How To Identify Defensive Fronts for Option Football

by Steve Gunther

I had the pleasure of working for Emory Bellard in his last 4 years of coaching. He had a brilliant football mind! He was also an innovator!

One of the unique football concepts that Coach Bellard used was his method of identifying defenses. He classified defense into 40, 50, 60 & Under Defenses. He believed that there were only 4 defenses ever used in football and they were either 7 man fronts (7 Calls), 8 man stack fronts (8 Stacks) and 8 man fronts (8 Calls). In football there will be a multiple combination of these 4 defenses with either 7 man, 8 Stack and 8 man fronts.

On the last set of diagrams I will show you some common combinations of those 4 defenses, that you will recognize. As you well know there are a multitude of names for attached to these defenses; from animal names, various number ID’s, etc. He simplified these concepts. All of his blocking assignments were tied into defensive recognition, from Triple Option to Supplemental Plays, were predicated on #3 or Defensive End. The players, once they identified the defense, found #3 or DE and then applied the proper blocking scheme or blocking assignments for that play.

To learn more about Coach Bellard’s Option Concepts, see below for information about a new book titled, “How to Coach the Wishbone Football Offense, According to Emory Bellard”.

Identifying Defensive Fronts (Forcing Unit)

Calls Made By Center
1. If a single man on or over (LBer Position), the center will identify the front as a “7” Call
2. If no man on or over the center (split), the center will identify the front as an “8” Call
3. If two men (stacked) on the center, he will identify the front as an “8 Stack” Call

Defensive Identification

If the Play is Predicated on #3
1. Count outward from the center
a. “7” Call-do NOT count the man on the center
b. “8” Call-No Man on the center to count
c. “8” Stack Call-you will count each man as 1/2 man, so the Stack equals 1 man

Defensive Identification

If the Play is Predicated on DE (Defensive End)
1. In a “7” Call the Defensive End and #3 are the same man
2. In an “8” Call the Defensive End is #2 in the perimeter or the first man outside of #3

Calling Defenses by the Guards

1. If 1 inside of 3 is UP and 2 inside of 3 is DOWN—“40” Defense
2. If 1 inside of 3 is DOWN and 2 inside of 3 is DOWN—“60” Defense
3. If 1 inside of 3 is DOWN and 2 inside of 3 is UP—“50” Defense
4. If 1 and 2 inside of 3 are both inside of the Tackle—“UNDER” Defense
Determination of Tight and Loose Calls by the Guards

In a “40” Defense

To Playside and Backside

1. If man on guard is 3 technique—“Loose”
2. If man on guard is 1 or 2 technique—“Tight”

In a “60” Defense

To Playside and Backside

1. If man on guard is a 3 technique—“Loose”
2. If man on guard is a 1 or 2 technique—“Tight”

In a “50” Defense
To Playside and Backside
1. If man on the tackle is a 5 technique—“Loose”
2. If man on the tackle is a 4 or 4I technique—“Tight”

In an “Under” Defense
To Playside and Backside
1. 1 and 2 inside of 3 “Under” the tackle will be called—“Under”

Modified Tight and Loose Calls by the Guards: It is possible to modify the “Tight and Loose” Calls-tell playside guard to call a 2 technique a “Loose” Call.
Determination of “OFF” Call:
1. If #3 is alligned “OFF” the LOS, the playside and backside Tackle will make an “OFF” Call
Determination of “PRESS” Call:
1. When #2 in the perimeter is lined up on the LOS just outside of #3 a “PRESS” Call is made by the playside and backside Tackle.

This is an excerpt from an article that was written by Steve Gunther, a former Coach Emory Bellard Assistant, at Spring-Westfield High School, Houston, Texas. Steve is the author of How to Coach the Wishbone Football Offense, according to Emory Bellard

Additional illustrations show how to identify the following Defenses:

50 Defense
60 Defense
Under Defense
8 Stack Defenses

….Plus – Common Combinations of Defenses

The article will be featured in June 2012 in its entirety at www.optioncentral.net.

To purchase Steve Gunther’s new book, How to Coach the Wishbone Football Offense, According to Emory Bellard, visit the Gunther Publishing website at http://optionfootball-publishing.net/