4-3 Quarters Defense

Sean Coultis

The Chicago Clinic was extremely successful and power packed with outstanding coaches. Sean Coultis, the Defensive Coordinator at Bolingbrook High School in the southwest suburbs of Chicago was our featured speaker and gave three presentations on the 4-3 Quarters Defense that is used at Bolingbrook. Bolingbrook won the state title in 2011 and are strong contenders every year. The three part series included the Base Defense, Cover 3 Zone Blitzes, and Man to Man Blitzes. Coach Coultis believes they have made their defense simple for their athletes so they can play fast. But not only that, he believes in really teaching and making sure the kids understand saying, “Kids have to buy into the defense and do what they’re supposed to do. This stuff is all good on paper but if you’re not a good teacher and you don’t demand that the kids execute the way you want, it’s not going to work. Also, at some point there’s a transition between telling the kids what to do and ASKING THEM TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY DO. What do you do on this? Where are you going? What are your options? What are you thinking? Make sure they truly understand.” Coach likes to quiz his kids and call them up to the board and verify true understanding. He has plenty of diagrams and game footage to share as well as tons of trouble shooting tips. Click here to see the video.

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 Base 4-3

1. Philosophy
2. Defending Spread 2X2
3. Zone Read
4. Defending Bubble
5. Fake Bubble and Go
6. Fade, Slant, Post, Wheel, 4 Verts
7. Defending 3X1
8. Sky, Cloud
9. Diagrams and game footage

Cover 3 Zone Blitz

Coach covers strengths and weaknesses of zone blitzing and how they do it. Again, his game footage is excellent and he talks about mistakes and shows how to fix them. This may have been my favorite video of the three. He talks about how to use the boundaries to gain an advantage and gives what he calls his “Key Ideas”.

Man to Man Blitzes

1. Strengths – No confusion in coverage, pressure QB, sound vs HB screen, time up on an indicator
2. Weaknesses – May not have DB’s to play man, vulnerable to big play, pick routes/bunch, option, against a mobile QB
3. Key Ideas – Don’t live and die by the blitz, play mostly base, when slanting expect to make a play, know if you’re contain, peel blitz, DB’s take away inside throws

All of the above are just examples, there is much, much more. If you’re a 4-3 guy, I highly recommend this video. Click here to see the videos.

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Coach L. Albaugh      DBLITY

Coach Albaugh coached high school football in Illinois for 28 years. During that time he coached at every level and on both sides of the ball. He was the offensive and defensive line coach for four undefeated teams and was a defensive coordinator in his last 11 years, twice reaching the semi finals of the Illinois state playoffs.