7 tech in 4-2-5

To US - the "7 technique" on the TE is our STUD (most important of all 11 positions on "D")! Here are the MAJOR COACHING POINTS:

SEVEN TECHNIQUE: (TAKE A SHORT STEP WITH OUTSIDE FOOT READING TE – STAB WITH HANDS AND EXPLODE OUT OF HIPS). C GAP RESPONSIBILITY!
A. Vs. DOWN BLOCK OF TE: Squeeze TE over to D gap. Stay square and keep inside arm free. Control C gap and locate ball.
B. Vs. TURNOUT BLOCK OF OT: TE blocks out - dip inside shoulder and attack hip of OT. maintaining proper leverage. Keep outside leg and arm free. Bend to near back. Maintain outside leverage and bend to football.
C. Vs. TRAP (OR KICKOUT – BY ANY INSIDE BLOCKER): TE blocks out and OT blocks inside – point toe to OT, locating near back (if near back goes away, locate ANY OL coming inside out). Bend inside and treat kickout by near back and OL the same. Take out his inside shoulder with your outside shoulder. Come underneath kickout.

Cleatus - I agree with you that the 8 Man Front is the way to go in HS (in MY humble opinion):

ADVANTAGES OF AN 8 MAN FRONT:

1. IT IS A BALANCED DEFENSE WITH 4 PLAYERS TO EACH SIDE THUS MAKING IT MUCH EASIER TO ADJUST TO ANY OFFENSIVE FORMATION OR MOTION.

2. WE FEEL WE NEED 4 MEN ON EACH SIDE OF THE BALL TO STOP OPTION OFFENSES.

3. IT LIMITS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRACTICALLY ALL SPLIT-END OFFENSES.

4. IT LIMITS THE OFF-TACKLE PLAY BECAUSE IT TAKES AWAY THE DOUBLE TEAM BLOCK.

5. IT IS A GREAT CONTAIN DEFENSE WITH OLB's IN A "TRUE END" POSITION.

6. IT HELPS LIMIT THE INSIDE OFFENSE BECAUSE THEY HAVE JUST 3 MEN IN EFFECTIVE POSITION TO BLOCK YOUR 4 IN THE MIDDLE - THUS FORCING TEAMS TO RUN OUTSIDE WHERE THEY HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE BLOCKING SCHEME.

7. NO DEFENSIVE PLAYER HAS OVER ONE GAP AS HIS RESPONSIBILITY.

8. IT GIVES YOU A BETTER PASS RUSH, AND, STUNTING PACKAGE BY ALLOWING YOU TO SEND 4 PLAYERS TO EITHER SIDE.

9. WE ARE ABLE TO PLAY EVERY PASS COVERAGE THE 4 DEEP TEAMS PLAY.

What you call "Tigerbacks" are actually double S/S for us. That's where we played James Farrior (Steelers), & his brother, Matt (NFL Europe). Those positions AND the 7 technique make or break the defense (the best "7" we had was Art Jimerson - Special Teams Captain for the Raidewrs in the early 90's).

As much ROBBER as we played late in my career, having a good F/S like Darren Perry (Steelers) helped too!

COVERS:

1. Robber (base coverage - show Cover 1 & cheat late to Robber w/Free Safety)
2. Cover 1 (we CHECK to this in base fronts if Robber not a good call)
3. Cover 0 (with MAX/BLITZ
*************************
4. Cover 3 (in the PAST)
5. Cover 2/4 (in the PAST)

We have gotten away from zone, & now prefer to go with Cover 1/Robber/Cover 0 Blitz. In THESE coverages, Corners WILL go over.

As to fronts - DEPENDING on how they align in Trips, & WHAT THEY DO FROM IT - we either STAY 4-2, or, SLIDE the LBers & end up in a 4-3 Over IF THEY MAKE US (because of bubble screens, etc., to the Trips side). Nobody else moves in the slide to the 4-3 EXCEPT the 2 ILB's!



PS: As to the sprint out vs 7 tech:

#1 7 is our BEST football player (must be strong AND quick)
#2 If a Sprint out gets outside the "OT BOX" - the Sam LBer scrapes outside the 7 & the Mike LBer replaces to playside.
#3 We bring the OLB (S/S) off the edge in a stunt about 33% of the time. Gets some GREAT hits on the QB!

The BEST thing we do is put 11 people on the LOS & either bring the house, or back out to base. We SHOW Max/Blitz much of the time!