When approaching a ball carrier in the back corner or playing through X, our angle should influence them back behind the cage, not allow them to turn the corner toward the middle of the field. Establish topside leverage, break down under control, and use your body position to take away the path up the hash. Make the offensive player continue through X, where they remain in a less dangerous area.
- Establish topside leverage — position your body between the ball carrier and the hash.
- Force behind — influence the offensive player back toward X and behind the cage.
- Take away the hash — don’t allow an easy path topside toward the middle.
- Approach on an angle — use your path to dictate where the ball carrier can go.
- Break down under control — arrive balanced and ready to react to a change of direction.
- Protect the house — prioritize keeping the ball out of dangerous scoring areas.
- Don’t overrun the approach — maintain leverage rather than chasing the ball carrier behind.
- Adjust through X — stay patient and be prepared to reposition as the ball carrier changes direction behind the cage.