Front Six (SCAT) - Gregory Double Wing

63 Defense: Front Six 

Stance, Calls, Alignment, Technique 

(SCAT) 

Jack Gregory© 2013 

All Rights Reserved 

For more information see www.gregorydoublewing.com 

Or email me at coachgregory@live.com

Front Six 

• Stop the ball from moving vertical up the field via 

the A, B, and C gaps. 

• Compress the Line of Scrimmage and collapse the 

backfield forcing the ball to spill or redirect. (play 

behind the heels of the blockers and locate the 

ball). 

• Defensive linemen are gap contain players. Fill 

gap, collapse LOS, and locate and flow to the ball 

with near shoulder leverage. 

• OLB’s penetrate their gap and attack the near hip 

of the QB. They are gap pressure players.

Terms 

• Ball Get Off: Ability to react quickly and explosively to 

the first movement (key) by they offense. You move 

when the ball/foot/hand moves. 

• Fingers to ball alignment: Getting the defensive line to 

get their fingertips on the line of scrimmage. 

• Pre-snap relaxed: relaxed, not tense, and ready to get 

off the ball on first movement. 

• Hat in crack: Get your hat and foot in the gap you are 

responsible for as fast as possible. 

• Pull Stop: technique for beating trap blocks as well as 

pulling guards and tackles.

Gap Fit & Integrity 

GAP FIT: each defensive lineman and outside backer is responsible for a interior gap whether they are in STACK 

or RED based call. 

In STACK the OLB will attack through his gap to the QB’s near hip. In RED or RED based call he will read AT in his 

GAP/HOLE/WINDOW. 

Notices below that each defender has an assigned gap except our MIKE who will FIT on the inside of the ball as 

it comes AT him or AWAY from him.

Leverage 

• Defensive line men must always maintain near shoulder leverage on the ball. Once they 

locate the ball they attack the ball but maintain near shoulder leverage on the ball by doing 

this it limits the runner’s ability to move. 

• If each defensive linemen fits properly and penetrates their gap and then locates the ball and 

maintains near shoulder leverage they eliminate the four of the six interior gaps leaving one 

gap on each side for their OLB. 

• Near side shoulder leverage simply means that once you penetrate and locate the ball you 

keep the ball on that shoulder by expanding or contracting as the ball moves.

Defensive Linemen 

• Must be consistent! 

• Must finish every play! 

• Know your job and do it! 

• Play with great technique every play! 

• These don’t require talent just hard work!

Front Six Traits 

• OLB: more athletic players of your F6 players. The better football player & 

athlete he is the more you can do with him. He should be a pretty good leader 

(stacks), and he should have decent quickness and aggressiveness. The better 

he is in zone and man coverage and the better he is at tackling the more you 

can do with him. 

• DT: the more athletic of the two defensive linemen. Can be two types, small 

aggressive penetrators that are hard to block or big boys that can fill a gap and 

penetrate with power. In either case they must be able to compress the LOS. 

• DG: the least athletic F6 player but follow the guidelines for tackles. 

• Special note: if you have an elite defensive linemen don’t be afraid to move 

him from DT to DG and even from stack to another to keep the offense 

guessing. 

• Special Adjustment Player: 

– NT (Nose Tackle): elite defensive player that can either penetrate aggressively and 

quickly or fill a gap with power or BULL/2Gap and fill space on the LOS. 

– ROVER (second MIKE): Same as the MIKE backer and often a ROVER type player 

becomes part of BACK 5.

Defensive Line Technique #1 

• Alignment – crowd the line of scrimmage. 

Finger to ball alignment. 

• If head up align nose to nose. 

• If GAP – align right in the middle of the gap no 

matter the split between linemen. HEAD IN 

CRACK fast!


• Stance – three point stance, down hand claw the 

grass as you explode off the ball. use a three – 

point stance that is aggressive. 

• By aggressive I mean that you need to use a toe – 

instep (or slightly deeper) staggered stance with 

the dominant hand down and around 18 to 24 

inches from the up field foot. 

• The offhand needs to be in a power position as if 

ready to sprint; cocked above and behind the 

near hip. 

• Best described as an aggressive sprinters stance.


