Flag Football Defense!

[Vegas Coach 0]

Found a simple drill online that helps with the angle pursuit on defense. We line up about 4 defenders in a horizontal line along the field several feet apart. Then have a player with a football take off and run straight down the sideline. The object is for all 4 players lined up to touch him before he blows by. Obviously the player closest to the sideline will touch him first, the players further from the sideline will have to run at an angle to even have a chance at touching him. Something like this:

_______________Runner-------------------------------------------->

__________________________________________________1Defender

__________________________________________________2Defender

__________________________________________________3Defender

__________________________________________________4Defender

CRob

Thanks Rob, That sounds like a good drill and I am always looking for new things to stimulate our kids and not letting them become too complacent with the same drills. Rushbuster posted a good angle flag pulling drill in post#2 in this thread as well that I use every practice now and have found it VERY beneficial on my kids angle pursuits and flag pulling! I see the results!

One other thing that I am not sure has been brought up yet in this thread and thats teaching the kids to "Swarm" to the ball! I know Orange teaches this.... We preach Swarming at every practice and in our scrimmages, my ball carriers do not stop running until both flags are pulled. Our defenders do not stop pursuing until both flags are pulled, which usually results in most of the defense swarmed around the ball carrier. If we see any player standing around they get called out. We harp on the defenders staying in their areas and once the ball is in the air they fly to it, or if there is a handoff, they fly to the ball carrier!!! Just takes constant reps and staying consistant because I have found once you start not stressing something or a point like swarming, the kids will become complacent in that area!

[Texas_D_Coach 14]

OK, I'm coaching a winter league this year and have been scouring the site for drills for our practices.

It's also helped me think of some drills on my own. So here is one I just thought of for the angle of pursuit:

Basically, you set up the cones as shown in the picture about 1 yard from the sideline.

Put the runner 2 yards back from the first line of cones and let the defender go from the intersection of the 2 lines of cones. Both guys start running at the blow of the whistle.

Run it the first time with the defender following the horizontal cones (labeled 1st try), and see if he can catch the runner (he won't be able to).

Next, the defender runs along the angled line of cones (2nd try), and now he should be able to catch the runner easily.

My hope is that this will really demonstrate to the kids why the angle of puruit is so important and how it really does make a difference in catching flags!!!

[lbgto 0]

"We preach Swarming at every practice and in our scrimmages, my ball carriers do not stop running until both flags are pulled. Our defenders do not stop pursuing until both flags are pulled, which usually results in most of the defense swarmed around the ball carrier."

That's a great idea ....thanks!!!!!!!!!

[D-Math 20 1]

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON ZONE DEFENSE 5V5 PAGE

(noone replies on that, so i was hoping you guys could take a look?? it does involve defene ha)

Hi, Im very new to this forum, and in fact this is my first post.

I've been in a flag football league for the past 4 years (this being my 5th year), as well as D1 varsity football for the past 3 years with my high school (playing cornerback on defense).

one thing that I dont like about these diagrams is the simplicity i think ?

I checked them out (the main reason I joined; I couldnt access them beforehand).

And though I do not always prefer zone usage in 5v5, here is what I noticed:

For this first play here (3-2 zone). 2 Outside backers as Flat defenders, 2 corners who seem to be in cover 2 (correct me if Im wrong), and a saftey that stands in the middle 1/3 zone but drops coverage to instead blitz.

First of all it seems like the creator was looking for more symmetry when creating the play. One thing I'd say is that the way the players line up does not necessarily have to be so neat like this. with even splits n such. I think that you were going for simplicity so it'd be easier to understand, but, if u make some minor changes, the layout may be a little less neat and easy to understand, but itll make the game play alot easier to execute.

Adjustments: Ok, if you look at the formation in this play there are twins right (2 receivers to defense left) and solo left (1 receiver to defense right). I think if you slide over our left backer (the one covering the solo side) to over top the center or maybe a hair to the outside, you can quickly eliminate the short pass to the center. you can just tell the player to "fly to the flat" which is what theyll learn in high school. Make sure this player keeps a slight eye on the center as the head out towards the side line.

Also, Tightening down the cornerback on this solo side to about 5 steps/yards might be more beneficial, as it will stop screens to that singled out receiver (this corner is practically in man with the only receiver to his side, but by combinations may switch off to someone else; slide in a bit for inside leverage: 'Use the sideline as an extra defender'). Id also tighten down the other corner to 6 yards and slide him in a bit (for the same reason, plus he has underneath help). If all receivers go deep, the backer to the twins side should be ready to turn up field to help. the back side backer should be ready to help keep the QB from scrambling as if in a spy.

Then I would slide over the other backer to line heads up on the inside receiver on the doubles side, or to split the center and the inside receiver and fly to the flats as well. (A slightly smaller role hear, maybe one of your slower players could work here).

Lastly, and most importantly, the blitzing safety. In this diagram you have the blitzer blitzing from the middle and running straight to the QB. One thing I'd change, is that I'd Slide him out about 3 Yards. This is very important I think. This guy's responsibility is to force the QB to roll out to the left (AWAY FROM THE STRENGTH OF THE FORMATION). If your player can do this without letting the QB run it (which isnt too big a problem cause the player in the flat can help with contain if the QB starts to scramble), you will be in great shape. If the QB is right handed this is even better, cause he'd have to throw back across his body to get the ball where almost all of his other receivers are, a quite risky task.

Too make it easier, I attached my edition of the 3-2 zone.

Sorry this is long, but I hope it can help.

I figured I would let you guys critique me and let me know what you think before I moved on to the other plays. In case I wasn't helping I didnt wanna work on the others.

Plz give me criticism ASAP!

IF YOU DOWNLOAD THE ATTACHMENTS, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE FEEDBACK, THANK YOU

Zone_Defense_Diagrams__edits_.ppt

[coach- chad 0]

One flag pulling drill I did before the game called the "gauntlet" 1 runner two lines of kids with enough room for the ball carrier to run through. On "GO" the ball carrier runs through the line whomever pulls the flag 1st gets to run next. The runner goes to the end of one of the lines. The kids love it and get very excited. If nobody pulls a flag he goes again. The kids will bunch up so you have to keep spreading them apart the 1st few times.

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[bferron 0]

Found a simple drill online that helps with the angle pursuit on defense. We line up about 4 defenders in a horizontal line along the field several feet apart. Then have a player with a football take off and run straight down the sideline. The object is for all 4 players lined up to touch him before he blows by. Obviously the player closest to the sideline will touch him first, the players further from the sideline will have to run at an angle to even have a chance at touching him. Something like this:

_______________Runner-------------------------------------------->

__________________________________________________1Defender

__________________________________________________2Defender

__________________________________________________3Defender

__________________________________________________4Defender

CRob

I dont quite get this drill. The runner is sprinting straight down sideline, and the defenders are apart 3 or 4 yards. facing which direction? How far from sideline. I can make my own, but want to see how you run yours.

Thanks, Bob

[hollad6636 0]

Bob,

This is a simple pursuit drill that will help you teach your defenders how to take a proper pursuit angle to the ball. Line your 4 defenders up facing the line of scrimmage and space like you would in a normal game.

It would progress somewhat as follows:

Start Stage 1

---

Stage 2 Stage 3