DEFENSIVE FRONT TERMINOLOGY

DEFENSIVE TECHNIQUES AND GAP IDENTIFICATION

0 2 4 6
1 2i 3 4i 5 7 9

F Y
“4” GAP “3” GAP “2” GAP “1” GAP “A” GAP “B” GAP “C” GAP “D” GAP

N T OVER FRONT – STRONG SIDE REDUCTION WITH A 3 TECH

Y STRONG SIDE, AND A 1 TECH WEAK SIDE

UNDER FRONT – WEAK SIDE REDUCTION WITH A 3 TECH WEAK

T N
Y
SIDE, AND A 1 TECH STRONG SIDE

M
EVEN FRONT – CENTER UNCOVERED WITH MIKE LINEBACKER
T T
Y
IN THE MIDDLE

M CLEAR FRONT – CENTER UNCOVERED WITH MIKE LINEBACKER

T T
Y IN A PLUS OR MINUS LOCATION

“JAM”
BEAR (CUB) FRONT – CENTER AND BOTH GUARDS COVERED
E T T
(ALERT “JAM” CALL BY OC)
Y

W M
OKIE FRONT – 3-4 PERSONNEL WITH 3 DOWN LINEMEN AND 4
J E N E S
LINEBACKERS
Y

N T WIDE – DT ALIGNED WIDER THAN NORMAL (4i) IN AN OVER

Y DEFENSE

N T E S LOOSE – DE ALIGNED WIDER THAN NORMAL (7 OR 6) WITH

Y SAM ON LOS, IN AN OVER DEFENSE

ODD – TERM USED TO DESCRIBE 2 GUARD BUBBLES IN A

E N E
NICKEL DEFENSE
Y

W M S SWIM – 3 LINEBACKERS IN THE BOX ALIGNED OVER BOTH

OFFENSIVE TACKLES AND CENTER
Y

(COX) (COY)
N N
COY – NOSE TACKLE COCKED TO STRONG SIDE

Y
COX – NOSE TACKLE COCKED TO WEAK SIDE
 LINEBACKER FRONT TERMINOLOGY

SINK – SAM LINEBACKER ALIGNED 3-4 YARDS DEEP IN OT

BUBBLE TO STRONG SIDE
WINK – WILL LINEBACKER ALIGNED 3-4 YARDS DEEP IN OT
WINK (+) SINK BUBBLE TO WEAK SIDE
(STEM)
POINT – DEFENDER ALIGNED OVER THE TE ON THE LOS
WILL MUG POINT (+) – MIKE LINEBACKER ALIGNED OUTSIDE THE “A” GAP IN AN
Y OVER DEFENSE
MUG – INSIDE LINEBACKER WALKED UP ON THE INTERIOR
LOS, FEET ARE EVEN OR INSIDE DL
STEM – LINEBACKER OR FRONT SHIFTING FROM ONE FRONT
TO ANOTHER DURING CADENCE

WILL E N E WILL – LINEBACKER ALIGNMENT IN A 3 DOWN NICKEL FRONT

Y WHEN THE WILL LINEBACKER IS ON THE LOS

E N E SAM SAM – LINEBACKER ALIGNMENT IN A 3 DOWN NICKEL FRONT

Y WHEN THE SAM LINEBACKER IS ON THE LOS

DOS – IDENTIFIES AN OPEN SIDE OVER HANG IN A DEFENSIVE

WILL E
Y FRONT

E T RHINO (WEAK) – IDENTIFIES A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN ALIGNED

Y ON THE OT AND ANOTHER DEFENSIVE
LINEMAN OUTSIDE OF HIM.

T E RHINO (STRONG) – IDENTIFIES A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

Y ALIGNED ON THE OT AND ANOTHER
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OUTSIDE OF HIM.
 LINEBACKER LOCATIONS

HIP – LINEBACKER OUTSIDE DEFENSIVE END OR

WALK HIP
TIGHT END OFF OF THE LOS 3-4 YARDS

WALK – LINEBACKER WALKED OUT BETWEEN OT OR

TE AND WR OFF OF LOS

SECONDARY ALIGNMENTS

SIN – STRONG SAFETY WITHIN 7 YDS OF LOS IN

STRONGSIDE OT BUBBLE

FIN – FREE SAFETY WITHIN 7 YDS OF LOS IN

WEAKSIDE OT BUBBLE

SUP – STRONG SAFETY OUTSIDE DE OR TE OFF OF

THE LOS 3-4 YDS

FUP FIN (7 YDS) (7 YDS)

SIN SUP FUP – FREE SAFETY OUTSIDE DE OR TE OFF OF
THE LOS 3-4 YDS

CON FON POINT SON

(ON LOS)
Y (ON LOS) SON – STRONG SAFETY ON LOS STRONG SIDE
OUTSIDE THE DE OR TE

FON – FREE SAFETY ON LOS WEAK SIDE OUTSIDE

THE DE OR TE

CON – CORNER UP ON THE LOS OUTSIDE THE DE

OR TE (USUALLY IN A SLOT SET)

POINT – DEFENDER ALIGNED OVER THE TE ON THE

LOS