Defensive Set Up For 6 On 6 Flag

[MarkMerco 0]

We have a 8 and 9 year old 6 on 6 flag football team (qb can run, defense can rush on count of 5). We usually play two lines of 3 across defense zone. We recently came across a team who frequently runs 4 receivers deep pulling the back line deep and run another reciever short, just past the front line. The dump passes over the front lines heads in the middle of the field while the deep line covers the long receivers. We tried a 2-1-3 zone defense and were getting burned by runs up the middle. We then brought our 2 front line defenders closer to the middle of the field and were getting picked apart by screen passes. Does anyone know of any defensive schemes or suggestions to help against an offense like this? Thanks Mark

[Coach Rob 26]

More pressure on the QB would solve a lot of your problems. Sounds like they have too much time to make the throw, the challenge is your 5 second count on the rush. Plus the QB can run which adds another dimension.

The problem with zone defenses is they have holes. No matter how you set up your 6 guys, there will be a hole that the offense will try and exploit. If you think your kids could handle it, I'd have two or three simple schemes that you could audible into depending upon how the offense comes out of the huddle. You could have a base zone to start and make adjustments from there or show a different look and go back to your base.

Here's a link to from a successful coach here on the forums who played in a 6 v 6 league.

http://www.y-coach.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2205&p=9747