FAVORITE PLAYS AGASINST A 4-4 STACK

I run a 4/4 and gave up a total of 14 first downs all season. We had one fluke loss with two turnovers deep in our own territory. So, speaking from a coach that was burned a couple of times and wondering why other coaches didn't stick to "plays that worked" against us. I will tell you two plays that were impossible for us to cover.

1. a delayed HB swing pass seemed to drive us nuts
2. long passes also beat us

playing a 4/4 is usually a gap eight D inwhich we try to control the line. Mathmatically, bringing backs out of the back field in delayed routes leaves us no one to cover them since we are already committed to our gaps....

Spreading the field does not do you much good since we will defend it, to beat a 4/4 you have to delay and wait for a commitment from the defense. The draw back is, your QB may not last long if you can't keep the D tackles and ends out of the play

Delayed counters CAN work on the ground if you can fold the line in on the corners, IE tight end can position himself to the outside of the D end and contain him

You have to make a target for the defense to go to and then pop the ball somewhere else. Once the D is focussed to a position they can not react to another location,

Make sense?

Lou,

If the stacked backer went to B gap wouldn't you have your guard go to FS since the center would work to the backside stacked LB anyway?

Coach, this has been such a debatable topic. I teach the guard to work backside if the backer flies to B gap, but many others have the guard work to the free safety.

Coach Cella,

If we are running a 4/4 basically a 2/6, with gap responsibility first, and you double up on a backer, I see that we would actually be in a perfect position as you are opening up three gaps for the defense,

What am I missing here?

We run the 4/4 as well as a wing triple, we obviously get very little O against our D since they cheat.... I wish we had another triple team in our league to play, We have one very good wing double team and do from time to time give up a counter for 15-20 since we are used to the "cheating" in practice.

With only using two down linemen we have found some big advantages as we will play as a 6 LB defense. Based on the O alignment we are playing three inside or three outside backers and get to the ball very well....

As a triple guy, I would agree with your comments, I just have not seen it work against our team. We find that we are very susceptable to the pass and delayed routes as oppossed to any run...

Thanks for the banter

We would try to run our normal splitback plays. Line up in a 3 wide set, run dive option at end man of line of scrimmage since he is on air, and read him. We call it outside, but it technically is an inside veer vs. and even front. It makes a defender who is used to playing qb or pitch now have to assume a dive responsibility.

Slot the tight end and runn inside veer. Coach CAmpbell

I always find myself running to the two receiver side versus a 4-4 because the numbers are flat out better. However, the defense I am sure can start anticipating this, and they will make it tough for us. What ways do you try and attack to the single receiver side?

One of the early posters on this topic stated that spreading them out would not do much good because they would defend it. Against our 3 x 2 spread from sideline to sideline in the PSL, and horizontally and vertically after the snap, with a QB who is back 6-8 yds deep to start with and can deal after the snap, you better have some great secondary players.

Coach Easton

DC29,

My contention has always been if a LB can beat your receivers, you have the wrong receivers. Just my opinion as always.

Coach Easton

DC29,

Your right about the pencil. Once past the HS level, you usually don't see LB's that can successfully cover receivers on a CONSISTENT BASIS and I think that is the point I'm trying to make. Thanks for sharing your opinion, coach.

Coach Easton

as opposed to combo blocking the two or three for inside veer, would it be conceivable to Deuce-Jack the DT and ILB (using coach Campbell's terminology) or would that cause problems with the FB's track?

My understanding is that a Deuce is a combo block with the guard and tackle on the two or three technique with the tackle working up to Middle Backer. The Deuce-Jack would be a down block from the tackle on the three with the guard folding behind onto MLB. On IV we don't inside release the guard. We inside release him on Mid-line. I realize ML is the option of choice to a three or two and we play to do a fair amount of that this week; however, I would like another way to attack this front other than Mid-Line. I don't want them to be able to take away fullback.

Get in a twins or double twins set as coach Campbell suggested. Run midline until the 3 becomes a 2 or 2i, then ACE the 2/2i and veer release the OT to the MLB. Read the DE. Pitch off the OLB / FS.