Special thanks to Tom Bradley, Defensive Coordinator at Penn State, for his assistance with this article.

Goal Line Defense vs. Wing Formation t Penn State, we stress the following principles when we teach goal line defense: 1. Stay low. 2. Don't get reached. 3. Any shift, the corner must adjust. If already out on a wide receiver, then the Hero (SS) or the Free Safety must adjust. 4. Versus a full house backfield, the C (corner) will align in the middle of the formation and handle all motion. He takes the fullback. He also adjusts to any shift or motion. 5. Versus a Power I formation, the C adjusts and treats the offset power back like a flanker but aligns inside the formation. 6. The S (Sam LB) must stop the release of the Tight End. He must close down versus the down block. He must fill versus run to him. He must rush the passer on a pass and he must contain. He must be alert for the swing pass. If not confronted by a close back, he must play a tough technique. 7. The Backer (B) must learn to play inside outside coverage with the near defender. 8. If the Sam L is anchored, inside-outside coverage must be used.

defender must stay with him because of whip routes where a receiver bends in or out and them pivots and goes back to where he came from. Once a switch has been made, the coverage responsibility becomes definite. No further switching. Points of Emphasis for 99 Banjo (Banjo is an inside outside combination coverage.) 1. Ends control outside edge and tackles are inside. 2. Sam is outside edge anchor technique on TE. 3. B's and H and F's play banjo coverage. 4. Move the line versus unbalanced offensive line. (Continued...please page forward using yellow arrows at top of page.)

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(Basic Banjo) 1. Retard release of Y hitting through outside chest. 2. Alert take far back on swing pattern your way. Defend "C" gap. Defend "A" gap.

9. Facing play action full flow teams, Banjo is better! 10. Always try to find an opponent tendency. 99 Banjo A base goal line package we use is 99 Banjo. 99 is the front and Banjo is the coverage. There are some key points to remember about banjo coverage in the goal line area. This is simply an inside outside type of combination coverage where receivers are passed off to the defensive players in adjacent zones. Once a player has been passed to the defender in the next zone that Recommended Resources from Coaches Choice Video/s Goal Line Defense by Steve Szabo

B 1. Banjo coverage C 1. Man cover X H/FS 1. Banjo coverage

2. Control B gap. 2. Force taking on.

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Variations of Goal Line Defense

End zone view of 99 Defense Formation Adjustments in the Goal Line Package: 1. 3 Back Rule Corner handles all motions and shifts. 2. 2 Back Rule Corner handles all receiver motions. 3. 1 Back Rule Linebackers adjust to formation. Go to corner: Trips Go away from corner: Doubles Rotate Coverage These are the fundamental zones of our goal line coverage package. We use five basic zones if the pass is a drop back pocket pass. We use four zones if there is a flow pass. Man coverage can be utilized based on the Rotate coverage rules. Study the diagrams of Rotate Coverage for lineup rules versus various formations.
Click here for Goalline Coverage Reactions.

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Be sure to click on the video links in the QuickTime movie box to see the coaching points of goal line defense.

Rotate (9 tech) - (Bolt) Play the back (Thunder) 6 Technique/Play the Tight End man to man Rotate (5 tech) - (In) Prowl to head up and do an in to the B gap. (Out) play C gap. Rotate, A gap, don't get reached. (In) A gap tighter. (Out) prowl to head up and get into the B gap. Rotate, B gap to - over the top away. (Thunder) Scrape. (Bolt) Shoot A gap. Start everything from a 3 tech. Rotate-Rotate to Flow. In or Out, cover most dangerous #1 owner technique. Sky of Fill on run in (Thunder) and (Bolt).

QuickTime Movies Goal Line Defense (811KB) Goal Line Defense (776KB) Download The Required QuickTime PlugIn for FREE.

Rotate-Flat on Flow to you, roll if away. H/FS (Thunder) - you have the C gap (AP is four yds. behind QB). (Bolt), you have the T.E.