Scott Goolsby, Defensive Coordinator, Auburn HS, AL has played a four-down front for over 10 years. One of the issues he faces is that it can become predictable. He uses games, twists, and stems to change gap responsibilities and make the defense less static.
In the YouTube video below, he covers his line game calls. It is one part of Using Line Games, Twists, & Stems to Change Up Gap Responsibilities in the 4-3 Defense which is available for streaming on Glazier Drive.
Summary of 4-3 Line Game Calls
This video presents three line game calls designed to make a 4-3 defense less predictable by changing gap responsibilities:
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Fish Call - Used for the weak side. When called, the weak-side 5-technique defensive end cancels out B gap by shooting inside rather than staying in his lined-up gap.
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Shark Call - Used for the strong side. The strong-side 3-technique and strong-side defensive end both jump into different gaps (3-technique moves to A gap, defensive end moves to B gap).
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Whale Call - Used for both sides simultaneously. Weak-side end gets in B gap, 3-technique gets in A gap, and strong-side 5-technique gets in B gap. The most comprehensive movement call.
Key Points:
- The nose guard (shade) stays in place for all these calls
- Calls can be made directionally (weak/strong), by field/boundary, or in relation to the running back
- For running back-based calls, coaches use "Tank" (call to the back) and "Army" (call away from the back)
- These calls work particularly well against zone running schemes by canceling out gaps
- Linebackers must understand how their responsibilities change when these calls are made
- The video shows several examples with game film of successful implementations
Coach Goolsby emphasizes these simple calls have helped make their 4-3 front less static and more difficult for offenses to predict.
