Defending The Spread Offense

[possum]

In defending the spread offense with a single back a 3-5 cover 3 scheme works well especially if the team is trying to option off of it. You can contain all of the gaps and still have a safety on QB. Where am I weak at? Young Coach wiiling to listen.

[possum]

In defending the spread offense with a single back a 3-5 cover 3 scheme works well especially if the team is trying to option off of it. You can contain all of the gaps and still have a safety on QB. Where am I weak at? Young Coach wiiling to listen.

[Blue21SallyAt7]

that would leave too many gaps deep down the field. w/only 3 deep guys, that leaves deep outs, ins, and curls open. if you have a 2 verticals running at the free safety, and he's inexperienced and not accustomed to it, he can cost you big time. At alcoa my SR year, we actually used our base 4-4 when teams tried to pass w/3,4, and 5 WR's. Austin East used 4 WR's alot against us and their QB went 1-17 in the playoffs and we won 31-6, we shut them out at their place during the regular season 24-0 using the same base 4-4. We just have the athlets and an UNBELEIVABLE amount of speed on defese.

[SpaceCowboy]

In the schemes you are presenting, who has the QB on the boot? Does the DE take him or OLB/Safety?

[Blue21SallyAt7]

if you're in a zone, it doesnt matter that much, b/c you've got the corners squating, linebackers taking hook-curl-flat. if you're in man, you can spy the QB and you can have double blitz's from the outside. Twist stunts on the defensive line will screw up blocking schemes for high school linemen. Always have someone spying the QB though, he goes where ever the QB goes.

[boneal52]

It looks like Blue has thought this through a bit.

[Blue21SallyAt7]

when you start your coaching career you tend to think a little bit more than the average joe.

[DanPatrick]

Maybe I'm an avg joe that needs things explained two or three times - but Blue did you not rip on Possum for only having 3 Deep and then turn around and said that youre corners were squating. Youre nickle/dime personell cant be deep cause you said they were like OLBs that are "responsible for run and pass." And youre LB are hook-curl-FLAT; are the corners not already in the flat if a receiver threatens. Classic example of last-man-with-the chalk syndrome!

[possum]

After getting an education from coffee co. last year, that we could not cover the spread with the 4-4, which we did'nt think we could but you know how stuborn one can be, especially coaches. I drew up the 3-5 which controls the gaps and allows for the free safety to take qb if they run the option out of it.Where am i going to be weak. Young coach would like to know.

[possum]

sorry about the 3 post about 3-5, i am a new member and did not think my messages were getting posted,found page two! However to space cowboy, i would think outside linebacker would have to take qb, don't you,because the end would have b gap safety would drop into coverage after fake.

[ELA]

I hate to get into this discussion because I live by the spread. It really depends upon the offensive team's weaknesses! You have to take away the best aspect of their game. If you think the running game out of the spread is the best aspect of their offense, then sit back in a nickle zone and have your two middle linebackers cover the running game. If they don't have a mobile QB or solid running game out of the spread, concentrate on covering the pass and mix up your pass rush, sending an extra LB every time.

 

I have tried the 3-4 and 3-5 defenses in the past and both can be effective, if you have solid LB's. I still favor the even front and I think the 4-2 is the best defense to cover the pass. It places two players in the flat and three deep over the top. If you have good DB's, you can also go man with one or two free over the top.

 

The secret to defending the spread is keeping pressure on the QB from different areas. Find a weak spot on their offensive line and attack it over and over again. Figure out how they pick up the weak side and strong side blitz and find a weak spot. ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK! Rotate a lot of different kids on the D-Line so they don't give out.

 

If I have a good offensive line, I can beat almost any pass rush and coverage scheme IF I have a QB who can read the blitz and make changes at the line for a hot pass. IF NOT, you will get to my QB several times during a game. It's a game of chances. The spread offense can move the ball quickly down the field and score several times in a game, but if you get "into the head" of the QB and force him out of his "comfort zone," you can win the game.

 

The secret to the spread offense is really the running game. Good teams and coaches count the number of players in "the box" and change their plays based on how you are defending it. If you take away the pass, they should run the ball. If you take away the run, they should pass the ball. If you can take away both, they're in trouble. Good luck coach, I hope this helps a little. I don't think you will see Coffee COunty passing the ball as much as they did last year because I don't think their new coach will give you those same looks on offense. They will have a good young TB and I look for them to bring a more balanced game plan for the next two years.

[throw46]

There is no difference between a 3-5 and a 4-4 as far as the sceondary is concerned. Both equal eight, so that leaves 3 deep correct? I was a little confused by Blue21's comment also. I have ran the spread and cover 3 and man-free were the only two coverages I saw. We did see a couple of snaps of Cover 2, but mostly in long yardage situations. I think the hardest thing to prepare for is the 3-3 Stack. It is very dificult to get angles because you don't know who is coming and who is bluffing. Blue is correct though as far as the FS is concerned. I think you have to throw the seam off of him to your inside recievers and make him wrong choose.

 

But like Ela said: The key is to run the football.

[Edited by throw46 on 2-20-03 10:02A]