Coach John Rice

1
Strategies for Defending the Spread Offense with
the 3-3

• JOHN RICE
• DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
• CANYON SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
• MORENO VALLEY, CA
• [phone]
• Zacoach102_at_aol.com

2
Strategies

• Maximum Zone Coverage
• Rush 3, drop 8 (2 deep or 3deep)
• Rush 4, drop 7 (2 deep or 3 deep w/Tag)
• Pressure
• Man Pressure 4, 5, 6, or 7 man
• 1 Bracket with pressure
• Fire Zones rush 5 and drop 6
• Zone Blitzes (linemen dropping for blitzing LBs)
• Combination Coverage with Pressure

3
Common Spread Philosophy

• ? Spread field through Formation and motion
• ? Open up running lanes
• ? Create personnel mismatches
• ? Take What you Give us philosophy
• ? Run the ball vs. appropriate numbers in the box
  (audible to 5 in the box)
• ? Pass the ball vs. appropriate numbers in the
  box (audible to 6 or 7 in the box)
• ? Throw vs. Uncovered receivers
• ? Create the big play vs. the blitz
• ? Use of compressed formations to create
  confusion or gain an advantage in numbers

4
Strategies for Defending the Spread

• how to take away certain strategies
• ? Take away bubble screen by alignment (draw on
  board)
• ? Take away funnel screen by sticking like glue
  to 1
• ? Outflank compressed formations
• ? Play zone or match up zone vs. compressed
  formations
• ? Playing bunches or stacks
• o Jamming first man off the line in a zone
• o Triangle concept man on LOS, bracket other two

5
Strategies for Defending the Spread

• ? Analyze and understand protection scheme of
  your opponentHave a pressure packaged based on
  their protection weaknesses (stunts, bluffs,
  overloads, personnel mismatches)
• ? Anticipate the offensive coordinators
  adjustments to your strategy and have at least
  one countermove for each strategy he employs. two

6
Strategies for Defending the Spread

• Take away an opponents best receiver by
  alignment, coverage, or both. Jam on line with
  safety help to test him. Align deep if hes a
  deep threat. Bracket him if you can afford it.
• ? Know the offensive coordinators philosophy and
  take advantage of it
• ? Take away what they do best. Make them beat you
  with someone or something other than their best
  play.

7
Strategies for Defending the Spread

• Be prepared for the no huddle
• ? Practice preparation
• i. Use two huddles/units in pass skeleton back to
  back to back w/1 QB to keep continuity
• ii. Increase pace of drills and increase
  conditioning
• ? Game preparation-getting the call on the field
• i. Hand Signal call to entire defense (everyone
  must know signals)
• ii. Signal to one defender, he relays the call to
  defense
• iii .Use wristbands and coded calls

8
Strategies for Defending the Spread

• Have multiple adjustments for motion/formation
  checks
• ? Teaching progression early in spring/summer
• ? Jam receivers at different levels to disrupt
  timing
• ? In man
• i. On line
• ii. Catch and trail
• ? In zone
• i. On the line in 2 jam or 3 jam
• ii. At 3 or 5 yards

9
Strategies for Defending the Spread

• ? Disrupt the rhythm of the offense-force
  post-snap reads. Disguise coverage (show
  examples)
• ? Huddle call
• ? bluff (make sure they are not the same)
• ? universal
• ? wait on OC
• ? Mix up your looks. Blend pressure and coverage.
  Utilize straight man, combination (man zone),
  zone blitzes, and fire zones. (Show game ready
  sheet)

10
Strategies for Defending the Spread Offense

• ? Play fastest players on defense
• If the team you are playing uses personnel
  packages to gain advantages, use the same 11
  players without substituting
• ? Stop the running game first with the least
  amount of defenders in the box as possible. If
  you can stop the run with 5 you have an advantage
• ? Force the offense to be one-dimensional by
  doing one of the following
• ? Take away the pass. If you can consistently
  rush 3 and drop 8 defenders into pass coverage
  you are at an advantage
• ? Take away the run by loading the line of
  scrimmage with eight or nine defenders

11
Formulating a strategy

• Take away what they do best make them beat you
  with something else
• Have multiple adjustments to formations if needed
• Have formations coverage checks to prevent the
  offense from gaining an advantage
• Be prepared for no huddle
• Be prepared for personnel groupings
• Know their pass protection and how to attack it
• Have a strategy to defend bunches and stacks

12
Alignment vs. Doubles
13
Pull ALIGNMENT VS. TRIPS
14
Stack ALIGNMENT VS. (TE) TRIPS
15
Cover 3 Drops
Cover 3 Drops
Spur and Bandit buzz to the flats NOW, playing
stop, hitch, the out cut by 1, and the arrow
and bubble by 2. Lion Ram (as soon as they
make a pass read) must get to the hashes to play
vertical routes by 2s.
16
Cover 3 Jam Pass Drops
Spur and Bandit jam reroute 2s, then buzz the
flat. On other than a vertical release By 2,
they take their normal drops to the top of the
number once they make their pass read
17
Cover 2 Drops
Cover 3 Drops
Corner
5 under 2 Deep Zone W/hi hole player
Bandit
Free Safety
Spur
Corner
18
Strategies for covering empty (or trips) with 33
defense

