A youth coaching primer

By Clark Wilkins
 A “46” defense is not what the name
implies (a“4-6” front). The name comes
from the Chicago Bear’s defensive
captain’s jersey number (46). The
incorrect name of the defense has
prevented a lot of opponents from
correctly identifying it.
Most coaching sources will
identify the “46” as a close
relative of either a 5-3 or the 7-
3-1 “Diamond” of the 1920’s.
While they may be right, the
simplest way to think of a “46”
is in terms of a 5-2 “Monster”.
 Here is a 5-2 “Monster”
FS
C C

B B SS

T T
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
But a 5-2 can have the Inside
Linebackers blocked by the guards:
FS
C C

B B SS

T T
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
The “46” corrected for this by moving the DT’s
inside and having them hit the guards:
FS
C C

B B SS

T T
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 If you move the DT’s inside half a gap, you must move
the inside linebackers outside half a gap to compensate:
FS
C C

B B SS

T T
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 However, the TE could still block the inside
linebacker:
FS
C C

B B SS

T T
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 So the “monster” (SS) was moved up to hit the TE:
FS
C C

B B

T T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
That’s it! You now have all the basics of a “46”:
FS
C C

B B

T T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 The Assignments are:
DT’s: Keep the guards off the Inside Linebackers.

SS: Keep the TE off the Inside Linebackers.

As soon as you get away from
these two assignments you’re
not playing a “46”.
After this, “46” coaches agree
on only one thing…
The DT’s, after hitting the guards, defend “B” gap:
FS
C C

B B

T T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 You would think this would leave the Nose as a
“two gap” defender:
FS
C C

B B

T T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
But many “46” coaches have their NG shade
either strong or to the center’s hiking hand:
FS
C C

B B

T T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
Others will let him flow up and down the
line of scrimmage:
FS
C C

B B

T T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
Two Gap: Play close enough to breath
the center’s breath!
One gap: Shade to “A” gap.
Flow: Play off the ball in an even toed
stance.
“46” coaches also play their
“monster” (SS) differently
depending upon his size
and speed…
A big, strong, but slow SS will play head up on a TE:

FS
C C

B B

T T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 A smaller, faster SS will play inside shade:
FS
C C

B B

T T SS
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
This inside shade not only
places the SS directly in “C” gap
but also places the SS between
the TE and the Inside
Linebacker.
Buddy Ryan also used it as part of
his “Slice” coverage.
Most SS’s are in “Bump and Run” coverage but not
always. “46’s” that use Zone coverage will have the SS
hit the TE to delay him and then rush “C” gap:
C FS C

B B

B T N T SS B

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
If you play Zone, you will get a four man pass
rush using Cover 3 Four Under:
C FS C

B B

B T N T SS B

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 Here’s a “Cover 2” Zone Deep/Man Under:
FS SS

B B

B C T N T C B
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB
FB

It offers good pass coverage but only a three

man rush.
Or you can get a five man rush from Cover
3, Three Under Zone:
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 If you play straight “Man” you will
get a five man pass rush:
FS
C
C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 Or a Six Man rush from Cover 0:

C
C

B FS B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
In THEORY, the difference
between Man and Zone is Zone
gives you one extra pass
defender downfield versus one
extra pass rusher in Man.
However, historically speaking,
the most effective pass defense
includes 5.5 rushers, making
Man the more popular choice.
Chicago Bear’s coach Buddy
Ryan, the creator of the “46”, once
said, “A guy’s a zone corner?...that
means he can’t play corner.”

He ran mostly Man coverage. He

brought his pass rush up to 5.5 players
by blitzing a linebacker or safety about
every other play.
Nonetheless, there are “46’s” that use
Zone coverage. You don’t hear much
about them because they are few. Super
Bowl XLV’s Green Bay Packer’s “3-4 Zone
Blitz” defense is a zone version of a “46”.
The most common reason a coach resorts
to Zone coverage in a “46” is the inability to
properly coach Man coverage. The biggest
obstacle to coaching Man is where the pass
defender is looking at the snap.
 They want to look into the backfield
first and diagnose the play:
FS
C
C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB

Then then look at their man if they read pass.

