There’s always a lot of discussion every year about Defensive End technique, specifically for the strong side Defensive End. We’re talking primarily about Even front defenses like the 4-2-5 Defense and the 4-3 Defense. Real quick, let me just say that I call an inside shade on the Tight End a 7 technique, a head up shade a 6 technique, and an outside shade a 9 technique.

(note: If you look at my 4-3 Defense book you’ll see that when I’m actually teaching it to the kids I call the inside shade a 6i technique. I do this because all even numbers are head up, all inside shades are the head up number with an “i” to indicate “inside” and all outside shades are odd. But if I’m talking to a coach, I call it a 7, 6, 9 technique because… because for god’s sake, Bear Bryant said it that way and who the heck am I to argue!?)

So what are the advantages and disadvantages to playing each? Everyone has their reason to play each individual technique. If you hear someone tell you that you “should not” play a certain technique, without any consideration for your personnel or style of defense – walk away from that person politely. They aren’t really thinking. All three of these techniques have their advantages.

For starters, let me say that if I look at a defense and they’re playing a 9 Technique the majority of the time, I consider that team a 4-3 Defense. If they’re playing a 7 tech most of the time, I would consider that a 4-4 Defense or 4-2-5 Defense. Is that right? I don’t know. Don’t care. But for future reference in this article or in reading other posts on Football-Defense Report, or if we talk in person (contact me, I beg you… I’m not coaching anywhere right now and I miss talking football more than I miss making money!).

So finally, after all that rambling and clarifying, lets get to it…

7 Technique – Inside Shade on the Tight End

When I first started coaching, we were running a 4-4 Defense. The contain player was 3 by 3 off the End Man on the Line of Scrimmage (EMOLS). There was a single-high safety. If this is what you’re running, then by all means, you need to run a 7 tech or a 6 tech. It just makes sense.

Why run a 7 tech over a 6 technique? Simple. Your strong side defensive end is going to be C gap responsible, but he’s not really exceptionally strong, nor is he quick. If he plays in a 6 technique, the Tight End will be able to take him out of C gap on his own. So you put him in a 7 technique. He has leverage on the Tight End so that he can control C gap. He’s a danger to get blown out by a Tackle-Tight End double team, widening B gap, but hopefully the B gap guy can handle it. If he’s smart enough to screw his shoulder into the ground and dig for middle earth, then you can survive.

If you have a guy who has the physical capability to play a 6 technique, and handle C gap, then by all means. But if you don’t, and you have an immediate contain player outside of him, then I’d play that guy in a 7 technique. Again, this is a 4-4 Defense or a 4-2-5 Defense in my book.

7 Technique Pro’s: Advantageous position for controlling C gap.
7 Technique Con’s: Could get blown out by a double team. No element of the surprise, the offense knows where he is, and more importantly, where he’s going.

6 Technique – Head Up on the Tight end

When I was working within a 4-2-5 Defense, we used a 6 technique. You’ve got to have a guy who can just lock those arms out and hold the point like a man. He doesn’t have to be a physical freak, or a bech press champion. He doesn’t need to be the fastest guy. But he needs to have something special, a refusal to give ground. And he also has to be pretty strong and reasonably quick.

Don’t mistake me for saying that if you don’t have a D-1 athlete at your strong side Defensive End you can’t play a 6 Tech. That’s not the case at all. And it is the most advantageous place to play your guy in a 4-2-5 or 4-4 Defense. You can work him from here. The Tight End doesn’t know exactly what he is going to do. Occasionally you may play games – crossing the Outside Linebacker into C gap and looping the Defensive End. You can add an element of surprise with your zone blitzes as well (you are running zone blitzes, right? They’re so much fun!). You can run some pretty effective line games from here, too. He can physically and mentally dominate the Tight End.

One key to remember is that if you’re only using a 6 technique if your strong side defensive end is primarily a C gap player. Again, you’re running a 4-2-5 or a 4-4 Defense, and you have some immediate outside contain help. You can play games, but he’s a C gap player. If he’s going to be a primarily D gap (outside) player, he better be in a 9, otherwise he’ll just get washed out.

6 Technique Pro’s: Indecision for the Tight End and Tackle. You have an element of disguise. Tough for the Tackle to get into a Double Team on him.
6 Technique Con’s: If the Tight End can block him one-on-one, you’re in trouble. And you better move him to a 7 technique.

9 Technique – Outside Shade on the Tight End

if you’re going to line your guy up in an outside shade, then he is obviously outside responsible (D gap). And, you’re playing a true 4-3 Defense. He is now in a position to do one of two things, in my opinion.

1. You can have him crash like a banshee. Block down, step down rule is in full effect! If that Tight End down blocks to a Linebacker, your guy is running the heel line like his hair is on fire, spilling everything to the contain man outside – either a corner or a safety, depending on coverage. If the Tight End tries to base block him, he’s holding the point. And tilt him 45 degrees, too. Get him in a position to CRASH. After all, you’ve got a B.A. safety coming up if something goes wrong, not to mention Linebackers flowing. In fact, against a play like the Power, where the Tight End blocks down and your strong defensive end is going to wrong arm and spill that Fullback and create chaos, your C gap responsible linebacker will automatically get over top and off his hip to clean it up.

I get a little excited. There’s nothing better than that 9-tech (and the weak side Defensive End, too, who has NOTHING to think about but CRASH) screaming down the line and causing havoc. NOTHING! In addition, if you run Man Coverage, he can…

2. Contain the play. From the 9 Technique, you can make your Defensive End the force/box/contain player. I don’t love it, at all. But it can be done, and you’re still technically sound. Lets say you get a Trey Open formation (Tight End, two receivers removed strong – one receiver removed weak), with Cover 1 or Cover 0 coverage called. Your usual contain guy locks up on #2 receiver. If your guy is in man coverage on a removed receiver, he is no longer a primary run player in which case he cannot be your contain guy. Someone else has to do it. Could be a backer, could be the Defensive End. Out of a 9 technique, it can be your DE.

9 Technique Pro’s: He can be a wild man, screaming down the line, wrong arming, spilling, doing the whole nine yards. Not to mention, you’re probably running a great defense, the Miami 4-3.
9 Technique Con’s: He’s not a C gap player, obviously. So you’re not running a 4-2-5, which is a great defense and very adaptable. You now have a Linebacker reponsible for C gap, and he better be ready to handle it. The will test him.

Conclusion

There’s no right way to play your defensive end. There’s the right way for your team though, and for your personnel. If you don’t have the personnel to run the Miami 4-3 Defense, you shouldn’t be running a 9 technique. If you want to handle the C gap but you’ve got a sloth in there, don’t put him in a 6! My conclusion is if you’ve got the guy to run a 6 technique, and you’re running a defense where the DE is C gap responsible, put his butt in a 6. If he can’t handle it, move him to a 7 technique. And if you’re running a 4-3 Defense, where you want the Defensive End to spill everything outside, then you need him in a 9 – a TILTED 9 technique.

Hope you find something useful in this article! You’ll find a lot more about the 4-2-5 Defense and the 4-3 Defense on this site. In addition, you can check out my book on Installing the Miami 4-3 Defensive Front.