The 3-4 Defense's Origins

Bud Wilkinson took General Bob Neyland's Tennessee OVERSHIFTED WIDE TACKLE 6 & molded it into a 5-2 (Bud CALLED it "72").

Bud CREDITED his defenses to General Neyland in Bud's excellent book "Modern Defensive Football" (1957). Bud would not take CREDIT for the 5-2.

This is from Bud's BOOK:

"OVERSHIFTED SIX" (VS. SINGLE WING)



---------------------F--T
-----------W------B
---------------E-T-G-G-C-T-E
----------E---T—G---G----T-E
-------------------B-----B
--------------------------------------C
----------C
------------------------S


LEFT END: Line up on the line of scrimmage 2-3 feet outside the wingback. Look through the wingback to the fullback and tailback. Use your normal rule of "Ball come, I come; ball go I go", but as you play this key, you must always be conscious of the movement of the wingback. When the ball is snapped, take one step across the line scrimmage, watching the wingback. If the ball is coming your way and the wingback is swinging to get outside position on you, take one more step in and then fade with the wingback so that he CAN NEVER BLOCK YOU IN. This is a most difficult block. If you will take two steps across the line of scrimmage and then give ground to the outside, the wingback should never be able to hook you in. But if you look only at the fullback and the tailback and lose sight of the wingback, he will be able to hit you while you are "blind" and will be able to block you effectively.
If the wingback drives straight downfield, or double teams in on the tackle and the ball is coming your way, flatten your course quickly and move to the inside to close the gap between yourself and the tackle. Continue to close and be in position to meet the blockers with a strong shoulder shiver. As you hit the blockers, maintain your ability to move back and to the outside. Your basic responsibility is to NEVER TO BECOME BLOCKED IN by any member of the offensive team. If you watch the wingback, you will never be blocked in by him. However, if you drive in too hard when the wingback goes straight upfield, one of the linemen, the fullback, or the blocking back may be able to hook you. Remember, close the gap fast, but maintain your balance well enough so that you can adjust and move back to the outside if necessary.
If the ball goes away from you, turn and drop back. Play as a normal end of a five-man containing unit.



LEFT TACKLE: Line up just outside the offensive end, facing slightly to the inside. Watch the end-wingback combination. As the ball is snapped, charge hard at the offensive end. Never let the end block you in alone. As you charge the end, be conscious of the wingback. (1) If he is double teaming on you, be sure you can recover off the end and hit the wingback with a good forearm or hand shiver while working to the outside. If the wingback blocks you in, you have not failed in your assignment. However, you should make every effort to fight through the pressure of his block to the outside. (2) If the end blocks to the inside on your Guard, work fast down the line of scrimmage to the inside. Do not get penetration if the end makes this movement. In all probability, the blocking back or a lineman will trap you. (3) If the ball goes away from you, get depth immediately until you are as deep as the ball. Maintain outside leverage against reverses.


LEFT GUARD: Line up shading the outside of the offensive tackle. As the ball is snapped, charge hard into the tackle, being sure that he cannot block you in alone. As you make the charge, use your usual peripheral vision in keying the three offensive linemen in your immediate area. If either the end or the outside guard is driving at you, adjust your charge to meet the pressure of the block. Play the ball.
Note: You must be conscious of the fact that the only likely trap against you will be from the inside. If you charge across the line of scrimmage, hit the guard opposite you, and get past him too easily, you should suspect that a trap play is being run. When this happens, turn your head quickly to the inside and drive back for the line of scrimmage. Try to keep your head inside the trap blocker, who, in this instance, will either be the short side tackle, or the inside guard playing next to the center.


RIGHT GUARD: Line up head up with the middle lineman. Since this formation is usually played from an unbalanced line you will be opposite the inside guard. Charge straight into the inside guard, control your charge as well as possible, but hit with enough strength to drive the guard back. Use your peripheral vision; watch the tackle, the guards, and the center. React to these three men as you normally would in a regular "3 on 1" drill. If you penetrate too easily you should suspect a trap in the making. Traps on you will almost always come from your inside (your left). If you feel a trap in the making, do not penetrate further. Turn your head to the inside and move back toward the line of scrimmage.


RIGHT TACKLE: Line up on the offensive tackle shading him to the outside. Be positive that he cannot block you in alone. Watch the center, the tackle, and the end. Key these three men exactly as you would in on regular "3 on 1" drill. If you get penetration too easily, suspect a trap. The trap will always come from the inside. If you feel a trap coming, do not penetrate into the backfield. Turn your head along the line of scrimmage, and keep your head between the trap blocker and the course of the ball.


RIGHT END: Line up on the outside shoulder of the offensive end. Charge the end and hit him, making every effort to keep him on the line of scrimmage. React to the end's block. If the end is attempting to go downfield, hit him and hold him up. As soon as he gets away from you, move in, reacting normally to the ball with your old rule of "Ball come, I come; ball go, I go". You must remember that the end should never be allowed to get off the line of scrimmage TO YOUR OUTSIDE. If he is able to do this, he will be able to hook you in. Your basic assignment is never to be blocked in by the offensive end.
If the end blocks in on your tackle, move down the line of scrimmage with him, trying to knock him off the block. Stay shallow so that you cannot be blocked out by linemen, or the blocking back coming your way on a reverse.
If the ball is going away from you, deepen as soon as you lose control of the end. When you are as deep as the ball, pursue it, maintaining leverage on the play.


LEFT LINEBACKER: Line up 2 ½ yards deep head up with the outside guard. React to the guard. If the guard pulls either way, go with him. If the guard makes an aggressive block to either side, start to fill the hole. Be conscious of the linemen on either side of the guard. If either of these men pulls in either direction, do not continue through the hole. Move with them. If neither of them pulls, continue to fill the gap. The ball will be coming into your area. If the guard makes a pass-protection block, drop quickly to your hook zone.


RIGHT LINEBACKER: Line up 2 ½ deep shading the short side of the offensive center. React to the offensive center. If the center pulls in either direction, go with him. If the center blocks aggressively to the right or to the left, come up to fill the hole. Be conscious of the offensive linemen on either side of the center. If neither of these men has pulled, continue to shoot through the gap. If either of them has pulled, do not continue through the gap. Adjust, play slowly, find the ball, and react on your normal angle of pursuit. If the center makes a pass-protection block, drop back and cover your normal hook zone.

CORNERS = Same as "Wide Six".

MIDDLE SAFETY = Same as "Wide Six".

I might add, Jim Burt's sack on Joe Montana in the NFC playoff game in 1986 and Leonard Marshall's sack on Montana in the 1990 NFC Championship game. They might have been two gap players but they had to be penetrating as two gap players.