But as they look into the backfield, their receiver is
running his pattern and getting a head start on them:

FS
C
C
B B

T N T SS
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB

And they often get beat.

To counter this, “46” coaches in Man would put
their corners 1-2 yards inside their man to take away
the easy inside pass routes and force the offense to
throw the more difficult “Out” and “Deep” routes:
FS
C C

B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
Most would run either “Soft” or “Hard”
coverage.

In “Soft” coverage, the defender plays off

his man. He back pedals on snap with his
eyes on the opponent’s goal posts.

In “Hard” coverage, the defender plays

right on his man and hits him. His eyes are
on his man and he runs with him.
 By looking at the goal posts, the “Soft” defender can see
both the backfield and the receiver at the same time as
he back pedals:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
The “Hard” defender is crowding his receiver
with the intention of getting a hand on him:

FS

B B
C
C T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
The hand is used to both slow
the receiver down and also to
redirect his pass route (either
further to the inside or further
to the outside).
Whether you coach “Soft” or
“Hard” coverage, it will be a
TOUGH TEACH. I personally
coach my own corners. I don’t
trust anyone else with the job.
Most “46” coaches agree to play
their Free Safety (FS) 9-12 yards
off the Line.

That’s about all they agree on

about the FS.
Because most opponents will run away from the SS,
most “46” coaches will shade the FS to the weak side:

FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
There must be an SE to the weak side for the FS
to shade weak. He will not shade weak for a TE:
FS

C
C B

B T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB
Z
FB

TB
Those concerned more about the pass will have the
FS split the difference between the wide receivers to
each side:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
A Free Safety shading the weak
side will play closer to the line
(run) than a Free Safety shading
to the strong side (Pass).
So which should you run? The FS weak or strong?
If you play your FS weak, you will fail to “number
up” with the offense strong unless you shade the
NG:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z

FB TB
If you play your FS strong, you are susceptible
to counters, especially a TE reverse:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS
X LT LG C RG RT Y

QB Z

TB FB
So most would play their FS strong until
the other team begins running counters.
Then you would move your FS weak and
up.

On any play strong, he would check the TE

for counter, or what’s called “Cross Keying”,
before pursuing.

If he sees the TE coming on reverse, he

meets him.
 This is what is known as a “Second
Generation” solution.
“First Generation” 46’s used the books of NFL
coaches like Fritz Shurmur and Buddy Ryan to
determine how to play the FS. These were the
“Bibles” of high school 46’s through about
1994.
“Second Generation” 46’s included the
improvements that high school coaches added
to the first generation system. These appeared
between 1995 and 2006 and are still available
on old training high school films.
Since 2006, “third” and even “fourth
generation” 46’s have been developed. Here
the DC46 (a fourth generation 46) defends
a TE reverse with just three players, none of
which include a linebacker or the FS:
 The TE running the reverse is to the left.

This is three defenders versus eleven blockers.

A third or fourth generation 46 makes the
decision of where to position the FS and
training him to cross read the TE
unnecessary. It makes for much simpler
installation and covers both pass and counter
every down instead of just one or the other.

Third and fourth generation 46’s are all dated

after 2006. If you’re looking at “46” material
and the material is dated 2006 or earlier, it is
either a first or second generation defense.
Here’s another example of the difference
between “First Generation” 46’s and later
generations:
In Ryan’s 46 “Bear” an extra outside
linebacker lined up on the TE:
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS B

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
If the TE released outside, the OLB
covered him and the SS blitzed:
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS B

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
If the TE inside released, the SS jammed
him and the OLB blitzed:
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS B

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
This made “Bump and
Run” coverage pretty
simple on a TE. The TE
always ran right into his
cover man. It’s known as
“Slice” coverage.
Buddy Ryan would also
change the coverage up
on the TE.
Sometimes he would blitz both the SS and
the OLB and let the FS cover the TE:
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS B

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 Or he let both the SS and OLB double
cover the TE by driving him backwards:
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS B

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
But Ryan’s type of OLB play is
seldom seen anymore because it
required a superior athlete at OLB.

