← Glossary

Bear front

46 alignment — both guards covered

Three interior linemen head-up across the center and both guards, with ends outside — eight defenders crowded near the line of scrimmage.

When it applies

Short yardage and goal line; against teams that live on interior runs.

+ StrengthsNo clean blocking angles inside; double teams struggle to climb to linebackers.
− Trade-offsVulnerable outside and deep — the corners are on islands.

Filed under: Front alignments