Milford Football

Defensive
Fundamentals
Part One -Tackling

   
Teaching Defensive Football
 Maximize the speed of your defense.
 Promote fundamental tackling.
 Teach principles to stop the “Big Play”.
 Coach to win.
 Practice situation defense.
 Match Personnel Groups.
 Take the offense out of it’s comfort zone.
 Never forget it’s a physical game that can be reduced
down to toughness and effort.
 Platoons - Strength Training and Plyos.
High intensity and accountability.

   
Maximize the speed of 
your defense.
 Program Tackling
 Theory of Tackling.
 Fundamental Four.
• Chest Tackle
• Angle Tackle
• Lateral Tackle
• Pursuit Tackle
 Position Tackling.
• Run Game
• Passing Game
 Run to the ball
 Teach Effort
• Coached
• Modeled
 Run to the ball in
proper pursuit
angles.
 Internal Run
 Off Tackle Run
 Perimeter run
 Screen Pass
 Jail Break Screen
 Bubble Screen
 Tackling 
Fundamental Four
Position Tackling
Strip and Recovery

   
Tackling Theory
 Never challenge an athletes level of
courage.
 Challenge his technique.
 Build confidence with drill design.
 Practice the Fundamental Four.
 Practice Tackling by position.
 Teach Strip and recovery.

   
Tackling
 Program Tackling  Tackle Mechanics
 Theory of Tackling.  Chest Tackle.
 Fundamental Four. • Feet underneath
• Chest Tackle • Rake the arms.
• Angle Tackle • Bite the ball with chin.
• Lateral Tackle • Chest Tackle.
• Pursuit Tackle • Follow Through.
 Position Tackling.
• Run Game
• Passing Game

   
Tackling Fundamental Four
Direct Tackle

1 yard

LB
 Direct Tackle - No Room for cutback.
   
Direct Tackle ­ Video

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Tackling Fundamental Four

 Angle Tackle  Angle Tackle

Three Cone Tackle Three Cone Tackle

1 yard 2 yard cone width.

LB
LB Sites - Outside Hip to Inside Hip

Teach inside out leverage. Eliminate the two way go.

   
Angle Tackle ­ Video

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Tackling Fundamental Four
◆ Lateral Tackle
Three Cone Pursuit

LB

Inside
 
shoulder through near  hip. Square up.
Lateral Tackle ­ Video

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Tackling Fundamental Four
◆ Chase Tackle
Three Cone Pursuit

LB

Inside shoulder through near hip.

   
Chase Tackle ­ Video

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Position Tackling ­ Defensive Line

 Fundamental Four.
 Lock out tackle drill.
 Strike Tackle
 Shield
 Sled

 Player

   
Defensive Line 
Lock Out Tackle Drill.

BC BC BC

W W W
T T T

T T T
$ $ $

 Defensive Linemen will lock out on shield
• Hips in gap.
• Near am post position.
 On whistle defensive linemen will post rip and run. 
 Drill can be set for angle tackle or lateral tackle.
   
Defensive Line 
Strike Tackle Drill.
BC BC BC

W W W

T T T
T T T
$ $ $

 From a stance the defensive linemen will: Hips in gap.
• Get off on movement.
• Strike a blow.
• Post, Rip and Run.
 Following the strike and escape the defensive line man will tackle.  
 Drill can be set for angle tackle or lateral tackle.
   
Defensive Line 
Lock Out Tackle Video

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 Position Tackling ­ Inside LB’s

 Scuffle,  Alley, Press.
 Strike and Lateral Tackle
 Blitz Tackle Drill.
 Robber Tackle Drill

   
Inside LB’s 
Scuffle,  Alley, Press Tackle drill.

BC
M
B
B

 The ball carriers job is to force the LB out of his 
shuffle.
 The LB, from a leverage position will shuffle, sprint 
to leverage and tackle.
 When ball carrier turns up ­ CHOKE IT down.
   
Scuffle,  Alley, Press Tackle ­ Video

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Inside LB’s 
Blitz Tackle Drill.
C
BC
BC

B M
B M

 LB will creep to LOS with inside leg up.
 On Movement the LB will Blitz.
 Blitz player will rip lower than the blocker and redirect on ball 
movement.
 Blitz player will lateral tackle.
   
Blitz Tackle ­ Video

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Inside LB’s 
Robber Tackle Drill.
#3 C

#2

 Inside LB will execute “Robber 
Technique” and plant point and drive to 
reception site.
   
Position Tackling ­ Outside LB’s
 Lock out and Tackle.
 Buzz ­ Tackle Drill.
 Slant
 Hitch

   
Outside LB’s  
Lock Out and Tackle Drill.

BC BC

Be Be

Be Be

 Outside LB will lock out on shield ( Simulating  lead blocker  )
• Same angle as the offensive player.
 On whistle OLB  will Press, Trace  and Lateral pursue. 
• Drill can be set for angle tackle or lateral tackle.
• Exit on the angle you enter.
• Ball carrier at heals of the lead blocker.

   
O.LB’s 
Buzz ­ Tackle Drill.
C
#1
OB

OB

 OLB will buzz flat and drive on the slant or hitch.
   
