THE RIGHT FIT

Building A Sound, Simple Defensive Scheme At The Youth level

Coach William Mitchell Defensive Coordinator Ardrey Kell High School Charlotte, NC

Why do we coach? How do we gauge success? What should kids get from our program?
I want the kids to learn to play safe, sound fundamental football in an enjoyable environment.
I can gauge my success by how many of my players want to play again next year.

Recommendations
Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx Inside Out Coaching by Joe Ehrmann Full Throttle Online Grid Notes (http://playfullthrottle.com)

(http://gridironnotes.blogspot.com)

Coach Huey

(http://coachhuey.com)

Fundamentals of Defense
ALIGNMENT
PURSUIT TACKLING
If you do these things well, scheme doesnt matter

ALIGNMENT
90% of playing good defense is lining up correctly Protect your edges and your back end. Place your best players in these spots For us, these are the BANDITs & the FS Stay Gap Sound Definite assignments = Play Fast!

PURSUIT
Not as natural for kids today Emphasize Effort! Angles & Spatial Awareness can come later Pass Pursuits / Wall Pursuits / Quick Pursuits

TACKLING
Most important thing that you can teach Use a definite progression. -Be patient -Allow the players to build confidence -Avoid mismatches Head Up / Chest Up / Garbage Up! See What You Hit!

SITUATIONS
What situations do I need to have a plan for? What types of offensive attacks will we see?

Different age groups / Different needs

SITUATIONS
Base Fronts sound vs run and pass Stopping Power Run 2RBs / 1 or more TEs Stopping Spread Pass 1RB / 1 or less TEs Stopping Spread Run 1 RB / 1 or less TEs Short Yardage Extra Long Yardage Goal-Line

THINGS TO CONSIDER
You may be able to combine some situations. (Short Yardage / Power Run) You want to make the defense extremely simple for 9 or 10 positions Have 1 or 2 positions make all complicated adjustments. (Coachs son,
more experienced, etc.)

In our scheme the MIKE LB & the WILL LB are the adjustors. Be able to tinker with match-ups. (Spy QB,
etc)

BASE FRONTS
Your BASE front should be sound vs Run or Pass This should be the front your players know best. It is the most comfortable for them. This is what you fall back on when times are tough. I like to use a 5-3 and a 6-2 as my BASE fronts. The MIKE LB is the only player using a different technique. BANDITs use SPLIT rules.

BASE 5 - 3
Q

B C

E S

N M W

FS

BASE 6 - 2
Q

B C FS

W
C

STOPPING POWER RUNNING ATTACKS

Use vs 2 or more RBs / 1 or more TEs All linemen use Gap techniques and Penetrate! The MIKE LB is the only player using a different technique. You can look at a 7-3 or an 8 2 Front.

7 3 Front
Q

FS

7 3 Front
Q

FS

8 - 2 Front
Q

E S

M W

FS

8 - 2 Front
Q

FS

E S

M W

STOPPING SPREAD ATTACKS

Is the opponent a Spread-to-Run or a Spread-to-Pass team? Is the QB a threat to run? Who is the QBs favorite target? We like to look at a 5-2 or a 6-1 look The WILL LB and the MIKE LB are the adjustors

5-2
Q

E B C S

N M

B C

FS

5-2
Q

E B C FS S

N M

B C

6-1
Q

E B C

N S

B C

FS

6-1
Q

E B C FS

N S

B C

SPECIAL SITUATIONS
In short yardage, I would look at some of the fronts we used vs Power Run with coverage adjustments. In long yardage, I would look at some of the fronts we used vs Spread also with some coverage adjustments.

In Goal-Line, I like to use a Gap-8 type alignment. In our Victory defense, I like a backed up version

6 - 2 GAP Front
Q

vs Short Yardage

B S C

M W C FS

6 - 2 GAP Front
Q

vs Short Yardage

B S C

B W C

FS

5 2 vs Extra Long
Q

E B S

N M

C FS W

5 2 vs Extra Long
Q

E S

N M C

FS

Gap 8 Front

in Goal Line

B C

X C

Gap 8 Front

in Goal Line
Q

B C

B C

VICTORY Defense
Q

N M B

FS

CONTACT INFO

Coach William Mitchell Defensive Coordinator Ardrey Kell High School Charlotte, NC wmitchell473@gmail.com