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56:
67:
The 6–2 is a defense that became popular in the 1930s due to the demands of the improving passing attacks of the time. In the early 1930s, pro football's passing rules were liberalized. By the late 1930s, the two standard defenses in college and the NFL were the 6–2 and the 5–3. The 5–3 was regarded
163:
By the 1950s, however, new contain concepts, such as the "five spoke" unit emerged. In a "five spoke" contain strategy, ends, along with the three man defensive backfield, become part of the contain unit. This means that the ends acquire pass coverage responsibilities, and may have to step off the
71:
By the 1940s, one could see this defense overshifted or undershifted. Pass defenses were man-to-man, zone, or a combination, the three man secondary lending itself to a Cover 3. Players would pull out of the line, to fall into short zones, as zone blitz teams do today, rushing four and having four
123:
differentiates between three fundamental forms of the 6–2, based on the position of the linebackers. If the linebackers are in the interior of the formation, with three defensive linemen to either side of them, then the formation is called the Split 6. If two guards are found between the two
164:
line and away from the defensive tackles to defend against certain pass patterns. So, instead of being pure run defenders and pass rushers, as 4–3 ends are, 6-man defensive ends with contain responsibilities function in ways much like outside linebackers in other defenses.
87:. 8 man front defenses were still popular in the college ranks, and the six man line evolved. The defensive lines grew tighter, to gain numerical advantages over the five interior linemen. Gap control concepts were introduced, and to defend against the original
62:
versus a 6–2. This shows a refinement of the 8 man front, where the cornerback clamps tight on the wingback, presenting a de facto 9 man line to the single wing offense. Yellow triangles are linemen, yellow squares are linebackers, yellow circles are defensive
147:
noted, the crashing ends of the 6–2 could present considerable problems for an opponent. Only occasionally were they asked to fall back into pass defense, take on the role of a "wide" linebacker, or cover an offensive end man-for-man.
467:
436:
124:
linebackers, then the formation is called the Wide 6 or the Wide Tackle 6. A formation where the linebackers are over the ends, in a fashion akin to the
143:
were as penetrating linemen. Ends were often asked to crash (rush) at 30- to 45- degree angles from the vertical. Even into the early 1940s, as
460:
131:
Stemming from the Wide Tackle 6 front is the
Stacked 6–2. In this formation, the linebackers line up behind the guards instead.
1181:
153:
The ends and linebackers must have the strength and ability to play the run and the agility to be involved in pass defense.
79:
became more popular and more effective. By 1950, the base defenses in the NFL were all five man line defenses, either the
1160:
453:
1036:
933:
893:
862:
804:
794:
72:
players in short zones. Secondary rotations were common as an adjustment to a "man in motion" from the T.
1106:
734:
779:
476:
41:
This defense is generally considered to be the best balanced arrangement against a well balanced attack
914:
603:
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125:
8:
541:
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59:
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593:
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440:
24:
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909:
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551:
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1121:
1091:
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1076:
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1049:
1021:
1006:
981:
888:
744:
561:
140:
120:
1116:
1026:
996:
830:
759:
621:
588:
556:
88:
1175:
566:
445:
44:
388:
Total
Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League
1111:
799:
769:
764:
739:
681:
616:
526:
956:
951:
941:
724:
696:
691:
676:
666:
611:
531:
84:
80:
76:
1081:
1016:
754:
729:
706:
671:
661:
651:
636:
631:
626:
144:
55:
28:
369:, Martino Publishing, 2010. original copyright 1962, by Ronald Press.
68:
as a pass defense, and the 6–2, for most teams, was the base defense.
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719:
656:
646:
641:
976:
946:
867:
92:
386:
Carroll, Bob, Gershman, Michael, Neft, David, and Thorn, John,
105:
The wide tackle six was and remains today a favorite of many.
134:
139:
An important function of ends in the original 6–2 or
128:, then the formation is referred to as the Tight 6.
400:Halas, George, Morgan, Gwen, and Veysey, Arthur,
1173:
23:is a defensive alignment consisting of six down
475:
461:
430:The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football
423:Football Coach's Complete Offensive Playbook
468:
454:
75:The usage of the 6–2 defense waned as the
353:Arnsparger's Coaching Defensive Football
327:
325:
208:New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football
157:Arnsparger's Coaching Defensive Football
115:
109:Arnsparger's Coaching Defensive Football
54:
432:, Simon and Schuster, 1984, Chapter 6.
397:, University of Nebraska Press, 2012.
306:
304:
95:, rotating backfields were introduced.
1174:
425:, Parker Publishing, 1987, Chapter 1.
245:
243:
449:
322:
135:Play of the ends in the six-man front
16:American football defensive formation
301:
390:, HarperCollins, 1999, Chapter 17.
240:
13:
407:Jones, Gomer, and Wilkinson, Bud,
14:
1193:
1156:
1155:
346:
334:
331:Jones and Wilkinson, Chapter 6.
313:
292:
283:
274:
265:
98:
252:
231:
222:
213:
200:
191:
182:
173:
1:
379:Brown, Paul and Clary, Jack,
167:
34:
1182:American football formations
362:, St. Martins Press, 2012.
