Youth Football 5-3 Bear Defense & More


By FirstDown PlayBook on Aug 6, 2023
FirstDown PlayBook is the official playbook resource of USA Football. Perfect for Pop Warner coaches.

If you are looking for a way to be strong up the middle with your Pop Warner youth football defense then FirstDown PlayBook’s 5-3 Bear defense might be for you. Your personnel needs to play a part in this decision and you have to drill it. If you have a dominant defensive linemen to play the nose position this is a good start.

If you do not have this dominant player, you can still play this defense but you may want to make it a  practice of slanting or angling your nose on the snap. The great thing about this defense is that you are strong in both B gaps with your two 3 techniques.

6 Youth Football Defenses Like This Bear Defense Suggested By NFL Coaches

The base version of the 5-3 Bear can be a little weak in the strong side C gap and a lot of coaches will walk the strong side linebacker up in the C gap and play man coverage on the tight end. Don’t forget though that this defenses marries well with the base 5-3 defense. It is also a nice changeup from the 5-3 Under front that FirstDown PlayBook offers you. Another way to combat this weakness is to bring pressure off of the strong side (see the defense diagram below).

More On This Youth Football Defense

If you click on the play below we will take you to a very popular video that explains your 5-3 Bear defense and why you might want to consider it this season! You can also get a free Wilson Youth Football download with FirstDown PlayBook plays right here.

FirstDown PlayBook offers you 6 different defenses just like this 5-3 Bear Defense. You should consider one or two of these for your Pop Warner defense. Tap on any one of the tiles below to visit the article describing that formation. After reading the article then go join FirstDown PlayBook and get busy coaching your Pop Warner team with the best football playbook available!