• Exploding off the ball is essential and the first 

step is key; it needs to be an aggressive power 

step into the gap. 

• It is alright to teach the down hand on the slant 

side as well and often is an advantage if you can 

teach them to get into a stance using both hands 

but the key is comfort so they can get off the ball 

fast. 

• Get off on first movement. Ball moves you move. 

• Move on movement not sound/noise. Must be 

trained and be clear on what they move on.


• Throw your body into the hole. 

• Get your nose, head, shoulders, and foot into 

the hole. If you get them in the hole you will 

get behind their heels. 

• First step is with back foot and replaces your 

down hand. Next step is in the hole. 

• Explode forward.

Defensive Stances for DG/DT/NG

OLB Stance 

• Outside Backer: Will get in a balanced two point stance with the 

feet slightly shoulder width apart. The arms cocked with elbows 

over or just past the knees and hands up. Hips and knees bent so 

there and the chest over the knees. He should be slightly on the 

balls of his feet and he should be in a solid hitting stance ready to 

move in any direction. 

• He should be the most athletic player in the stack. The play side 

outside linebacker is the Alley defender and the backside outside 

linebacker is the Bounce the defender. 

• If the outside linebacker is on the line of scrimmage and blitzing he 

will use an aggressive 2 point stance (defensive end stance). 

• This is s stand up staggered two point stance with outside foot 

back, hips and knees bent. The chest is over the front knee and 

head is up with arms cocked and ready.

OLB Stance

Stack Concept 

• Remember the line of scrimmage is made up of eight gaps and the stack 

concept basically acts like a GAP 8 defense in that we are going to 

penetrate all eight of those gaps in STACK call. 

• Who we use to penetrate each gap will vary from play to play based on the 

stack call on each side. 

• Because we are using stacked backers the way in which we penetrate is 

actually a wave or layered effect so the offensive line will have a very hard 

time simply down blocking the entire front and washing the defenders 

away from the play. 

• Basically the center, guard, tackle, and end will never know which three 

defenders they are going to face on the interior and which gap they will 

hit. This often causes issues with RULE BLOCKING SCHEMES and ZONE 

BLOCKING SCHEMES. Especially with younger players still trying to master 

stances, get off, technique along with rule assignment identification. The 

movement of the stacks represent a real problem for these teams.

Stack = Pressure 

• This is a pressure concept that allows us to attack with eight defenders putting players 

in every gap and closing down the backfield from the D gap as our force defender hunts 

the ball from the outside in. 

• When we call stack we want to attack; we want those six stack defenders getting behind 

the LOS as quickly as possible, locating the ball, and killing the ball behind the LOS or 

spilling the ball into the hunters. OLB hunts the near hip of the QB. 

• We want our defensives ends hunting the ball from outside in and either stopping the 

ball in the backfield or spilling it deep behind the LOS towards the boundary. 

• Very simple and used with young or inexperienced teams to teach defensive concepts.

How the Stacks Work #1 

• The outside backers will make a stack call which will tell the other two 

members of the stack where to go and what to do. 

• Each defensive linemen has one rule while in the stack when the ball is 

snapped they must penetrate into the backfield through their gap as fast 

as possible; penetrate past the heels and compress the LOS, and then 

locate the ball. GET OFF THE BALL, GET BEHIND THE HEELS, LOCATE THE 

BALL, GET TO THE BALL. 

• OLB has a bit more freedom due to their athletic ability. They penetrate 

past the LOS and attack the near hip of the QB. This allows us to put 

immediate pressure on the ball from one gap while the remaining 

defenders in the stack compress the LOS. 

• The outside backers are free to make any basic call and you should 

encourage them to change up and vary the calls as much as possible. 

Teach them that they should call plays that will get them to the QB as fast 

as possible. The OLB should be attacking the worst/weakest blocker on his 

side and based on the BASE POINT OF ATTACK of the offense.


• What you will find is as the outside backers and the defensive linemen 

take owner ship of the stack that the outside backers will make calls that 

will get them in the backfield as quickly as possible as they will hit the gap 

that is the most available to them to get to the ball. They will often attack 

the weak spot so you get strength against a weak spot. 

