Gap 40 Defense
James Allen
Football has definitely gone through much change in the
nineties. Gone are the days where the 50 defense dominated the scene.
The popularity of the 4-3 defense has risen to the degree that in
some areas one does not see the 50 defense very much. Reasons for
this are many, I would like to think modern drug testing has had
great part in changing the face of football. What I mean by this is
that bigger football players are being encouraged to play. In the
past a coach sought a lean football player and encouraged that player
to bulk up through training. Now, large players, as long as they can
move are sought and asked to lose weight.
Some main reasons coaches are switching to a 40 gap
defense. One, many teams are passing more today and there is a need
for better pass rush from the front four. Two, many teams send the Rb
out as an outlet, there fore it is sometimes to risky to send the
Lbís on blitzes. Thirdly the quality of defensive coaching is
better today than ever before, but practice time with the student
athletes has dropped. A pressure front is something the players are
interested in learning and if they are willing to learn, they will
learn more and better.
This all fits in with the popularity of the 40 defense.
Large DT's are sought to control the line and maintain it. Large DT's
actually help the ILB as they dictate double teaming, leaving one
less blocker to worry about.
The idea of a modern 40 gap team is to get the shaded
defensive front into the offensive line, promote this double teaming.
If the Defensive lineman does not get double teamed and get into the
line they can use the offensive lineman's effort to propel him into
the backfield. If the D-lineman gets double teamed, the ILB has a gap
to press through.
Now mind you I am speaking of generalities and I know
there pros and cons of any technique.
The 40 defense no matter what exact front, should promote
proactive line play. That means to get the line off on the ball
movement as quickly as possible and into their shade of the offensive
lineman. Notice I said get into the man, not into the gap. Far to
many coaches do not understand that we must coach the down linemen to
be as physical as possible in a shade system. To many players sluff
off and just step hard into the gap. These type of defensive linemen
are often times trapped or down blocked easily. If you engage quickly
on your man, you can feel him move away and are alert to being
trapped or down blocked. I coach my players to sense and feel the
lineman's block and have their eyes in the back field. Through
drilling this can be accomplished.
Now the Defensive linemen and Linebackers must have one
thing in common when they are engaged by a blockers. They must get
their outside arm free and their inside foot up. This block
protection base cannot be coached enough. To often players do not get
in a base or use it to late and are taken right out of the play, or
at least right out of the pursuit. Good block protection base, you
cannot over coach it.
Another important key that a lot of teams are utilizing is
shifting fronts. Without going into to much detail here, shifting
from a base to and under / overshift just before the ball is snapped.
I am all in favor of this as long as you have enough time to teach
what changes this shifting creates in the way of responsibilities. If
you do not have the time or do not have a team that can quickly pick
up on this strategy, leave it alone and stay with the base. It is
better to do one thing right than to do many things poorly.
The Linebacking is far different in a forty gap front than
other fronts or non gap forties. First the LB still key linemen as in
a fifty, but now they are keying the Center (Mac) and Tackles (Sam
Will) instead of Guards. They must also press in unison very quickly.
Pressing is when after keying a run the Linebackers take angles
through the line blocking. This can be taught through practice,
practice, and more practice.
Secondary play is also very important. In my opinion the
secondary plays more outside run support in a 40 defense. One main
reason for this is because it is easier to wall in more defensive
bodies on outside teams against a 40 front than a 50 front. The other
smaller reason is based mainly on the defensive backs being able to
quickly read a offensive lineman. It seems this was easier in the 50
days with those guards being uncovered.
I will not say to much else on the Secondary, as it is
always coached so differently, except that the Safeties must come up
on run support faster than they did on the old 50. Much has been
written on changing from a 50 to a 40 front. Alot of this stuff is
still out there in circulation it is still true, but for the most
part its impact on the Secondary play and coverages has been
overlooked. The same can be said of switching from a base 40 to a gap
playing 40. Be aware how the speed of the pass rush (hopefully)
changes. The ball maybe thrown quicker or maybe the Qb gets chased
out of the pocket more. Prepare the Secondary for this through
practice. What maybe good for the front maybe more work for the Db's.
I agree that any front will work and dominate if the
personnel are all world type players. I do see the value in a gap 40
defense in modern ball however and that is just own my humble view.
