Iso vs 4-4?

Hey Comet,

If your cross blocking, it would be the exact opposite with the PSG and PST, right?

Coach Easton

Yeah, sorry. Tackle down, guard off his butt!

Best runs vs. 4-4 in my opinion:

FB counter trap at the 3 technique. Blocked like Wing-T FB trap.

Any "G" scheme run play with the OT down on the 3 technique, the TE down on the playside ILB, and the PSG trapping the DE. You can run Belly G, Dive G, or Lead G for backfield action. Have a WB or H-back to control the OLB.

Off tackle power. FB kicks out the DE, backside guard leads through the hole.

B gap iso with "part the sea" on the 3 techniqe with the PSG and PST while tracking the backside ILB. Playside ILB is isolated with the fullback.

A gap iso with "part the sea" on the 1 technique with C and BSG while tracking the backside ILB. PSG fans out on the 3 technique and playside ILB is isolated with the fullback.

Weakside Iso to a slot formation. The PSG washes down the 1 technique, the PST blocks the DE, and the slot blocks the widened OLB. FB isolated on the playside ILB.

Any off tackle play towards an overloaded slot. Bring the X on the same side of the formation as the Y and put the Z in the slot to widen the CB and OLB out of the box. Works great for Power, Belly Series, etc.

Hope this makes sense.

We have tried and had some success lately at trying to influence the 3tech and letting the fullback and tailback read the block. The playside guard tried to read the 3 tech. if he does the play becomes a b-gap iso, if the 3 tech widens so he doesn't get hooked, it widens the a gap.

As for the power, when we get a seven technique, we use a "tap" technique on the 7 and then kick him out with the fullback. In the "tap" technique we try and apply token pressure on the 7 with the te to get him to fight the pressure. The tigh end taps and then releases out on the outside linebacker, it prevents the 7 from crashing down hard and making the fullbacks kickout real tuff.

Yes coach, midline option can be devistating against a 4-4. We are not much of an option offense, we are more dedicated to power and zone stuff, but we ran a 4-4 back in 2001 and 2002 and the midline option hurt us bad!

Knights of 3 -

How would you zone a 3 and 7 tech to the TE With the Sam LB in a 40.

To the split end, you have a 1 and 5 tech with the Will LB in a 20.

Both LBers can fast flow to cover the strong side A gap for flow away.

You weak OLB can cover the B gap on flow away.

Just curious how you would zone this front.

Thanks in advance!

Danny,

I run a 4-2-5 base and one of the reasons I went to it 12 years ago was the fact that it is a balanced defense 100% of the time. If an option QB comes to the los he is taught to pick a side to run his play(which side does he have a numbers advantage). When he looks at our "Dalls 42" there is no side advantage, as you will have 5 defenders to the rip, 5 to the liz and the FS keeps the field balanced at all times by aligning in the MOF at 12 yds. We do not not just walk our LB's up in pass coverage, but roll them up hard with inside leverage and jam the heck out of them! Same with our twin SS's when walked out on # 2 receivers. Why don't we play outside technique on #2 receivers and funnel them to inside help? Because we are counting on a bigger, stronger, more physical player to be able to overpower a receiver type with strength and quickness. Just my way.

Coach Easton

Hang-50

The illustration is crude and is not indicative of the line techniques we ALWAYS faced vs 4-4. That being said, we would want to use basic zone rules to apply to the techniques you pointed out.

Zone rules I learned from oneback: If I am uncovered, zone with my playside teammate
If I am covered look to backside teamate for zone
If he is covered as well: man

From Left to Right:

backside tackle: man on the 5 technique end
backside guard: man on the 2I. If it was 1, then we may consider the C covered.
Center: zone with PSG on 3 technique to M (backside MLB) in this case we is on outside shoulder of guard, so most likely G will stay with him and C leaves for M
frontside guard:zone with C on 3 technique to M
frontside tackle: zone with TE on 7 technique to S or Trey block as Tiger One said

The point I was trying to illustrate is that 4-4 defenses we faced were balanced. When we overload the strongside the W outside LB would not slide over, he was out of the picture. By having the H wide receiver in the slot strong, they had to respect it. It opened things up in the box a little.

Tiger One,

In your 4-2-5, do you slide to the trips side? Or do you stay truly "balanced?" If 1 safety teams stay balanced vs a trips, the offense gets more of a numerical advantage than they would otherwise.

Also I have a feeling your SS's who are jamming slots on the line, are quick players as well, if they were strictly non-coverage type hitters, that could be a problem if they were beat off the line, as there is no deep outside help behind them. I am assuming that your CB are in tight bump as well.

Danny

Knights,

In that picture above who is responsible for the Will backer? Are you expecting QB boot to take care of him? Or would you motion a receiver to use a scare block or use him on an end around fake?

Danny,

In my 4-2-5 if the opponent comes out in trips (3 x 2) we immediately align as follows: CB's rolled up hard man under with inside leverage. Twin SS's rolled up hard with inside leverage on the #2 receivers. Sam or Will walked out on # 3 with a vengeance( intent to be totally physical with the receiver and not let him get into pattern at all, if possible! If not, yes, they must be able to run with him! Our SS's have contain on the sweeps, pitch on the option, flats on the pass and by virtue of this role they have to play, they are without a doubt the premier players on my defense. Where most defenses allude to their CB's as their best athletes, without a doubt my SS's have to be. They allow our CB's to play pure pass coverage for the most part( if they get run off on a sweep for example, or an option, etc. it does not hurt us whatsoever because we have that SS sitting in there to play contain. My thinking is that the CB's primary job has always been pass coverage, not run support, and the 4-2-5 fits with that thinking perfectly.

Coach Easton