Defensive System
In this article I'll start to explain our defensive system. It will be very much a work in progress so please keep checking in as it should evolve as we go.
The Usual
In this section I'll say what everybody says, except I'll mean it. First of all our defense is based upon being fundamentally sound. We run and tackle. We're athletic and very physical. We tackle and tackle and tackle. In practice we form tackle, then we live tackle. We teach form tackling the very first day of spring and every day until the end of the season. We emphasize pursuit and reward it. Every player who gets in on a tackle is rewarded, from the first to the eleventh. Once the tackle is secured we strip the football until the whistle blows.
In practice we use our pads, we hit and shed (see: Machine Gun Drill) and pride ourselves on being a physical team that other teams don't want to play. Let me also emphasize that we are a clean team; I don't tolerate cheap play. We play full speed to the whistle. We hit everything that moves (except the referees). When the whistle blows the play is over. We help our teammates up and hustle back to the huddle.
The Players
Our defense is very multiple but it's based around a 4-4. We emphasize stopping the run and pressuring the QB. Our player designations are illustrated below.
#1 Strongside Outside Linebacker
Our #1 is our strong-side outside linebacker. He's going to take an alignment over the tight-end with an outside shade.
#2 Defensive End
This is our left (defensive left) defensive end. His base alignment is head up the offensive tackle.
#3 Defensive Tackle
Our strongside defensive tackle. His alignment will vary by call.
#4 Defensive Tackle
Our quickside defensive tackle. His alignment will also vary by call.
#5 Defensive End
Our right defensive end. Like his opposite number his base alignment is head up the offensive tackle.
#6 Quickside Outside Linebacker
His base alignment is 2 yards outside by 3 yards deep off the offensive tackle.
#7 Strong Safety/Inside Linebacker
This is a tricky position and it's rare that we can find one player who can fill both roles. In our base 4-4 we'll leave a linebacker in this role. His base alignment is 4 yards deep, head up the offensive guard.
#8 Inside Linebacker
His base alignment is 4 yards deep, head up the offensive guard.
C
Our corner alignment is largely determined by coverage and ability. Our base alignment is 1 yard inside by 7 yards deep. If we're in man or cover 2 we'll tighten up and in cover 2 we'll take an outside alignment so that we can funnel the WR inside.
FS
Our free safety's base alignment is 12 yards deep and splitting the two widest receivers as evenly as possible. This alignment will vary based upon coverage.