alignment vs double tight

Coach we will keep both sides the same for simplicity unless it is a gameplan adjustment based on tendencies. Are you talking about 2 tights fullhouse backfield or a 2-tight -flanker look?

We have several calls to get us into different looks. 5and 9 as you were talking about would be a "down" call for us. Basically we are just bumping down, so that is simple terminology. Our base split call is "33" (two 3 techs). So if we wanted a split look with a 5 and 9 we simply would call 33 down.

We have about 5 adjustment calls which put us in different looks. 33,32, 31,23,22 are our front calls and then we can add down, edge, loose, Bear or special to the call . We also use 5 or 6 different coverages.
I am sure everyone does this same stuff. I just enjoy talking about it because it has been good for us and a nightmare for some of our opponents. We do an awful lot of stemming to different looks which is also imperative, I feel, to get the most out of the 44. Against spread teams we use more of a 4-3 look if there is no tight end or if we feel better about playing more cover 2.

Coach,

My opinion is that I like to reduce my DE to a 5 tech just because I do not like the OT free releasing on my MLB. But I guess it depends on what type of 2 TE set you are talking about. If you have a full house backfield I would have a 5 and 9, if you face a one back with 2 TE and 2 Flankers you might want to have the DE in 7s and the OLB in a Loose 9. I guess it really depend on the situation and the play the other teams like to run.

Coaches

One more time on this topic. In the 40 defense, how would you align your defensevs a Double Tight End flanker set- 2 backs in the backfield?

My base front is:

strong:7,3
weak:1, 5

I do not want to walk the invert up because of personnel reasons. Any other suggestions?

Coach we play it this way....We also play a 3 & 7 technique strong and a 1 and 5 technique weak out of the 4-4. Versus 2 TE's, we play a 1, 4i and walk the weak OLB up in a 9. The weak ILB aligns in a 20 and the strong ILB aligns in a 40. On the flow away from the weak ILB, he will scrape Strongside A to the ball looking for a run through. On Flow away from the strongside ILB he will scrape the strongside A and look for the run through as well. We like the strongside ILB in a 40 so we don't lose him to outside plays which can happen if the 3 technique doesn't draw the double team and doesn't make the play on outside runs.

I hope this helps!

Coach -

Our ILB's Key Guard to Near Back. If their Guard crosses the Center, they fill for the Strong A Gap for the FB Trap. We sell the 1 and 3 Technique on the idea they can stop the trap themselves and the ILB is a bonus.

The 1 technique fights across the Center's face and the 3 technique flattens his guard's path to prevent a straight shot to the ILB. He attacks the trapper and keep his outside arm free.

We have had alot of success in this Front and we don't feel any team has a powerful A gap running game to consistently march down the field on us. In fact, it has proved to be our best front against the Wing-T.

You have to drill the ILB's daily on their reads to play the strongside LB in a 40. With good reads, your opponents will have a tough time running the ball to the TE side and by walking up your weak outside LB vs 2 TE's and kicking the 5 technique to a 4i technique, they will have to try and run a kickout on your Weak outside LB which you should be able to scrape your weak ILB easily to the play.

By playing a 4i with your 1 technique, you are essentially creating the same blocking problems for the A and B gaps weak that you create with your 3 and 7 technique alignments to the strongside B & C gaps.