Why not a straight 52?

We base out of the "straight" 5-2. I must say we are a small school so maybe we don't see the the complicated defenses or something. We do see 5 different teams that have won state championships in the past 19 years in our district. We see every offensive set sometime through the year from a true double wing to flexbone to spread.
I like the straight 5-2 because I know it best, but also like some other things about it and have some simple adustments that work for us.
1. Simplicity in teaching. I coach the DBs. We have 2.5 coverages really that we use extensively, man and 1/4, 1/4, 1/2 which cometimes becomes cover 2 depending on formation. The front 7 almost always have an offender over them to read. We have a TNT coach, a DE coach, a LB coach, and a DB coach. I still believe the LBs get their best reads by checking an uncovered linemen (usually guards) over them, THEN finding the ball - watching the ball or the backfield every play simply can't be better vs misdirection, which you will see from every offense. You put one of your best players at NG and he does fine playing 2 gaps.
People will tell you that you will have to adjust a lot in the 5-2 and that it is outdated. I tried to study and implement the 3-3 a few years ago and got out of it before the year was over because I felt there were too many what if's. Granted, I don't know everything, but what I'm saying is that every defense has it's strengths and weaknesses and can usually be adjusted by making subtle adjustments with one or two players.
2. As coach Mountjoy suggested, a lot of people like to cover the guards vs certain teams. We just have our LBs and DTs switch alignments, covering up the G, C, G with our TNT. Now the LBs read the OT's just the same as the guards and you can move the FS into the box to mirror the half back vs a 2 tight, 2 back team. It pretty much becomes a 5-3 then. This is a pretty simple adjustment for us vs double tight sets.
3. We can bring pressure in various ways, but keep it simple for everyone. In the "bear" look mentioned about, we can run stunts with the TNT, we can blitz both LBs through either A gap and keep it simple. We can also slant, pinch, blitz a safety through C gap or another DB off the edge, or run a stunt with the DT and DE. All of this can be done in "okie" or "bear" and the rest of the defense pretty much stays unchanged (coverage rules don't change much, etc).

Do I think you can stay in a straight 5-2, cover 3 all game all year? No. Unless you are a lot better physically, people will beat you for doing this. Can you stay in ANY base defense all game all year? No. If you know the straight 5-2 better than anything else, run it.

Jerry,
There is no way I would stay in a straight 5-2 alignment vs your 3 X 2 spread. I would only have 4 DBs to cover 5 WRs. Just like there is no way you would stay in a 5-3 vs your 3 X 2 spread for the same reason. My point is that EVERY defense is going to have to be adjusted. I am almost positive that Bill said he uses a 5-3 defense vs some opponents even though his base is a 4-2. This seems to be 2 pretty drastically different defenses, but I don't doubt that he can teach it well and that it is a sound plan.
I would love to learn more about how you guys run the 4-2-5. Right now though I am very confident that basing out of the 5-2 is the way to go at our level.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT:

We stack our LB's in between the guards and invite the offense to run at he bubble. The defense is vulnerable off the tackles, so we employ special adjustments with the Tiger Backs and LB's to stop the bleeding if it becomes necessary to do so.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

Coach,
I am definitely sticking with the shade. It is what I know best. I was just curious about the straight 52.

CUI,

Your right, the A gaps are where you are inviting them to run! BUT, WITH THE RIGHT LINE BACKERS
THEY WON'T GET ANYWHERE!!! Remember what I said in previous posts 100 times about if you don't have the RIGHT PLAYERS AT EVERY POSITION, FORGET THE 4-2-5??? OUR LINEBACKERS ARE EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN ALIGNMENT ON THEIR OWN AND IF THEY RUN THE MIDLINE WE ARE AWARE OF IT BY PREGAME FILM STUDY AND ACTUAL GAME SCOUTING. WE DO OUR BEST NOT TO GET CAUFGT WITH OUR PANTS DOWN.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

quote:

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Originally posted by: TIGER ONE
CUI,

Your right, the A gaps are where you are inviting them to run! BUT, WITH THE RIGHT LINE BACKERS
THEY WON'T GET ANYWHERE!!! Remember what I said in previous posts 100 times about if you don't have the RIGHT PLAYERS AT EVERY POSITION, FORGET THE 4-2-5??? OUR LINEBACKERS ARE EXPERIENCED ENOUGH TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN ALIGNMENT ON THEIR OWN AND IF THEY RUN THE MIDLINE WE ARE AWARE OF IT BY PREGAME FILM STUDY AND ACTUAL GAME SCOUTING. WE DO OUR BEST NOT TO GET CAUFGT WITH OUR PANTS DOWN.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

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Sounds good coach. Thanks.

Yes it does. Thanks.

bcrews43

Sounds good. What is you adjustment if they motion to trips?

Bcrews43, what if they give you trips to one side, and Isolate their best receiver back side with the Back off set this way...The back to this side will ensure that they will get the Protection to attack the mano y mano mach up....How do you handle this?:light;

Gotcha....thanks 4 the response.......

TIGER ONE,
I enjoy reading your posts. This site is great for real football talk, and not a bunch of coach gossip. You like expressing that the 5-3 is the best run-stopper front and we actually run plenty of 5-3. We move our Ends down to 3s and put our Sam at the strong-side 7 and our Mike at the weak-side 7. We stack our Buck behind the NT and place our SS and Will at the OLBs. If we see a real "smashmouth" offense, it's just about all we'll run.