The Eagle defense.

Shine;

According to Wyatt's rules an eight techique end would be down blocked by the TE operating solo while the WB reads up. Vallotton's rules are slightly different. Personally, if it's possible, I ALWAYS double team at the point of attack. This is possible for the TNT front, but it does change some things around.

An eagle defense looks something like this:

                 S

        C    B   B   B    C
           E   T N T   E
           O O O X O O O
          O      O      O
                 O
or, the NFL version:

              S     S

        C     B     B    C
           E   T N T   E
           O O O X O O O
          O      O      O
                 O
*Note-Spaces betwen offensive linemen are there to show the defense more
clearly.

This is a zone based, reasonably effective defense developed by Fritz Shurmer. Really, in a true Eagle, it's an even, four linemen, defense. The NT is actually a linebacker in a three point stance about a yard back from the LOS. With him in the backfield (sorta), two other linebackers in the hook areas, and two corners on the outside at linebacker depth, the system got the name "Eagle-five," for five linebacker defense.

It's a solid defense that's not too complex. Coach Shurmer published a fairly in depth, but understandable book on it called "Coaching the Eagle-Five Linebacker Defense". It's decent reading.

The problems with it in my opinion lie in its devotion to the zone defense. The system was created for the NFL, specifically to defense the Redskins counter tray in the early eighties. Because the NT is slightly back from the LOS, he's much more mobile than a true NT, and that makes it much more difficult to block him for the inside trap and that counter tray. The defense is also pretty effective against the Wing-T, again because of the mobility of that NT. Against an NFL style pass-oriented attack the system works great, especially with an arsenal of zone blitzes, shifting coverages, and sky zones.

Unfortunately for the youth coach running the Eagle, however, the DWing goes through it like a prune through a short grandmother. The gaps off tackle are exactly where the DWing's primary attack will strike, and most youth coaches just don't have a kid that's half linebacker, half defensive tackle, half moose, and half sociopath to play the NT position.

This defense NEEDS seven stellar athletes: NT, MLB, SLB, WLB, FS, SDE, WDE in order to be effective.

The Eagle is also a BBDB defense, so it just doesn't fit well into the youth game. It DID work well in Green Bay as a variation on the 4-3 alignment when paired with the West Coast offense's quick strike capability.

That's about all I know on the Eagle.

~D.