Even Buddy Ryan, when he left

Chicago for Arizona, found it
difficult to find the OLB he needed
to make the defense work.
The problem was that the OLB had trouble
covering the TE and also providing contain:
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS B

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
Youth 46’s encounter this
problem a lot.

However, you can see me

coach this on my “DC
Spokane DVD” if time
allows.
Most others solve it by going to two DE’s.
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
How to play your DE’s
depends upon their talent
and their willingness to
obey instruction.
The “Slow” DE uses an old
fashioned “Boxing” instruction.
“Boxing” means placing the DE
deeper than the runner to turn
him inside.
Here, a “Boxing” DE turns the runner inside to
place him between himself and another defender:

FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
A “Boxing” DE will almost always require
the FS to come up in run support:
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
A talented DE that doesn’t do as he’s told, plays 3
yards out and crashes at the nearest, deepest back:

FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
A talented DE that does as he’s told, takes two steps
straight across the LOS and then aims at the
outside shoulder of the nearest, deepest back:
FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
An advanced (fourth generation) 46, like
the DC46, will give you OLB’s like a 3-4:
FS
C
C

B B

B T N T SS B
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
This allows the defense to still use a form of
“Slice” coverage on a TE. The Outside
Linebacker is just moved out farther:
FS

B B
C
C T N T SS B
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
They can act like the OLB’s in
Buddy Ryan’s “Bear” front either
by call or by read.
But, instead of using “man” coverage, they use
ZONE:
FS

C C
B B

B T N T SS B
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
The Zone “Outside Linebacker” will now
not only contain but also cover screens
and swing passes. Plus, he can drop back
into “Robber” coverage similar to a “zone
blitz”.

This is an example of “Third Generation”

coverage.
You can still win today even using a “second
generation” 46. There are three reasons for this:
1) Because the defense is not actually a “4-6” it is
not recognizable to opposing coaches, who treat
it as a 5-3.
2)Even if the defense is recognized, only two
NCAA coaches have ever posted how to beat it;
Dennis Creehan and Homer Smith. Creehan
charges for his solutions and Homer Smith is no
longer around.
3)The plays that do beat a “46” are generally too
difficult for a youth team to run.
And, if you obtain a fourth generation 46,
none of Creehan’s or Smith’s current
solutions will work against it.

A fourth generation 46 will even defend

Spread.

But let’s be clear we’re talking about

youth level football. There is very little a
youth offense can run that a youth 46
can’t defend.
Here are some common
adjustments made by a lot of
youth coaches to their 46’s:
If the NG is a “Two Gap” defender, the
Inside LB’s move from 30’s to 40’s:

FS
C
C

B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 A corner with no one to cover will change sides
of the field if he sees “Twins”:
FS
C C

B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y

Z QB
FB

TB

The DC46 will not do this but it is a common adjustment.

 If the corner’s man cracks the DE, the corner
replaces the DE on contain:
FS
C
C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB
Z
FB

TB

The DC46 does not do this but it’s a common adjustment.

The Inside LB takes first back to his side:
FS
C
C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB
Z
FB

TB
But the Mike Linebacker never follows
motion.

If the offense finds it can move Mike, it

will “sneak” the QB and for a lot more than
ONE YARD.
The backside Linebacker is responsible for
Counter to “A” gap:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
Again, it’s not necessary for a “fourth
generation” 46 to do this. The DC46 needs
to make no adjustments at all to defend an
“A” gap counter.
But, if you’re running a second generation
“46” , you will. You will know which
generation you’re running by whether it
includes a trained response or not. A
trained response equals “second generation”.
If you’re running a second generation 46 you
must teach “cross keying”.
When a linebacker “cross keys”, he checks for
counter first before chasing a sweep. Even the
DC46 will cross key backs in the backfield but
only because this is a much simpler teach than
cross keying TE’s, WB’s, and FL’s.
Here, the DC46 cross keys backs for play
direction in a limited weight league:
FS

B B SS

C T N T C
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB
FB

TB Z
The “cross keying” LB now just goes where his
back goes:
FS

B SS
B

B C T N T C B
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB
FB
First and second generation cross keys are
much more difficult:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB

Hence, the need to move the FS weak.

