5 Reasons Your Defense Is Giving Up Big Plays and Easy Yardage
The truth is, most explosive plays come from the same recurring mistakes that show up on film week after week. In this article, we’ll break down the 5 reasons your defense is giving up big plays and easy yardage. More importantly, I’ll show you how to fix them fast so your defense can play faster, smarter, and more aggressive!
5 Reasons Your Defense Is Giving Up Big Plays
1. Misalignment
One of the biggest reasons defenses give up big plays is misalignment. When your defense is not properly aligned, offenses can easily outnumber or out-leverage you to either side, creating instant
advantages. Never allow the offense to outnumber and /or out-leverage you to any side.
Coaching Points: Practice alignments every day – Ensure players understand leverage and spacing – Alignment should be automatic and fast.
2. Poor Pursuit Paths / Lack of Swarm
Bad angles turn small gains into explosive plays. When defenders take poor paths to the ball carrier, they lose leverage and allow cutbacks, bounce-outs, and extra yards after contact. Contain players need to set the edge, wall players / pursuit players need to run track the near hip of the ball carrier- pursuit inside to out.
Coaching Points: Set the edge and force the ball inside – Pursue inside-out with a near-hip aiming point – Do pursuit drills every single day – Swarm the ball carrier with multiple defenders
3. Too Static / Not Aggressive Enough
If your defense is predictable, offenses will pick you apart. Sitting in the same looks and not applying pressure allows offenses to get comfortable and execute without stress. Don’t stay in the same alignment and don’t attack the same gaps with the same defenders. Mix it up and keep the offensive line guessing.
Coaching Points: Mix up fronts and coverages – Bring pressure consistently – Force the offense to react to you – Use defensive line movement (STEM)
4. Eyes in the Backfield
Getting caught watching backfield action leads to blown coverages. Linebackers and defensive backs bite on play-action and defensive backs lose receivers, resulting in wide open plays.
Coaching Points: – Maintain eye discipline – Read your keys and trust your assignment – Understand down and distance – Don’t get nosy in the backfield. If you’re playing man coverage, eyes on your guy!
5. Not Creating Turnovers
If you’re not taking the ball away, you’re giving the offense more opportunities to create big plays. Turnovers shift momentum and stop explosive drives. Many
Coaching Points: Emphasize stripping the football – Attack the catch point aggressively – Turn every play into a takeaway opportunity – Build a takeaway mindset into your defense.
