The Four-Four Defense,
Bluejay Style
T he Minnesota West football program
is honored to contribute to the 2000
AFCA Summer Manual. On behalf of our
players and coaching staff, I would like to
thank the AFCA for allowing Minnesota
West to share a little bit about our
defense.
After taking over as head coach, I
wanted to develop a style of defense that
would employ an attacking style. The four-
four has been a very effective and easily
learned defense to implement into our
program. We have been very successful
with the four-four setting a number of
school records and being a nationally
ranked defense two out of the last four
years. All successful programs must be
able to adapt and change to the adjust-
ments made by the opposing offenses.
Scott Barber, my defensive coordinator,
has done an outstanding job adjusting and
creating new ways to challenge opposing
offenses. Before we start to break down
our four-four stack defense, I would first
like to share our defensive philosophy.
There are three important points in our
philosophy.
Jeff Linder Defend the End Zone
The primary objective of our defense is
Head Coach to prevent the opposing team from scoring
points. To fulfill this objective, our defen-
Minnesota West Community sive package will consist of the following:
and Technical College Sound Fundamentals: Regardless of
what type of defensive call that is made,
Worthington, Minn. basic fundamentals must ultimately be
conquered by each player. Sound princi-
ples can include: run-force, cutback
reads, reverse/boot reads, pursuit, and
communication.
Consistency: Our defense must be
able to show multiple stunts, fronts, and
coverage to be able to adjust to any type
of offense that we may see. This will allow
us to keep a single defense, rather than
changing schemes from week to week.
Team Concept: When players enter
our program, it is imperative that individ-
ual players understand that they are part
of a bigger picture. The ultimate success
of the defensive unit falls upon each play-
er doing their job assigned to them.
Therefore, discipline in the execution of
that responsibility is essential. Te a m
goals hold preference to that of the indi-
vidual desires, and it is the responsibility
of each player to be prepared both men-
tally and physically in order to perform at
the highest level possible.
• AFCA Summer Manual — 2000 •
Creating Scoring Opportunities
Our second objective is to create scor-
ing opportunities by turnovers, scoring,
field position and three-and-outs. This
objective occurs because of the pressure
put on by our defense, which causes the
opposition to force mistakes or an inability
to get into an offensive rhythm. We have
installed the three and outs into our defen-
sive statistics as a type of turnover, so we
can track how often we create, as a
defense, chances for our offense to score.
Attacking Defense: We use an attack-
ing style to create confusion within our
opponents offense. In order to put pressure
on the offense, our defensive package will
contain three components:
1. Area Control Defense: Each zone in
the box is responsible for an area that they
are to control of during each play. In order
to enhance our area control, we use a wide
variety of line and linebacker stunts.
2. Read Reaction at Second Level:
The area control allows for our linebackers
to react and attack the line of scrimmage
immediately. The secondary will add sup-
port by rerouting receivers and providing
run support.
3. Relentless Pursuit: Each and every
member of the defensive unit will pursue to
the football every play until the whistle
blows. Each player is expected to give 100
percent at all times in pursuit of the ball.
Stop the Ball: This is an area we
strongly emphasize. Run oriented teams
will not be allowed to control the tempo of
the game. It is important for our defense to
take teams that like to run the ball out of
their intended game plans and force them
into mistakes.
Play with Intensity
Great defenses play with intensity.
Intensity starts with each individual player
and stems out over the whole defense. We
use the Bluejay Creed to guide our players,
and it consists of five components:
• Execute to the fullest.
• Never underestimate.
• Be aggressive.
• No excuses.
• Leave the field with no doubt.
With our defensive philosophy being an
attacking pressure defense, we put a lot of
pressure on our secondary and rely on
their ability to play man coverage. Our sec-
ondary players need to be very physical
and fast players that have the ability to
change types of coverages in split
moments. As we have success putting
pressure on offenses, they tend to go to a
max protection by keeping their tight ends
and backs in for pass protection. This takes
a lot of pressure off our secondary and
allows for our defense to create turnovers.
The four-four stack defense gives our
defensive unit more than pressure, it is a
defense that our players have fun running.
By running this defense, we have a lot
more intense practices, and hard work for
the players is now fun work.
Before we cover our blitz packages, I
would like to discuss how we assign and
align players so they understand their
responsibility and area to cover.
Diagram 1
Diagram 2
Whenever we look at our defense, we
start from left to right when reading our
zone areas.
Zone 1: Left defensive end and left out -
side linebacker.
Zone 2: Left defensive tackle and left
inside linebacker.
Zone 3: Right defensive tackle and right
inside linebacker.
Zone 4: Right defensive end and right
outside linebacker.
Each zone is responsible for covering
two offensive areas, as shown in Diagrams
1 and 2. When we are blitzing, it is impor-
tant for each zone to protect and cover the
area assigned to them.
In our four-four cover 1, we use a three
zone where the outside linebackers have a
curl to flat, working inside out. The two
inside linebackers have the short middle or
hook zone. It is important whenever you
run a defense that your team talks to each
other on the field. Success for a defense
Diagram 3
can depend on how well your team com-
municates throughout the whole game.
How Do We Run Blitzes?
We base our blitz package out of the
four-four stack defense. We have the abil-
ity to gain an extra rusher by bringing one
up to cell four linebackers into their
assigned blitz areas. Using a wide variety
of blitzes causes confusion with in the
offensive unit and puts them into a defen-
sive or protective mode. When you can
force the offense into a corner with relent-
less pressure, that’s when turnovers occur.
Behind our blitzes, we will primarily play
some form of three-deep coverage. We
also have the ability to play some man to
man coverage.
Diagram 4: Fire
In Diagram 4, we show zone No. 2 with a
fire blitz. The linemen fire to their outside gaps
and the linebackers fire to their inside gaps.
We also have a X stunt which we switch the
responsibilities of the linemen and lineback-
ers to do the opposite of the fire blitz.
Diagram 5: Double Loop
Diagram 5 shows the double loop. This
can be a confusing stunt for offenses,
especially if you start with X and fire. This
stunt gives more of a natural delay blitz.
The double loop can be run in a variety of
• AFCA Summer Manual — 2000 •
ways, it can be a weak side or strong side
loop, whichever fits the situation.
Diagram 6: Raiders Blitz
In Diagram 6, we have a short yardage
stunt, which can be very effective in con-
trolling areas. The raiders blitz is a stunt
where all linemen are slanting to their right
and are responsible for their right area. All
linebackers are blitzing to their left area
and are responsible for the left side of the
area. This stunt can also be run in the
opposite way shown. The secondary are in
a man to man coverage situation, this stunt
can put a lot of pressure on the secondary
if the stunt does not work.
Again, on behalf of the Minnesota West
players and coaching staff, we would like to
thank the AFCA for the opportunity to con-
tribute to this year’s Summer Manual. I
would also like to thank all of those coach-
es who, through the years, have helped us
develop and grow in this great profession.
I hope this article can be of some benefit to
you and your program and wish you and
your staff the best of luck in the upcoming
season.
Suggestions For
Rules Changes
Members who have sugges-
tions for football rules changes
should submit those ideas in
writing, stating the present
rule, the proposed rule and the
reasons why the rule should
be changed.
Suggestions should be sent
to:
Tubby Raymond
Head Football Coach
University of Delaware
Athletic Department
Newark, Delaware 19716