How many pass protections do you use

I think you need to keep the total # of pass protections to as few as possible. It needs to be very easy for the kids up front to understand. If they get confused, your QB is going to get killed or at least hit alot.

I like to use only 2 pass protections. On 1st and 2nd downs, when blitzes are less common, we go with a 7 man slide protection scheme built around the BOB principal. On 3rd and long, we go to an 8 man protection with only 2 free releasers. I think too many coaches have gone to the hot reads and try to get out 4 or 5 guys free releasing when they don't have a QB that can make the reads fast enough and he doesn't have the time to beat the bump and run plus the rush.

Joe Gibbs said that the more people you have free releasing, the smarter your QB has to be because he doesn't have the time to make the necessary reads. He better be a talented QB. Gibbs, almost always used an 8 man protection on 3rd and long with only 2 free releasers so his QB would have plenty of time to throw. The other 3 checked out off their man. So, usually he was in a 3-2 look on 3rd and long with a split end, H-back and TE all on the strongside and the ace back behind the weak OT and split end to the weakside. The two split ends had a free release and the the H-back, TE and ace back all checked out off their man.