February 13, 2017 · 7:27 AM

A pictoral guide to defensive front alignments

If you’re like me, a visual learner who finds it easier to understand a concept with graphics than simply words on a page, then you’ll probably find the information at this link helpful.

8 Comments

Filed under Strategery And Mechanics

8 responses to “A pictoral guide to defensive front alignments”

  1. AusDawg85
    February 13, 2017 at 10:22 AM

    Good stuff. What’s the technique called for rising up, looking at the sidelines with your arms waving wondering what you’re supposed to do?

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Just Chuck (The Other One)
    February 13, 2017 at 10:29 AM

    Thanks, Senator. One of the things that keeps me watching college football is that there is always something to learn. These posts may not collect as many responses as some of the others but, for me, this is one of the more important things you do.

    Like

  3. South FL Dawg
    February 13, 2017 at 10:30 AM

    Thanks, now I’ve got football on the brain. It’s going to be a good week.

    Like

  4. Mayor
    February 13, 2017 at 12:55 PM

    This is great but it makes my head hurt.

    Like

  5. CB
    February 13, 2017 at 4:57 PM

    I don’t dispute a man with 30 years of coaching experience, but I learned the following: inside shade on the TE is a 7 technique, head up on the TE is a 6 technique, and outside shade on the TE is a 9 technique (guess what position I played).

    The order of those numbers never made any sense to me, but I was told “that’s just how it’s always been.” Furthermore, that labeling system was pretty standard around Georgia High School Football at least during the early 2000’s, and I’m pretty sure we used the same numbering in college. This is just FYI, not to muddy the waters, but I’d be willing to bet some of the old school coaches in both college and high school still do it the way I was taught.

    Like

    • abbeyrhodes
      February 13, 2017 at 10:06 PM

      CB, You’re pretty much right. Evens are head up and odds are shades, but it starts from the guard and goes out. Techniques over the center, in the schematic that you learned are: 0 = head-up and anything “on” the center, but not head up is either shaded weak or strong based on the formation.
      Conventional 8-man fronts (4-3, 4-4) use a 5 on the weak side in a single TE set. A 9 on the TE side is generally a feature of a true 4-3. Gap control defenses like a 5-3 would shade the center, put Mike in A the other A gap and run 3s (outside eye of guard) and 4i (inside eye of the tackle) and give different looks by shifting those personnel based on where the nose was – head up, shaded weak or strong, etc.

      Like

      • CB
        February 13, 2017 at 10:48 PM

        Yeah, I forgot to mention the 5 outside shade on the tackle. Pretty much the same thing as the 7 when you’re calling it on the strong side.

        Like