Gap control and run fits

Setup

1. Contact level: walk-through, then thud. Full helmet and shoulder pads, and a coach watches every rep.
2. Scout offence: five linemen holding hand shields, a TE on the right, a pistol QB and a running back. A coach shows them each play on a card.
3. Defence: a 4-3 front plus the strong safety. Both ends in 5-techniques outside the tackles, a 1-technique on the centre's left, a 3-technique outside the RG, the Sam on the line outside the TE, the Mike and Will at 5 yards, the SS at 9 yards.
4. Name the gaps before the first rep: A between centre and guard, B guard to tackle, C tackle to TE, D outside the TE.

How it runs

1. Gap owners here: DE1 weak C, Will weak B, 1-technique weak A, Mike strong A, 3-technique strong B, DE2 strong C, Sam D gap and the edge. SS fills the alley outside the Sam.
2. Round 1, fit and freeze: the scout runs a play at half speed. On the whistle everyone freezes; the coach checks every gap has its defender.
3. Round 2, thud: the scout runs at full speed. Defenders fill their gaps and the first defender to the RB fits at thud. No take-downs.
4. Mix inside zone, power and stretch. Run 8–10 reps, then rotate the scout group. Count the thud reps in the weekly full-contact limit.

Coaching points

• Linemen: hands inside on the blocker, keep the eyes on the near back and squeeze your gap. Never run around a block into someone else's gap.
• Linebackers: read the RB's track; downhill to your gap, shoulders square.
• Edge (Sam): keep the outside arm free and turn everything back inside.
• Fit with a shoulder-led thud: head up and out of contact, eyes through the ball carrier's chest.
• If the gap you own moves, it moves with the blocker; stay on the gap, not the spot.

Common mistakes

• Two defenders in one gap and none in the next, so the cutback is open.
• Linebackers stepping backwards or sideways on the snap instead of reading.
• Edge player getting reached and losing the outside.
• Leading with the helmet on the fit.