6-5 Defense

I won two State championships at the youth level running the 6-5 as our primary defensive front and one more running variations of it this season. So, its success is unquestionable. I implement it differently than most. This is my design:

it is a great defense if used primarily for outside containment.

Personnel placement is vital in its success. Your Defensive Ends must be quick and powerful hitters and I used them to blitz the ball on every down. You won't get beat by the passing attack if he is running for his life all day and after a big hit or two early his eye's are well lets just say "wide open".

Your MLB should be your next priority. He HAS to be strong, fast, very aggressive and very athletic. A lot to ask of one person but this position is vital in the successs of the defense. In essence, what you are doing is taking the speed away from your opponent but closing down the off-tackle and outside plays, forcing the ball to the middle. In reality the middle is the most exploitable weakness in this front. If you've got "Mr. Hits" earning respect in the middle you slow the game down and put yourself in position for a lot of shut-outs. Our first season running it we allowed 19 points in 12 games. With 9 shut-outs. However, every score came right up the middle.

DB's or Corners are next. They must be solid open field tacklers. Bar none your best. Speed, agilty and athletic abilty are qualities they must have. It is a shame to have them outside like that because you take them out of a lot of plays, boring a great athlete BUT when they are needed for coverage or for protecting the sidelines they are your greatest assets.

OLB are to follow. Aggressive, coachable kids. They protect the off-tackle slots first, tie up the ends if they release off the line and support the MLB at all times.

Your back 5 must be your speed and talent. your best players because you are losing your safeties or security blankets.

Your line men are up to you. I prefer a smaller, quicker line than most. You can be successful with big holepluggers but I like athletisism on my line. Squirmy, twisty kids who can get past the overweight lineman before they get out of their stance and have vision and pursuit abilities. But, there again that is coaching prefrence there are benefits to each and I wouldn't be against mixing some big guards with some smaller tackles to secure the middle.

That is my recipe for 6-5 success. More information than I give most people that are not on my staff. I still hold my blitz secrets and variations. You can come up with that mixture depending on your 11.

I will probably always run this front as I love it against fast run oriented teams. However, I like to mix it up more now to create problems for scouts offenses. I run variations out of the base, the 6-2-3, double nickle safety, 4-3-4, 5-2. All have the same personnel in different looks with a variation of assignments. It keeps the offense guessing and it makes them work harder because we will not shift to our front until they break the huddle. To keep them from exploiting a weakness in a front.

We all know Defense wins Championships. It takes all three facets of the game to win week in and week out but not knowing that your Defense is the most vital of those three is a mistake that cost a lot of coaches a lot of games.

I would like to hear your opinions.

Coach Jason