If you're an old school football coach chances are that you're sentimental about the Tight End formation. With a lot of youth football programs now implementing a spread formation as part of their passing attack the Tight End formation is not as popular as it used to be but still can be a very effective football offence especially against the popular 4-3 and 3-4 defenses.
One of the hardest things about the Tight End formation is finding the type of player that would be a good Tight End. Ideally, you would want a tall athletic player with decent speed but also tough and strong enough to play as part of the offensive line and block both linebackers and defensive ends and tackles. The biggest factor is that they have to be able to catch the football and most of the time it means catching the ball in close proximity of defensive backs and linebackers. Overall, these types of players are difficult to find at the youth and high school football levels.
One of the things a Tight End formation will do especially against a solid run stopping 4-3 defense is that it will effectively spread out the box a little bit more and create better blocking angles for your offensive linemen and with wider splits create good running lanes for your athletic tailback. The most potent thing about a Tight End is their stealth ability to hang in there with a block on short yardage and then pop out and catch a short quick pass for a first down. This is a very effective play at all levels of football, the defense becomes so wrapped up in stopping the run on short yardage or goal line situations that a lot of times they forget about the Tight End until he's celebrating in the end zone.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
4-3 Defense vs. 3-4 Defense
Two of the most popular football defenses that are being implemented today in youth and high school football are the 4-3 defense and the 3-4 defense. Both defences have their advantages and disadvantages,but how do they compare, and which one is better for your program?
Like everything else in your football system your personnel will determine which the best defense for your school. The 4-3 has the extra defensive tackle in the box so ideally you would need 4 quality defensive linemen. This can be hard to do especially at the high school level. Compared to the 3-4 defenses, the 4-3 is more of a power defense that puts a lot of bodies in the box. It is a solid run stopping defense that is designed to allow your middle linebacker to flow to the football basically untouched as offensive linemen have a hard time getting to the second level of linebackers as a result of the extra linemen on the line of scrimmage. A key component of this defense is that the defensive ends on the edge have to be strong athletes as they should have good size to battle with the larger offensive tackles as well as good speed in order to maintain their contain responsibility. Again, finding two of these types of players at the high school level is tough.
In passing situations the 4-3 is vulnerable to the spread offence as one or two of the middle linebackers could be pulled out into coverage leaving one middle linebacker. Against a solid trapping team they could expose this one middle linebacker by getting their guard down on him while trapping the defensive end.
The 3-4 defense has only 3 defensive linemen in the box but has an extra linebacker. This linebacker can be used to go out into coverage or to blitz. The drawback of the 3-4 defense is that you have to have a solid nose tackle that is strong enough to withstand and hold a double team block. This is the key to this whole defense. If the nose tackle cannot handle the double team and play two gap responsibility, then this defense is done! The appealing part of this defense is its ability to be able to attack the offence multiple ways and directions. It is not a read and react defence compared to the 4-3 but an attack defense that is successful because of the pressure it brings along with having good downfield coverage. Most 3-4 schemes are gap attackers so can be hard to run on as well. Another drawback is that with this pressure,its easy to become too predictable and give a good offensive co-coordinator a chance to exploit your blitz.
When choosing which defense to run my advice would be to evaluate your team personnel and determine what type of players you have and then go from there. I find if you have an athletic bunch but lack size and strength, the gap attacking 3-4 defense may be the best fit. As well, if you find your group has good size and strength but lack an abundance of athletic players, perhaps you're more suited to play the 4-3 defense.
Cheers!
Like everything else in your football system your personnel will determine which the best defense for your school. The 4-3 has the extra defensive tackle in the box so ideally you would need 4 quality defensive linemen. This can be hard to do especially at the high school level. Compared to the 3-4 defenses, the 4-3 is more of a power defense that puts a lot of bodies in the box. It is a solid run stopping defense that is designed to allow your middle linebacker to flow to the football basically untouched as offensive linemen have a hard time getting to the second level of linebackers as a result of the extra linemen on the line of scrimmage. A key component of this defense is that the defensive ends on the edge have to be strong athletes as they should have good size to battle with the larger offensive tackles as well as good speed in order to maintain their contain responsibility. Again, finding two of these types of players at the high school level is tough.
In passing situations the 4-3 is vulnerable to the spread offence as one or two of the middle linebackers could be pulled out into coverage leaving one middle linebacker. Against a solid trapping team they could expose this one middle linebacker by getting their guard down on him while trapping the defensive end.
