Defending the spread offense with the 353335

1
Defending the spread offense with the 3-5-3/3-3-5

• Thomas Cousins

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What teams running the spread try to do.

• Get us to remove linebackers from the box and
  lose gap integrity.
• Rub or mesh our DBS when we are in man.
• Find holes in our zone coverage.
• Get us thinking pass and bust us with the run.
• Pick up our blitzes and give their QB time to
  throw.
• Reduce outside pressure by making our OLBS cover
  receivers.

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What we try to do to teams running the spread.

• Force the QB to throw under distress.
• Maintain gap integrity.
• Confuse the QB by disguising and changing
  coverages.
• Force the QB to try and find the holes in our
  zone coverage.
• Shut down the run by maintaining gap integrity,
  and in turn making the offense one dimensional.

4
Our beliefs

• We feel that we can dictate to the offense what
  they can and cannot run.
• We do not want to be counter punchers, we want
  the offense to stay off balance.
• We want the offense waiting to see what we are
  going to do next.
• We want to send as much pressure as possible.
• We will void zones in zone coverage.

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Vocabulary

• Sky- tells us that we are showing cover 3, but
  rolling to cover 4 with the whip and free safety.
  Will ILB has hook/curl/flats weak
• Banjo- when an OLB is called on to blitz but is
  responsible for a player in man coverage. The OLB
  will call banjo to either tell the free safety
  to take his man or banjo the blitz to the inside
  linebacker to perform.
• Cover 1- man free coverage. We are man underneath
  and our free safety is playing centerfield.
• Cover 4- true quarters coverage.
• Cover 3- three deep zone coverage
• Man- true man to man coverage.
• Cat- tells the will linebacker to slide out to
  4x4
• Sam and Will- our two inside linebackers
• Stud and Whip- our two outside linebackers

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Coverages

• Cover 3
• Cover Man
• Cover 1
• Cover 3 sky
• Cover 4

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Cover 3
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
8
Cover Man
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Corners have 1 Whip has 2 Free has 2 strong,
3 weak Stud has 3 strong
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Cover 1 (man free)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Corners have 1 Whip has 2 Free has 3 either
way Stud has 2 strong
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Cover 3 (sky)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Sky tell us that we are going to show cover
three and on the snap roll to cover 4
(quarters) Free safety will slide to the strong
hash Whip will sprint to the weak hash.
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Cover 4 (Quarters)
T N
T W
M S ST C
WP FS
C
In cover 4 Mike will not rush, he will settle in
the middle of the field. Whip will move back as
a true safety. Will will play weak hook/ curl to
flats.
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Cat Cover 4
T N
T W
M S ST C
WP FS
C
Cat will tell the will to line up 4x4. It will be
the only time we remove a ILB from the box. Mike
will not go.
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Formation adjustments against the spread.
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Shotgun spread W/TE option 1.- stay in 3
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
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Shotgun spread W/TE option 2.- check to 1(man
free)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Free safety cover 1 rules 3 either side- 2
if banjo
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Shotgun spread W/TE option 3.- check to man
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Free safety man rules 2 strong, 3 weak.
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Shotgun spread W/TE option 4.- roll to 4 (sky)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Sky tells us that we are showing cover 3, but
rolling to cover 4 with the whip and free safety.
Will ILB has hook/curl/flats weak.
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Shotgun spread W/TE option 5.- check to cat
cover 4
T N
T W
M S ST C
WP FS
C
Cat tells the will linebacker to slide out to
4x4
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Shotgun spread trips W/TE option 1.- stay in 3
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS C
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Shotgun spread trips W/TE option 2.- check man
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS C
21
Shotgun spread trio W/TE option 1.- stay 3
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
22
Shotgun spread trio W/TE option 2.- roll to
sky(4)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
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Shotgun spread trio W/TE option 3.- 1 (man free)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
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Shotgun spread trips open option 1.- stay in 3
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
25
Shotgun spread trips open option 2.- roll to sky
(4)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
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Shotgun spread trips open option 3.- 1 (man free)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C

