Usually at this level most teams will use the defensive ends to turn the play inside. Not sure what type of defense you run. Have you defensive ends line up on the outside shoulder of the TE and have him come through the outside shoulder of the TE.DO NOT LET your DE give up his outside shoulder. Once he comes across the line of scrimmage he needs to get to the same depth as the deepest back. Once he gets to that depth the first thing he is probably going to see if it is a lead blocker coming right at him. He needs to take on that lead blocker with his INSIDE shoulder, trying to drive the blocker into the ball carrier. First drill I would use is. Line him up on the outside shoulder of a blocker and have your blocker try to "reach block"(try to get your blocker to get to the DE's outside shoulder)him. Your De's job is to get across the line of scrimmage 2 yards without giving up his outside shoulder. Rep that until he can do it everytime. The next step is adding the lead blocker. After your DE gets that 2 yard depth send a fullback down the line to Block the De. The DE needs to take on the Block with his inside shoulder. DO NOT LET HIM GO AROUND THE BLOCK. GL it takes lots of reps and realize it is not the DE's job to make the tackle, it is his job to turn it inside.

Blitz your corners inside of your DEs. Passing is almost nonexistent at that age. Also, have your corners come up on the line right outside of you DEs for run support and teach them to stay home.

have the out side line backers bltz

SET UP CONES CLOSE TO GEATHER AND HAVE ON OF YOUR PLAYERS ON ONE SIDE AND ONE ON ANOTHER AND HAVE THEM RUN THRU AND PULL THE FLAG OR TACKLE IF THEIR PLAYING TACKLE...GOOOOOD LUCK

wow michael

I would have to agree with Bill on this. We have had the same issues with older kids and have done this and it helps cut back on the outside runs.

Somewhere around 6th grade, you might have to concern yourself on defense with defending against the pass. Put 8 kids up to stop the run, including the sweeps and drop back two LB's and a safety for collecting missed tackles or a lucky dump pass to a running back.
Stop the run and put the QB on his tail if he tries to drop back, that's the only things a defense should focus on at that age group.

tell em to pay atention

At this age, about 75% of the runs will be to the outside. Dont worry too much about the pass... in all honesty, most teams will have a couple of pass plays for no other reason then to keep your team honest.
You need speed at your D ends and OL positions. Put your bigger slower players on the inside D line to stuff up the middle plays.
Have the D ends learn to cut off the outside. thier first steps should be to the sideline, then run in to attack.
for the OLs have them run angle tackle drills. If they run straight in, there is a good chance that the other team will own the corners.

teach your boys to run the angle and cut them off. Your IL need to be your smartest. they need to know where the ball is and where it is going.

Then the safteies. They need to learn left and right first. cut off the outside then run in. same as the OLs if they run right in, they have already given up the outside.

The biggest part of all of this is tackling. if they cant properly tackle, nothing else matters.

We run a basic 5-4-2 defense. this does leave the up the middle a little weak, but that is why our IL are big, fast and smart. and if we start giving up the middle, we simply blitz one of the IL. We do not give up very much yardage to anyone.

GL

our team runs a five to and that doesn't work out for us we get beat outside everytime i say a 4-3

We run a 5-3 defense (3/4 graders) and have had a lot of success with it this year.
In six games we have scored 128 pts while only giving up 18. We are fortunate to
have 2 DEs that are fast and they listen. We teach them to get to the outside
shoulder of the TE or T and on the snap of the ball they are to get upfield as deep
as the deepest back. If they play comes to their side, they are to make the tackle,
shed off lead block, or make the back have to cut back inside where are LBs are
there to make the tackles. If the play does not initially come there way, they are to s
keep their position and be ready for a counter or reverse. Only when they are able
to see that the ball is going away from them are they supposed to pursue the ball.
The few times we have been scored on, the DE scraped right down the back of
the O-Line, over-pursued, and the RB ran outside and made their way around the
corner (our DBs are not the best tacklers but they at least try).

One thing I forgot to mention. I would put the kids in a 2 point stance with the inside leg up. Reason being his first step will be with his outside leg helping his first motion to be outside. This takes lots of reps with young kids, make sure they realize they did their job if the back goes inside.

well go for the flood play yeah ur D go into a 4-3 and have the inside nose pinch in and have the two ends on the outside shoulder go right and then have ur hawk go man to man have the couner pull back and have ur animal bliz use ur middle linebacker to pull back at he snap ofthe ball and make himm as a saftey and then keep ur playside backer in cover and bliz the othr backer if it all goes right they have no chance to run out bounds or thorw the ball but with the safty and couner it b hard to

run a 6-4 defense, pinch the d-ends on the outside, move the outside line backs to the flats.... lead the myrtle point bobcats 7th and 8th grade team to 2 champoinships in arrow....only allows 3 yards per game.....pinch out the tackles keep the safty up close and the middle linebacks in the middle.

i played defensive end up until 10th grade, at which point it became clear that i wasn't going to cut it on the defensive side of the ball at 6'2", 160 pounds. i remember my 6th grade coach, mr. mcmahon, yelling at me every time a back got around the outside.

some really good pointers here. DE is all about containment.