Mailbag question: Difference between the 3-3-5 defense and what UM used last year?

Posted at 8:00am -- 3/31/2010

Mailbag question: Difference between the 3-3-5 defense and what UM used last year?

Hey guys,

What are the differences from last year’s defense and also the responsibilities for the players? Is there a big difference or are the defenses fairly similar with like responsibilities?

Does the 3-3-5 fit Michigan better than the previous defense we used and did/does this help recruiting by getting the players we have been the past two years?

Hank R.

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Thanks for the question.

They (the 3-3-5 and last year’s versions of defense) are very different.

Last season Michigan lined up in a hybrid 3-4 look, but the majority of the time they played a 4-3 under tackle scheme.

Michigan, this season, is rumored to be going more to the 3-3 odd stack. From information we have heard and film available to GBMW it does appear that Michigan is devoting a lot of time working on the 3-3 defense. As we have said before it will be interesting to see which of the defenses Michigan ends up using as its base, leaving the other as a change up.

Remember as well with Mike Martin out for the spring the UM coaches can work more with other players to see what they can do. What happens to the final selection of a base defense when Mike Martin comes back and what happens in the fall will be interesting to watch.

In the two bases identified above the responsibilities are different.

In the 3-3 base, the NT plays a 2-gap technique, and in the 4-3 the NT plays the strong side A gap. In the 3-3 there are 3 safeties, in the 4-3 there are 2. In the 4-3, a second DT plays the B gap to the quick side and neither uses a 3 technique in the base 4-3. Those are examples of some of the differences.

Written by GBMW Staff

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