Defending the spread offense with the 3-5-3/3-3-5

Thomas Cousins Defending the spread offense with the 3-5-3/3-3-5 coachcousins@yahoo.com

What teams running the spread try to do. • Get us to remove linebackers from the box and lose gap integrity. • Rub or mesh our DBS when we are in man. • Find holes in our zone coverage. • Get us thinking pass and bust us with the run. • Pick up our blitzes and give their QB time to throw. • Reduce outside pressure by making our OLBS cover receivers. coachcousins@yahoo.com

What we try to do to teams running the spread. • Force the QB to throw under distress. • Maintain gap integrity. • Confuse the QB by disguising and changing coverages. • Force the QB to try and find the holes in our zone coverage. • Shut down the run by maintaining gap integrity, and in turn making the offense one dimensional. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Our beliefs: • We feel that we can dictate to the offense what they can and cannot run. • We do not want to be counter punchers, we want the offense to stay off balance. • We want the offense waiting to see what we are going to do next. • We want to send as much pressure as possible. • We will void zones in zone coverage. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Vocabulary • Sky- tells us that we are showing cover 3, but rolling to cover 4 with the whip and free safety. Will ILB has hook/curl/flats weak • Banjo- when an OLB is called on to blitz but is responsible for a player in man coverage. The OLB will call “banjo” to either tell the free safety to take his man or banjo the blitz to the inside linebacker to perform. • Cover 1- man free coverage. We are man underneath and our free safety is playing centerfield. • Cover 4- true quarters coverage. • Cover 3- three deep zone coverage • Man- true man to man coverage. • Cat- tells the will linebacker to slide out to 4x4 • Sam and Will- our two inside linebackers • Stud and Whip- our two outside linebackers coachcousins@yahoo.com

Cover 3 Cover Man Cover 1 Cover 3 sky Cover 4 Coverages coachcousins@yahoo.com

Cover 3 T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Cover Man T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Corners have #1 Whip has # 2 Free has #2 strong, #3 weak Stud has #3 strong coachcousins@yahoo.com

Cover 1 (man free) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Corners have #1 Whip has # 2 Free has #3 either way Stud has #2 strong coachcousins@yahoo.com

Cover 3 (sky) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C “Sky” tell us that we are going to show cover three and on the snap roll to cover 4 (quarters) Free safety will slide to the strong hash Whip will sprint to the weak hash. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Cover 4 (Quarters) T N T W M S ST C WP FS C In cover 4 Mike will not rush, he will settle in the middle of the field. Whip will move back as a true safety. Will will play weak hook/ curl to flats. coachcousins@yahoo.com

“Cat” Cover 4 T N T W M S ST C WP FS C Cat will tell the will to line up 4x4. It will be the only time we remove a ILB from the box. Mike will not go. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Formation adjustments against the spread. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread W/TE option 1.- stay in 3 T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread W/TE option 2.- check to 1(man free) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Free safety cover 1 rules: # 3 either side- #2 if banjo coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread W/TE option 3.- check to man T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Free safety man rules: #2 strong, #3 weak. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread W/TE option 4.- roll to 4 (sky) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C “Sky” tells us that we are showing cover 3, but rolling to cover 4 with the whip and free safety. Will ILB has hook/curl/flats weak. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread W/TE option 5.- check to “cat” cover 4 T N T W M S ST C WP FS C “Cat” tells the will linebacker to slide out to 4x4 coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread trips W/TE option 1.- stay in 3 T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread trips W/TE option 2.- check man T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread trio W/TE option 1.- stay 3 T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread trio W/TE option 2.- roll to sky(4) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread trio W/TE option 3.- 1 (man free) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread trips open option 1.- stay in 3 T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread trips open option 2.- roll to sky (4) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread trips open option 3.- 1 (man free) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread double twinsoption 1.- stay in 3 T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread double twinsoption 2.- check 1 (man free) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread double twins option 3.- check to “cat” cover 4 T N T W M S ST C WP FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Defending empty sets coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread empty pro trips option 1.- check to “cat” cover 4 T N T W M S ST C WP FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread empty trips twins option 1.- check to “cat” cover 4 T N T W M S ST C WP FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread empty quads option 1.- check to “cat” cover 4 T N T W M S ST C WP FS C We will bump our coverage to the quads to even out our numbers coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread moose option 1.- stay in 3 T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread moose option 2.- check cover 1(man free) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C In cover 1- the OLBS will tighten up to 1x4 off the TE coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread moose-trio option 1.- stay in 3 T N T WP W M S ST C FS C coachcousins@yahoo.com

Shotgun spread moose-triooption 2.- check cover 1(man free) T N T WP W M S ST C FS C In cover 1- the OLBS will tighten up to 1x4 off the TE coachcousins@yahoo.com

Motion adjustments • When in doubt, check to cover 3 and play football. • Cover 4(quarters) is our “oh crap” coverage. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Defending the run • Zone • Sweep • Trap • Lead • Power coachcousins@yahoo.com

Defending the zone T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap Mike- Read- base/double team- flow strong- Fit under chip by tackle if possible- playside a gap Sam- Read- base/ double team- flow inside- Fit- step to outside of double team- refit under because of flow. Stud- Read- down- flow to- Fit- run feet of TE d gap. Force play inside. Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Defending the sweep T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap Mike- Read- reach- flow strong- Fit- under pulling guard playside b gap - Sam- Reach- flow outside- Fit- playside c gap- under pulling guard- down by TE. Stud- Read- fan- flow to- Fit- beat te up the field . Force play inside. Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Defending the trap T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap Mike- Read- base/double team- flow strong- Fit under chip by tackle if possible- playside b gap Sam- Read- down- flow inside- Fit- rip under down block by TE- Stud- Read- down- flow to- Fit- run feet of TE d gap. Force play inside. Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Defending the lead T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap Mike- Read- base/double team- flow strong- Fit under chip by tackle if possible- playside b gap Sam- Read- fan- flow inside- Fit- fill open window now. Take on fullback with outside arm and make ball bounce Stud- Read- fan- flow to- Fit- beat TE upfield. Force play inside. Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Defending the power T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap Mike- Read- base/double team- flow strong- Fit under chip by tackle if possible- playside b gap Sam- Read- base/ double team- flow outside- Fit- rip under chip by tackle-playside c gap Stud- Read- down- flow to- Fit- run feet of TE d gap. Force play inside. Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold. coachcousins@yahoo.com

Blitzes we like to use3 to the weak side T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Slant strong dog weak coachcousins@yahoo.com

Blitzes we like to use3 to the weak side T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Slant weak dog weak coachcousins@yahoo.com

Blitzes we like to use3 to the weak side T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Slant strong will A whip fire coachcousins@yahoo.com

Blitzes we like to use3 to the weak side T N T WP W M S ST C FS C out dog weak coachcousins@yahoo.com

Blitzes we like to use3 to the strong side T N T WP W M S ST C FS C Pinch dog strong coachcousins@yahoo.com

Blitzes we like to use3 to the strong side T N T WP W M S ST C FS C slant weak mike go stud fire coachcousins@yahoo.com

Defending the spread offense with the 3-5-3/3-3-5