5-3 Down hill penetrating Defense

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5-3 Down hill penetrating Defense
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Why the 5-3 is our base defense

• It is designed to stop the run
• It is a pressure defense which is great for high
  school
• Difficult to prepare for because very few teams
  use it as a base defense
• It is very easy to teach and allows the players
  to play fast without thinking about assignments
• Easily adapts into 3-3-5 when playing against
  spread offense by dropping the ends.
• The kids love to play it

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T.N.T. technique (tackle, nose, tackle)
They are strictly penetratores, they align head
up over the center and tackles there first
responsibility is to stay low and fire into their
gap. They want to get to heels depth and then
read the play, if it is a run they then will
pursue down they line, if it is a pass they then
will rush the Q.B. staying in the proper rush
lane. They go into the gap which they are
dealt to by the linebacker behind them, Which way
they get dealt all depends on the call. The down
linemen and the linebacker behind them work
together in the base 5-3 they will always go to
opposite Gaps making sure all gaps are covered.
The T.N.T. position is very simply and only
requires that they be aggressive, low and quick
to their gap.
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Linebacker Play in 5-3
The linebackers align them directly behind down
linemen. Sam and Will between 3 and 4 yards
depth and the Mike aligns between 4 and 6 yards
deepening on the situation and his ability. Just
like the down linemen they are responsible for a
gap, they must fill they gap opposite of the down
linemen. For example if the nose is dealt to the
right A gap then the Mike is responsible for the
left A gap. The backers first step must be down
hill in this step they will read the offensive
linemen in front of them if he run blocks the
linebacker must continue down hill and fill the
gap taking on any blockers with there shoulders
square to the line of scrimmage and pad level
low. If they read a pass set by offensive
lineman they must get into their pass drop
responsibilities. Will and Sam have the flats
while Mike drops straight back. The secondary
will be in 3 deep behind it. If they are to
blitz they attack at the snap of the ball and do
not just get to their gap they fly through it and
get the football on a pass or a run. The middle
linebacker will make a lot of tackles in this
scheme and he is usually the best tackler and
pure football player on the team. He will be
running free a lot the time.
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Defensive End Play
They will align 1 yard out side of the last man
on the line of scrimmage in a three point
sprinters stance angled in pointed directly at
their key, which is the nearest to the deepest
person in the backfield. (Ex. I formation Key
the eye back, split backs key the back nearest to
them). They have two expectations the first is
contain every thing nothing can get outside of
them. The second is to ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK.
They must get pressure into the backfield on runs
and passes. If they read run towards them they
must take on all blocks with there inside
shoulder keeping outside should and arm free.
They must attack the blocker squeezing the
running lane down and force everything to the
pursue of linebackers and T.N.T. On a pass they
are going to get the Q.B. They must get
pressure. Put your best pass rushers on the
ends I have found that speed and quickness is the
best to have at end in this defense even if they
are smaller players that are not typical
defensive ends like in other fronts.
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Defensive Backs
The Corners will align 7 yards off and 1 yard
outside of the widest offensive player to their
side. The safety will be at 12 yards depth
shaded slightly to the tight end or will cover
twins if offense aligns in that. The base
coverage is cover 3 and nothing can get behind
them. Bend do not break in the secondary, Can
also play man coverage with Corners taking 1s
and Free safety taking 2 if offence aligns in
trips we will automatically go man with Corner
taking 1 Free taking 2 and Linebacker to that
side taking 3. If you get a steady does of
trips and spread formations this defense easily
morphs into a 3-3-5 just by dropping the ends,
which will allow for many different types of
coverage's.
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5-3 Stack
In this defense the Outside linebackers align
directly behind our D-Ends who now align in a two
point stance on the outside eye of the last man
on line of scrimmage.(Could also align on outside
eye of wing or slot depending on game plan.) The
end and linebacker now key the first step of the
man lined up across from, if first step is down
the d-end will close hard taking on any blocks
could be a full back, or pulling lineman, the
outside backer will go outside and have contain
responsibility. If keys first step is outside,
the D-end will stay flat on L.O.S keeping outside
arm and shoulder free have contain, the
linebacker must fill the gap immediately. If
they read pass, get into pass responsibilities.
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5-3 Stack
Key steps down
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Tight End is the stack key.
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Keys first step is to outside
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Tight End is the stack key.
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Conclusion
What I have shown is our base defense, we show
many different fronts out of it and the
possibilities are endless. The 5-3 penetrating
defense is a great high school base defense
because it is very flexible and has proven to be
effective. Have fun with it and be creative the
stunts are endless. For this reason it is really
fun to coach and the players love it, because
allows them to be aggressive and too go get the
football!