How to Use the 3-4 and 4-3 Defensive Formations in Football

Offensive strategy wins football games, but defense wins championships. A quality football coach needs an effective defensive game plan to stop the opponent from scoring. Currently, football coaches employ two major defensive formations: the 3-4 and the 4-3 alignments. Successful coaches understand the basics of these two defensive formations and when to utilize both in order to help the team win a championship.

Instructions

    • 1

      Visit with other coaches in the area to learn more about the 3-4 and 4-3 defensive formations. Coaches are good resources and they are often willing to share ideas on how best to teach each formation and defend against troublesome offensive formations and plays.

    • 2

      Understand the basics of the 3-4 and 4-3 defensive formations. Quality coaches know what types of players best fit the system they've chosen and where the players should align. Evaluate the players on the team in order to decide the best formation to use with the athletes available. Some coaches believe that both formations need to be in the playbook and incorporate them in practice and games.

    • 3

      Disrupt the offense by blitzing and using various alignments. The 3-4 defensive formation utilizes three defensive linemen and four linebackers. Generally, the three defensive linemen are larger players and the linebackers move well in the open space on the field.

    • 4

      Protect the linebackers in the 3-4 with the defensive line. Often times, the nose guard aligns head-to-head with the offensive center so he needs to defeat the center one-on-one in order to control two offensive gaps. The three defensive linemen, especially the nose guard, need to be able to defend against double teams by the offensive linemen to maintain their gap responsibility.

    • 5

      Take advantage of the four linebackers in the 3-4 alignment. The linebackers blitz from their regular position as well as from the line of scrimmage. These players are fast enough to defend against wide receivers and strong enough to take on offensive linemen.

    • 6

      Bend, but don't break with the 4-3 defense. The 4-3 defensive formation is mostly a conservative formation. The 4-3 alignment takes less chances and keeps the football in front of the defense at all times and tries to force the offense into making a mistake.

    • 7

      Find the right players to attack the offensive linemen. The 4-3 defensive line has four down linemen. The two tackles are heavier players that protect the linebackers from offensive linemen. The defensive ends are more athletic players that are fast enough to rush the quarterback.

    • 8

      Maximize the talented linebackers. The 4-3 middle linebacker communicates with the entire defense and concentrates on tackling when playing a running team. The other two outside linebackers are fast enough to cover wider receivers and strong enough to play against a team that runs the football. All three linebackers use their alignments to create leverage advantages against the offensive players.