6-2 Base
Six-man defensive front with two linebackers, the classic wide-tackle six run-stopping alignment.
Concept: Two ends, two tackles, and two guards align head-up across the line with two linebackers reading inside gaps.
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.
- 6UIntroduce: Line up right and own your gap — win with alignment, pad level, and pursuit to the ball.
- 8UAttack blocks: Add get-off and block destruction so the front controls the line of scrimmage.
- 10UFull call: Combine front, pressure, and coverage — and disguise it pre-snap.
Every position's job
Edge — head-up the strong TE or force point outside the EMOL: own the strong D gap and outside contain, keep your outside arm and leg free, force the ball back inside, check reverse.
Edge — head-up the weak end man / force point: own the weak D gap and outside contain, keep your outside arm and leg free, force the ball back inside, check reverse.
Wide Tackle — head-up the strong offensive tackle (4-tech): step to and own the strong C gap, squeeze down blocks without losing C-gap leverage, keep your pass-rush lane. (A 5-tech shade is an optional coach variation.)
Wide Tackle — head-up the weak offensive tackle (4-tech): step to and own the weak C gap, squeeze down blocks, keep your pass-rush lane.
Defensive Guard — head-up the strong offensive guard (2-tech): attack the inside half of the guard, own the strong A gap to the center, keep your inside arm and leg free; rush the A gap on pass.
Defensive Guard — head-up the weak offensive guard (2-tech): attack the inside half of the guard, own the weak A gap to the center, keep your inside arm and leg free; rush the A gap on pass.
Inside LB (B-gap depth): key guard→near back; fit the strong B gap on flow to you; slow-scrape and protect the cutback on flow away; stay inside-out to the edge.
Inside LB (B-gap depth): key guard→near back; fit the weak B gap on flow to you; slow-scrape and protect the cutback on flow away; stay inside-out to the edge.
Coverage-dependent: Man = inside leverage on No. 1; Cover 3 = outside third; Invert 2 = deep half; run = crack-replace / secondary force.
Coverage-dependent: Man = inside leverage on No. 1; Cover 3 = outside third; Invert 2 = deep half; run = crack-replace / secondary force.
8–10 yds over the ball: Man0 = match remaining No. 3; Cover 1 = free deep middle; Cover 3 = middle third; Invert 2 = low-hole robber; run = alley / inside-out.
How to teach it
- 1OLB-T-G-G-T-OLB across the front, all head-up: edges own D-gap/contain, wide tackles own the C gaps, defensive guards own the A gaps, and the center is left uncovered — walk the alignment.
- 2The two inside linebackers stack at B-gap depth and READ (guard→near back); they are fitters, not automatic blitzers.
- 3On flow toward a backer he fits his B gap; on flow away he slow-scrapes and protects the cutback.
Common mistakes to fix
- !A wide tackle gets hooked and loses C-gap leverage; fix by teaching him to squeeze the down block and keep his outside pad free.
- !A backer over-runs his B-gap fit and gives up the cutback; fix by drilling read-then-fit and the slow-scrape on flow away.
Build this into your call sheet.
Adopt this system in your coach portal, tag plays by situation, and print call sheets and player wristbands.