The 46 Bear Defense

The 46 Bear defense, or Kodiak, is intended to prove one thing – pressure wins ball games. Stop the run, force bad throws and take the offense out of their comfort zone. The Bear does this in a lot of different aspects. In fact, the defense itself is not named like the 4-3 or 3-4, but rather after the player’s number that Buddy Ryan thought best exemplified the attacking style of this defense – Chicago Bears defensive back Doug Plank, who wore number 46. He played strong safety in this defense, which actually places another linebacker on the field.

The advantages we have found with this defense are numerous. First of all, the center and both guards are covered up, which makes traps, double teams and zone blocks very difficult. Second, we have an extra inside linebacker with the athletic ability of a safety. Third, the strong side of the offense is out-manned with all three linebackers playing to that side. Fourth, we can easily shift or slide to this defense from our base 4-3 look. Fifth, our two end players ($ and E) can play either hard upfield and have very little responsibility or they can squeeze their edge and eliminate off-tackle runs. Sixth, the offense must run weak, as we have taken out the strong side run. Finally, the QB must make quick decisions because we are bringing pressure and jamming the WRs on the line with a free safety over the middle.

Personnel-wise, the 46 is very similar to a 4-3 defense. There are four defensive linemen, three linebackers, two safeties and two corners. The uniqueness of this defense is that all three linebackers line up on the same side of the ball. This may sound odd, but once you see it and run the defense, it makes sense. The strong safety, which we call a Bandit, lines up in the box like an extra backer and is also the adjuster. The positions are as follows (See Diagram 1):

Defensive Linemen:
Bear Tackle (BT): Strong Tackle
N: Nose
Cub Tackle (CT): Weak Tackle
End (E): Weak End

Linebackers:
Stud ($): Strong Outside Linebacker
Sam (S): Strong Inside Linebacker
Mike (M): Middle Inside Linebacker

Defensive Backs:
Bandit (B): Strong Safety
Free Safety (FS)
C- Corners

Diagram 2 includes the responsibilities and specific alignments for each position in the 46 defense. In this defense, we prefer to play man-free coverage while pressing and jamming on the outside receivers and jamming the TE on the line with the Stud and the Sam linebacker.

The Defensive Line:
The Bear and Cub both line up in three techniques on the outside shoulder of the guard. The two defensive tackles have very simple jobs; they never allow any reach or jump through to the linebackers. They step with their inside foot and play their inside hand to the middle of the guard’s chest while having the outside hand on his outside shoulder, ready to keep their arm free to make a play.

The Nose can play a straight “0” nose position or he can shade the center. His job is very easy. Nose plays both A-gaps – one with his body, the other with the center’s.

The End lines up in a loose five technique off the tackle in a two or three point stance, whichever is more comfortable and productive for him. The End executes a blitz technique coming off the edge and needs be able to read the run while keeping contain. He forces the run to his side, keeping everything on his inside shoulder and on action away and applies a simple “BCR Rule” (Boot, Counter, and Reverse). We tell him to “chase and fold with their eyes,” stay at home, and make plays. If we give a “Hold” call, he also needs to be able to play a squeeze technique on the tackles hip to take away off-tackle plays.

The tackle, nose, and end players are referred to as our TNT. The TNTs need to fire off of the ball and control the line of scrimmage, playing no deeper than the heel of the guards. The TNTs should be drilled on great get-off at ball movement and reading the offensive line’s blocking schemes.

The Linebackers:
The Stud linebacker play is very similar to the End play. The Stud lines up in a nine technique outside the tight end in a two or three point stance, whichever is more comfortable and productive for him. The Stud player executes a blitz technique coming off the edge and needs be able to read on the run while keeping contain. He forces the run to his side, keeping everything on his inside shoulder and on action away, applying the simple “BCR Rule.” We also tell him – as we did the End – to “chase and fold with your eyes,” stay at home, and make plays. If we give a “Hold” call he also needs to be able to play a squeeze technique on the tackles hip to take away off-tackle plays.

The Sam linebacker has a very important job; he can never allow the TE to free release or release inside. We have him line up in a squared-up two point stance about a yard off the ball. We call it a Tight 70 and he is to friction the tight end every play and stuff the C Gap. His read is from the TE to the offensive tackle. He has the TE in man coverage but he also knows he has the free safety over the top for help on a hot route.

The Mike must be a great run stopper and must have great reads and a nose for the ball. He must also be able to scrape and run to make a play. In two-back sets, the Mike plays about five yards deep and in a 40 technique over the strong side offensive tackle. In one-back sets, the Mike never leaves the box. In fact, we will sometimes have him cheat over the Nose and play a stack position. The Mike plays what we call a pointer technique. His run key is the near back as he mirrors the back and then attacks. This is a very easy read to teach once you have done some research into it and have cut-ups for your linebackers to watch. It puts your Mike in a great position every time with his pass responsibility the back out to his side (See Diagrams 3 and 4).



The Defensive Backs:
The Bandit has to be your best athlete on the field. He is your adjuster and another inside linebacker. He must be able to cover a number two receiver and stop the run. He lines up like Mike in a 40 technique over the weak side offensive tackle vs. a two-back set. In a one-back set he becomes your adjuster, playing out on the additional receiver. The Bandit has the same run responsibility as the Mike using the pointer system and keying the near back. His pass responsibility is the back out his side in a two-back set and covering the number two receiver in a single-back twins set (See Diagrams 5A and 5 B).


The Corners in this defense may seem to have a small role but theirs is critically important. The corners must be mentally tough and great coverage players, having to play man coverage most downs. As was mentioned earlier, we play mostly a man free coverage in this defense with our corners up, pressed, and putting a jam on the wide receivers every play. We also play some Cover 3 where the corners can play soft. But for the most part, their job is to eliminate an easy pass (See Diagram 6).

The Free Safety also has a very important job in this defense. He is our centerfielder, making sure no deep passes are completed and he is a safety valve in case a running back gets through our second level. The Free Safety must be a ball hawk, sure tackler, and be great at covering over the top. When we play Cover 3 (See Diagram 6), he plays the middle third. He may also be called upon to play man on a number two receiver if we go into a “0” coverage. We also have a play in which the safety walks down into the box playing as an extra linebacker.

Because of our personnel, we run this defense somewhat differently. We play our Mike over the top of the Nose and they share the A-gap responsibilities, depending on which way the Nose goes. We line our Bandit up a shade outside of the offensive tackle and let him be a free hitter. That is our 46 man-free or, as we call it, the Kodiak Eagle (See Diagram 7). We have found this to be one of the best things about running the 46 defense – it can easily be molded around your basic scheme. It is also easy to convert to a 4-3, 3-4, or even a 3-3 stack if you are playing a predominantly spread team.