Kick-Offs: Defensive Basics

Jerry Parsley
Aug 21, 2017
2 min read

Defensive Setups

Quick basic tips:

On defense there are 2 basic approaches on the Line of Scrimmage (LoS) – either 1) put serious muscle, or 2) put sacrificial garbage. If against Claw / Mighty Blow / Pile On, the latter might be your best move.(As a related point, if you have a Journeyman or a -(stat) or niggled (n) player, letting them serve on the LoS until you have their replacement is a very loss-minimizing decision.)
For the 3 LoS players, placing them tight (side-by-side) limits how many opponents can Block them and assist those Blocks, but leaves them bunched up in the middle, easily surrounded. Placing them wider (2-3 apart) means more opponents can gang up on them but leaves them more spread out after the initial punch. It also effects where your opponents’ offensive LoS players will be standing after their block attempts. Most any of the below variations can be tweaked to suit your preference.
For any player not on the LoS, start (at least) three squares back from the midfield line so that if your opponent gets a Quick Snap bonus step on the Kickoff result, the opposing players can’t shift that 1 square next to your players and be able to Block them.
Keeping (at least) one heavy hitter mid-field and 3-back to stay free and react/move to where needed is often a very good plan.
For the Wide Zones, don’t start your closest Player within 2 of the sideline – they can too easily be sent crowd-surfing or pinned against the sideline. (That’s why most of these setups have the more vulnerable forward Player positioned 3 squares in from the sideline, and the 2-in Player safely behind them.)(vs. Frenzy, this becomes even more important, and setups may need to be tweaked to account for that threat. Otoh, Sidestep can allow players to (more) safely crowd the sideline without risk of surf – adjust to your team’s and opponent’s skills.)
If you have lost men and can’t defend all lanes, consider going asymmetric and inviting one side or the other. Don’t be both outnumberedand split in half! Your opponent will move to that side, and you will try to pin them there. (Works better if you have Kick.)

On the other hand, if you seriously outnumber/outmuscle your opponent, you may be able to safely crowd the LoS and be aggressive on Defense. Consider your lead, the odds, and the “worst case scenario”.