GAM and the sweep

Randy:
Sorry for the late reply, but I have been busy with on-the-field football and haven't had time to read this board.
My defense of choice is a Split 40 (4-4). Over the years I have played the DEs in a 9 to the TE side and a 5 to the SE side. There were seasons where I might play the DE to the TE in a 7 (inside eye) and have our OLB play outside the TE.

However, last season, after reading a book on the 4-4, I changed our DE technique. If the offensive set has but one TE and no wing backs, both DEs play in an "angled" technique and key the near foot of the near back. They employ an "attack-read" technique. By this I mean that they cross the LOS at about a 45 degree angle toward the near back. They each read the near back and re-direct (if necessary) on that back's movement.

On the sweep (either hand-off or toss) to the strongside DE, for example, the DE would quickly see what he was facing and would attack the lead blocker (usually the FB), fighting through the block and attempting to drive the FB back into the TB. Of course, in this example the DE has to "read" just what type block is being used against him. Is the FB attempting to kick him out, or log him. We have the DE read the FB's head and body language to get a feel for this. Obviously this takes reps, but many reps can come in one night's defensive group work, while DBs and LBs work elsewhere.

If the play goes away, the DE trails only as deep as the ball and takes his correct pursuit angle to the football, placing himself in proper position for any cutback.

This is a simple explanation. There are other factors that must be covered - pass rush, swing pass responsibility, option responsibilities (both dive and speed option); inside veer and outside veer responsibilities, to name a few.

Is this the end-all way to do it - I don't know, but we like it. Are we successful all the time - no. In our first full game this season (we are 12/13s), we had great success at one DE and not-so-good at the other. The difference was personnel. The better job was done by a 13 year-old who is a football player - you know, one of those types that play other sports, but just have an affinity in football to be where the ball is almost every time. The other DE is a 12 year-old - good athlete, but not as mature as the better DE and doesn't posses the steel balls the older kid has.

We like the attack nature of the technique. Formally, we had our DEs play outside the TE in a 9 technique and shuffle acros the LOS at a 45 degree angle. The were taught to squeeze down the C gap when the TE blocked down and taught to fight outside against reach blocks by the TE, or log blocks by lead backs. The technique worked, but the new system puts more pressure on the offense - if its done by aggressive people.