4-4 Stack

4-4 Stack by Coach Wade
As I learn more and more about football and how to coach it, ideas and strategies for improving teams and taking advantage of different types of players come to the forefront. For years I have been a staunch proponent of the Gap-8 defense, as described by Jack Reed in his books, Coaching Youth Football: Defense, and The Gap-Air-Mirror Defense for Youth Football. My feelings about this defense and its efficacy on the youth field have not changed. For any level of football below high school I consider the Gap-8 to be the most effective and easiest to teach defensive system available.

The advantages of using the Gap-8 are numerous. Since the defense is so simple and easily learned it allows you to spend a majority of your practice time on teaching and improving individual techniques, rather than on teaching responsibilities. This reduces game-day hesitation, and gives your players a skill advantage over players that might be more talented, faster or stronger. The reduced installation time also means you can spend more time preparing your team for the upcoming opponent's specific offense, taken from your scouting reports, rather than spending all your time trying to get them just to memorize their responsibilities.

With that said, however, there are a few disadvantages of the Gap-8 as well. (Gasp!) Against the triple option, it is fundamentally unsound. Also, from a pure coaching standpoint, much of the enjoyment of coaching comes from the chess match between yourself and the opposing coach. 'Can I call the right defense at the right time to stop the play my counterpart has called?' Since the Gap-8 is a single-front, single-coverage defense with no line stunting or blitzing, this mental aspect of the game is reduced for the defensive coordinator.

For younger levels of football, I would still run the Gap-8 as my sole defense. At higher levels, I would use the Gap-8 for a short yardage, goal line, or 'what the heck' front to keep the offensive coordinator on his toes. It combines nicely with the 4-4 Stack since both are even front defenses and the pass coverage rules are exactly the same. The philosophy of both defenses is also the same: Bring it!

But this article isn't about the Gap-8; it's about a new defensive system that I've been learning about. Taken from the multiple front defensive system we use at Tomales High School, under the direction of our excellent defensive coordinator, John "Coach Mitch" Mitchell, this front is scaled down for use at the youth level, and I believe it is simple enough to be used with teams as young as 11-12.

This system is the 4-4. At the high school level, it is generally used to take advantage of a group of smaller, quicker players. Linebacker intensive, it's not the defense for every team, but it does have many things to offer to a coach capable of teaching its responsibilities and skills. Be forewarned, although I've simplified the system greatly, this is not an easy defense. You need some coaching experience and knowledge of the game, as well as players capable of handling the positions before you can install and use this system. If you have smaller, quicker athletes with some brains and noses for the ball, then this is a good system. On the other hand, if you have the quintessential big, slow guys you'll be better off in another alignment that takes advantage of what they can bring to the field.