Coach's Corner: Different Defense's -- The base alignment rules and personnel -- 3-3-5 Odd Stack.

Posted at 8:00am -- 2/24/2010

Coach's Corner: Different Defense's -- The base alignment rules and personnel -- 3-3-5 Odd Stack.

We at GBMW will offer explanations of the rudimentary, basic aspects of the different defenses that Michigan either used last year at some point in time, or schemes that Michigan might try out this spring to see how the current defensive personnel fits best into a given defense. We will start by explaining what the basic principles are at each position.

Before the task begins, we present a small background of why this venture is being undertaken. Just like Pepsi and Coke, some football coaches and aficionados love the base 4-3 or the base 3-4 and rile at any mention of the other. Football was a simpler game before the spread hit the college ranks as a serious offensive alternative about a decade ago.

Now, with offensives presenting multiple looks and fast one-on-one match-ups all over the field, defenses have had to adjust. Such adjustment is likely an ongoing evolution. And the game of football will continue to invoke a stimulus/response, action/reaction mode as offenses change and defenses adapt. It is a real irony that many of today’s offenses are “borrowing” tenets from the once-mighty winged-t offense that was put into mothballs for decades.

Several decades ago, pro football used a 3-5 defense that morphed into today’s nickel set-up. The purpose of the 3-5 was to lay back with eight defenders when an offense was in situations of longer than third and five or so. The offenses adapted with draw plays since a strength of the 3-5 was/is to stop the screen short of the first down while also protecting the flank.

Nowadays, schemes such as the 3-3-5 and the 4-2-5 are being discussed everywhere.

A lot of this information came from Bob Davies the former Notre Dame football coach and now college football commentator along with defensive coordinator Coach Jeff Casteel from West Virginia. We have thrown our own thoughts in as well along with what we believe the depth chart could look like going into spring football along with commentary about positions.

The defense we are going to examine today is the 3-3-5 Odd Stack Defense Base Rules and Alignment.

Base alignment: This scheme contains an 8-man front:

An eight-man front is designed to outnumber the front seven of the offense, but the strong safeties (Spur and Bandit) are the key to how effective this defense eventually becomes.

Base coverage:

The base coverage is a three-deep zone, with the corners and free safety playing deep thirds. As the scheme notes, there are five underneath zone defenders, so this defense is capable of providing maximum pass coverage. Eight defenders are allocated to play the pass and only three to rush the passer.

Adding rushers:

The offense must account for all the linebackers to be potential rushers on every snap. If any of the linebackers blitz, the defense still has four remaining underneath zone defenders and three defenders are still in deep zone coverage. This combination (4 under and 3 deep) still makes for a sound pass defense.

Blitz package:

With the alignment of the strong safeties (Spur and Bandit) close to the line of scrimmage, this is a great blitz package defense. Usually a defense of this type requires balance (blitz from every slot at various times) and this provides uncertainty to the offense regarding who blitzes (old-fashioned cat-and mouse game).

Advantages of the 3-3-5:

This scheme can be played with smaller personnel since the linebackers are protected by the stack alignment, allowing for the utilization of undersized defenders. The 3-3-5 requires some additional preparation time for the offense because it is not encountered as much as the base 4-3 and 3-4 packages. The blocking rules for pass protection against this defense are very different, since the offense cannot with absolute certainty predict who the fourth (or more) rusher will be. The quarterback has a predetermined snap read and then the defense to its liking can react. Finally, this scheme has sufficient flexibility, in that with the personnel on the field and the alignment already set, defenses do not have to go to a nickel package on passing downs.

Disadvantages of the 3-3-5:

The 3-3-5 is usually a lighter defense against the run, with only three true down linemen (bigger players) and there are soft spots over the guards due to the stack alignment.

Conclusion:

Different coaching philosophies with the front seven change the overall look of the defense. The flexibility to blitz helps, especially with the uncertainty offenses face regarding who will blitz. Like all defenses, success depends on the available personnel.

The 3-3-5 Base Defense

......................................0

......................................0

......................................0
0.........................0...0...X...0...0...0...........................0
..........................^.........^.........^
.........................DE.......NG......DE
..................^.........................................^
..................B.......^.........^..........^.........S
...........................L.........M..........R
^................................................................................^
BC.............................................................................FC
.
....................................^
....................................FS

Defensive End = Will Campbell
Nose Guard = *Mike Martin / Renaldo Sagesse
Defensive End = Ryan Van Bergen
Bandit = Vladimir Emilien / Jordan Kovacs
Spur = Mike Williams
Lou = Craig Roh
Mike = Obi Ezeh / J.B. Fitzgerald
Rob = Jonas Mouton
BC = J.T. Floyd
FC = J.T. Turner
SS = Troy Woolfolk

* Out for Spring Practice because of injury.

