Youth Football Coaching: Direction Of Basic Defense

One of the most important things that we teach in our youth football coaching program is to know the direction of basic defense. This is something we focus on specifically at our youth football coaching site. This is because if you know the direction of basic defense and apply it in your coaching program, the outcome is that you are most likely to become successful in any youth football game. In our youth football coaching program, we teach our team the fast way to defend and how to defend.

In our youth football coaching program, we have what we call the 5-3 defense. For us, this is the most effective direction of basic defense that you can have. This kind of defense would consist of 8 people: we have 5 down line men and then 3 line backers (defensive backers). These defensive backers usually go to the left, and they must have a striker. Now, the purpose of this defense is to have 8 people as the most technique-sound people: they do not need to be the biggest, nor the fastest; they just have to cover the outside and the inside. And if somebody will pass right at you, then worry not, because you will be in the right position to defend!

The important players in this kind of defense are the Nose Guard (or Nose Tackle), Line Backer and the Tackle. In our youth football coaching program, the Nose Guard is placed in the center area (who acts as the A gap); the Line Backer has the back side A and C, and they do the running (who acts as the B gap); and the Tackle has the back side B (who acts as the C gap). As for the nose guards and the tackles, they will use the technique that become the discipline that they use in the field. They always let the inside leg up (towards the ball). The line men are all linebackers. They do the same footwork drills and the same technique. It should always be remembered that the first step is always to their gap and try to reach the back side back.