Attacking the 3-3-5 and other 8-man fronts from the Flexbone

The Biggest Question lately between the small group of Flexbone guys is how to handle the 3-3-5. I’ve had to go through my Flexbone Clinic Notes and find out how Paul Johnson or anybody from his coaching tree handle the Odd Stack

Vs. the Odd Stack (3-3-5/3-5-3)

Step 1 - Get into (Twins) Over, Trips, or Heavy (Split X or Z and Goal Line).  This is done versus all eight-man front teams to see if they bring someone over from the backside to the play side.  In attacking the Odd Stack, you must get into Trips/Over/Heavy to make the defense declare their backers or coverage (zone or man).

Step 2 - Then, see where the Free Safety is aligned.

If the free safety is on the midline (aligned over the center) and nobody goes over to the Trips/Over/Heavy side, run triple to the Trips/Over/Heavy side.

If the defense takes someone from the backside to the play side, or the defense takes the free safety over, attack the side from where he is taken—away from the Trips/Over/Heavy side.

Important note: When running the Triple Option vs the stack, You need to read the Linebacker and not the defensive end or SS.  

Basic Play Calling guide when running the Triple v. Odd Stack or 8 man fronts.

-FS or play side corner make tackle on Triple = run Option Pass

-If Invert/Overhang/Spur makes tackle on dive or quarterback = Over, Triple Option Blast or Double Option Solid to weak side.

-Vs. Bear = Over/Heavy Double Option to the weak side

-Nose or Mike tackle the Dive = Double Option

-Backside Linebacker tackles the Dive = Counter Option (Trap Option or FB Load with Counter motion

-Playside Linebacker blitzes inside = Rocket Toss

Next up play selection

Heading back stateside

To those that know me, know that Im in the Navy and currently stationed overseas in the country of Bahrain. On the 27th I'll be heading back stateside, transfering to Gulfport, Mississippi. With that being said, expect a lot more play breakdowns (as Im currently working on coverage breakdown, to better explain when and how to uses some of your base coverages) and videos on some of the stuff I explain.

3 days, guys.... 3 days!

Split Field Coverage Pt. 3: Solo and Special

Sorry for the long delay guys.

So far we've talked about handling Trips from the 2-Read (Cover 2 Robber) and how to handle the 2x2 formations from your base 4-2-5 sets. Today I'll give you suggestions on how to handle 3x1 with a solo call and 5 wide sets all from the base 4-2-5 sets

Cover Blue-Solo


“Solo” is a tag that is used verse 3x1 sets that is played on the away side.

This tag puts your Away-side corner on an island in man to man coverage, The Read-side continues to play their assigned coverage, 2 “Robber”. The WS safety and the Read-side Lber have the responsibility of the #3 WR. If he tries to run a divider route, the Lber should bump him and redirect him off his route and the WS will catch him and take him vertical. This also allows you to either blitz or set the MLB in M/M on the HB. Another example is seen below.

PLAY: 4-2-5 Cover 4 (Same as the Cover BLUE) 
Adjustments: 

• Set the Away-side CB in M/M coverage over the single away-side WR
• Spread the safeties

Special

Special is probably the preferred call against 5 wide 3x2 sets. The FS will cover the Trips side, He and the SS will play BLUE (Squats and halfs)  over the #2 and #3 WRs with the Away-side playing the same coverage. FS and Corners have deep and the SSs have the Curl/Flat zones. Read-side Backer has the QB on any draw play. This also leaves everybody in perfect position for run support in case of a Jet Sweep to the outside.

PLAY: 4-2-5 Cover 3

Adjustments:

• set the Read-side CB in M/M coverage over the #1 WR.
• Manually cover any deep routes by the #2 or #3 WRs with the FS.

4-2-5 Split Field Coverage Pt.2

Cover 2-Blue is a Split Field coverage, that is mostly employed by 4-2-5 teams vs Singleback sets. Not to say that you couldn't use a play like 2 “ROBBER” vs a Singleback look, but it stresses the Awayside linebacker.

As Oneback has already explained. The front calls are completely separate from the coverage so this is adaptable from the 4-2-5, to the Nickel package.

They hyphenated call means that the secondary will be playing two different types of coverage to their respective halves of the field. The read side, or the side of the passing strength is playing 2, which is the Robber coverage. The Away side is playing BLUE coverage.

Cover 2 is basically The ROBBER coverage cut in half.  This is the side that You’ll have the FS reading the #2

Blue is a combo coverage using the CB and the WS on the away side #2. The Corner has the Curl/Flat while the WS has anything deep and the Mike comes over to help for the intermediate routes.

So basically this s a double ROBBER play, thats great against Singleback/Pro/2x2 Spread passing.

Building this play is easy and only takes a few adjustments:

Play: 4-2-5 Cover 4
Make sure the side that you declare as the strength the readside LBr is in the Hook Zone. This is the side that you’ll be usering the FS.

