4-3 Defense in High School Football

[ElMoldova]

To any coach running a 4-3 defense,

This isn't Madden.
This isn't your favorite college team.
This is high school football.
And it's very simple:
If you can stop the run, you win.
Period.
If you find that you can't stop run,
Consider that you only have 7 guys in the box.
No, 6 yards off the ball is not "in the box".
In the box, is in the box.
Not mentioning any names,
But if you find yourself getting pounded by Westmont or Bedford,
It may be time to reconsider.
Thanks,

-Your biggest fan

[woninthetrenches]

The 4-3 is a very good defense in high school. Now when you play teams like Westmont you have to use guys a little diffrent and pull more guys closer to the line of scrimmage. Now against a team like Bedford its not a bad defense at all. You use your ends to attack the Qb, the middle lb and 2 tackle for the dive and your outside lbs for the pitch. If you can play the gaps you will do well. It really doesnt matter waht defense you run as long as you are comfortable in it and do your responsibilites you will stop or at least slow down teams.

[ElMoldova]

The 4-3 is a very good defense in high school... It really doesnt matter waht defense you run as long as you are comfortable

Great explanation. It seems you are qualified to coach... As long as you're comfortable with it.

[Crimson's Ghost]

You have to have the right personnel to make any defense work. I like the 5-2 in High School with the one safety effectively playing a rover type and cheating up against the run.

You can run the 4 man front of your two interior linemen are big and can take up space and blockers. I just don't see many area teams with that big of a defensive line anymore.

it just seemed in the early to mid 2000's Tyrone, Forest Hills, McCort all had some really big kids. And those games were played differently than they are now in D6AA.

[dougkeklak]

I was always a skeptic of the 4-3 at the HS level just because there aren't a lot of kids that have the ability to truly play the MIKE linebacker as it's intended. That 3-5 that Selinsgrove has run is neat, and I wonder why it hasn't caught hold in other schools... especially where being undersized is a factor.

[Eaglealum]

This is a good discussion.. A lot of valid points. My personal opinion is year to year your personel should determine what you employ. However you can use variances in any scheme to better fit your capabilities. Undersized or inexperienced LB's can be kept "out of the wash" by staying back a bit. But they have to be decisive and quick to the POA, and you have to gamble a bit..... Bottom line, undersized and or inexperience can be aided or masked but not hidden

[ElMoldova]

If you're playing against an all-state QB with all-state WRs, the 4-3 makes sense-- which is why most college and pro teams sacrifice that extra man it the box. It also makes sense to add another safety on passing downs. But if you're facing a team that runs the ball, 7 in the box is like putting 10 on the field.

In the LHAC -- There have been 1,502 run plays compared to 532 passing plays. That means that on average, 73% of plays are runs.

Only one team runs the ball less than 50% of the time. They have one win.

Of the teams with winning records, 78% of plays are runs.

[ElMoldova]

Like Crimson said, the 5-2 can be a good defense with a real strong safety. The 5-3 is best against the triple option. And if you're having trouble deciding between a 5-2 and a 4-4, think about your ends. If you have bulls, run the 4-4. If you have scrappers, run the 5-2. If you want to continue to under-achieve, run the 4-3.

[dougkeklak]

This is a good discussion.. A lot of valid points. My personal opinion is year to year your personel should determine what you employ. However you can use variances in any scheme to better fit your capabilities. Undersized or inexperienced LB's can be kept "out of the wash" by staying back a bit. But they have to be decisive and quick to the POA, and you have to gamble a bit..... Bottom line, undersized and or inexperience can be aided or masked but not hidden

Really good post here. The best coaches are always the ones that make the system fit the kids, not vice versa. Utilize the strengths.

[woninthetrenches]

Really good post here. The best coaches are always the ones that make the system fit the kids, not vice versa. Utilize the strengths.[/quote]

Youre right about fitting the kids to your system. 5-2 and 4-4 are very common to see in high school. If you go to other areas the run a 4-3 5-2 also. With the spread offense being run more, you will see more 4-3 and 4-4 run. They are all good with adjustments to the many formations