The 3-4 defense has only 3 defensive linemen in the box but has an extra linebacker. This linebacker can be used to go out into coverage or to blitz. The drawback of the 3-4 defense is that you have to have a solid nose tackle that is strong enough to withstand and hold a double team block. This is the key to this whole defense. If the nose tackle cannot handle the double team and play two gap responsibility, then this defense is done! The appealing part of this defense is its ability to be able to attack the offence multiple ways and directions. It is not a read and react defence compared to the 4-3 but an attack defense that is successful because of the pressure it brings along with having good downfield coverage. Most 3-4 schemes are gap attackers so can be hard to run on as well. Another drawback is that with this pressure,its easy to become too predictable and give a good offensive co-coordinator a chance to exploit your blitz.
When choosing which defense to run my advice would be to evaluate your team personnel and determine what type of players you have and then go from there. I find if you have an athletic bunch but lack size and strength, the gap attacking 3-4 defense may be the best fit. As well, if you find your group has good size and strength but lack an abundance of athletic players, perhaps you're more suited to play the 4-3 defense.
Cheers!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Decrease your 40 yard Dash Time: Developing Killer Speed
Speed is the difference between an average athlete and a great athlete. Decreasing your 40 yard dash time in football and becoming faster makes an average football player good and a good football player great. That's why speed, for any football player, or any athlete for the most part is a good investment. There is a common misconception that people are born with speed. But speed can be developed and enhanced through proper training and conditioning!
Football players are competitive by nature and cannot stand being outrun by a faster athlete. It's frustrating when it happens but that can all change! There's an amazing new book called Developing Killer Speed. This e-book is designed for athletes from the high school level to the professional level and can decrease your forty yard dash time by .2 seconds in 8 weeks.
How did they do it?
By following a simple formula that anyone can easily use to increase their speed and decrease their times. This instant download e-book Developing Killer Speed reveals it all and for only $39.95 gives you a risk free guarantee.
Develope Killer Speed
Football players are competitive by nature and cannot stand being outrun by a faster athlete. It's frustrating when it happens but that can all change! There's an amazing new book called Developing Killer Speed. This e-book is designed for athletes from the high school level to the professional level and can decrease your forty yard dash time by .2 seconds in 8 weeks.
How did they do it?
By following a simple formula that anyone can easily use to increase their speed and decrease their times. This instant download e-book Developing Killer Speed reveals it all and for only $39.95 gives you a risk free guarantee.
Develope Killer Speed
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Football Keys: Open Field Tackling and Special Teams
When looking for special team players one of the main skills you are looking for from your players is their ability to make open field tackles. One thing that I have learned over the years as a specialty teams coach is that you cannot hide players on these teams that do not have the ability to make open field tackles otherwise you are setting yourself and the player up for failure.
Usually failure on a special team results in giving up a touchdown.
When you consider that the opposing punt/kick-off returner is probably their best and fastest athlete you need to counter on your special team with your very best athletes and tacklers. Not only are they solid tacklers but they are also smart football players that know how to contain and tackle the opposing returners. One of the things that good special team players do when pursuing the returner in the open field is to take away one of his running options. They will do this by breaking down on the returners inside shoulder as they meet in open field and only giving the returner one option and that is to go outside.
A lot of times you'll hear the term in special teams to" use the sideline as your friend". In other words you take away the inside cutback of the returner by shading inside and push the returner hard to the sideline where you either run him out of bounds or force him to turn North /South as he approaches the sideline, right back towards your player where he has the advantage of making the tackle. Simply by being smart and using the sideline boundary to his advantage the player is able to effectively tackle a more agile athlete by taking away the inside cutback and forcing him to the sideline where he has to turn up field and either runs out of room or is tackled.
Cheers!
Usually failure on a special team results in giving up a touchdown.
When you consider that the opposing punt/kick-off returner is probably their best and fastest athlete you need to counter on your special team with your very best athletes and tacklers. Not only are they solid tacklers but they are also smart football players that know how to contain and tackle the opposing returners. One of the things that good special team players do when pursuing the returner in the open field is to take away one of his running options. They will do this by breaking down on the returners inside shoulder as they meet in open field and only giving the returner one option and that is to go outside.
A lot of times you'll hear the term in special teams to" use the sideline as your friend". In other words you take away the inside cutback of the returner by shading inside and push the returner hard to the sideline where you either run him out of bounds or force him to turn North /South as he approaches the sideline, right back towards your player where he has the advantage of making the tackle. Simply by being smart and using the sideline boundary to his advantage the player is able to effectively tackle a more agile athlete by taking away the inside cutback and forcing him to the sideline where he has to turn up field and either runs out of room or is tackled.
Cheers!
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