The 4-4 Swarm Defense Series

Three-time CIF Champion Tim Murphy has been one of the most successful coaches in the high school ranks in recent years. His defense has been one of the main ingredients for that success while coaching at three different schools. Coach Murphy takes you on an inside look at his relentless swarming defense that has been wreaking havoc upon opponents year in and year out.

Coaches at all levels will instantly get excited about the 4-4 Swarm Defense, not just because Coach Murphy has dominated central California football for the last decade, but because of the simplicity and the ability to get your three most aggressive players to the ball and stuff any offensive run game. He begins by explaining the defense in a PowerPoint discussion before showing you video of the 4-4 Swarm in action. You'll see a defense that:

• Will adjust to any offensive scheme with its simplicity
• Linemen that create a moving wall and outside backers that funnel the ball into a 5 yard alley
• Inside backers that fill in the alley and create turnovers and big hits
• Defensive backs that will disrupt all phases of the vertical game and become secondary contain players versus the run

The philosophy of the 4-4 Swarm is to condense the ball into a 5 yard alley that allows your free safety and inside linebackers to fill and stop the run for no gain. The defense forces the ball carrier to run horizontal allowing for the Swarm to take effect. Murphy takes an inside look at all the formation adjustments that are made against all personnel groupings. The basic alignment for every position is discussed through various graphics.

Coach Murphy goes into detail with his bounce and attack philosophy vs. the run. Every player is accountable and needs to do their job in order to secure the edge and force all plays into the D gap. He describes each position's responsibilities and flows in order to condense the field and swarm to the ball at a relentless pace. Murphy shows gang tackling at its finest with his philosophical and scheme approach.

Coach Murphy moves into his Disrupt and attack philosophy against the pass. Coach explains his Cage rush scheme he utilizes in the 4-4 scheme and all D-line responsibilities. He finishes his pass attack with his linebacker and secondary responsibilities, and thoroughly explains the passing zones and his various coverage schemes.

Coach Murphy moves through his presentation with various multimedia slides and game clips that help for easy understanding and installation for your team this season. He describes what style player he is looking for at each position in order to help you develop this defense easily.

If you are currently running a 4-4 defense or want to adapt a simple and sound package this video is a must. Defenses win championships, and this defense will help your team establish that championship foundation this season.

60 minutes. 2014.

Tim Murphy delivers a unique version of the 4-4 Defense he calls the "Swarm."

In this DVD he gives an in depth look at the most important aspect of his defense, the slanting play of the defensive line. He teaches the defensive line to create a "moving wall" versus running plays. The Swarm develops as the ball is channeled into a five yard alley between the line and the outside linebacker, who is responsible for contain. Inside linebackers and the free safety fill the alley to stuff any opponent's running game.

Coach Murphy begins by going through all of the responsibilities and reads for his defensive line. He details his stance and alignments for both defensive ends and defensive tackles in order for his players to be successful. The nose will play the weak side A gap while the tackle will shade the guard and defend the B gap strong. The defensive ends align on the last man of the line of scrimmage and control the inside gap which makes the ball bounce to the outside and into the alley.

Coach Murphy moves into the film room with practice footage, and shows drills to help defend various blocks for the interior linemen and defensive ends: How to defeat down, reach, base and pass blocks are all shown as well as the inside and outside pull of the guard. He finishes with game footage to show all of the drills and their application on the field.

If you want to create a solid front line that uses simple techniques to stop the opponent from running the ball, this video is a must. Bring the "moving wall" to your defensive line this season to punish your opponent in the 4-4 Swarm Defense.

43 minutes. 2014.

Tim Murphy puts his most aggressive players at the linebacker position. In the 4-4 Swarm Defense, the linebackers are taught to be fill players, they are 5 yards deep and play at 45 degree angles with the chest over the knees all the way through the play. With simple keys the linebackers will play fast and create big hits and turnovers making the 4-4 Swarm defense stand out from all the rest.

Coach Murphy discusses the responsibilities of his linebackers in the 4-4 Swarm in a powerpoint presentation. In the 4-4 Swarm you will see:

• How the backer can react in an instant and become a fill player either in the alley or mid-line
• Lightning quick pass drops and understand the "Rally Zone" concept and when to use a "Jump" call to shut down the quick passing game
• The all-important "Fill, Scrape, Fill" technique used on inside runs
• The difference between "Fast-Ball" and "Bounce and Flow" keys

Coach Murphy talks about all the technical body positions you must have within your stance to be successful. He describes the defensive drops for his linebackers in his defense and goes through the various reads and flows needed to be executed by the inside linebacker to create the relentless swarm gang tackling approach, emphasizing the importance of filling to the alley at the proper angles.

The simplicity in the defense is also shown in the linebacker responsibility on a pass play. The defensive zones are labeled A, B, and C and basic landmarks send the backers to a spot on the field where he will defend a 5 yard box on the field. The "Green Light" technique uses the linebacker as a contain player when the quarterback breaks from the pocket.

Using practice footage, Coach Murphy breaks down drills for his read and react series, which teaches the linebacker how to get to the ball almost instantly. He continues with his drill series for pass drops in order to take away underneath routes, which can be open within the scheme. You'll also see his fill scrape and fill drill, which helps reinforce the swarming gang tackle style of defense his 4-4 scheme produces. You'll see how every drill and technique is applied effectively in a game situation.

The concepts Coach Murphy uses in his linebackers in the 4-4 Swarm Defense will help any coach with any defensive scheme become better.

42 minutes. 2014.

Tim Murphy continues his 4-4 Swarm series with an inside look at the Outside Linebacker and Defensive Back positions in his swarming attack. Coach Murphy uses a multimedia presentation with game and practice footage in order to dissect reads, alignments, and techniques that are vital for defensive success.

Coach Murphy begins with a breakdown of alignments, reads, pass drops, and techniques for the outside linebackers His multimedia slides give a clear and easy explanation for easy implementation. Coach then takes you to the film room for practice footage on drills he uses in order to develop the most discipline players for the outside linebacker position. You will see the all-important key drill that teaches the outside backers how to react to the last man on the line of scrimmage and how his movement tells him what is coming from the offense. He ends with game footage to see how the practice drills transfer to on the field action.

Coach Murphy then breaks into the secondary responsibilities, alignment, technique, and coverages to be successful within his 4-4 defenses. Putting your secondary in position to be discipline and aggressive at the same time, will push your team over the edge this season in the 4-4 Swarm defense. He emphasizes the need for proper alignment and coverage understanding In addition, various coverages and checks are discussed through a multimedia presentation. Murphy takes you to the film room to look over practice footage of drills and then takes them into the game footage to see them executed in a game scenario.

To coaches running the 4-4 defense, this video will make your defense better and help you win that game against your rival.

49 minutes. 2014.