Our defensive base is the old 4-4 stack with a three deep coverage.  We have used it for years because it is easy to learn and teach as well as giving us the best and most versatile front and coverage possibilities to include stunts from every possible position and angle as well as very sound pass coverages behind the stunts and blitzes.

We partner up each of our four linebackers with a defensive lineman and make four quick calls before every play that give us a wide variety of possible stunts.  We can also use our corner backs and safety to blitz at any time and situation.

Our system of communication for all the stunts and blitzes has been stolen from many sources over the years. I do not claim to be very original.  But, we are very effective with our communication system and get plenty of different stunts with very little learning time for our defensive players.

In our system, the first word before each play always tells the left defensive end and left outside linebacker group what they will be doing.  We always progress from left to right (just like a person reads a sentence in a paragraph) so that the left tackle is paired with the left inside linebacker, the right defensive tackle with the right inside linebacker and the right defensive end with the right outside linebacker.  Players can easily switch positions and have nothing new to learn.
A particular call for the front eight players might sound something like-”Base, X, Pinch, Ed”.  The coverage call is made last and is always done with numbers.  The coverage call example might be – “3” (for “cover 3” or straight 3 deep zone.  In the example for the linebackers and defensive linemen we would have the LOLB basically staying home and reading his containment key, the LDE handling the TE and controlling the C gap, the LILB and LT running an “X” stunt where one guy (at the direction of the LB) shoots through the B gap and the other guy blitzing the A gap, the RT hitting the A gap on his side with the RILB reading his normal key(s), the RDE (“Ed”) shooting tightly through the C gap and the ROLB reading his normal containment key.  See Diagram 1 below.

Diagram 1: Sample Blitz

It may seem to be a “mouth full” for the defensive signal caller, but in reality it only takes a second.  In fact, most of the kids in the huddle quickly learn to find their group’s signal right from the defensive coordinator so that they are already thinking about what they are going to do before the defensive signal caller in the huddle makes his calls. Our safety is responsible for calling our coverage as well as stunts made from our secondary.  There is time to make these calls from the sideline even if an opponent decides not to utilize an offensive huddle.

Our system allows for many different looks and stunts from many angles and doesn’t take long to learn.   Each grouping has unique moves with totally different wordage to prevent confusion.   For example the defensive tackles and inside linebackers never have to concern themselves about an “Ed’ or a “Bash” call (as they are both DE/OLB terms) or “Crash” or “Snake” calls as they are both blitzes performed by secondary players.

We have 3 or 4 different calls for each little unit that can be combined across the total defensive front to allow us to continue to vary what we are doing, take advantage of individual defensive player’s strengths and an offensive player’s weaknesses, adjust to offensive strengths during the game and make our defense quite difficult to scout from week to week with no additional learning time.

Special care must be taken to coordinate coverages with stunts especially when blitzing your outside linebackers and/or defensive backs.

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• Youth Football Drills for the Blitz- The Safety
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• Youth Football Drills for the Blitz – Practice for the Inside Linebacker