How to Avoid Penalties in a Football 4-3 Defense

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Sean Hobson for Expert Village. What we want to talk about right now, is that when running in the 4-3 defense, there are a few things that you've got to make sure not to do when trying to make a big play. You don't want to cost your team some yardage. So what we want to show you first of all is the off sides. Off sides is just a little bit different for the defense than it is for the offense. On the offensive side if they move at all before the ball is snapped, it?s going to be a false start, or if they take a step forward, then they could be off sides depending on where they are lined up. But the defense has a little bit more room to play. These guys can actually come up, Brandon show them. He can actually come up, and he can actually lean across the line as long as he doesn't make contact. But as soon as he comes across and he makes contact or if he's across the line when the ball is snapped. It?s off sides or encroachment on the defense. And you are going to cost your team a five yard penalty. Now the other thing that we want to talk about is, linebackers especially have a problem with being very aggressive and their job is to come up and hit people. So if we have our tight end release across the middle after five yards the linebacker can no longer come up and check that guy. And make contact with him. That's illegal. That's pass interference. He'd not allowed to come up, and he's not allowed to hold him. So if the linebacker wants to make contact, he's got to make sure to come up in those five yards. So it?s a better rule just to tell your linebackers, drop in coverage and then cover the man, don't come up and check him, because you don't want to cost your team a penalty."