• Play straight cover 2 run with 3 verts
• Play soft cover 2 to two receiver side Quarters
  to trips side
• Play the corner man to man on 1 to the trips
  side, and soft 2 everywhere else
• Play 2 Deep zone, run with inside vertical routes
• 3-2 w/man free
• 3-1 with 2 safety look

19
2 Deep Zone VS. TRIPS
Coaching Point in a 2 deep zone Run with the 3
vertical route
20
Strategy vs. Trips Formations
Quarters to trips side Soft 2 to single side
Soft Cover 2
Quarters to trips side
Soft 2 to single cut side
N
E
E
C
S
C
M
L
R
F
B
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/2
21
Strategy vs. Trips Formations
Man 1 Trips side Soft 2 everywhere else
Soft Cover 2
Corner man 1
N
E
E
C
S
C
M
L
R
F
B
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/2
22
Strategy vs. Empty Formations
Quarters to trips side Soft 2 to single side
Soft Cover 2
Quarters to trips side
Soft 2 to single cut side
N
E
E
C
S
C
L
F
B
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/2
23
Strategy vs. Empty Formations
Man 1 Trips side Soft 2 everywhere else
Soft Cover 2
Corner man 1
N
E
E
C
S
C
L
F
B
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/2
24
Strategies for covering empty w/33

• Play soft cover 2 to two receiver side Quarters
  to trips side
• Play the corner man to man on 1 to the trips
  side, and soft 2 everywhere else
• Play 2 Deep zone, run with inside vertical routes
• 3-2 w/man free
• 3-1 with 2 safety look

25
Pressure

• Man Pressure
• 5 man
• 6 man
• 7 man

26
Principles for Applying Pressure

• Disguise your intentions if at all possible

• Use more than one disguise per blitz

• Know the protection scheme you are attacking

• Know the opponents hot reads and sight
  adjustments
• (may be able to force a certain throw favorable
  to you)

• Ensure your defense is gap sound

• Assign proper run force

• In man schemes, every potential receiver is
  accounted for

• Dont allow offense to create a mismatch

• Create mismatches that favor the defense-attack
  weakness

27
Principles for Maximizing Effectiveness of
Pressure Scheme

• Pressure Calls MUST be scripted.
• Blitz Period /7 on 7/Team
• Practice the four looks (show, half, time, depth)
• Show unusual formations/motion
• Force checks to prevent unfavorable situations
• Emphasize blitzing defenders redirect to the ball
  if play is a run

28
Zone Pressure

• Can you force an audible by showing pressure
  pre-snap and drop a defender into a passing lane?

29
Dime 4 Idaho
E
E
N
S
B
L
M
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
30
Dime 4 Oregon
E
E
N
S
B
L
M
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
31
5 Man Pressure

• From Base Front (6)
• Ox, Tiger, Smoke, Torch, Red, Crazy
• Fire Zones (9)
• Thunder, Hurrican, Lamb, Rambo, Rex, Lex, Laser,
  Male, Mare
• From Dime Front (6)
• Crossfire, Mable (switch), Spice, Sugar, Axe

32
5 man pressure-from base

• Coverage-Blitz
• Examples
• 3 Ox Show (cover 3 with Mike Ram going)
• 3 Tiger Half (cover 3 Mike and Ram going)
• 0 Sting Time (cover 0 with Spur and Bandit
  going)
• 0 Smoke Show (cover 0, line slanting weak,
  Spur, Ram going outside End)

33
3 OX
34
3 Tiger
35
0 Smoke
36
0 Torch
37
3 Jacks Red
38
Crazy
39
5 man pressure from Dime

• Crossfire
• Mable (Switch)
• Spice
• Sugar
• Axe

40
Dime 1Free Rules
Hole
Deep Middle
Dime () in for Lion will align according to
blitz called. Man up with 3 in empty We are
playing man coverage with Spur and Bandit on 2s
(over vs. trips) We will always send at least 1
linebacker the other will be a hole defender. If
we send both inside backers, Dime will be hole
defender unless covering 3 in empty. Free Safety
is playing deep middle. We can also use him to
bracket a receiver play 0. Hole defender will
abandon responsibility if R releases. In that
case, man up on R.
41
Dime Crossfire Cover 1Free
E
E
N
S
B