Position Tackling ­ Three Deep
 Fundamental Four
 Open Field at 5 yards
 Open Field at 10 yards.
 Open Field at 15 yards.

   
Three Deep 
 Open Tackle Field at 5, 10, and 15 yards.

BC

C
C
  Take away the cut back.
•  NO TWO WAY GOES.
 Put your self in a position to tackle.
• Angles
• Narrow base.
#1 • Eyes high.
 Give ground if needed.
 Push to the sideline.
 Turn it into a sideline lateral tackle
   
Three Deep 
Free Safety Robber Drill
#3 C

#2

 Free Safety will use Robber Technique 
and Drive on Curl or Dig.
   
 Strip Drills
Three Player Drill
Two Whistle Drill

   
Three Player Drill

BC BC BC

C C C
C C C

 Ball Carrier ­ Loose an sloppy.
 Strip Player.
• Secure Tackle.
• Strip.
• Pull Ball carrier away from the ball.
 Recover ­ By position.
   
 Two whistle drill.

BC BC
B B
M M

 First whistle. Thud Tackle.
 Second Whistle:
• Post the elbow.
• Rip the ball.
   
 Milford Football
Defensive
Fundamentals
Part Two -Stopping the
run

   
Stop the Run
 Stop the direction of the ball.
• Make the ball change course.
• Stop the down hill path.
 Front the ball and push the ball to your help.
• Fill the cut back crease.
• Over lap the radical bounce.
 Pursuit with reckless discipline.
• Pursuit creates numbers at escape point.
• Great pursuit angles stop big plays.

   
Stop the Trap
 Stop the direction of the ball.
• Three technique bends through the guard.
• Traps the Trapper and comes under guard.
 Front the ball and push the ball to your help.
• Cross pull read ­ Mike runs crease.
• Crease ­ Runs it. Attack the veer guard.
 Pursuit with reckless discipline.
• Back stacks with call. Plays Spill.
• Stud at LOS plays spill.
• FS fronts the ball.
• Fold players seal leaks.
• Corners fit between Fold and free

   
Video Cut ­ The Trap.

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Stop the Belly
 Stop the direction of the ball.
• Mike plays isolation by spilling the ball.
• Deny the wind back..
 Front the ball and push the ball to your help.
• Five technique and wolf.
• Over lap the radical bounce.
 Pursuit with reckless discipline.
• Backer defeats the block of center.
• FS runs ally.
• Weak side LB has cut back all the way to his alignment.

   
Video cut ­ The Belly

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 Run to the ball

   
How to Pursue to the ball.
 Effort, Effort, Effort.
 Knowledge of play.
 Pursuit principles.
 Contain the ball.
• Redirect the ball back to it’s original direction or bounce radically.
 Front the ball.
 Fill the creases.
• Front side
• Cut back
 Second effort - Erase mistakes and great plays.

   
Defensive Pursuit 
Run Strong

Squeeze play at same Fold to Backside "A"

path as lead. Chase and Pursue

$ T T W
Be
Wo
B Tap Center M
Agressive heals on L.O.S. "A" to scrape.

CB CB

FS Run Alley - Fit

off inside hip of Backer.

Run Pass / Secondary Contain Run Pass / Secondary Contain

 Defensive Pursuit - Run Strong.

 Contain the ball. Support player attacks the lead at same angle of attack.. No edges.
 Front the ball.
• Backer - aggressive heals on the LOS.
 Fill the creases. FS, Mike, and Wolf.
 Second Effort - Defensive Line and Corners Fill the creases.

   
Defensive Pursuit 
Run Weak

Fold to Backside "A" Squeeze play at same

Chase and Pursue path as lead.
$ T T W
Be
Wo
Backside "A"MFit tight off
B to scrape. of Spill.

CB CB

FS
Run Alley

Run Pass / Secondary Contain

Run Pass / Secondary Contain

◆ Defensive Pursuit - Run Weak

– Contain the ball.
❖ Wolf - Meet lead at same angle. No edges.

– Front the ball.

❖ Mike - Tight fit off spill.

– Fill the creases. FS, Backer and Backer.

– Second Effort - Defensive Line and Corners Fill the creases.
   
Defensive Pursuit 
Run Inside

Be
Fold and Fit $ T T W
B M WoFold and Fit
CB CB

FS
Front the Ball.

Deep Fold and Fit. Deep Fold and Fit.

◆ Defensive Pursuit - Run Strong.

– Contain the ball.
❖ Mike and Backer- Meet lead at same angle. No edges.

– Front the ball.

❖ Free Safety- Fit early.

– Fill the creases. Bear, Wolf, and Corners

– Second Effort - Defensive Line.
   
Defensive Pursuit 
Tunnel Screen

Be $ T T W
Wo
M B
CB CB

FS

◆ Defensive Pursuit - Tunnel Screen

– Contain the ball.
❖ Mike- Meet lead at same angle. Stop the ball from midline of field.
– Front the ball.
❖ Backer
❖ Front side Corner - If quick cut.
– Fill the creases. FS, Backer and possible front side corner.
– Second Effort - Defensive Line get back to where you started.

   
– Shrink the tunnel.