THE 10-1 DEFENSE

RedHa
wks

HISTORY OF THE 10-1

WHERE

DID IT COME FROM?

Coach G.A. Moore, winningest coach in Texas HS

Football history, first developed the 10-1 in 1974.

Adjustment from his base 4-3 defense
Celina High School (TX) has won 8 state
championships with this defense.
Coach Butch Ford, now the head coach at Celina,
was Coach Moores Defensive Coordinator for 25
years.
It is basically a Gap 8 scheme and was originally
a goal line defense.

CELINA HIGH SCHOOL

http://www.ppgthemovie.com/home.htm

nas 10-1 in action at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4081631171919

ad about it at http://www.momentummedia.com/articles/cm/cm1404/bbdefense.

BASE 10-1 DEFENSE

O
O
O

O
O O O O O O
CB
SS W R T T T
B

O
WS FS

CB

-Defensive Linemen (W, R, T) in the gaps.

-SS on outside shoulder of TE.
-FS and SS are force players.
-B should be unblocked and must play sideline-to-sideline.
-CBs play press man-to-man and must not allow inside
release.
-Takes away inside run game. Forces the offense to
attempt to run to the perimeter and/or throw the ball.

BUDDY CALL
O
O
O
CB

O
O O O O O O
W SS R T
T T
M

O
WS CB

y (for Buddy Ryan) puts Whip (W) outside of the TE and crashing into the backfi
e Strong Safety ($) on the inside eye of (or head up on) the TE. Nothing else ch

COVER 1
O
O
O

O
O

CB
CB

O O O O OO
SS W R T T

WS

B
FS

FS lines up with heels at 8-9 yards and mirrors the QB.

This was an early evolution in the 10-1 scheme which became the base.
W/S is the weak side force player.

10-1 SPECIAL
O
O
CB

O
O O O O O O
SS W
T
T
CB
R

O
O
T

W/S
B
FS

e 10-1 Special can deal with the Veer.

ood vs spread offenses.
obs an A gap to get it another LB
G can slant or overwhelm the Center. Basically, DRIVE the center back and DISRU
and B key the back to their side.

1 0 - 1 L OO P
O
O
O O O O O OO
CB
SS W R T T T
CB
B

WS

FS

WHIP blitzes off the hip of the OT hard into the backfield and blows up first threa
BE A MISSILE!
ROVER loops back to C gap.
10-1 Loop is designed to deal with the Veer.
When OT down blocks, WHIP has a clear shot into the backfield.
Can run LOOP to strong side or both sides.

10-1 vs. BARTA BONE

O

O
O
O O O O O O O
CB WS T T T R W SS
M
FS

CB

-CB and SS are man-to-man on TEs.

-CB and FS key the back to their side (Mirror him.)
and take him on a pass.
-CHANGE UP = Blitz CB and SS to outside shoulder of
near back while CB and FS take TEs in man-to-man
coverage.
-FS and SS could change places.

10-1 vs. UNBALANCED SINGLE

WING
OO
O
O
O O O O O OO
CB B
$
S T T Q W
M

CB

FS
- Notice the Buddy call, which switches the alignment of the B and $.
The B is attacking across the face of the wing and into the backfield.
- Also, the DL has slid over one man to account for the unbalanced OL.

10-1 vs. TWINS

O
O
O O O O O
CB SS
W
T R
CB

O
O
O
O
T

W/S

B
FS

- SS has TE or #2 receiver.

10-1 vs. TRIPS

O
O

O
O
O O O O O O
R
WS
T
T

O
CB CB

SS

B
FS

-Against any 1-back attack, go to the 10-1 Special in order to maintain

Man Free coverage.
-Could stay in Base 10-1 and walk FS out to #3 (Cover Zero).

COACHING POINTS FOR

DEFENSIVE LINE
(A, B, and C Gappers)

Penetration kills an offense. (Coach Ford)

DL align in the gaps (not a shade) in 4 pt. stance
with inside foot forward and elbows out. Step
with outside foot and push off with inside foot.
Penetrators must stay low. Shoulder pad to
inside shin of OL to the outside. Lunge (not bear
crawl), keep a hand on the grass, dont get
washed down, and run to the ball.
If your gap moves, stay in it. Follow the pull.
DL must be disciplined. They must do as they
are told.
If DL hats come up, they are beaten.
NO SLOWGO! (Coach Ford)

COACHING POINTS FOR THE

CORNERBACKS
CBs

align on inside eye of receiver and play

press man coverage (very physical).
Dont allow a free release, and always take
away the slant. NEVER allow a WR inside.
Force the fade.
Jam with inside hand to WRs numbers and
man turn (Get your inside elbow in front of
him.)
Force him wide. Remember, there is no pass
interference until the ball is in the air.
Maintain contact.

