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Coach Lawrence: Be Aggressive on Defense The time is here to get on the field with our troops and prepare for a battle at different divisions in the AYF and high school. I like to call it an organized rumble pitting two teams well trained to do battle on a football field, and somewhere on the field we stand there like General Patton, directing our troop. I once heard Coach Bobby Bowden saying after the 2001 Orange Bowl, "My feeling on the sideline is like when you're having a nightmare. This was a true nightmare. We couldn't get anything going offensively because of their defense." Being a defensive coordinator for the AYF defending state champions in Div. 2 the Monadnock Mountaineers of New Hampshire (check your map) up here in the hills of NH, we got started three weeks ago and just got through a great jamboree in the lakes region at Laconia. You always wonder how the players are going at react to live hitting under game situations and you hope your team does well and nobody gets hurt. When it is over you go through the good things and bad things with your troops. Then back to drawing board on Monday ... this is all part of what we do and this is all normal and good. You have to be able to effectively teach defensive skills and techniques, understand defensive fronts, alignments, and coverages, and be able to have your players integrate these skills into performance on the field. Some of the things we are practicing now are two-point stances for linebackers and defensive backs, three- and four-point stances for our defensive linemen, front tackle execution for all positions, angle tackle execution for all positions, swim- and rip-move execution for defensive linemen, shedding blocks execution for linebackers, and backpedal, turns, and run execution for our secondary people. Two points that are important in teaching these skills to your players. First, be realistic in your expectations, and remember that the players improve with practice. Be positive and communicate effectively with your players. Second, recognize that all the football knowledge in the world is useless without running an organized and effective practice. Our package consists of 4-4, 5-3, 5-2, 6-2, and a trick defense we employ according to our talent and use it against certain opponents,. At game time we twist linemen, blitz linebackers and shoot our corners. As the game moves along and we test out how the offense will adjust, we attack, attack, and attack some more. We are aggressive and want the offense on its heels early. Today’s teams of all ages have so many formations. They spread you all over the field, overload to one side, unbalance the line or the backs, pass more than ever. They just try to give you sleepless nights preparing or force you to make adjustments at halftime. But gang, I say bring them on. I love it when they throw the kitchen sink at you. That is why I feel once your players have a general idea of what the various coverages involve via walkthroughs, have them practice them in partial-contact (thud) drills. Once they understand what to do, move on to full-speed drills to teach them how to react in game situations. Then they will have integrated the mental and physical aspects of your gameplans and teaching skills. As Bobby Bowden found out in the 2001 Orange Bowl, a strong defense is key for overall success. To have a strong defense, coaches must school their players in fundamental techniques, familiarize them with basic fronts, alignments, and coverages, allow them to integrate this knowledge into effective play by various practice drills. Don't be afraid to try out things and see what your team can handle and work from there. Remember, kids love defense and they love to hit. Our teams year after year make it a habit to be one of the best defenses in the state of New Hampshire. I guess you call it being proud of the kids you coach and teach. Good luck! Win or lose, teach those kids to be a better person on and off the field. Let’s go bang some heads! Bob Lawrence, Coach of the 2006
State Champions .
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