Split 4-4 Inside Linebacker play

Jason, we have run the 44 for 15 years. We adapt it to many looks and blitz into various fronts. One of the keys to our success was our inside lb reads. We read through the guards and practice it daily. Even on offensive days I have the scout defensive coach make the ILB read the guards and make the appropriate steps. They are responsible for the uncovered gap according to the front called. Versus wing t teams, we sometime slide them a half-man for protectin or cetain schemes, however the reads stay the same. At times we have had our LB's at 4 1/2 to 5 yards deep, but last year, due to inexperience, we moved them up to toes at 3 1/2 yards and had a great year. One thing we do is video the steps in the off-season. We have a center, 2 guards, FB and TB. I play rt ILB with a camera and then repeat it from the left. The offense runs Toss, power, trap, sweep, iso, g-to the te, and boot. I film everything so they see the correct steps to take, and give it to our lb's in the off-season to study. Come summer, they see in their minds what to do. It has been invaluable to us. Good luck.

Coach nick,

Very nice touch!

Coach Easton

We always read through the guards. If drilled correctly, it cuts down practice time during the season when many offensive coaches get innovative. Our base for our olb's is 3x5 from the te as a starting point (though it varies with our coverages). They do read the emlos but I know this is tough as the game goes on. It has worked very well for us, however some coaches in our league are successful while reading the backfield. It's whatever you believe in that works. A game week decision for inside lb's may be for the backside ilb to stunt through the cutback lane versus some spread/zone teams. We did this the last 2 years against a team with an awesome back and held him to 116 yard and 2 tds. Since they couldn't pass, we put up 4 and took the W. I would not use this against wing t, for example because the teams we play usually do not cut back. So we watch the cutback as we scrape. I am not doing justice to my coaches in explaining this, but if you want to talk, leave your email and I would be glad to help out. I ran wishbone for a long time. When people go double tight, one of our adjustments was to jump to a 53 look. We have a 0 tech, 2-3 techs, 2-7 techs (although we go head-up and stunt a bit inside and out). We constantly slant the TNT's from head up and 3 techs and zone blitz from the hash. One thing I learned was never to give the OC's the same look. When I finally understood this years ago, make the same thing look different to 15-17 y/o kids, we became sucessful on O and D. Hope this gives you some ideas. I work very hard with our youth organization. It has been invaluable. Good luck.

I have a question? Did you ask about the Split-4 or the 4-4. They are two different animals.
I really like the ideas on this particular post, especially the video part, I WILL be using that this year.
If you can clear this up I would appreciate it. Thanks OJW

Coach, I guess it's all in semantics.
That looks like the old split-60. I never ran that one though.

The split-4 I've always been around has two 3's, two ends one at 5 and one at 9, two inside backers at 10's, a rover on the weakside in an 90, and a Sam on the tightend in a stand-up 6 or 7.

The 4-4 I've been around has a weak 5 end, weak 1 or 2i tackle, a strong 3 tackle, a 7 end with inside backers stacked on top of the two tackles in 10 and 30's, Will and Sam in 90's.

Both of these defenses would be cover-3 of course.

So whatever they really are supposed to be called I don't know. That's just how I learned them here in Florida. Thanks it's been fun.

We used to run the 4-4. I have tons of 4-4 material if anyone is interested in trading. By the way, in our version of the 4-4, when the ball moved left or right down the LOS the playside inside LB was to scrape to the ball (B, C, or D gap) and the backside inside LB had playside A-gap. The backside outside LB was to look for any cutbacks on the weakside A, B, C, or D gaps). Of course if the play went straight ahead the LBs have the gap they're lined up in.