How to Run a Football Defense: 5-2

Video Transcript

"Hey, it's Coach Rudy, Big Ten alumni. Okay, 5-2 defense. Let's talk a little defense. 5-2 is a good defense against short yardage situations and teams that don't have a defined offense. They're not better at passing than they are at running. They're not better at running than they are at passing. What you want to do to run a 5-2 is establish your defensive front on what the personnel and the skill level, the experience and the ability of your defensive line. I, personally, shade to the inside of the ball and in the gap and play it straight up the field. My "Mike" and "Will" linebackers are basically very traditional. You've got to have some real bulldogs there, because they're going to have to be able to fly through here, fly through here, and also get there, right. Corners basically in a jam, right, and fall off at the five yard mark. This guy's flying here, and he's got this. Jam, fall wide. This guy's falling off here, and he's got this. So, this is where you're susceptible, right there in the 5-2. If somebody's killing you on a square out or a screen pattern or a halfback in the flat or a pitch or an option or that kind of thing, 5-2 is a good, flexible defense to play against those guys. The keys to being able to run this defense are: you've got to coach up the kids on tendencies; downs, distances, situations. And have everyone, no matter what, take care of their own responsibilities. All right. 5-2 defense, very good basic defense for young players."