• Because the stunting and blitzing is layered, meaning defenders are 

attacking the LOS at various moments in time, it ensures that a runner 

cannot simply bypass the first level of our defense because they have to 

pass the layered pressure coming through the interior gaps (A,B,C). 

• Defensive linemen stay square and close on the ball if the ball goes past 

them vertically they must retrace to their gap in the same path they 

travelled. This ensures that we reduce cut back lanes on the interior and 

maintain near shoulder leverage.


• If the ball goes outside the near side DT will close down from inside 

out maintaining spacing on the near side DE. The DG will form 

above the DT and the backside DG will maintain spacing above the 

play side DG, and the backside DT will maintain spacing above the 

backside DG. This creates a wall of defenders that close down on 

the ball. If in RED the BOUNCE OLB is sitting on top of the ball if the 

ball carrier tries to cut back and go vertical as he is forced up the 

wall. 

• If a offensive linemen vacates (pulls) the defensive linemen follows 

his rule he penetrates and locates the ball. If the ball flows with the 

vacating linemen he squeezes down on the hip of the offensive 

linemen as he goes to the ball square. 

• Defensive linemen must maintain near shoulder leverage on the 

ball.

Basic Calls 

SPLIT GAP 

IN 

OUT 

BASE CALL (GOAL LINE/OPEN END) 

BASE CALL

Basic Calls 

These four basic calls can be made by the OLB’s at any time. My rule to them is put 

yourself in the best position to make a play on the ball. Find the weak leak in the 

line and hammer that call home while keeping the offense on their toes. 

• IN – The OLB will call IN and it will tell both the DG and DT to slant to the inside 

gaps (A and B) while the OLB stunts into the C gap. 

• OUT – The OLB will call OUT and it will tell both the SG and DT to slant to the 

outside gaps (B and C) while the OLB stunts into the A gap. 

• SPLIT – The OLB will call SPLIT and it will tell DG slant into the inside gap (A) and 

the DT to take the outside gap (C) while the OLB stunts into B gap. 

NOTE: These three calls allow the OLB to hit all three gaps on his side of the ball. 

GAP – short yardage/goal line call. AUTO CALL against open ends – immediate 

pressure in the backfield.

Stack Penetration Technique 

• The way they will penetrate into the gap is the defensive 

linemen will put their eyes on the hands or feet of the blocker 

in front of them or the ball (whichever is easier). When their 

key moves their hands/feet or the ball moves they will get off 

the ball by exploding into their gap (BGO – Ball Get Off). Fall 

into the gap…. 

• The OLB will be keying backfield through the line. First 

movement they move.

Stack Penetration Aiming Points 

Outside Backer Defensive Tackle Defensive Guard 

IN 

Aims off the defensive tackle’s 

outside hip at the snap and attacks 

first window. Head in the crack. Aims 

for the QB’s near hip. Just like the 

DE but hunting the QB 

IN 

Eye on your movement key. It 

moves you move. Penetrate through 

the inside hip of the blocker you are 

over. Get behind the heels and 

locate the ball. 

IN 






OUT 

Aims off the defensive guard’s inside 

hip at the snap and attacks first 

window. Head in the crack. Aims for 

the QB’s near hip. Just like the DE 

but hunting the QB 

OUT 



the outside hip of the blocker you are 



OUT 






SPLIT 

Aims off the defensive tackle’s inside 

hip at the snap and attacks the first 

window. Head in the crack. Aims for 

the QB’s near hip. Just like the DE 

but hunting the QB 

SPLIT 






SPLIT 






GAP 

Aligns inside of the DE in a two point 

DE stance snug to the first blocker 

inside. Aims for the QB’s near hip. 

Just like the DE but hunting the QB. 

GAP 

Aligns in side of the blocker he is 

over splitting the distance between 

his blocker and the next. Eye on your 

movement key. It moves you move. 

Get behind the heels and locate the 

ball. 

GAP 

Aligns in side of the blocker he is 

over splitting the distance between 

his blocker and the next. Eye on your 

movement key. It moves you move. 

Get behind the heels and locate the 

ball.

Engagement/Shed Technique 

• All the stack players must get off the ball quickly on the first movement 

they see (whether that is the ball or the hand/foot of any of the near 

blockers). This is called BGO (BALL GET OFF). 