Free Safety Adjustments
The Free Safety can “Double Cover”
either an SE or an FL by using a “Slice”
call.

At the youth level it is normally used

when either a running back has lined
up as a wide receiver or it is a passing
situation and the offense has a
favorite receiver.
 The FS moves to the inside shade of the receiver
and the corner moves to the outside shade:

C FS C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
They then both stay on their respective side
of the receiver as he releases, FS robbing the
inside routes and the corner the outside
routes. Both take him deep.

It is called “Slice” because the FS and corner

have sliced the coverage on the receiver
between them, each taking half.

In the pros, “Slice” is usually an automatic

call inside the 20 as a defense against the
corner “Fade”.
Otherwise, the FS will move up, just before
snap, to replace a blitzing Linebacker and cover
his man for him:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
Against a second generation “46” like
previous slide, the QB could tell if a blitz
was coming by watching the FS move, pre
snap, allowing him to audible to a different
play.

But a fourth generation 46, like the DC46,

gives no such QB read at all.
The heart of the Defense
46’s are designed to stop both the run and
the pass from the same base defense:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB

The defense surrounds the entire backfield.

It then starts throwing out bodies from
the pile until it finds the one with the
ball.

That could be the QB on pass or the

TB/FB on run.
However, at the youth level, the base five
man rush can take 5 seconds to reach the QB
on pass.
You should time your pass rush. If it takes
more than 5 seconds to reach the QB, you
need to work on your pass rush.
But even a 5 second pass rush is often
considered too long. Adding an extra blitz
defender (six man rush) will usually bring
that down to 4 seconds. Adding two blitzing
defenders will usually bring it down to 3
seconds.
46’s in “Man” coverage frequently blitz
every other down in order to achieve the
ideal average of 5.5 rushers. At the
youth level, the blitz is used primarily to
disrupt the backfield, whether the play is
run or pass.

Since most youth plays are runs, the

blitzes usually go through an uncovered
run gap.
There are really only two uncovered run gaps;
one “A” gap and “C” gap:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
A fourth generation “46” covers “A” gap
automatically, leaving only “C” gap. But,
if you’re using a second generation 46
you have to cover both the “A” and “C”
gaps.
You can blitz these gaps one of three basic
ways. You can bring Will and Sam:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 You can bring Mike and Sam:

FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
 Or you can bring Mike and Will:

FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
Either way, all gaps are filled on
paper.

46’s that like to blitz will play their

Mike and Will Linebackers some 3-4
yards off the LOS. Non-blitzing
“46’s” will play their linebackers at 5
yards.
Why are the gaps only filled on
paper?

You’re about to learn something

really important here:
It is STUPID to ever blitz Will.

Why? Can you tell?

Who here knows?

You lose him in the outside
coverage.
Again, the same blitz that stops the
pass also stops the run. 46’s in “Man”
will often blitz one defender every
other down, changing up who he is
and where he comes from.

Bringing two defenders generally

means it is a “Short Yardage”
situation and you want both gaps
covered.
The reason a “Man” coverage 46
blitzes so much is because the
“man” coverage eventually breaks
down on a pass play.

If the QB is still standing after 5

seconds, the odds are he will
complete that pass. Mixing in
blitzes sacks the QB before he can
complete the throw.
A well designed 46 times up its pass
rush to its own pass coverage.

If the defensive backs can only cover

their man for 4 seconds, then the five
man base pass rush must sack the QB
in 5 seconds, at the latest.

