3 Blitzes to Stop the Zone Read with the 3-3 Stack

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The 3-3 Stack has long been criticized, wrongly so, for being weak against the run. The truth is, you should never be using a 3 man front on a run down. Instead, you want to create 4 and 5 man fronts using a variety of well planned blitzes.

Most teams are in the 3-3-5 Defense because you have to defend the spread offense, so you need more speed on the field. And if you are defending the spread offense very often, then you have to stop the Zone Read.So let’s take a look at 3 blitzes that should be on your call sheet when the opponent tendencies signal you that the Zone Read is coming. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: 3-5 Defense, Defending the Spread

The Complete Guide to Defending the Spread Offense

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Every coach who has seen it has had nightmares. We lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about it. It may have been days, weeks, months, or years since it last happened.

The speed. The space. The missed tackles, blown assignments, chaos and confusion. The juggernaut your team just could not stop.That helpless feeling you had on the sidelines. It became the frustration you felt when you sat down to watch the film. Even today, when you look back on it… You are not sure if you will be ready when it comes back around. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: 3-4 Defense, 3-5 Defense, 4-2-5 Defense, 4-3 Defense, Defending the Spread

How To Defend the Jet Sweep Offense

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If you’ve coached a football game in the last 5 years, you’ve probably had to defend the Jet Sweep or Fly Sweep. This is a great play, and good coaches are going to have plenty of counters to keep you from overplaying it.

While I’m aware of the intricate differences between the Fly Sweep and Jet Sweep, from the defensive standpoint we’re going to consider them the same. You can add a comment and tell me why that’s wrong, I welcome it.Rolling with Motion [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Defending the Spread, Quarters Coverage, Scheme

Preparing Your Defense for the No-Huddle Offense

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There are tons of great videos at ChiefPigskin.com and one of the first ones to catch my eye was the Intro to the No Huddle video from Coach Dave Bates. I wanted to talk a little bit about how to prepare your defense for playing against the No Huddle Offense.

For the most part, when you’re seeing the No Huddle you’ll be defending some sort of Shotgun, Spread Offense. Your guys will have a lot of space to cover against a team that may or may not run a large number of plays. Coach Bates mentions having lots of plays, but there are obviously some base plays that are run most often and are perfected by the offense. Your team needs to be able to stop those base plays, and make them beat you with trick plays and plays that are not the bread and butter of the offense.Your opponent will be in fantastic condition. If you’re not, it is too late. Get your team in shape during the off-season and during camp. If you know your best competition is a No Huddle team, put extra emphasis on conditioning. Even if your offense is not a No Huddle team, it would be helpful to run a lot of 2 minute drills with them against your #1 Defense. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Coaching Strategy, Defending the Spread

Defending the Spread Offense Shovel Option Play

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Sitting here snowed in today and I ran across a video of Utah’s Shovel Option on the Spread Offense blog. This is a great play, though I think you run a risk of putting the ball on the ground, more so than a traditional Triple Option (of course it is an incomplete pass, not a fumble – but still a no gain play). But the play has become a favorite in spread offenses around the country and one that our own team ran, so we saw enough of it in practice.

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Filed Under: 4-2-5 Defense, Coaching Strategy, Defending the Spread, Option