Cross Slant
Slants ends inside while the nose loops outside for a full-line movement.
Concept: Ends knife into B-gaps and the nose works to an A-gap to scramble blocking rules.
Grows with your players
Same play, more layers as they age up — teach it once and build on it every season for a consistent program.
- 10UIntroduce: Line up right and own your gap — win with alignment, pad level, and pursuit to the ball.
- 12UAttack blocks: Add get-off and block destruction so the front controls the line of scrimmage.
- 14UAdd movement: Add the line stunt/twist to beat the offense's blocking rules. Teach the coverage drops behind the front and read run vs. pass. Combine front, pressure, and coverage — and disguise it pre-snap.
Every position's job
Loop outside to an A-gap as part of the full-line movement.
Knife inside into the strong B-gap to scramble blocking rules.
Knife inside into the weak B-gap.
Fill downhill and mirror the ball behind the moving line.
Scrape to set the strong edge the knifing end vacates.
Scrape to set the weak edge the knifing end vacates.
Set the strong D-gap edge.
Set the weak D-gap edge.
Cover the strong receiver, man or deep third.
Cover the weak receiver, man or deep third.
Single-high deep middle over the top.
How to teach it
- 1Ends knife inside into the B-gaps while the nose loops to an A-gap for full-line movement.
- 2The coordinated movement scrambles blocking rules against zone and gap schemes.
- 3Backers scrape to set the edges the knifing ends leave open.
Common mistakes to fix
- !Everyone moving the same direction and leaving a whole side open; fix by drilling the crossing paths.
- !Edges left uncovered; fix by timing the backer scrapes to the line movement.
Build this into your call sheet.
Adopt this system in your coach portal, tag plays by situation, and print call sheets and player wristbands.