Whats the best?

I believe that double option (speed, counter option, midline, load, lead, freeze) is the way to go, b/c it is tough to defend and the blocking is easy. I hope this helps.

Coach,

Very good point about teaching linemen why they are blocking a certain way rather than rules. The last two years we have run the wing-t offense at the youth level. Rather than teaching linemen blocking rules, we teach them why we are blocking a certain way. We teach the linemen that we need to have a block in, a block out, and a lead through at the POA. Then when we run certain plays we show them how we are going to do it, and why. This helps in game time situations, since most defenses at the youth level are just kids lining up and shooting into the backfield.

Tim

Eaglecoach,

One of the biggest annoyances I've run into at the youth level is I can X and O all I want based on what I know and have experienced through the college level, but it's uncanny how a kid without a clue on defense will somehow wander into just the right spot to hose up a a good call. The kids on D are indeed just linein' up and chargin' most of the time. This is a big reason why I'm sold on zone principles for this age group. It's a concept they can grasp: "Move playside because the play is trying to do this, and if you see color hit it. Back, find some daylight and hit it." Short and sweet, you just have to rep the heck out of the footwork.

Trying to coach "OK, you hit this guy aganist this defense, but if it's that defense hit this other guy unless it's this other defense you hit gotta go get that guy" is impossible to get right.

JrCoach2004 it will be a challenge for you, but it's a good one. I gotta share a quick story on this. We're playing a tight game we lost. We left at least three possible scores on the table because receivers weren't blocking. I look at the tape and my tailback gets a nice run that might have broke only to be hit and turned inside by #9 were the safeties finally pulled him down (he was a real tough kid). Where'd number #9 come from? He was covering my X, a kid named JJ, who just jogged off the ball and started watching the tailback by his second step. . I'm gonna kill JJ, I mutter to myself. Then that little guy that pops up on your shoulder from time to time did so and asked a revealing question: "When did you specifically tell JJ he has to go block that guy?" The answer: I never did. Right then and there I realized this was a whole different kind of coaching....

Coach4Life, your story sounds kinda familiar! Getting receivers to block is definitely a challenge when coaching most kids at our level. I've given my receivers three different assignments (stalk, crack or run the defender off on a go route) based on where the ball is to be run.

If the ball is being run inside (anything other than a toss or sweep basically) they are taught to stalk block #1 on both sides (both X and Z).

If the ball goes outside on a toss or sweep, they are taught to crack #2 playside and to run off the DB covering them on the backside. I've found that cracking a lber or safety is a much easier task to accomplish than attempting to hold a block for several seconds on the corner. Our fullback will block the force defender in these situations.

These rules have worked pretty well in the past. Do you have your receivers simply block the defender on them or does anyone use anything similar to what we do?

Thanks for the participation on the forum guys!

Dave Hartman
CYFL Coach

Defensive Philosophy



I focus every practice on the fundamentals and embracing an attitude of aggression, physical play and relentless pursuit of perfection. I know my players will make mistakes but heaven help them if they fail while giving less than their best.



My philosophy is pretty simple in that I believe that I set the tone for how we play. As a coach I am very demanding, I am rarely satisfied but I also know what it means to be a young adult so I am also very patient. I do not yell but I am direct with what I say and how I say it.



Fundamentals



We will be the best tacklers in the state. We will tackle every day.



We will be the best communicators in the state. We will communicate in an effective way every day



We will be the most prepared defense in the state. We will study more ferociously than our opponent. We will apply this knowledge to our practices and games.



We will be the best-conditioned team in the state. We will give a focused effort to condition properly.



Scheme



We expect our players to understand our philosophy, alignment, and assignment with such passion that they will thirst for success. Our scheme is simple but we expect our players to exceed their personal expectations in their commitment to what it emphasizes; discipline, effort, communication, and team.



Game



Do not get beat around the edge



Do not get beat deep



Do not walk



If all else fails, knock the "crap" out of someone!







Daily Pursuit Drill



I really like the famous pursuit drill! I think it is great for teaching angles, effort, discipline, and communication. As it looks like most of the discussion post have revolved around this drill, I will talk about another pursuit drill that I like.



It is similar to the pursuit drill but it involves the passing game. I don't have a name for it (I'm sure someone, somewhere, does) but I started to realize that football schemes were starting to be more pass oriented. I found that, although having a "rabbit" run around the end is great for run plays, it wasn't helping my teams against those that pass.



Since I am at a fairly large school (we have about 150 kids in the program, 50 for each level) I am able to dive my team into at least 4 different "teams" of defenses. We will start with the starters and then the next team will be the backups, the third team will be third string and so forth.



Team one will start out on the field while the other teams line up behind the QB, which is always me because I like to do it and I want to see specific things. When I say "hike" the entire defense executes a burpee; this will give me time to either do a drop back pass, roll out, fumble, swing pass or QB sneak. I do not wait for my players to get up before I move, I want them to learn to find the ball.



If it is a pass, I will throw the ball fairly high which will, again, require the boys to find the ball while yelling out what they recognized (pass, ball, oskie). Once the ball is secure, everyone must run to where the ball is and start to pound their feet. They will continue until I let them stop. If they worked hard, the feet pounding is short. If they were lazy, they pound it until I get tired.



Upon completion of the drill, team one will SPRINT off while team two will SPRINT onto the field so that I can repeat the procedure. I love this drill because it is high intensity, high communication and it is a lot of fun. It usually takes about 20 minutes to set up the first time but after that, I feel like we can get a good drill for about 10 minutes.