• Secondly they must stay low and pierce the LOS. As they attack through 

the gap hip (aiming point) they must use the far arm and rip under and 

through the blocker if he attempts to block him. He must not get tangled 

up with any blocker as his job is to penetrate behind the heels of the 

blocker and then locate the ball and flow to it. 

• Go-Rip-Flow should be their three step progression. The key is to get into 

the gap and then penetrate behind the heels of the line and then locate 

the ball in that exact order. 

• The RIP technique can be a speed rip or rip & club (wrist, elbow, shoulder). 

The key is it has to be violent and explosive and allow the defender to 

create separation quickly. Part of our DEFENSIVE SHED FIT at the 

beginning of practice.

Be Aware! 

• Aggressiveness is good but being overly 

aggressive is not good. 

• Penetrate past the heels of the offensive line. 

• Locate the ball. 

• Move to the ball as square to the LOS as 

possible. 

• If the ball carrier goes vertical and moves past 

you retrace your steps to your gap then 

pursue.

Thoughts On Stack Personnel 

• If you have extra talent or you feel you have a very 

talented and/or gifted OLB or even defensive linemen 

don’t hesitate to put them in the stack. 

• Although I feel that having your superior talent in the 

hourglass (BACK 5) is essential to stopping the big plays 

you can improve the pressure you place on the offense 

by placing natural talent in those positions and letting 

them pin their ears back and get after the ball. 

• Good talent in the stacks will also improve your force 

on the edges from your ends as well and increase the 

likelihood of a turnover in the pass triangle from the 

increased pass rush pressure.

Front Six Advanced Calls 

• These are advanced calls for the front six and they give us some nice variations that allow us 

to give a few different looks and twist in attacking offensive lines. 

• BEAR is really a simplification of our interior line that allows us to look like GAM team as it 

places the guards and tackles in the A and B gaps and bear crawl them through while the 

OLB’s align in the C gaps and blitz but we can call RED BEAR and have the OLB’s read as well. 

Nice call for younger age teams or inexperienced (MPP) players. 

• The BULL uses the LAUNCH IN LAP technique with all four defensive line men attacking the 

guards and tackles while the OLB’s align in the C gap and blitz. It is basically a TWO GAP 

technique that aggressively displaces the blocker into the backfield. We can also call RED 

BULL to have the OLB’s read. This is a great call for offensive lines that are basically sitting on 

their gaps trying to cover up their gaps expecting stunting and blitzing off our stacks. If 

offensive lines are area blocking and not coming off aggressively this is a great call because it 

gets the defensive linemen into the blockers and drives them off the line of scrimmage as 

they read flow. 

• TWISTER (IN call with a line stunt) and TORNADO (OUT call with a line stunt) are nice 

adjustments to teach if you have some athletic linemen that can move laterally quickly and 

then get up field with some discontent in their heart. These could both be with the OLB 

reading calling them RED TWISTER and RED TORNADO. 

• TIGER is a stunt between the two defensive guards while the defensive tackles attack the B 

gaps and the OLB’s can either blitz the C gaps or READ (RED TIGER).

GAP CALLS 

• This is a blend of the basic calls and GAP. 

• IN + GAP = GAP IN 

• OUT + GAP = GAP OUT 

• SPLIT + GAP = GAP SPLIT 

• OLB has the same hunting landmark: near hip of the QB. 

• GAP modification – This is a short yardage and/or instant pressure call 

when we need to get all three defenders into the backfield immediately. 

This is especially useful in short yardage and goal line situations and when 

we want pressure in the gaps now. 

• DG and DT slide into the middle of their slant gap. 

• OLB drops into the middle of his gap in a two point sprinter stance.

GAP Calls 

GAP SPLIT GAP IN 

GAP OUT

Bear Call 

• The BEAR call allows you to use less than athletic linemen and fill space so 

it is really an adjustment to adapt to slower linemen. 

• The defensive line align in the gaps with the defensive guards aligning in 

the A gaps and the defensive tackles in the B gaps while the OLB’s align in 

the C gap and blitz into the backfield. 

• The bear crawlers must explode into the gaps and crawl past the heels of 

the blockers. As soon as they do they must get their heads up and locate 

the ball immediately and get up and get to the ball. 

