Play Description
When your flag football team is backed up against the goal line, there is no more room for “bend, don’t break” defense. This forces an Umbrella 5v5 Defense to break some of the core rules of the system.
When our backs are against the wall, our goal line defense must:
- Compensate for the smaller area being defended.
- Aggressively attack short passing lanes.
- Limit the QB’s ability to complete quick passes.
Our defenders cannot give up easy scores to underneath routes, so we sell out to stop anything on or in front of the goal line. We coach the to clog the throwing lanes on intermediate throws to create contested catches and batted balls. If they’re going to beat us, we make sure it’s with a tough throw to the back of the endzone.
We also change up our blitzer to throw another wrinkle at the opposing QB. Instead of rushing one of our quicker defenders, someone low to the ground who changes directions on a dime, we send our Free Safety (FS). If you follow our player profile recommendations, your Free Safety should be your best combination of height and speed. The QB has been dodging a small, quick kid all day; now we throw someone lighting fast and long at them. Our Safeties block a lot of passes by bull rushing panicked young Quarterbacks who underestimate their reach. Nothing rebuilds our teams confidence after surrendering a touchdown like the FS smacking the ball out of the air before the play has a chance to develop.
Alignment & Assignments
This short yardage defense is an easy to teach modification of “Ace”, the Umbrella 5v5’s 4-1 Cover 1 defense, designed to get stops near your endzone and on extra points. We call this defense anytime the other team is inside the No Run Zone.
We recommend our coaches install Goal Line only after their teams are confident with the other defenses in the system. Since it breaks some of the rules we teach with the rest of the defense, Goal Line should only be used after your players have mastered the basics.
- Free Safety (FS)
- Alignment: 7 yards from the ball. 2-3 yards outside the QB’s throwing arm.
- Stance: Wide Receiver Stance to get a quick jump on the snap. Hand up to indicate blitz.
- Assignment: Get the QB. Force a sack, batted ball, or bad throw.
- Strong Safety (SS)
- Alignment: Standing with heels on the goal line. 5 yards outside the ball.
- Stance: Linebacker Stance. Ready to slide and attack.
- Assignment: Middle 1/4 zone. Cover the shallowest threat.
- Cornerbacks (CB)
- Alignment: Standing with heels on the goal line, just outside of the widest offensive player.
- Stance: Linebacker Stance. Ready to slide and attack.
- Assignment: Outside 1/4 zones. Cover the shallowest threat.
- Linebacker (LB)
- Alignment: Standing with heels on the goal line. 5 yards outside the ball.
- Stance: Linebacker Stance. Ready to slide and attack.
- Assignment: Middle 1/4 zone. Cover the shallowest threat.
- Coverage Note
- In every other situation, Umbrella 5v5 coverage rules say to cover the deepest threat. In Goal Line coverage, we want our players guarding the shallowest receiver.
- We had to change this rule after teams figured out they could run three deep/intermediate routes into the end zone and then sneak a quick easy pass right at the goal line. Defending the goal line forces tougher throws through traffic.
Final Notes
No defense is 100% effective on the goal line, but by building a wall of defenders up front, you can force the offense to make more difficult throws to the back of the endzone, increasing your odds of success.
If your league is like ours, there may not be an actual line at the back of the endzone. The combination of the wall of defenders plus the tall blitzers blocking the QB’s view forces a lot of high throws that go out of the back of the endzone. In the rare case that we give up a completion in the back corner of the endzone, you just have to tip your cap to the other team. It’s better to force them to make a high-level throw than to give up a cheap three yard shovel pass for a score.
Your team will win more than they lose with this goal line set up, and every now and then, somebody will pick one off and take it the other way for two points.