1. Orangemen Multiple
Front Defense
Todd Ekart
Defensive Coordinator Beatrice High School
tekart@bpsne.org

2. Beatrice Football
• Last 6 years
• 50 Wins (8+ wins a season)
• Playoffs 5 times
• Semi-Finals 4 times
• Finals Once

3. Our Defense
•Even front
•4-2-5
•D-Line secure gaps
•Inside linebackers read guards
•Outside linebackers read EMOLS
•Secondary zone coverage

4. 4-2-5
O
O
O O OO O
O
O
O
X
E EN T
W
M S
R CC
F

5. D-Line Play
•2 techniques: Have to use hands in both!
•Get in a gap (shade or slant)
•Play through half the man
•Gap hand on shoulder and other hand
under V of the neck
•Press
•Shoot both hands to breastplate
•Feel the block
•Demand double teams!

6. Inside Linebackers
• Read Guard
•Down block
•Reach
•Pull across
•Pull out
•Guard will dictate where we fit play-side and
back-side
•High Hat
•Drop to zone

7. Outside Linebackers/
Secondary
• Read EMOLS
•Low Hat
•Run Responsibility
•High hat or release
•Drop to zone

8. Coverages (Pro)
O
O
O O
O O O X O O O
E N T E
W M S R
C C
F

9. Coverages (2 X 2)
O
O O O
O O O X O O O
W E N T E R
“2-1”
M S “2-1”
C C
“2-1”
F “2-1”

10. Coverages (2 X 2)
O
O O O
O O O X O O O
W E N T E R
“2-1”
M S
C C
“2-1”
F

11. Coverages (3 X 1)
O
O O O
O O O X O O O
E N T E R
M S
C
MAN
W
Hole
C
#1
F
#2

12. Coverages (3 X 1)
O
O O O
O O O X O O O
E N T E R
M S
C
MAN
W C
#1
#3
F
#2

13. Why Change?

14. I Pro with
Option Teams

15. Spread
Counter
Teams

16. Spread
Teams with
Running QB

17. Power Teams
that also use
Multi-Rec.
Sets

18. All used
multiple sets
and
formations

19. Why change?
•Personnel
•Had more linebacker/safety types
•O-line and D-line were going both
ways
•Ability to adjust to formations and
motion
•Coverage Options
•Give the offense a different look

20. 3-4 Personnel
•Easier to adjust to formations and
motion
•Could rotate linemen
•2 good safeties coming back
•Play more kids
•Tried to keep the reads the same for
our linebackers
•Pressure from different angles

21. 4-2-5 to the 3-4
O
O
O O
O O O X O O O
E N T E
W M S R
C C
F

22. O
O
O O
O O O X O O O
E N E R
W M S L
C C
F
4-2-5 to the 3-4

23. Implementation
•Evaluate players
•What can your D-Line do?
•Outside LBs and Safeties
•Hybrid types
•Rotate players in
•Capabilities of your secondary
•Can you play man or are you
straight zone?

24. Implementation
•Have a plan
•Put all base stuff in first and get
good at it.
•Sometimes less is more
•Put in different alignments based on
opponent
•Stick to the plan but don’t be afraid to
slow down or drop something!

25. O
O
O O
O O O X O O O
E N E R
W M S L
C C
F
3-4 Base Alignment
Ends: 5 tech on Tackles
Nose: O tech over Center
Stud and Mike: 20 heels at 5 yards
Lion and Free: 7 yards deep 1 yard outside TE
*Can vary according to call
Rover and Will: TE play 8 tech
No TE 4 x 4
*Can vary according to call
Corners: 6-7 yards of outside shade
* Can vary depending on coverage

26. O
O
O O
O O O X O O O
E N E R
W M S L
C C
F
4-2-5 (Base 40)
Weak End: 6 tech if no TE
7 tech to TE
Strong End: 3 Tech
Nose: Shade weak
Stud and Mike: 20 heels at 5 yards
Lion: Varies based on call. Read EMOLS
Will: 4 x 4
Rover : 8 tech hands on TE
Free: 10 yards deep over Guard on 2 rec. side
Corners: 6-7 yards of outside shade
* Can vary depending on coverage

27. O
O
O O
O O O X O O O
E N E R
W M S
C C
F L
4-3 (Slide)
Weak End: 6 tech if no TE
7 tech to TE
Strong End: 3 tech
Nose: Shade weak
Stud and Will: 50 Heels at 5 yards
Mike: Over Center Heels at 5 yards
Rover : 8 tech hands on TE
Lion and Free: 7 yards deep 1 yard outside TE
*Can vary according to call
Corners: 6-7 yards of outside shade
* Can vary depending on coverage

28. O
O
O O
O O O X O O O
W E N E R
M S
C C
F L
50 Front (5-2)
Ends: 5 tech on Tackles
Nose: O tech over Center
Stud and Mike: 20 heels at 5 yards
Lion and Free: 7 yards deep 1 yard outside TE
*Can vary according to call
Rover and Will: TE play 8 tech
No TE Wide 6
Corners: 6-7 yards of outside shade
* Can vary depending on coverage

29. O
O
O O
O O O X O O O
W E N E R
M S L
C C
F
50 Front (5-3)
Ends: 5 tech on Tackles
Nose: O tech over Center
Stud: 00 Heels at 5 yards
Mike and Lion: 50 heels at 5 yards
Free: 10 yards deep over Guard on 2 rec. side
Rover and Will: TE play 8 tech
No TE Wide 6
Corners: 6-7 yards of outside shade
* Can vary depending on coverage

30. O
O
O O
O O O X O O O
E N E
M S R
C C
W F L
3-3
Ends: 5 tech on Tackles
Nose: O tech over Center
Stud, Mike Rover: Stacked heels at 5 yards
Lion and Will: 7 yards deep 1 yard outside TE
*Can vary according to call
Free: 7 yards deep to 2 rec. side
*Can vary according to call
Corners: 6-7 yards of outside shade
* Can vary depending on coverage

31. Weekly Schedule
•Saturday:
•Get an idea of what of opposition is
doing
•Sunday:
•Formations and Favorite Plays
•What front fits best?
•What pressures do we want to put
in?

32. Weekly Schedule
•Monday:
•Formation/Blitz sheets
•Walk through plan
•Tuesday:
•Run through plan
•Personnel changes
•Mistakes?

33. Weekly Schedule
•Wednesday:
•Correct mistakes
•Run through plan again
•If it doesn’t work on Wednesday it is
out
•Thursday:
•Walk through

34. Most Important
Element of
Practice?

35. REPS!
• Make corrections in Indy
• Keeps things moving in Team and
Group
• Pull player out and correct on the
side
• More times they see a play the better
• Hudl = mental reps

36. What We Stress
•What coaches can control
•Alignment
•Assignment
•What players have to control
•Communication
•Attitude
•Effort