blocking the four four defence

Question
i am a 7th and 8th grade football coach who is having the most difficult time of getting the center and tackles to learn play side,back side blocking. Is there a simple and easy rule or way to teach this level of age group the blocking schemes? Please know that our 7th graders are in their first year of football and that all but one of our opponents run the 4-4. thanks

Answer
Hello Coach,

First let me say I understand your concerns with the 4-4 defense. I run that defense with my semi-pro team. It is a tough defense to beat. Especially if you are a run inside offense.

The best possible way to block this defense is to block down from the DE and kick out on the corner/OLB. Understand that the way we block it when we play against someone who runs the same defense, is we deploy a block-down/zone type of blocking scheme. But I do understand this can be very difficult for youth to understand. So with my Little League organization and semi-pro team, we also implement a series of medium and long range passes.  Going over the top of this defense has really worked for me. You find that defense in a lot of zone or single coverage to the outside. The sweeps also work when you block down on the DE and kick out.

For the youth the hardest part is teaching the shifts of the 4-4 defense. On my 11-12 year old group, we found running out of the "I" Formation really helped. Then we just taught, if they shift left we run right, zone block and the opposite. If they shift "down" to the inside, We block down, and kick out the end or OLB with the fullback. I know it seems crazy, but it really works for us.

Coach I hope I have been of some type of help. Of course you know it would be easier if I could be there to show you.

Good luck, and get back with me to let me know how it went.

Coach Anderson