Bear 

Red Bear

Bull Call 

• The defensive linemen get into a four point power rush stance and they 

literally spring into the lap of the blocker and drive him back into the 

backfield as they locate the ball. 

• If executed correctly they are playing a two gap technique in a very 

aggressive manner. It is essentially a flat out explosive bull rush. 

• It is a great change up against offensive lines that are sitting on the line of 

scrimmage trying to locate which guy to block. The BULL call also will 

allow the OLB to come free in the C gap if the TE fans out to take the DE 

and does not block the OLB or on the open side. 

Bull 

Red Bull

Bull Rush Technique 

(Launch in Lap) 

• Four Point Stance – aggressive lean. 

• Explode into the chest plate of the blocker and 

power punch into the arm pits and drive the 

blocker back. 

• Head up, locate ball, pound feet, drive blocker 

back. 

• Locate ball, pull/push away blocker, square up, 

go to ball.

Twister Call 

• Twister is an inside blitz to the A gap while the defensive guard drops their outside foot and 

crosses over the inside foot as the body stays square to the line of scrimmage. The defensive 

tackle will aim for the outside hip of the next blocker inside (guard) and attack through the 

gap just as if he was slanting into the B gap. As soon as the defensive tackle penetrates the 

defensive guard will cross the face of the defensive tackle’s blocker (tackle) and penetrate 

past the blocker’s outside hip. The defensive guard must stay flat and literally scrape the 

defensive tackle as he goes by so that he can get into the smallest space possible on the 

outside hip of the offensive tackle. 

• The OLB must attack the inside hip of the offensive guards and go through it. If the OG fans 

out to follow the defensive guard or blocks into the B gap to pick up the DT he leaves the A 

gap open and OLB will be behind the LOS quickly especially if the center is focused on the 

opposite stack. 

Twister 

Tornado

Tornado Call 

• Tornado is the exact opposite to Twister. The OLB will blitz into the C gap aiming for the 

outside hip of the offensive tackle. The defensive guard will aim for the inside hip of the 

offensive tackle and slant into the B gap. The defensive tackle will drop his inside foot and 

cross over step with his outside and scrape the defensive guard as he goes into the B gap. As 

soon as the DG goes vertical and he crosses the defensive guard’s butt the defensive tackle 

will go vertical and attack the inside hip of the offensive tackle and get into the C gap. 

• This is a great call against offensive guards that are chasing the defensive guard into the B gap 

as well as a nice call for when the offensive tackle is stepping down inside to cover the B gap 

as the stunt will lure him inside so the OLB can get into the C gap easily. 

Twister 

Tornado

Red Twister/Tornado Call 

• The addition of RED the OLB’s don’t blitz into their designed gaps instead they fake the blitz 

and read. This is a nice complimentary call to Twister and Tornado and very easy to install if 

you already have the RED call installed. 

• It is great way of adding additional pressure on the inside and the DE is providing sufficient 

pressure on the edge so the OLB can read and respond to a good backfield attack. 

Red Twister 

Red Tornado

DOT Call 

• DOT call tells DT to drop into zone coverage as if a LB (same drop rule). The OLB and DG 

follow same rules and can be altered via other calls. 

• Bull Dot tells the DG to use a BULL technique and the DT to drop into zone coverage (LB zone 

drop). 

• This is a call we use in conjunction with our STACK, SPREAD, and other calls. Not used with 

RED.

DOG Call 

• DOG call tells the DG to drop into zone coverage as if a LB. 

• Bull Dog tells the DT to use a BULL technique and the DT to drop into zone coverage (LB zone 

drop). 

• This is a call we use in conjunction with our STACK, SPREAD, and other calls. Not used with 

RED.

Basic Training for the Front Six 

• Stack Drills: 

– Stance 

– Alignment 

– Recognition and Calls 

– Technique 

• Get off 

• Shed & Penetration 

• Pull Stop 

• Pass Rush 

• Pursuit Lanes

Stance Drill #1 (Stance & Alignment) 

• Why: To teach the basic stances and foundations of the defensive line and outside backers. 

• How: Coach will align them on a basic seven cones (tires) set up with the center cone being the center. 