If the base pass rush can’t reach the QB

in less than 6 seconds, then the DB’s
must be able to cover their man for at
least 5 seconds.
The faster your base rush reaches the QB, the
closer you can play your DB’s to the LOS.

The slower your pass rush to reach the QB,

the farther your DB’s must play off the line.
Either that or you must blitz.

But the farther you play your DB’s back, the

harder it is to blitz them unawares.
Timing your rush means you cannot
use slow developing stunts or your DB’s
will run out of coverage time.

46’s have a lot of different blitz

combinations (My DC46 can run 25-40
different blitzes.). Many of these can
be found on the Internet. However,
some of those that can be found are
slow developing and can be used only
with exceptional DB’s in pass coverage.
Here are some 46 blitzes taken off the
Internet that would require exceptionally
long DB pass coverage.

You can use them if you have exceptional

DB’s. However, none of these blitzes can
be found in the DC46.
 Here is a “Cross” blitz:

E T N T E
B
C W C
S
1 2

Can you identify any drawbacks to this

blitz? What are they?
What would happen if the play was a sweep
weak, the most likely youth play?

E T N T E
B
C W C
S
1 2

W is running as fast as he can away from

the sweep and S blitzing “A” gap when the
play is a run to “C or D”.
 And what if the play is a pass?

E T N T E
B
C W C
S
1 2

W must run a distance of four players to the left (4

yards) plus 4 yards forward just to reach his gap.
S must run the distance of two players (2 yards) to his
right plus around W (5 yards) just to reach his gap.
On average, both Linebackers ran a distance
of about 7.5 yards just to get to their assigned
gap (Assuming they were playing 4 yards
back on snap.).
They also ran curved lines which slows them
down. This blitz is really no different than
blitzing the FS straight in from 8 yards back.
The receivers will be 8 yards downfield when
these linebackers reach the LOS.
At the youth level, this blitz is slow to develop
versus pass (Especially against a Spread team)
and is open to the run (sweep).
That doesn’t mean it won’t work. Clearly, the QB
is going to have a linebacker in his face in about 3
seconds. But your coverage cannot allow for an
open receiver in those 3 seconds . Also, if the QB
is rolling out weak to throw, he’s running away
from W and S both.
You need to consider these factors when
designing a youth 46 blitz.
Here, Will blitzes from TE coverage:

E T N T E
B W
C
C
S

Can you see a potential problem here?

 W is in the Free Blocking Zone:

E T N T E
B W
C
C
S
The TE can legally clip W from behind as he
loops. And by virtually all blocking rules, the
TE will block W on run.
Most youth teams won’t pass release a TE
versus a “46”. They’re afraid W will do this:

E T N T E
B W
C
C
S

The OT cannot block W and the DE

outside him both. So the TE blocks one.
Again, what happens if the QB rolls out on pass?

E T N T E
B W
C
C
S

W is blitzing away from him.

Again, I’m not saying this is a bad blitz. It
might very well work. Its probably sacked a
lot of drop back QB’s. But most youth
teams do not run “A” gap on run versus a
“46”. However, they do run off tackle. If so,
this blitz moves W away from the off tackle
play (and where the offense wants to run)
and puts him where the offense doesn’t
want to run and then sets him up to be
legally clipped.
What’s Wrong with this Blitz?

B
B
T N T SS

LT LG C RG RT Y

The stunting DT on the left has been

instructed to step at the LG and then loop
around the NG. The non-blitzing LB is
faking a blitz to divert the RG.
The play requires an exceptional DT to
both step at the LG and then loop around
N. The creator of this blitz probably had
such a DT.
But most youth coaches would not. The
DT would not be able step forward, then
reverse direction, and go around. And,
even if he could, it would happen rather
slowly.
This stunt also fails to consider how a
typical youth team blocks a “46”.
Here is that same blitz versus a simple DC
Wing T Dive.

B
B
T N T SS

LT LG C RG RT Y
QB

TB
FB
The defenders took themselves right out of
the play and the LT had no problem picking
up the blitzing LB.

