Category Archives: Defensive Fronts

Football Coaching Videos on YouTube

Free Football Coaching Videos on YouTube

So I just thought, for all those coaches who don’t know, that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world behind Google. That means, if you’re looking for free football drills, football technique information, or football x’s and o’s or strategic insight, YouTube is a great resource. Heck, it’s even a great resource for getting an idea on a football video that you may order. Tog (from CoachHuey) posts some great youtube football video content through his Twitter Account. There are a lot of other great football coaches on YouTube who are putting out a ton of videos…

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Fritz Shurmur’s Eagle 5 Linebacker Defense

This is a guest post by my good friend Joby Turner, who wrote an earlier post for Strong Football on offensive football formations and play calling.

Fritz Shurmur’s Eagle 5 Linebacker Defense

As you read the title, you may be thinking “What the heck is this defense?” Well, I felt the same way when I took over as the JV Defensive Coordinator at my current school. The first thing I thought was “How old is this crap?” and the second was “Why do we need 5 Linebackers?” When I first started looking at the defense, I wondered what had I gotten myself into. Each…

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Coaching Defensive Football – Simple Defense

Coaching Football Defense – Keep It Simple Stupid

Football coaches today constantly discuss the growing complexities of defensive football. You hear it all the time on ESPN and when you hear offensive football coaches speak at football clinics. But here is the bottom line, some of best defenses, at any level, have been those that keep it simple. I think this applies especially at the high school level.

Discipline and Technique is Key

As a football coach, I’ve noticed a growing trend. The best athletes need to play on defense. Now, that’s not to say he can’t have a role on offense if he is the most electric player…

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Defensive Gap Exchange

Gap Exchange between Defensive Linemen, Linebackers, and Safeties

Gap exchange in defensive football occurs between defensive linemen, linebackers and safeties is a critical element for many over fronts and under fronts.

Gap Exchange: Block Down Step Down

The basic gap exchange concept begins at the defensive linemen level, where the defensive linemen responds to a down block by an offensive linemen or tight end. The linemen is likely taught the theory of block down step down, where if the linemen blocks inside he must step inside, disrupt said linemens path, and spill kickout blocks.

The linemen, given the block down step down rule, cannot play his original gap. In essense,…

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4-3 Defensive Line Play

4-3 Defensive Line Play Skills and Reads

The next part in the series is available here: 4-3 Defensive Line Drills.

Perhaps the most critical component of the 4-3 is the defensive line. As with any defense, if you can create pressure with your defensive linemen, your chances of success increase tremendously. At a clinic in Chicago, I had the pleasure of hearing Wisconsin’s DL coach, Charlie Partridge. Talk about a technician. Wisconsin’s DL is inspiring, and while this past season they had JJ Watt, they routinely have exceptional players.

  Wisconsin is, by definition, a 4-3 Over front defense. They like to…

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