We like the 3-3 against spread and finesse teams. The teams that show two tight ends or unbalanced line sets, with tight end and H-Back motion, can give the 3-3 some trouble. This presents a worry about teams like Wisconsin and Iowa the most, but Michigan State also uses tight ends fairly well.

The Defensive Front (3):

As stated there are three down linemen (two defensive ends and a nose guard). The three down linemen align over the center and both offensive tackles. The front three must be physical and command double teams, or the linebackers become more vulnerable and the entire front six can be pushed back. Usually the front three play head up on the snap, which allows the linebackers to run if the front five or six are kept off the linebackers.

Another option is to stunt the front, slanting and angling defensive linemen into gaps, but as a result the offensive linemen now block the linebackers.

All defensive linemen need to be able to angle and stunt. The 3-3 odd stack is more of a 1-gap than a 2-gap, that the 3-4 traditionally is. Linebackers and defensive linemen must be able to stunt and angle for this defense to be effective.

The nose guard has to command double teams and is usually the best player upfront. He has to be stout enough to play head up on the center and demand double teams.

The defensive ends need to be long, rangy type players. They do not have to be the true 5-tech type player (big, strong, physical), but of course if a team has such athletes this only makes the defense better. In this defense, the second level players can penetrate and they need the ability to build an edge, be contain rushers, and be able to hold up on a double team. The defensive ends do not typically get a lot of double teams, because of how the scheme sets the alignment of the backers.

The Linebackers (3):

As noted in the schematic, the 3-3-5 has three linebackers on the field at all times, with the middle linebacker being stacked directly behind the nose guard. The outside linebackers are stacked behind the defensive ends, which can really make this defense difficult to block, depending on the defensive line strategy - slants, blitzes, etc). The confusion is created because the linebackers can either play a straight up technique or crash a pre-determined gap.

Lou (left), Mike (middle), and Rob (right).

The best linebackers, athletically, are the "Lou" and "Rob," who play left and right. They are more scrap guys and will usually have to take on the fullback on isolation plays.

Usually a defense of this nature puts the best player at the "Lou" position, since most teams are right-handed football teams and will normally run at the "Lou" side of the defense (right side of offense and left side of defense).

The "Rob" is probably the most athletic linebacker and frequently must track down ball carriers going away from him.

The "Mike" has to be more of a tough guy, a downhill player who must be able to take on the guards. This guy needs to be a true team guy by being the most physical and toughest guy in the defense.

The "Rob" and "Lou" linebackers must be very versatile, stud athletes. Both must be stout enough to play against power running games, but also athletic enough to cover in space (such as against spread packages) and maintain outside leverage/contain in some blitz packages.

All three linebackers are usually four to five yards off the ball.

Defensive Backs (5):

Again, as noted, the secondary in a 3-3-5 alignment plays with five defensive backs on the field all the time. The strong safeties (Spur and Bandit) are the key positions, being a combination of a linebacker and defensive back. The base responsibility is the flat or shallow area of the field. Both can be used to blitz, play man-to-man, or even defend halves or quarters (cover two and cover four).

Strong Safeties: "Spur" and "Bandit":

Both are usually four yards away from the defensive ends and four yards off the ball.

The Spur is more of an outside linebacker/strong safety type player. The Spur can also be the fourth linebacker, and then he will have to take on pulling guards and fullbacks, along with tight ends. In pass coverage he will handle the flat and curl areas. The Spur has to be the more physical and toughest player between the spur and bandit, since he always goes to the tight end side.

The Bandit position is a defensive back type player who sometimes must back up and play quarter and half coverage (cover two and cover four). For the run game the Bandit will be to the open side. He has to be one of the defense’s best players, a player possessing the traits of toughness, athleticism, and smarts (good decision-making). A Bandit must be tough enough to take on the running game and athletic enough to handle coverage in the passing game.

The deep secondary:

Cornerbacks:

The cornerbacks are the primary pass coverage guys, playing the outside third or man coverage.

"Boundary Corner" and "Field Corner"

Teams usually flop the corners to a strong-side/weak-side alignment and the corners are usually eight yards off the ball.

The boundary corner is the most physical player, whereas the field corner is best at coverage.

Free Safety:

The free safety, the last line of defense, plays the deep third and must be a great tackler. He is usually the last line of defense and the furthest from the ball. The free safety plays a deep third and is a true middle safety that aligns around 12 yards off the ball.

Written by GBMW Staff

Go Blue -- Wear Maize!