practice versus cans and bags
ƒ Teach the linebackers to blitz a 1/3 of a
man
ƒ Dip and Rip
ƒ Body Positon
ƒ Run mostly with 3 (Cover 3)
 Base Stud 3
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J R
S M
C “Stud”
C
C/F Hook C/F
D

1/3 1/3

1/3
 Base Mike 3
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J R
S M
C “Mike”
C
C/F Hook C/F
D

1/3 1/3

1/3
 Base Sam 3
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J R
S M
C “Stud” “Mike”
C
C/F C/F
D

1/3 1/3

1/3
 Base Guts 3
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J R
S M
C “Guts” “Guts”
2nd 1st C
C/F C/F
D

1/3 1/3

1/3
 Base Jack 3
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J R
“Jack” S M
C

C
C/F
H/C D H/C

1/3 1/3

1/3
 Base Jack Man
“Lucky” Call
B

A
Z
Q
Y X
E T N A

R
J
C “Bump”
“Jack” #2 Wk
S M
#1 Str Back
“Go” Back C
D #1 Wk
#2 Str

“Bump”
Communicate
 Base Rover 3
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J R
S M “Rover”
C

C
C/F

H/C D H/C

1/3 1/3

1/3
 Base Junior Man
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J Share Backs R
C “Jack” S M “Rover”
#1 Str
C
#1 Wk

D
#2 Str

Communicate
Blitzes
 Base Jessie Man
“Lucky” Call
B

A
Z
Q
Y X
E T N A

R
J
C “Jack” #2 Wk
S M
#1 Str “Stud” Back
C
D #1 Wk
#2 Str

Communicate
 Base Rambo Man
“Lucky” Call
B

A
Z
Q
Y X
E T N A

J R
C #2 Str S M “Rover” C
#1 Str Back “Mike” #1 Wk
D
#2 Wk

Communicate
 Base Stack 3
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J R
S M
C “Stack”
C
C/F Hook C/F
D

1/3 1/3

1/3
 Base Money 3
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J R
S M
C “Money”
C
C/F Hook C/F
D

1/3 1/3

1/3
 Base Monster 3
“Lucky” Call
A
B

Z
Q
Y X

E T N A

J R
S M
C “Stack” “Money”
C
C/F C/F
D

1/3 1/3

1/3
Playing a 4-2-5 Defense
Lee-Davis High School
Confederate Football
Jason Meade
Head Football Coach
Lee-Davis High School
meade@leedavisfootball.com
804.513.2460
www.leedavisfootball.com