Teach the two point balanced linebacker stance and the proper depth (1 to 4 yards) . Teach the defensive 

linemen how to get into a proper 3-point Then teach them how the OLB is in charge of the stack and he 

makes the calls either vocally or physically (taps). Have them get into and out of their stances and check 

them to makes sure they are correct. Make sure the OLB depth is correct as well. Basic alignment. Check 

and recheck Fingers to ball alignment (tight to the LOS). 

C

Stance Drill #2 (Alignment) 

• Why: To teach the proper alignment on offensive fronts (five, six, seven, eight man fronts) and how to 

quickly align on balanced and unbalanced (3:3, 2:4, 1:5, 0:6). Review and cover the shift call for the above 

(shift, double shift, triple shift) that the mike backer can make to align the interior front. Cover the open 

OT and how the outside backer automatically makes the GAP (unless RED). 

• How: Coach will align them on various fronts with a snapper cone. Align them on a basic seven man 

front, six man front (GAP CALL is made on open side (no TE side), five man front (gap call made on both 

sides). Then have them align on an eight man front (MIKE calls shift to strong side). Then have them align 

on a nine man front (stay balanced). Next Step is review unbalanced sets out of a 7 man front (explain 

3:3, 2:4 (shift), 1:5 (double shift), 0:6 (triple shift). Explain that an eight man front that is unbalanced 

simply add 1 shift to the above. 

• NOTE: The MIKE makes a shift call it means to slide over by ONE MAN. Double shift means TWO MEN. 

Triple shift means THREE MEN. QUAD SHIFT means FOUR MEN (I have never had to use this but you never 

know when you have to adjust to a crazy formation. 

C

Stance Drill #3 (Recognition and Calls) 

• Why: To teach our basic call and later on our advance call packages. Stress BGO (ball get off) 

• How: Coach will take two stack teams have them quickly align, get into a proper stance, and prepare for 

ball/blocker movement. Once the coach quickly checks for both proper alignment and stance he will 

move up to the LOS and use either a foot or a ball for movement. The backers will be given a basic call (IN, 

then OUT, then SPLIT, then GAP) and on the movement queue they will fire off and execute that call. Once 

the players pass the blockers heels they will come to a full stop and the coach will check to make sure each 

defender is in the right gap. He should also check that they fire off on the very first movement and attack 

the right aiming points. The coach should teach each call separately then combine calls one at a time. 

Make sure to stress FINGERS TO BALL ALIGNEMNT and HAT IN CRACK. 

• Note: use various alignments to get the stacks used to aligning on different fronts 

C

Get Off Drill #1 (Technique) 

• Purpose: To teach our player to BGO (ball get off), penetrate behind the heels, locate the ball. Get to it 

square. 

• How: Coach Holding a ball will simulate a snap and move ball. Defenders move on the movement of the 

ball. They explode off the line and into their assigned gap. Defensive line must locate the ball and flow to 

it square. OLB’s must penetrate and attack the near hip of the QB (coach). Coach will move a few steps 

left, right, or towards the LOS. All defenders must flow to the coach and double tap him. 

• Notes: check stance, alignment, BGO technique, and LOCATE technique. 

• High reps, high quality. Work fast. 

C

Get Off Drill #2 (Technique) 

Purpose: To increase the BGO of the STACK TEAMS. 

How: Two sets of line cones set up 6 yards apart with a cone/maker 

in between the two center cones. Like to use two sets of STACKS 

facing each other. Work on 1 call at a time and then let the each 

separate stack team call their own call. A coach will stand in the 

middle and give a movement each pair is competing to get off on first 

movement and get behind the LOS. 

Nice to have four 

stack pairs but 

three or even two 

will work. 

High reps. High quality. 

Work fast so that they 

get past the heels and 

then quickly reset. 

Make call and call 

DOWN and move. They 

must BGO, HEAD IN 

CRACK, GET BEHIND THE 

HEELS. 

Make it competitive.

Get Off Drill #3 

Taken from: 1999-Cover-2-Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-Dungy-Kiffin-DL Manual

Shed – Line Drill #1 

• Purpose – to work on our basic (and advance) Shed and penetrate moves. By using two lines of players; 

alternating between blocker and defender. 

