Goal Line And Short Yardage Defense

[winston 0]

What scheme/instructions/advice can you Coaches offer for the 8-10 yo's when it comes to both short yardage or goal line D please or would it be better to have separate schemes for each? Thanks?

[winston 0]

I've just been told that we will be using a 6-2 Defense for Goal Line, any tips?

[Soonerhawk 0]

I would not switch up your defense for goal line. If you are not going to run a 62 any other time than goal line then you are not going to practice it much. You would be better off sticking with a 53, moving your LB's up and blitzing.

Then you don't have to teach a separate defense just for goal line situations.

Normally on short yardage you can move your DT's into the gap and blitz your ML. That basically creates a 62. The only thing you have to teach then is a new blitz which you can use anytime, anywhere on the field.

At least, that's what I do.

[winston 0]

Unfortunately, we cannot blitz at that age Soonerhawk, league rules. Anything else?

[coach_roy 0]

coach winston.

we can not blitz in our league either.We run the 62 for our base defense and for our goal line.defense we just scoot our LBs up on goal line D.

Coach Roy

[Soonerhawk 0]

Boy, if you can't blitz then I would just work on gap penetration and put your LB's right up on the guards. Work hard on the rip move and fighting pressure. The weakest spot, IMO, in the 62 is the QB sneak. That's one reason I don't like running the 62 on goal line or short yardage. You will really want your DE's up so they can contain outside.

[CoachSteve 0]

we practice a 6-2 for short yardage situations so it is part of our package. mostly, we run a 44 but we do shift in and out of a 6-2. We fidgetted for about one practice with a seven diamond but hated it. The key is getting reps in the formation. you want to run your goal line defense in practice on a regular basis and, like I said, we sometimes run it as in 3rd and 2 from the 50.

[winston 0]

1] This is what I was thinking too, why not use the same goal line D for short yardage where these 8-10 yo's are concerned?

2] Especially since there will not be much or any passing with these 8-10 yo's, why wouldn't a 6-3 be better for goal line or short yardage where you would have MLB to support the middle?

[patscoach 0]

W,

For 8-10 yr olds that normally run in a 5-3 I'd just take the MLB to the LOS to plug gaps. Yeah, it's technically a 6-2, but what it is in x's and o's is irrelevant. Linebackers have to remain in place UNTIL the snap, so have them keep their depth (not a blitz alignment) and move forward to backfield motion. Corners are on their own, as you sacrifice pass coverage. There's only 3 yds plus the depth of the end zone, so the pass is likely to be of the swing or quick slant anyways, if they can get 9 yr olds to do it.

If you have to coach from the sidelines it will eliminate personnel changes. If the kids are tuned in to signals from the sidelines for regular defensive calls this would be an obvious one to add. If you want the 6-3, run the play in with a replacement for the safety, usually a tackle to take a gap.

The likelihood is either simple up the middle, simple sweep or simple pass, with a run being most likely. That's your call but the 6-2/6-3 covers lots of bases. Keep it simple to understand and they'll execute better.

pats

[winston 0]

For goalline D, in the 6-2, if I give each of the DLinemen and the 2 LB's a gap each to control and leave the Safety back in case of Pass, what are the responsibilities of the 2 corners and where do they line up or how would you all line up each player and what are their responsibilities?

[coach_roy 0]

Coach Winston,

Our corners play on the LOS when we run goal line 62 and we have the corner with no receiver in front of him simply box to contain the sweep or reverse . The other corner with the receiver in front of him covers tjhe receiver unless he sees sweep then he has to help contain.Since our LBs cant blitz they look middle first then outside and if it is a sweep hopefully the corners turn it in to them.IF our MLB sees a full house backfield he tells both corners to box. Try not to give the kids too much to think about.

[winston 0]

Thanks Coach, just to be sure, you are using the Safety as the MLB in the 6-2?

[coach_roy 0]

Coach Winston,

Sorry coach I forgot about the safety. We have the safety play the middle of the field (dead center)no matter what hash mark the ball is on and in 62 I call both linebackers MLBs because in our 44 both DE drop back to LB depth to give us a 44 look and then they truley are MLBs while the DEs become OLBs.

[coach_roy 0]

Coach Winston,

By the way now that I have thoght about it I like your idea about moving the safety up and playing a 63 with the safety becoming the MLB,then I can spread my to stud LBs out a little more for those dreaded sweeps.Thank You for the idea! I owe you one!

Coach Roy

[winston 0]

I wish I could take credit for coming up that on purpose Coach Roy, I was simply looking at the diagram of the 6-2 and wondered why the safety should stay there unless you are looking at a possible 2 point conversion and since "most" of the times it's only going to be an extra point try at this level then they will run but thanks, I think I will move him into the MLB position too for the runs and regular extra point try and whenever I suspect or see any reason why they may try for 2 points, then I will drop the safety back, see? We all work great together on this board!

[winston 0]

on second thought, I am thinking now of having the 2 LB's take the B gaps and have the Safety "flow" to wherever he sees the push, what do you [or anyone else] think?