Adjustments:

• Awayside CB in to a Flat Zone

4-2-5 Split Field Coverage Pt.1

Oneback has already explained how to use the "ROBBER" scheme to perfection. What I want to show you is how to adapt this to 2x2 sets and 3x1 sets and introduce you to SPLIT FIELD COVERAGE, a schemes that TCU and other 4-2-5 teams use.

TCU teaches their secondary to divide their formations down the middle of the field and after you do that to each side there’s only 3 Formations that the offense can give you.

FORMATIONS

• Pro - TE and WR to one side
• Twins - Two  WRs to one side
• Trips variations 

(with the addition of Quads that adds a new wrinkle which I’ll get to in a separate post)

4-2-5 Cover 3 will be your base play just as Oneback stated in his Robber description. The Read side, will of course, be the Trips side. Vs any 3x1 formation you want to shift your LB over towards the trips side to wall off the first thing that comes inside. You’ll also want to Shift the coverage to the Trips side. This gives you close variation to Quarter/Quarter/Half Coverage.  You’ll also want to take that read side SS and put him a Buzz zone to handle everything outside the hash and it keeps him in place to handle run support.

In this coverage I personally user the FS and run the same Robber Rules with him and try to handle anything that threatens the inside. The SS in the Buzz zone handles anything that goes to the outside of the hash leaving the C to continue his dropback to handle anything deep. With the FS you, seriously, have to follow the ROBBER rules or the Middle is open. Remember that if the inner most reciever runs a shallow the responsibilty for him is passed off to the LBers in hook zones, and you have to gain depth with the FS and look for the backside post.

Weakness:
Screens

Summary
Base Play: 4-2-5 Cover 3
Adjustments:

• Shift LBs and Coverage toward the Trips side.
• Hot Route the Trips side safety to Buzz Zone.
• Align FS over the inside most threat

Proper Alignment is very important vs trips sets.

(H/t to Brophyfootball.blogspot and RunCODHit.blogspot for inspiring this and the next series of updates)

How To Play "ROBBER" Coverage

Thanks to Oneback over at Utopia, I didn't know anything about Robber Coverage until he explained to me how to run it, I've had a massive hard-on for the coverage every since. Be it Cover 1 Robber, 2 Deep Robber or the Hook Zone in a Cover 3 play. This has revolutionized the way I play defense.

Pre-snap the free safety will align to the passing strength of the formation, if #2 is a tight end he will align on the outside shoulder and eight yards deep, if #2 is a wide receiver he will align on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle and eight yards deep.

After the snap he will read the quarterback for run/pass key, once he reads pass he will focus on #2s route.

If #2 runs a vertical route you will have him in man-to-man coverage to the inside, depending on the route of #1 the free safety may have outside help by the cornerback.

If #2 runs an arrow or quick out route the free safety must widen with #2 while keying #1.

The free safety must get underneath #1 and be alert for a pass to rob the pass.

If at the snap of the ball #2 runs a shallow cross the free safety must open to #1 gaining depth and width.

Be alert to a backside post route by the backside #1 or a seam by the backside #2.

If there is no backside deep threat, rob strong side #1.

If #2 runs a deep out key #1.

Alert post or deep outside route by #1, play underneath #1 with corner over the top to rob the pass.

If #2 runs a dig route in real life the free safety would jump the route to the inside and attempt to intercept the pass. However, due to the fact linebackers in coverage have the ability to sense routes being run behind them I typically fall back into deep middle coverage.

Look to the strong side #1 to ensure he is not running a post route then look to the backside for a deep threat.

With a #2 dig route the free safety will typically play inside of the deep threat to either side with the corner to the outside.

The ability to play effective robber coverage will force the offense to throw deep to the outside or underneath as the defense will take away the easier throws over the middle that most offenses look to complete.

TCU's Tite Short Smoke 0 Blitz

Formation: 425 Under (if the ball is on the left hash)

425 Over (if on the right hash)

Base Play: Crash Gold

This is a awesome pressure play to use when the ball is on the hash, a good change up play since most 4-2-5 like to use zones because of deficiencies with man coverage. If you're familiar with my philosophy on how to use the 4-2-5, I dont use the base plays vs Trips 4 and 5 wide unless I chose to dail up some type of blitz. If you call this play, and your opponent audibles into a Trips play, its a pretty good idea to have Nickle Strong Cover 1 "Robber' in your audibles.

Play Setup:

Again, this is a hash blitz. The "Tite" Call is telling you to set your 3 tech DT away from the TE, hence, the Under/Over formations. The Over Formation gives you a 1 Tech Nose Guard and a 3 Tech DT, while the Under is the exact opposite. The "Short Smoke" Call, tells your SS/OLB that he's blitzing from the boundary.

Optional Adjustments:

- Back off coverage so to not get beat by the deep bomb

- Set the blitzing ILB to Spy as this helps against the inside run and doesnt leave a huge cutback lane that can open if you leave him set to blitz.