Southlake Carroll’s Base 4-3 Defense

There are few high school programs in the country with a record like Southlake Carroll's - roughly 85 percent of its games won over twenty seasons, along with a stack of state championships. In this coaching video, defensive coordinator Shannon Wilson lays out the base 4-3 defense behind it: the personnel he wants, the multiple fronts he plays, the alignment rules that get everyone lined up by rule, and the team drills that turn those rules into habits.

What you'll learn

• Team concepts that hold the Carroll 4-3 defense together.
• The Dragon Huddle Drill - how to teach players to line up by rule with a high number of reps.
• The spill concept and how the front forces the ball where the defense wants it.
• Buddy Tackle: getting more than one hat to the football.
• Build Fences and Protect the Middle as defensive team principles.
• The Tip Drill and how Carroll turns deflections into takeaways.
• "Why We Love" - the mindset piece behind the scheme.
• Front alignment and secondary alignment, position by position.

Who it's for

High school defensive coordinators and head coaches running or installing a 4-3 defense, and position coaches who need a practical team drill package.

About the coach

Shannon Wilson was the defensive coordinator at Southlake Carroll High School in Texas, where his defense dominated Texas high school football.

The session includes game film analysis.