7:
443:, retrieved June 22, 2013.
360:When Saturday Mattered Most
10:
1198:
477:American football strategy
219:Brown and Clary, pp. 82–83
19:In American football, the
1151:
1135:
1035:
932:
902:
876:
850:
843:
818:
705:
602:
519:
509:
483:
409:Modern Defensive Football
395:National Forgotten League
367:Football Scouting Methods
355:, St. Lucie Press, 1999.
381:PB: The Paul Brown Story
411:, Prentice-Hall, 1957.
376:, Prentice-Hall, 1947.
271:Carroll et al., p. 465.
280:Smith, Homer, pp. 1–2.
161:
113:
64:
53:
439:, September 1, 1997.
418:, David McKay, 1952.
404:, McGraw-Hill, 1979.
374:Championship Football
298:Belichick, pp. 56–57.
150:
116:Types of 6–2 defenses
102:
58:
49:Championship Football
38:
1143:Resting the starters
1037:Defensive formations
934:Offensive formations
437:The Past is Prelude
416:My Kind of Football
289:Smith, Homer, p. 3.
260:The Past is Prelude
237:Bible, pp. 156–159.
197:Bible, pp. 152–159.
179:Halas, pp. 167–170.
60:Single wing offense
844:Defensive strategy
441:Sports Illustrated
365:Belichick, Steve,
351:Arnsparger, Bill,
340:Arnsparger, p. 56.
310:Bible, pp. 136–137
155:, Bill Arnsparger,
65:
1169:
1168:
928:
927:
839:
838:
785:Statue of Liberty
435:Zimmerman, Paul,
428:Zimmerman, Paul,
383:, Atheneum, 1979
107:Bill Arnsparger,
1189:
1159:
1158:
910:Icing the kicker
848:
847:
826:Clock management
780:Hook and lateral
715:Play-action pass
517:
516:
470:
463:
456:
447:
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341:
338:
332:
329:
320:
319:Daly, Chapter 3.
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1060:Seattle Cover 3
1031:
1022:Minnesota shift
982:Single set back
924:
898:
872:
835:
814:
810:Tackle-eligible
790:Halfback option
745:Fake field goal
701:
598:
562:Run-pass option
505:
479:
474:
372:Bible, Dana X.
349:
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1027:Notre Dame Box
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831:Hail Mary pass
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760:Fake procedure
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402:Halas by Halas
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89:option offense
51:, 1947, p. 154
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805:Swinging gate
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579:Run and shoot
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567:Triple option
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414:Owen, Steve,
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358:Beech, Mark,
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228:Bible, p. 153
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188:Owen, p. 183.
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159:, 1999, p. 56
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111:, 1999, p. 56
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69:
61:
57:
52:
50:
46:
45:Dana X. Bible
42:
32:
30:
26:
22:
1127:8-in-the-box
1096:
884:Bump and run
770:Fumblerooski
765:Flea flicker
542:Buck-lateral
501:Play calling
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347:Bibliography
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99:Modern usage
74:
70:
66:
48:
40:
39:
20:
18:
1002:Pistol-Flex
962:Single-wing
775:Hidden ball
725:Double pass
707:Trick plays
687:Stop-and-go
532:Air Coryell
496:Two-platoon
491:One-platoon
393:Daly, Dan,
258:Zimmerman,
206:Zimmerman,
141:5–3 defense
77:T formation
29:linebackers
21:6–2 defense
1017:Jump shift
967:Short punt
858:Man-to-man
795:Hard count
755:Fake spike
730:End-around
594:West Coast
584:Smashmouth
510:Offensive
168:References
145:Aldo Forte
35:Historical
1055:Miami 4–3
877:Coverages
750:Fake punt
574:Pro-style
210:, p. 130.
126:5–2 Eagle
85:5–2 Eagle
1176:Category
1161:Category
992:Flexbone
987:Wishbone
622:Crossing
552:Multiple
547:Hurry-up
537:Air raid
512:strategy
27:and two
1122:Prevent
1107:7–1–2–1
1045:2-level
1012:Wildcat
977:Pro set
972:Shotgun
947:Split-T
868:Tampa 2
800:Pyramid
740:Spinner
735:Reverse
484:Systems
93:Split-T
83:or the
25:linemen
1117:Nickel
997:Pistol
889:Double
851:Scheme
682:Sluggo
667:Screen
617:Corner
604:Routes
589:Spread
557:Option
520:Scheme
91:, the
63:backs.
1136:Other
1102:7–2–2
1072:3–3–5
1007:Trips
915:Stunt
903:Other
819:Other
697:Wheel
692:Swing
677:Slant
612:Chair
1112:Dime
894:Zone
863:Zone
720:Draw
672:Seam
662:Post
652:Jerk
637:Flat
632:Drag
627:Curl
527:A-11
1097:6–2
1092:5–3
1087:5–2
1077:4–4
1067:3–4
1050:4–3
920:Spy
657:Out
647:Hot
642:Fly
81:5–3
1178::
1082:46
324:^
303:^
242:^
47:,
43:,
31:.
957:A
952:I
942:T
469:e
462:t
455:v
262:.
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