M
R
C
C
Hole
F
Deep Middle
42
Dime Mable Cover 1 Free
E
E
N
B
S
C
M
R
C

Hole
F
Deep Middle
43
Dime Mable Switch Cover 1 Free
E
E
N
B
C
M
R
S
C

Hole
F
Deep Middle
44
Dime Spice Cover 1 Free
E
E
N

B
C
M
R
C
S
Hole
F
Deep Middle
45
Dime Sugar Cover 1 Free
E
E
N
B

C
M
R
C
S
Hole
F
Deep Middle
46
Dime Axe Cover 1Free
To field
E
E
N
B

M
R
C
C
S
Hole
F
Deep Middle
Nose slants to field (blitz)
47
2 Shell Pressure
48
Dime Double Plug Robber
49
Dime Tornado
50
Dime Field Slam
51
Dime Lightening
52
Dime Win
53
3-3 Fire Zone Pressure
Cover 33 3 deep, 3 under, rush 5
Seam/curl/flat
hole
Seam/curl/flat
Cover 33 Rules We are sending 5 (3 linemen and
usually 2 linebackers) The remaining linebacker
is a hole defender We will cover both seams, not
allow vertical releases by 2s
54
Thunder Cover 33
Field
E
E
N
B
L
C
M
R
C
Seam/curl/flat
Seam/curl/flat
Hole
S
F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
55
Hurricane Cover 33
Field
E
E
N
S
C
L
M
R
C
Seam/curl/flat
Hole
Seam/curl/flat
B
F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
56
Lamb Cover 33
E
E
N
C
S
L
M
R
B
C
Seam/curl/flat
Seam/curl/flat
Hole
F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
57
Rambo Cover 33
E
E
N
C
S
L
M
R
B
C
Seam/curl/flat
Seam/curl/flat
Hole
F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
58
Rex Cover 33
E
E
N
R
C
S
L
M
B
C
Seam/curl/flat
Seam/curl/flat
Hole
F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
59
Lex Cover 33
L
E
E
N
C
S
M
R
B
C
Seam/curl/flat
Seam/curl/flat
Hole
F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
60
Laser Cover 33
E
E
N
C
S
L
M
R
B
C
Seam/curl/flat
Seam/curl/flat
Hole
F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
61
Male Cover 33
E
E
N
C
S
L
M
R
B
C
Seam/curl/flat
Seam/curl/flat
Hole
F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
62
Mare Cover 33
E
E
N
C
S
L
M
R
B
C
Seam/curl/flat
Seam/curl/flat
Hole
F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
63
6 man pressure
64
Zoo
65
TigerBandit
66
Ox Spur
67
TigerSpur
68
OxBandit
69
Pressure from dime
70
6 man pressure from Base

• Coverage-Blitz
• Examples
• 0 Zoo Time (cover 0 with Lion Mike,Ram going)
• 3 Zoo (cover 3 Lion,Mike and Ram going)
• 0 Tiger Bandit half (cover 0 with Lion, Mike
  Bandit going)
• 0 Ox Spur (cover 0, line slanting weak, Spur,
  Ram going outside End)

71
Dime Python Cover 0
E
E
N

C
M
R
C
L
S
F
72
Dime Python Under Cover 0
E
E
N

L
C
M
R
C
S
F
73
Dime Boa Cover 0
E
E
N
L

C
M
R
C
S
F
74
Numbers package
75
Numbers Package with Pressure

• When double-bracket coverage with pressure is
  desirable as part of a package
• May play single bracket with pressure if desired
• When a team places their best receiver at various
  positions in the offensive formation

76
Dime Numbers 12 Anchor
E
E
N
B
S
Low Hole
L
M
C
C
F

77
Dime Numbers 12 Anchor
E
E
N
B
S
Low Hole
L
M
C
C
F

78
Numbers 11 Ox (Swap)
E
E
N
B
S
L
M
C
C
79
Duo Package
E
E
N
B
S
N

M
C
C
F
80
Duo Pressure
Tags Right Left Field Boundary
Indiana Right
F
Indiana Left
E
E
E
E
N
N
M
M
Ohio Right
F
F
Ohio Left
81
Appendix

• Weekly Practice Overview
• Sample Defensive Practice Plan
• Sample Inside Drill Practice Script
• Sample 7 on 7 Period Practice Script
• Sample Team Period
• Sample Defensive Game Call Sheet
• Defensive Implementation Schedule

82
WEEKLY OVERVIEW
WEEKLY OVERVIEW (USED TO PLAN DAILY PRACTICE)
Wrap/Dart
Goaline Runs
Vs. 2 minute offense
Inside Zone Wrap/Dart Hi-Lo Crosses Smash
Review
Hi-Lo Crosses Smash
Review
Crossing Routes
Review
2 minute
No Huddle
Review Bracket Pressure Package
83
SAMPLE DEFENSIVE PRACTICE PLAN
84
SAMPLE INSIDE DRILL PRACTICE SCRIPT
85
SAMPLE 7 ON 7 PRACTICE SCRIPT
86
SAMPLE TEAM PERIOD PRACTICE SCRIPT
87
SAMPLE DEFENSIVE GAME CALL SHEET
88
Implementation Schedule
89
VIDEO CUT-UPS