1. Youth football defense
AGE APPROPRIATE TECHNIQUE AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT

2. YOUTH COACHES HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT JOB!
ATTENTION SPAN IS A MAJOR HURDLE!
YOUTH COACH CANNOT JUST RELY ON HIS PAST EXPERIENCE.
A YOUNG PLAYER’S CORE STRENGTH USUALLY IS NOT READY FOR THE SAME COMPLETE TECHNIQUE THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE PLAYER USES.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO WIN! BUT THE GOOD YOUTH COACH TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN THE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE THAT HIS PLAYERS HAVE LEARNED. LISTEN TO THE COACHING COMMENTS DURING A GAME.

3. laying the foundation
THE GOOD YOUTH COACH TAKES GREAT PRIDE WATCHING HIS/HER EX- PLAYERS SUCCEED ON THE HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE LEVEL.

4. YOUTH DEFENSIVE LINE
FULL EQUIPMENT TACKLE FOOTBALL – HOW EARLY SHOULD THE OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE LINEMEN BE IN A THREE-POINT STANCE? IMPORTANT CONVERSATION!!!
TECHNIQUE WORK PERFORMED FROM A LOW TWO- POINT STANCE FOR BOTH OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE LINE HAS A LOT OF CARRY OVER.
LOTS OF CONTROL LEVEL ONE-ON-ONE WORK

5. GIVE THE YOUTH DL LEVERAGE (1,3,5,7 TECHNIQUE) – HEADS-UP TWO GAP IS DIFFICULT
1. HELMET BELOW OPPONENT’S HELMET
2. TWO HAND “STRIKE” WITH THUMBS UP DIRECTED TOWARD THE BREAST PLATE OF FRONT OF THE SHOULDER OF THE OPPONENT – GOAL IS TO LIFT OPPONENT’S CHEST “CONTROLLED SEPARATION
3. SINK HIPS (“STRIKE”) POSITION
4. CONTINUOUS SIX INCH STEPS TO HEEL DEPTH

6. CONTROL GAP – DISENGAGE - PURSUE
FIGHT PRESSURE WITH PRESSURE – THAT WILL SECURE THE GAP – DO NOT RUN AROUND THE BLOCK!!!
DISENGAGE: “CROSS-FACE” IF DOWNBLOCKED IS IDEAL; IF BEING REACHED, SHOOT GAPSIDE HIP AND SHOULDER INTO THE GAP AND RIP THE OPPOSITE ARM THROUGH
DRILLS: TENNIS BALL DRILL; BAG DRILLS (ONE STEP AT A TIME); POST PUNCH ONE-ON-ONE CONTROL DRILLS “FIGHT PRESSURE DRILL” – “CROSSFACE DRILL”- “REACH DRILL”

7. ADD SOME OF THE USAFOOTBALL SHOULDER TACKLE DRILLS AT THE FINISH OF ANY DL TECHNIQUE DRILL
ANGLE TACKLE DRILL
SPRINT TACKLE DRILL
GOOD TO USE A TACKLE TUBE AT THE END OF ANY TECHNIQUE DRILL

8. LINEBACKER PROGRESSION
LINEBACKER STANCE IS IMPORTANT! PRACTICED EVERYDAY! “FEET” “SQEEZE” “SINK” “HANDS”
MUCH OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL TIME PERIOD IS WORKING ON USAFOOTBALL SHOULDER TACKLE TECHNIQUE AND DRILLS;STRIP THE BALL DRILLS; SOME 45 DEGREE PASS DROPS READING THE No. 2/3  RECEIVER – IF HE IS GOING OUT, SOMEONE ELSE IS COMING IN

9. Lb group work with dl
INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING INTO THE BACKFIELD, THE LB CAN LEARN TO READ KEYS TO THE PLAY FROM THE LINE BLOCKING RB RB
O O O
DL DL
LB LB
LEVELS OF CONTACT CAN BE “CONTROL” OR “THUD”

10. DEFENSIVE BACK PROGRESSION
STANCE AND FOOTWORK
PLANT AND REACTION
“GET TO THE HIP”
BALL DRILLS
TACKLING

11. “GET TO THE HIP” DRILL
THIS DRILL IS CONDUCTED AT THE “CONTROL” LEVEL OF CONTACT
LINE RECEIVER UP 5 YDS FROM THE DEFENSIVE BACK. THE RECEIVER DRIVES OFF AND AT 5 YARDS BREAKS EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. THE DEFENSIVE BACK PLANTS THE BACK FOOT EFFECTIVELY AND DRIVES TO THE RECEIVER’S HIP THAT IS CLOSER TO THE QB. GET TO THE HIP FIRST, THEN LOOK FOR THE BALL. (OTHER PATTERNS CAN BE USED)

12. WHAT IS YOUR COVERAGE? MOSTLY SEE “MAN” COVERAGE (“0” COVERAGE)
MOST EFFECTIVE FOR YOUTH FOOTBALL IS COVER “1” , WHICH IS “MAN” WITH A FREE SAFETY. THE FREE SAFETY MUST BE A SMART ATHLETE THAT CAN READ THE LINE BLOCKING TO GET AN EARLY READ IF IT IS A RUN (HE IS A FREE HITTER) OR IF IT IS A PASS.
IF HE READS PASS, HE SHOULD READ THE QB’S FRONT SHOULDER TO DETERMINE WHICH HALF THE FIELD HE SHOULD HELP IN COVERAGE. HE SHOULD THINK INTERCEPTION

13. “STATIONARY HASH MARK DRILL”
TWO RECEIVERS ALIGN 15 YDS FROM THE BALL AND 15 – 20 YARDS APART. THE FREE SAFETY (DB) LINES UP 17 YDS FROM THE BALL MID-WAY BETWEEN THERECEIVERS.
AT THE SNAP, THE SAFETY TAKES A SLOW BACK PEDAL READING THE FRONT SHOULDER OF THE THROWER. AS THE THROWER TURNS TO THROW TO ONE OF THE RECEIVERS, THE FREE SAFETY BREAKS ON THE TURN OF THE THROWER’S SHOULDER AND THE RELEASE OF THE THROWER’S FRONT HAND OFF THE BALL. INTERCET THE BALL! TELL THE RECEIVER NOT TO STEP INTO THE BALL.

14. DRILL DIAGRAM DB
WR WR
THROWER

15. FOUR FRONT WITH COVER “1”
RB QB
SL WR
SE T G C G T SE
DE DT DT DE
C WS W M S C FS
( “FREE HITTER”)

16. 3 – 5 STACK COVER “1” RB QB SL WR SE T G C G T SE DE DE
C WS W M S SS C FS
(FREE HITTER) T