Base 4-3

Defense

Presented By
Phillip Blackwell
Asst. Coach
Overlea High School
Baltimore, Maryland
Stats/Year 2004 2005

INTs 15 17

Rushing Yds 1442 1270

Passing Yds 570 682

Record 7-3 9-3 2A

North Regional
Championship
Averages 144.2 Rushing yds/gm 105.8 Rushing yds/gm
57 Passing yds/gm 1.5 56.8 Passing yds/gm
INTs/gm 1.4 INTs/gm
 The 4-3 Defense
•
The offense may have difficulty getting a
running back through this defense - and
worse yet, in finding a receiver when there
are four defenders deep down field.
 Base 4-3 Alignment
• 1. Assume your defense faces a typical split-back offense.
(Adjust the following formation to compensate for varying
offenses)
• 2. Leave the CENTER unguarded.
• 3. Position a DT to either side of the center. Each blocks on
the left side of opposing GUARDS.
• 4. Line the DE up to block the tight end head-up.
• 5. Position the other DE to block the outside shoulder of the
opposing tackle.
• 6. Set two DBs in the secondary, aligned according to the
called coverage.
• 7. Set three linebackers 3 to 4 yards off the line of
scrimmage: one in front of the center, a second behind the
left end, and a third in back and to the outside shoulder of the
right end.
• 8. Position two safeties 10-12 yards away from the line of
scrimmage, according to the called coverage.
 BASE 4-3 DEFENSE
“Cover 1”

FS

C W M S SS
C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
 BASE 4-3 DEFENSE
“COVER 2”

FS SS

W M S
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
WR
Q
R R
 FS

C C
W M S
SS
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
BASE 4-3 DEFENSE
“COVER 3”
 FS SS

W M S
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
BASE 4-3 DEFENSE
“COVER 4”
 FS SS

W M S
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
Base 4-3
Pro “Cover 4”
 FS SS

W M S
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
BASE 4-3 DEFENSE
“COVER 2 MAN”
 BASE 4-3 DEFENSE
“Cover 0 – All OUT BLITZ”

FS

W M S
C SS C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
Questions????
 BLITZES

• Single LB (Mike, Sam or Will)

• Single DB (LCB, RCB, SS or FS)
• LB Packages (Sam & Mike, Will &
Mike, Sam & Will, Sam, Mike & Will)
• DB Packages (Both CBs, Both
Safeties)
 Single Blitzes

• Mike LB = Monster
• Sam LB = SAMson
• Will = Warrior
• CB = Cover 2 Look ##
• SS = Suicide
• Free Safety = Freeky
 Mike (Monster) Blitz

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
 Sam (SAMson) Blitz

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
 Will (Warrior) Blitz

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
CB (Cover 2 Look ##) Blitz

FS SS

W M S
C C
#22 E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
Strong Safety (Suicide) Blitz

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
Free Safety (FREEky) Blitz

FS

W M S
C SS C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
 Blitz Packages

• Sam & Mike LB Blitz = SMash

• Will & Mike LB Blitz = WhaM
• Sam & Will LB Blitz = SWord
• Sam, Will & Mike LB Blitz = SWarM
• Both CBs Blitz = Cover 2 Look ZERO
• Free & Strong Safeties Blitz = Tornado
Sam & Mike (SMash) LB Blitz

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
Will & Mike (WhaM) LB Blitz

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
Sam & Will (SWord) LB Blitz

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
Sam, Will & Mike (SWarM) LB Blitz

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
Both CBs (Cover 2 Look ZERO) Blitz

FS SS

W M S
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE WR
Q
R R
Free & Strong (Tornado) Safety Blitz

FS SS

W M S
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE WR
Q
R R
 Zone Blitzes

• Will = Will FIRE ZONE

• Sam = Sam FIRE ZONE
• Mike = Mike FIRE ZONE
• CB = Cover 2 Look ## FIRE ZONE
• SS = Suicide FIRE ZONE
• FS = Freeky FIRE ZONE
 Will FIRE ZONE

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE WR
Q
R R
 Sam FIRE ZONE

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE WR
Q
R R
 Mike FIRE ZONE

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE WR
Q
R R
Cover 2 Look ## FIRE ZONE

FS SS

W M S
C C
#22 E N T E
WR T G C G T TE
Q WR
R R
 Suicide FIRE ZONE

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE WR
Q
R R
 Freeky FIRE ZONE

FS

W M S SS
C C
E N T E
WR T G C G T TE WR
Q
R R
Questions????
THANK YOU & GOOD LUCK ON
YOUR UPCOMING SEASON!!!!!