• How – Two lines of blockers will face each other and pair up. One will be the blocker who will get into a 3 

point stance and execute a DRIVE BLOCK or PASS BLOCK and the defender will execute the called SHED and 

PENETRATE MOVE, HEAD IN CRACK, LOCATE THE BALL, FLOW TO THE BALL. One coach will stance behind 

each line the coach behind the defender will move to tell the blockers and the coach behind the blockers 

to BLOCK. The defenders will BGO and execute their SHED move. The coach will simply move left or right 

and the defenders must penetrate, locate, and get to the coach and tap him. 

• Can get a lot of high quality reps in a small amount of time. All defenders can, and do, do this but in 

FRONT SIX we have DL and OLB’s work on this.

Shed – Line Drill #2 

• Purpose – to work on our basic (and advance) Shed and penetrate moves. By using live blockers that are 

static and only offering a LOAD/EXPLODE. 

• How – starting cone and 4 to 5 blockers spaced 6 to 7 yards from each other and a finishing cone 5 yards 

away. On a movement key from the first blocker he will BGO and execute a SHED move to either side and 

penetrate behind the heels of the blocker. He will alternate sides as he SHEDS each blocker. When he gets 

by the last blocker he will rush to the finish maker and touch it (can be a player holding a tackling dummy 

for a tackle or a live ball carrier that goes left or right (1/2 speed) for a wrap up tackle. 

• One the first group is through and behind the finish cone it becomes the start cone and repeat. Then 

swap out the defenders and blockers and repeat. You can get a lot of high quality reps really fast this way. 

• Work one shed technique at t time. 

Speed Rip Double Block 

Club and Rip Single Block 

Chop/Dip/Rip Bull 

Hump Bull and Jerk

Shiver Drill 

• Purpose – to teach the defender how stab hands inside arm pits, lock out, and shed. 

• How – using two dummies stack one on top of the other length wise on the ground and each player 

2 yards back from the end of the dummy on each side. On GO from the coach each play will move 

to the #1 side and both will attempt to properly and violently shed the other. As soon as the 

contact is made the coach will call GO again and they will release and back to the other side and 

repeat their shed contact. They will do this until the coach calls STOP. Work for 3 to 5 reps on each 

set. 

1 

2

Single Cut Block Drill 

• Purpose: to teach a defender how to deal with a cut block and flow to the ball. 

• As you see the blocker drop his shoulder and drive into your legs you must get 

your eyes on him and drive your palms into his shoulder pad and get him into the 

ground. Then eyes on ball and continue to flow to the ball and maintain your 

leverage. 

• Rotate the three through each spot (3 reps) and then move to the next three 

players. Try to get three to four reps at defending the cut block for each player. 

Cut 

Tackle

Multiple Cut Block Drill 

• Purpose: To work on dealing with the cut block and getting multiple reps 

in the same drill. 

• Work on your punch technique and then finishing off the runner (don’t let 

the defender take the runner to the ground). 

Cut Cut Cut Tackle

Pass Rush 

• Why: To teach our player to convert to a pass rush to get to the passer. 

• How: Coach Holding a ball will simulate a snap and move ball. Defenders move on the movement of the 

ball. They explode off the line and into their assigned gap as if to pass rush. Defensive line must locate 

the ball and flow to it square. OLB’s must penetrate and attack the near hip of the QB (coach). Coach will 

drop 3 or 5 step and the stacks will convert to a pass rush and get to the passer. If the QB is prepared to 

throw and the defenders have not gotten to the passer they get their hands up and jump the ball when it 

leaves his hand. 

• Notes: make sure the DL stay in their paths and stay square on the passer. Mix up the calls. 

• Notes: Make sure that every defender maintains proper leverage on the passer. Once they see pass and 

confirm there is no dander of DRAW – no RB near the QB get vertical to the passer ASAP. 

• Notes: practice against quick step, 3 step, 5 step, sprint out, and bootleg so they understand leverage 

(near shoulder) and pursuit (gets by so form wall). 

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Retrace Path 

• Why: To teach our player to retrace their path when they penetrate to deep on a DRAW/DELAY/QB RUN OFF 

BROKEN PLAY. 