FS C
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Shotgun spread double twinsoption 1.- stay in 3
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
28
Shotgun spread double twinsoption 2.- check 1
(man free)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
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Shotgun spread double twins option 3.- check to
cat cover 4
T N
T W
M S ST C
WP
FS C
30
Defending empty sets
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Shotgun spread empty pro trips option 1.- check
to cat cover 4
T N
T W
M S ST C
WP
FS C
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Shotgun spread empty trips twins option 1.-
check to cat cover 4
T N
T W
M S ST C
WP
FS C
33
Shotgun spread empty quads option 1.- check to
cat cover 4
T N
T W
M S ST C
WP FS
C
We will bump our coverage to the quads to even
out our numbers
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Shotgun spread moose option 1.- stay in 3
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
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Shotgun spread moose option 2.- check cover
1(man free)
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
In cover 1- the OLBS will tighten up to 1x4 off
the TE
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Shotgun spread moose-trio option 1.- stay in 3
T N
T WP W M
S ST
C FS
C
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Shotgun spread moose-triooption 2.- check cover
1(man free)
T N
T WP W M
S ST
C
FS C
In cover 1- the OLBS will tighten up to 1x4 off
the TE
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Motion adjustments

• When in doubt, check to cover 3 and play
  football.
• Cover 4(quarters) is our oh crap coverage.

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Defending the run

• Zone
• Sweep
• Trap
• Lead
• Power

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Defending the zone
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap
Mike- Read- base/double team- flow strong- Fit
under chip by tackle if possible- playside a
gap Sam- Read- base/ double team- flow inside-
Fit- step to outside of double team- refit under
because of flow. Stud- Read- down- flow to- Fit-
run feet of TE d gap. Force play inside. Whip-
Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold.
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Defending the sweep
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap
Mike- Read- reach- flow strong- Fit- under
pulling guard playside b gap - Sam- Reach- flow
outside- Fit- playside c gap- under pulling
guard- down by TE. Stud- Read- fan- flow to- Fit-
beat te up the field . Force play inside. Whip-
Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold.
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Defending the trap
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap
Mike- Read- base/double team- flow strong- Fit
under chip by tackle if possible- playside b
gap Sam- Read- down- flow inside- Fit- rip under
down block by TE- Stud- Read- down- flow to-
Fit- run feet of TE d gap. Force play inside.
Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and
fold.
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Defending the lead
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap
Mike- Read- base/double team- flow strong- Fit
under chip by tackle if possible- playside b
gap Sam- Read- fan- flow inside- Fit- fill open
window now. Take on fullback with outside arm and
make ball bounce Stud- Read- fan- flow to- Fit-
beat TE upfield. Force play inside. Whip- Read-
scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold.
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Defending the power
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C
Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap
Mike- Read- base/double team- flow strong- Fit
under chip by tackle if possible- playside b
gap Sam- Read- base/ double team- flow outside-
Fit- rip under chip by tackle-playside c gap
Stud- Read- down- flow to- Fit- run feet of TE d
gap. Force play inside. Whip- Read- scoop- flow
away- Fit- hold and fold.
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Blitzes we like to use3 to the weak side
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C

• Slant strong dog weak

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Blitzes we like to use3 to the weak side
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C

• Slant weak dog weak

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Blitzes we like to use3 to the weak side
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C

• Slant strong will A whip fire

48
Blitzes we like to use3 to the weak side
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C

• out dog weak

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Blitzes we like to use3 to the strong side
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C

• Pinch dog strong

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Blitzes we like to use3 to the strong side
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C

• slant weak mike go stud fire

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Blitzes we like to use4 to the strong side
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C

• Pinch dog strong stud fire

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Blitzes we like to use4 to the strong side
T N
T WP W M
S ST C
FS
C

• slant strong sam go stud fire

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Closing

• We work very hard on not getting outflanked by
  formations.
• We work formation adjustments, motion adjustment,
  and checks everyday.
• As you can see, our adjustments are very simple
  usually only one or two people move.