Pipeline Defense: Pack It In

with Richard Carrington,
Haverford College Head's Men's Lacrosse Coach;
Amherst College Assistant Coach and Defensive Coordinator from 2021 to 2023;
Tusculum University Head Men's Coach from 2012 to 2021;
8.93 assists per game in 2007 (NCAA Division II leader);
Virginia Military Institute Assistant Coach in 2011-2012;
at VMI, Carrington's defense allowed the fewest goals in conference play since 2009

Inspired by the pack line defense run by the University of Virginia men's basketball team, the pipeline defense takes those same principles of packed-in, support-heavy team defense from the hardwood to the lacrosse field.

In this video, Tusculum University's (from 2012 to 2021) Richard Carrington takes you through a series of drills that are designed to implement the pipeline defense, a system that neutralizes any athletic disadvantages and can be incorporated into any slide package. Through an adherence to the "three C's", the pipeline defense prevents opposing offenses from penetrating the heart of the defense and taking high percentage shots.

Without communication, no defense will be successful. Crowding the pipeline is critical to providing maximum support and forces opposing dodgers to beat not one defender, but three or four. By contesting every ball carrier with proper technique, approaches and final touches, your defense will prevent the offense from skipping the ball through to the backside.

Building the Pipeline Defense

Using a progressive series of drills, Coach Carrington builds his pipeline defense from just one defender against two offensive players all the way up to a 6v6 scenario. Each drill implements the three C's and builds on them in a four-step process:

• In the first series of drills, the defender is all alone as Carrington teaches his players to hedge to the ball carrier and snap back to their own man from various points on the field.
• In the Hedge Drill and its multiple variations, the defense takes on the offense in a 4v4 scenario, learning to provide as much support as possible without over-committing.
• In the Manchester City drill, the defense battles the offense 5v5 as they refine their hedges and snaps while increasing the off-ball movement in limited space.
• Finally, in the Pressure drill, the defense puts everything together in a variety of scenarios that call for forced double teams and the resulting rotations and recoveries.

It's Not All About the Defense!

While Coach Carrington's defense refines their pipeline strategy, his offensive players get in their own valuable work. You'll see live drills that require offensive players to dodge and carry effectively, set picks and run mirrors, and otherwise refine the footwork necessary to evade the pipeline defense and create scoring opportunities.

Coach Carrington takes what could be a complicated idea and breaks it down into easily-digestible parts to help you build a packed-in, but aggressive way of playing defense!

71 minutes. 2022.