Defensive Scheme

Question
QUESTION: What defensive scheme in high school football requires the least amount of talent and still be effective? Why?

Looking for specific answers. Knowledge and explanation of football Xs and Os a plus.
ANSWER: Dear William,
The old 46 defense is the defense you are looking for or the new 3-3-5 defense.

The 46-defense is also known as the, 1986 Chicago Bear抯 Defense, the Monsters of the Midway, or the Buddy Ryan-Mike Dicka Defense. The 46 is the most aggressive defense, in football. This defense can make an average player good and a good player great.

The 46 philosophy is designed around a simple concept: Pressure wins games. A pressure defense increases the anxiety level of the quarterback, offensive players, and their coaches. Your opponents will spent sleepless nights second-guessing them-selves. This is soon followed by Confusion and fear, which compels our adversary to play something other than his regular offense, giving us the advantage.


The key to the success of this defense is the nose guard. The alignment is as follows, the nose guard is head up on the center, there are two B-gap rushers, and two inside linebackers.  Most pass protection rules have backs on linebackers so, when the guards blocked the B-gap rushers, the center was alone 搊n an Island and the nose guard could rush to either side.  


The 3-3-5 defense is similar to the 46. The 3-3-5 defense is also a high pressure aggressive defense. It uses many fronts to confuse the offensive blocking assignments. The basic formation has its two ends lining-up a shade outside the offensive tackles.

The nose guard lines-up head-up on the center. He is sometimes asked to control both A-gaps. Most of the time he is asked to slant into one A-gap while the linebacker, behind, slants into the other A-gap.

The 3-3-5 defense limits the number of receivers an offense can put into a pass pattern and safely protect its quarterback. This is done by faking a total blitz on almost every play. This tactic, forces the offense to keep the tight end and the running backs in to block.

When the defense reads run, they come with the total blitz to stop the run. When the defense reads pass, they rush anywhere from 3 to 5 men. However, the offense never knows which 3 to 5 men are coming because the defense also drops linemen into coverage. This scheme keeps the offense speculating, who will be rushing the passer and who will not?

If you want to know more, about the 3-3-5 defense, you might want to read;

揅OACHING FOOTBALL扴 3-3-5 DEFENSE?by Leo Hand and Rick Molina

I hope I was of help. If you have anymore questions please let me know I will be happy to help you.

Yours friend, Coach Louis


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for that; great insight! I have two more questions: what other coverages or schemes do coaches who run the Tampa 2 (Colts, Bears, Bucs, etc.) use to complement it, if they use anything else? Also, can the Tampa 2 work in high school or does it require too much mentally on the secondary?

Answer
Dear William,
The answer is yes, the Tampa 2 can be used on the high school level. And no, it is not hard to use all you need is some speed on your defense.

The Tampa 2 come from Chuck Noll and Bud Carson抯 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers. The safeties and middle linebacker cover a deep third of the field. The corner backs cover the flats.The two outside linebackers split the middle of the field while the middle line backer takes a deep drop over the middle. This defense relies heavily on team speed. The middle line backer has to have the speed to cover the deep middle or it is a quick 6 for their opponent.

The way to hurt the regular 2 deep is by throwing deep over the middle. The Tampa 2 gives the illusion of a 2 deep defense, and then rotates into a 3 deep.

The Colts, Bears, Bucs, etc  All use "The Tampa 2" which is a cover 2 zone. And they also use the regular cover 2 which is a Man-to-man defense.


Your friend, Coach Louis