Defending Unbalanced Dbl Wing

coach,

We get into our odd fronts against veer teams. WE ARE A 44 Defense too. IMHO we even teams are wasting a guy by putting two guys in the A gaps. If you go into an Odd front, 2 gap the nose it will give you an extra guy to the play side.

We bump the line out, cover the tackles and play them heavy so its tough for them to release.

Here is how we would align as a base vs the formation you drew up with 44 personnel. Its a 51 cover 1 because we stack the 2 ILB's. I highlighted the 7 guys playing option to that side. If they run option to the nub side, the FS has to travel a bit but its no big deal, he just bumps over with the motion. THE TE to the unb. side is covered so he can't release for pass so he is not a threat in that regard.

.....................................................O

........................................O............Q.........O
..O.....................................O..O..O..C..O..O
.........................................E...T.......B......T...E
..C..................................B...............B...............B
..........................................F......................C

Here is the same defense vs a base Flex set. We get 7 to either side.

.....................................................O

...........................................O.........Q.........O
..O.........................................O..O..C..O..O............................O
.........................................E...T.......B......T...E
..C..................................B...............B...............B..................C
.......................................................F...

Up Backer = 0 tech. No motion, fire into center and play left A gap. Motion, fire into A gap motion side. PLAY DIVE
Tackles = 4 tech. Fire into OT, play B Gap, PLAY DIVE
Ends = 6 tech. Fire into TE, play C Gap, PLAY DIVE TO QB
Stacked backer = 00 tech. Play Dive to QB
OLB's = 3x3 off wings, Motion to play motion M/M, no motion play wing M/M, Play QB to Pitch
Corners = M/M #1 receiver, PLAY PITCH
FS = No motion = Free, Motion play #2 to the motion M/M. PLAY QB TO PITCH

We can adjust the Tackles into 4i's or even 3's to and the Ends down to 5's to really condense.

Condensed:

.....................................................O

........................................O............Q.........O
..O.....................................O..O..O..C..O..O
.......................................B....E...T...B...T...E...B
..C..................................................B..
..........................................F......................C

We also love to stack the Ends and tackles. It gives a 33 stack look. They never drop in coverage, they still fire B or C gap BUT... its a different look to throw at them and we let them decide which gap to hit. Sometimes the Tackles hit B, some times the ends hit B.

Stacked:

.....................................................O

........................................O............Q.........O
..O.....................................O..O..O..C..O..O
........................................B....T......B.......T....B
..C.........................................E.......B.......E
..........................................F......................C

Bottom line is we get 7 players to play Dive, QB, Pitch so we have 2 on a hat plus an extra.

With an even front all we would get is 6 plus option responsibilities change with their blocking schemes. The NAtural X reading the OT's block gave us trouble because our kids had to think.

Even Front (I highlighted the 6 guys playing option to that side):

.....................................................O

........................................O............Q.........O
..O.....................................O..O..O..C..O..O
..........................................E........T....T.....E
..C..................................B.......B............B.....B
..........................................F.......................C

Odd looks gave us an extra guy PLUS no matter how we aligned the kids always played the same gap and had the same option responsibility.

ALL COVER 1 which ends up being Cover 0 with motion.

If they wanted to throw they wouldn't play option football. I am alwas in my DB's heads during the game about play action and those corners are never getting to hot to play pitch. As soon as we see it, we usually pull him out for a play and talk to him.

Anyway... hope this helps and ifyo ue-mail me I can send you some sheets with the exact techs, and responsibilities. You will see its SO easy.

And.... its NOT a big deal for our kids. Option guys always say they love it when teams change their entire defense for them. All we are really doing is stacking the ILB's and bumping our line out a bit. coverage never changes and we can stem, and move all over the place. All we did was make it easier IMHO.

Hope this made sense.

Jeff

Coach,

We run the condensed front more than any other.

You can most definatly sub for the Mike backer.

We don't. We actually leave him in a 2pt stance a yard off the center so he can see motion easier. We are getting the "jump" motion more and more and leaving Mike in a 2pt stance (LB stance) he could make more plays.

We get the "twirl" motion too. OLB's still play Qb to pitch. Our FS is in the middle so Twirl doesn't really mess with him too much, he still can run teh alley, BUT... Mike and Buc play both A gaps. IF MIke hits the wrong A gap because of Twirl motion, the stacked backer should be there, the tackle should be bending to the Dive, the End should be bending, the OLB plays QB to pitch, the FS plays QB to pitch so WE SHOULD be ok.

Big thing is not to let the kids be freaked out. Back off the OLB's if they are forcing way too fast.

We stay Cover 1 the entire game.

Only blitzes we use are with the two OLB's. Blitzing will change responsibilities thus could potentially open up a seam. With an OLB blitzing hard, the FS becomes a Pitch to QB and has to be aware of the real, real, quick pitch from the QB.

BUT... to be honest, we just move our fronts around with the 3 I drew up and srew with them that way. IF you got a real tight FB and your two tackles can't bend to well 4 and 4i may to far for them to bend. putting them in 3's and the ends in 5's wil help you there BUT... the OT may be able to get up on the stacked backer because no one is in his face.

We give them 3 three looks over and over again. Its been very sucessfull for us.

8 man front football just leaves too many holes and too many responsibities. moving into an odd look gives us essentiall 9 in the box now instead of 8.

But to sum it up, our condensed front (2-3 techs, 2-5 techs, OLB's are 3x3 or in a 9 tech if a TE is present) has been great. JUST make sure your kids are bending with the Veer blocks. The FS, OLB, and Corner play Qb and Pitch. Your stacked linebacker fills any opening working DIVE to QB.

All game, over and over!!!

Its boring but.... they love boring. They will run 3 different plays out of 35 formations, motions, shifts. BUT... its still only 3 plays. A buddy of mine is a Veer coach. Very good coach and he says he loves blitzing teams and teams that DON'T stay with what is working. He says some guys just love to achge things up just to change things up and then get ripped for an 80 yd Dive.

We are very simple in general though. We usually only play 2 coverages and 2 fronts on any given night. We blitz very little in general.