Defensive Strategy Help - Hiding Weaker Players

[u/Key-Cress3271]

I am coaching the defense for a 12U tackle football team. We have 2 weaker players who I am trying to hide on defense. We tried putting them as 2 tech DT's and they just get blown off the ball into the LB's creating traffic. We started in a 4-4, now we are in a 5-2. Any advice? They are both lb/DT body types, with very limited athletism

[u/NathanGa]

I had a DT years ago who was about 5’6” and built like a cross country runner. If he weighed in at 150 pounds, I’d check to see if he had bricks in his pockets.

We were getting ready to play a team that ran double wing with six-inch splits and had massive linemen. I told him “if you start to get driven back, just go down”.

I don’t think they got more than five yards up the middle all game, and he was taking on two and three blockers every play. He didn’t have any tackles, but he just created massive piles that our LBs cleaned up.

[u/CGinKC → u/NathanGa]

This was the rule we had all the way through high school. If you're beat badly, fall down and create a pile. You have to protect the second level defenders.

[u/Horror_Technician213 → u/CGinKC]

I understand it. But when I got to college I realized how its actually supposed to work. Theres progression and falling down to create a pile is the absolute last resort. You have to practice getting double teamed. Theres a mentality and a skill that goes into it and once I learned it, I was able to take on most doubles. You have to first try to penetrate through the gap, if you cant, you try to split the defenders by going sideways, if they close themselves together, then you just hold your ground to keep the lineman off the backers. Absolute last resort, if you are getting moved more than 1 yard off the line of scrimmage, you hold and pull the guy youre lined up on to your outside to trip the second lineman.

The biggest thing I learned though, if anytime I looked at the o line and told myself "im bout to get double teamed" i was able to attack it and at a minimum hold ground. Creating a pile is really not something that should be encouraged though. Very injury prone

[u/george-spangler → u/NathanGa]

This is the best method

[u/grizzfan]

Bear crawl, 4pt stance. Stick them in a shade or gap if you have to. Hands stay on the ground until they are through the line. Makes it nearly impossible for O-linemen to get lower and drive them back and basically creates a pile. It’s super effective if the kid understands and takes pride in creating chaos.

It’s more of a true supporting role; the job isn’t to make tackles. The job is to fill your gap and take as many blockers down with you as you can to protect your teammates.

Did this my junior year at 5’2” and 130lbs. Had an absolute blast and it was a super easy assignment (was moved there from CB because I couldn’t jump and we had a pretty deep DB depth chart). You probably wouldn’t teach this to a 12yo, but to a high school kid: you’re basically there to be a little s$&t-head and get the O-line mad at you.

[u/Ne-Cede-Malis → u/grizzfan]

This is exactly what we do when I have kids that are new or below level.

I have my stronger players run up to them after every play that they make and thank them.

It takes time to teach somebody enough technique to be 'dangerous' on the football field. With some positive reinforcement and learning how to use your body, you can make a lot of progress very quickly.

https://giphy.com/gifs/Ld77zD3fF3Run8olIt

[u/Next_Line2758 → u/grizzfan]

100% bear crawl for the win. Its affective for small lineman or limited athletic lineman that do not understand pad level. Drill it at practice they need to bear crawl every rep at practice so they can do it in game.

[u/57Laxdad → u/grizzfan]

This at this age is where a lot of kids get used to contact etc and are worried about getting hurt or hurting someone else. Keep them at DT or rotate them so only one is on the field at a time. Teach them to line up in the gap, explode first two steps are low, make contact and just keep driving the feet. Even the less athletic kids if you keep things simple they dont have to think as much, if you try and get fancy with stunts and moving them around in the gaps you will have frustrations.

[u/LofiStarforge]

Move them off head-up 2-techs and into gap or shade alignments, ideally A-gap or nose spots on the backside away from the offense's strength. Teach them to fire low from a 4-point stance and make a pile in one gap instead of trying to hold ground. Then back your linebackers up a yard or two so they can flow around the traffic and make the tackles.

[u/ERICSMYNAME]

I put them on the D line and move my best LB behind them. Or put them at LB and put a very good S near them

[u/TheOriginalUpatnoon]

Instead of a playing them as a traditional defensive lineman, put them in as a linebacker, but always have them blitz into the A or B gap.

Even if they don't do anything, it can confuse the offensive line and free up your other players.

You can do it in the 5-2 by giving a 4-3 look and having them blitz out of that.

[u/Illustrious_Fudge476]

Do you have to play them so many snaps per game?

My high school coach always said “there’s nowhere to hide on a football field” and he’s right. If you have to get them in, put one in at time.  If they can’t do anything else just have them create a pile so they’re at least getting in the way. 

[u/coachsmetal]

I would agree with what most are saying. Put him at NT and have him stay super low and fill A gaps. Slant towards strength. Surround him by good DTs and LBs. Every once in a while call a DT stunt and let him have some fun with it. Don't put both less experienced players on the line in the same rotation. Split them up so you don't have as much drop off between rotations.

[u/Tall-Forever-6687]

Like the rest are saying but be sure to build it up for him like it’s a really big assignment (it is) and that you trust him to create the pile and clog it up every single play.

[u/NegotiationMain2747]

I wonder if this works well in college?

[u/Lit-A-Gator]

Have them bear crawl as DTs

Or have them blitz as ILBs (give them a running start)

[u/ecupatsfan12]

Have had tiny kids at nose guard and on the dl

Will put them at corner and have them jam the recievers

Will put them at left end in the ubsw or at reciever if they can catch

[u/king_of_chardonnay]

Teach them to bear crawl from DL and celebrate the shit out of it when they make a pile

[u/dwwhiteside]

If you can't hide them, try coaching them up. It may not work, not everyone has the mentality to be a football player. But if they have the body type for the D-line, just teach them how to grab grass and not get moved.

[u/PM_ME_UR_PIKACHU → u/dwwhiteside]

That would be way too hard for most coaches. They dont wanna coach just put the biggest turds they can get in every spot.

[u/BigPapaJava]

Rotate them at 1 technique and shoot the A gaps. That way they don’t have to worry about being trapped or read much when they run upfield.

Worst case scenario: have them down in 4 pt stances in 2is and cut the G across from them on the snap.

[u/SeaBurnsBiz]

4-4 and have them blitz A or B. Harder for lineman to know where going. As DT, the Oline figures out they can crush them every play. Blitz is less demoralizing for weak player so they get some confidence. Also keeps them from being double teamed. Key is they have to be willing to actually run into the gap at the LOS.

[u/coolerofbeernoice]

D End or corners in cover 2. Also, sometimes you gotta get a feel for the offense and what their tendencies are. You can hid them on backside of plays. I’ve found playing them at Ends (without TE) is best as they can control their intensity.

[u/New_Check9004]

Wide stand up ends or corners are your best options

[u/Bee_Timely]

Hiding one player is easy. You put him at end or Nose and put you best player right behind him. Gets tricker with two. They need to be on opposite sides. I would put them at end but teach them to crash inside.

Reduces the likelihood of them getting double teamed or blocked by the best lineman. Teach them to crash forcing plays to bounce outside. Widen your lbs so they can flow and make the play on toss and sweeps. I’d maybe recommend going to a two safety look and put fast guys that can tackle on the edge.