• How: Coach Holding a ball will simulate a snap and move ball. Defenders move on the movement of the ball. 

They explode off the line and into their assigned gap as if to pass rush. Defensive line must locate the ball and 

flow to it square. OLB’s must penetrate and attack the near hip of the QB (coach). The second coach will move 

down to the LOS three to four steps and yell DRAW or SCREEN and then stay center, move left, move right and the 

DL must retrace and get to the ball. All defenders must flow to the coach and double tap him. 

• Notes: check stance, alignment, BGO technique, and LOCATE technique. OLB must always hunt the near hip. 

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Push/Pull Contest 

• Why: to teach the DL how to execute a push/pull in a competitive arena 

• How: Two defenders will grasp each others arm pits and on GO both DL men will attempt to push/pull 

their opponent on to the ground. First defender to put their opponent on the ground wins. 

• You can have several pairs going at a time as long as you have one coach managing each pair. 

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Bull Rush Technique 

• Why: To teach our defensive linemen how to bull drive a blocker and flow to the ball. 

• How: using a dummy, a blocker with a shield, an cone, and a ball carrier. 

• 1): The DL will get in a four point stance and the blocker will be in a two point o-line stance holding a 

shield. When the OLINE steps forward the DL will fire off and explode directly into the blocker driving his 

palms into the arms pits. The purpose is to drive the blocker back as far as possible. The DL must launch 

violently into the blocker and when contact is made he gets his feet on the ground with a wide base and 

power drives the blocker back. The purpose of this drill is to master the explode portion and get the DL 

used to launching his body into the blocker. 

• 2): Same as above except we put a cone five yards back from the blocker. Now the DL will drive the 

blocker back past the cone. The purpose of this portion is to get the DL to get his feet down and drive the 

already off balance blocker back. 

• 3): We add a ball carrier five yards back and on blocker first move the ball carrier walks to the left or right 

and the DL must push-pull the blocker away and flow to the ball carrier and wrap him up. 

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Explode 

Drive 

Push - Pull

Pull Stop Drill 

• Why: To teach our player to properly react and move on a pull block that happens in front of them when they are slanting in 

front or behind the pull. PULL DRIVE/PULL FOLLOW 

• How: Coach Holding a ball will simulate a snap and move ball. Defenders move on the movement of the ball. They explode 

off the line and into their assigned gap. If they SLANT IN FRONT of the pull they must attempt to get on the near 

hip/shoulder of the blocker and drive him into the backfield and force the ball to go deep then push/pull and get behind the 

heels of the puller and locate the ball. If they SLANT BEHIND the pull they must behind his heels, locate the heels and flow 

to the ball. If the defender slants in front of the puller and can not drive him execute a pull follow. In all cases once they 

penetrate the heels of the puller locate the ball and flow to it with good leverage. 

• Notes: Stack OLB makes a call and they execute on first movement from coach or OLINE. OLB hunts near hip but if he 

slants into a gap and in front of a puller he should execute a PULL DRIVE and if behind he simply gets behind and hunt the 

ball. 

• Notes: It is important they get off the ball (BGO) and immediately respond to the pull after they penetrate. 

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Split the Double 

• Why: to teach our defensive linemen how to split a double team and penetrate beyond their heels or 

drop the double team at the LOS if they get contact. The OLB must realize that he is free man and must 

get through his gap and locate the near hip of the QB. 

• How: Coach will signal a IN/OUT/SPLIT and on his snap count the TE/T will double team the DT and the 

OG/CTR will double team the DG. They must BGO and attempt to get behind the heels of the oline, 

square their shoulder, and locate the ball. If they get caught by the double team they must latch on to the 

near arm pit (cloth under arm pit) or lock both blocker’s tricep in (arm lock) into your chest and drive one 

knee down as they pull down on both arm pits/arms and drive the double team into the ground at the 

LOS creating a barrier. They must do this as soon as they realize they will not penetrate past the heels. 

The OLB must quickly get into his gap before the OLINE can come off their block and make a play and get 

to the coach. 

• Notes: you can use advanced calls as well in this drill as you move on into the season. 

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Front Six (SCAT) - Gregory Double Wing

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