2021 Coach of the Year (District 2 - 6A);
2020 Midland Reporter-Telegram (MRT) Coach of the Year;
52-19 as current head coach at Midland Legacy High School (TX) from 2016 to present;
Made the playoffs in all three seasons as head coach and athletic director at Central High School (San Antonio, TX), from 2013-2015;
3X Coach of the Year (2009, 2011, 2012) as head coach at Clear Springs High School (TX), District 24-5A
3-4 Defense
Coach Hartman begins this presentation with an overview of the 3-4 defensive system that he utilizes with great success with his team. Coach Hartman explains that this style of defense is easily compatible with a traditional four down system because of the single gap control principals, rather than a two-gap system used by traditional 3-4 defenses.
Slide Front, Wave Front & Heavy Front
Coach Hartman then diagrams the Slide front, Wave front, and Heavy front that he uses with his teams. Examples of each front are shown using game footage against a variety of run schemes and concepts.
- Learn how to set up the 3-4 system, and how this front can be implemented alongside a 4-man front.
- Learn how to use the three fronts to create confusion for the offense.
- Learn some of Coach Hartman’s coaching points for defeating blocks and keeping yourself in great position to make plays.
Learn How to Defend Common Run Plays
Coach Hartman then goes into specifics of how each front can be utilized to defend the most common zone based and gap based run schemes. The key to making this defense work is to have enough movement to keep the offense guessing. Coach Hartman shows how the Slide front and Wave front moves the defensive lineman, along with how the linebackers run fits adjust based on front movement.
Also, the Heavy front is diagrammed and Coach Hartman explains how it is used as a changeup to keep the offense off-balance.
- Learn how to coordinate the linebacker run fits with the front movements.
- Learn how to defend gap and zone based schemes from the 3-4 defense.
- See several examples of each front defending a variety of schemes and formations.
This is a great addition to any football coach’s library! Coach Hartman’s insights and excellent coaching points on some critical keys for a 3-4 defense to stop a spread offense’s running game – including shutting down inside-zone and outside-zone run games, and how to implement slide fronts as a defensive weapon - is phenomenal!
52 minutes. 2022.