Any offense that teaches its’ center to step

off with play side foot will beat this blitz.

Here’s another example:

Here, the DC Wing T runs an “Iso” or inside
“Belly” play against the same blitz:
B
B
T N T SS

LT LG C RG RT Y
QB

TB
FB
Again, the center stepped with play side foot,
picking up N.
 Here, DC Wing T runs to the other side:

B
B
T N T SS

LT LG C RG RT Y
QB

TB
FB

Again, the center stepped with his play side foot.

The center picked up the looping DT by
stepping play side and the blitzing LB is now
blitzing an empty backfield. The runner is
gone.
And the play side of the defense is now faced
with having to defend a triple option type
look.
The argument could be made that this blitz
is designed for use against the pass and not
the run. While it certainly won’t stop the
run, let’s test it against the pass:
 Here is DC Wing T “Pass Right”:
B
B
T N T SS

LT LG C RG RT Y
QB

TB
FB

The LG picked up the blitzing LB and RG picked

up the looping DT. No one is covering the TB
on pass. It’s a simple, easy throw.
 Here is DCWT “Pass Left”:
FS

C C
B
B
T N T SS
X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z

TB
FB

Z has picked up the blitzing LB. The “looping” DT took

himself out of the play. FS must now cover the TB who
is probably open and no one has the QB on run.
The last four plays I demonstrated were all
against the same blitz and all four plays
are commonly used by all DC Wing T
coaches.
Here is another questionable blitz:
B B

T N T SS

LT LG C RG RT Y

The N is pressing the center while the LB’s

blitz both sides of him.
But what happens if:
B B

T N T SS

LT LG C RG RT Y

The plays is a Sweep?

The guards are foot to foot?
The guards pick up the LB’s?
Here’s another example of a non-youth blitz:

The DT is hitting “A” gap instead of “B”.

While this may work at higher levels of play,
when a youth DT hits “A” gap, usually bad
things happen.
 The Blitzing LB can now be double teamed:
FS

C C
B B

T N T SS

X LT LG C RG RT Y
QB Z
FB

TB
In just a five minute search, I found 21
“46” stunts and blitzes on the Internet
that probably would not work at the
youth level.

The defense lends itself very well to

creativity. You can run a ton of calls.
But many are slow developing, get
clogged up, or give up the run.
Remember:

1) A blitz must reach the QB before your

coverage breaks down.
2)Blitzing away from a run can be costly.
3)If the offensive line steps with their
play side foot, the odds are good they
will pick up your blitz.
4)It’s not easy for the FS to always pick
up the uncovered man.
Draw up every play of your own offense against a
blitz you’re considering adding. Identify what it
stops and what it doesn’t.
You may find the risks don’t justify the rewards.
Most “46” defenses contain an overlapping core of
blitzes that exist from playbook to playbook. This
is a sign they work. So if you see the same blitz
appearing in two different playbooks, odds are it’s
a proven success.
Most of us “46” coaches “steal” from each other.
But we only “steal” what works. We let the other
guy keep what doesn’t.
A Good Blitz:

1) Stops the Run and Pass both.

2)Happens FAST.
3)Fits the Speed and Coordination of your
players.
4)Keeps the Receivers covered.
5)Is not easily spotted by the Offensive
Guards.
A Good “46” uses the Blitz as a Solution to
a Problem.

And the problem being solved is ALWAYS

the same. The other team is about to
SCORE or get a FIRST DOWN.

When the base defense is not working and

the other team is moving the ball, your
first solution in a “46” is to BLITZ. It
works very well for that.
If the base defense is working and you’re
blitzing, you’re probably not solving a
problem. But you could be creating one.

Constant blitzing tends to reinforce the

defender’s desire to look into the backfield
(Because that’s what he does on a blitz.).
Defenders looking into the backfield give up
BIG PASS PLAYS.
Defenders looking into the
backfield will KILL a “46”.

Thanks for watching.