RULES FOR THE STRONG

SAFETY (SS)
1.

Read the TEs hat. If he blocks down,

attack the backfield NOW, keeping outside
arm free and playing FORCE.
2. Dont get reached. If he reach blocks,
break his neck and maintain leverage.
3. Jam a pass release. No free release.
Hold him up and cover him man-to-man.
4. Tackle QB on option.
5. Dont let anything cross your face to the
outside.
6. Must be a physical presence.

RULES FOR THE WHIP (W) & WEAK END

(WS)
1.

Align in C gap.
2. If there is a TE, outside step to
neutralize a down block. If TE pass
releases, you have FORCE. If no TE, GO!
3. Attack outside shoulder of nearest
back.
4. Dont let anything cross your face to
the outside.
On

option, W has QB to weak side.

RULES FOR BLOOD

BACKER
1.

GO TACKLE THE BALL!

2. Make tackles from sideline to sideline.
3. When in doubt, GO!
4. On a pass, look for back out of backfield
and hug up to him. Do not drop to a zone.
NOTE:

By the design of the 10-1 Defense,

the Blood backer should be unblocked and
must make lots of tackles.

RULES FOR THE FREE SAFETY

(FS)
1.

If they throw, be behind it.

2. If they run, tackle it at LOS.
3. Mirror the QB.
He drops = You drop
He goes down the line = You go down the line

4.

Pitch responsibility vs. option.

5. Play run first except in obvious pass
situations.
Like

the Mike Backer, the Free Safety should be

unblocked and should make lots of tackles.

SELECTING PERSONNEL
Left

CB = Best cover man (always goes with

best WR)
Right CB = Next best cover man
Mike Backer (M) = Best defensive player
Free Safety (FS) = Next best defensive player;
possibly the best athlete on the team
Strong Safety ($) = Tough kid, physical
Ends (B & W, the C gappers) = Good athletes;
must be able to move and run
DL (A & B gappers) = Must be disciplined; must
do as they are told; cant ever give up on a play.

OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE 10-1

If

you are not getting penetration and

pressure, get out of the 10-1.
Play Blood up close to the LOS. If he is 4-5
yards deep, that is where he will make plays.
He should be able to reach out and touch the
tackles butt.
Free Safety must play down hill and make
plays at or near the LOS as well.
Use stemming before the snap.
DBs go with their man if he motions. Beat
him to the spot.

MORE THOUGHTS
-Players and coaches must buy in to
the system. This is HARD-NOSED
football. Must be physically and
mentally tough.
-If you make a mistake, make it full
speed.

COMBINING THE 10-1 WITH THE TWIN

TILT
BASE TWIN TILT (3-3)
o
o
o
o o o o o o

T
SOB

T
IB

E
IB

CB

o
o
o
o o o o o o

o
o

o
E

BASE 10-1

CB
WOB

$ B S

T Q

CB
M

CB
FS

FS

-No change in DBs

-SOB = $ and WOB = W (both move up to DL)
-Best IB = M and other IB = S (moves to DL in B gap)
-Es = B and Q (Strong E stays in C gap and Weak E moves from C to B gap)
-No change in Ts (just go 1-1)

USING OUR TERMINOLOGY FOR THE 10-1

O
O
O
O O O O O O

O
O
CB

SS W

CB
B
FS

WS

THANK YOU AND

CREDITS
A

huge THANK YOU to Coach Butch Ford and his staff

at Celina High School (TX)

THANK

YOU also to Coach Brian Ramsey at Cross

Plains High School (TX)

Some

of the information presented also came from

Coach G.A. Moores instructional video on the 10-1
Defense. It was produced by Bobby Rexrode.

CONTACT
INFORMATION
COACH GREG KOENIG

BELOIT HIGH SCHOOL

PO BOX 606
BELOIT KS 67420
gkoenig@usd273.org
gregkoenig@hotmail.com
785-738-3593