USC 4-3 Under Blitz Schemes

By Pete Carroll
Head Football Coach
University of Southern California
Than you! " am really e#cited to be here! " $ant to start by thanin% &ie for 'uttin% on
these clinics! "t %ives us a chance to e#chan%e ideas( have some fun( and tal about the
%ame $e love!
" $as ased to s'ea about defense today! ")ll try to %ive you some %eneral thou%hts that
mi%ht hel' you on this to'ic! ")m not tryin% to %et you to chan%e your defense( but ")ll
sho$ you $hat $e are doin%!
"n order to be successful on defense you need to develo' a 'hiloso'hy! *ou have to no$
$hat you $ant to do( ho$ you $ant it to loo( and ho$ you $ant it to feel! + 'hiloso'hy is
lie a railroad trac! *ou have a clear cut direction in $hich you are %oin%! "f you start to
%et off trac it becomes real obvious to you! "f you don)t no$ $hat you $ant and $hat
you are about you $on)t no$ $hen you are off course! "f you do realize you are off
course you $on)t no$ ho$ to fi# the 'roblems you are havin% $ithout a 'hiloso'hy!
"f you can)t $rite do$n your 'hiloso'hy then you still have some $or to do! "f you don)t
have a clear vie$ of your 'hiloso'hy you $ill be flounderin% all over the 'lace! "t you $in(
it $ill be 'ure luc! ,ne year you $ill $in( it $ill be 'ure luc! ,ne year you $ill run a 3-
4 defense and the ne#t year you $ill run a 4-3 based defense! *ou $ill never %et zeroed in
on $hat is im'ortant!
" am an e#am'le of a 'erson $ho %ot zeroed into a 'hiloso'hy early! " $ent to +ransas
many years a%o to $or for -ou Holtz! .onte /iffin $as his defensive coordinator! He
had 0ust come over from &ebrasa to tae that 0ob! He is no$ of course the defensive
coordinator for the Tam'a Bay Buccaneers and is one of the best coaches that has ever
lived! Under .onte " $as a 'art time coach in the secondary at +ransas!
.onte ran $hat is no$n in coachin% circles as the 4-3 under defense! That $as his base
defense that he had develo'ed and 'erfected at &ebrasa as a %a' control defense to sto'
the run and 'ressure the 'asser! That $as the first time " started to %et hold of somethin%
that had a 'hiloso'hy to it! " started to %ro$ $ith this defense! +fter all the years ")ve been
in football ")ve never coached anythin% but the 4-3 under defense! So " no$ this defense
inside and out! " no$ the %ood side of the defense and " no$ the 'roblems and
$eanesses of this defense! " run it $ith one %a' 'rinci'les but can also mae it $or $ith
some t$o %a' 'rinci'les!
1hat " can %ive you today is a real basic understandin% of this defense! " am not tryin% to
sell this to you as bein% the best defense! 1hat " am sayin% is that for me this is the
defense that " no$ best and can mae $or! The reason " run this as a base defense is that
" no$ ho$ to fi# any 'roblems that may be created!
" $ant to start out e#'lainin% the basic front end covera%e! Then $e)ll %o over some of the
more basic blitzes $e run from this covera%e! 1hen " $ent to the &F- $ith the .innesota
2iin%s( .onte /iffin $as there and $e %ot to%ether $ith another coach named Floyd
Peters! He $as from the &orthern California area! He 'layed for the Cleveland Bro$ns
and had coached all over the &F-! He $as one of the %reat 'ass rush s'ecialists that has
ever been! He believed as $ell that the 4-3 under $as the best overall front to use to rush
the 'asser!
The 4-3 under defense has evolved over the years and ad0usted over time! There are some
different $ays to do thin%s from it! The 'resentation that " am %oin% to %ive today is the
3one-%a'4 a''roach! "n 'rinci'le $e $ant to %ive our 'layers a chance to no$ e#actly
$hat they have to defend! 1e also $ant to %ive them an attitude in $hich to do that! 1e
$ant to be an attacin%( a%%ressive football team! 1e don)t $ant to sit and read the 'lay
lie you often have to $ith 3t$o-%a'4 'rinci'les of 'lay! 1e $ant to attac into the %a' at
the sna'( %et off the ball to 'lay on their side of the field and %et after the 5uarterbac!
The bi% 'roblem $ith any 3one-%a'4 a''roach ho$ever is that it allo$s a ball carrier to %et
into the secondary if one %uy maes a mistae! &o matter ho$ a%%ressive the defense is
there is a %reat amount of disci'line that %oes $ith this defense! *ou have to be very strict
about your 'ositionin% and the 'lacement of your 'layers! *ou have to have the ability to
maintain relative s'acin% bet$een your 'layers!
1hen $e tal about this front all %a's are lettered to %ive us a reference 'oint! 1e letter
the %a's on each side of the center as +( B( C( 6( etc! 1e do this for the stron% side and
the $ea side! For starters the Sam linebacer controls the 6 %a' to his side of the field!
He is in an inside-foot to outside-foot ali%nment on the ti%ht end or $hat most coaches call
a 7 techni5ue s'ot! He can never %et reach bloced by the ti%ht end in this 'osition! He is
the force 'layer for everythin% run to his side of the field and turns everythin% bac inside
to the 'ursuit!
The defensive end to the ti%ht end side is res'onsible for controllin% the C %a'! He is an
inside-foot to outside-foot ali%nment on the offensive tacle he is linin% u' a%ainst! "f the
tacle blocs inside then the defensive end has to close do$n $ith him in ee' relative
control of the C %a'!
The nose tacle 'lays in the + %a' to the ti%ht end side of the field in our defense! 1e
have done a number of thin%s $ith this 'osition based u'on the o''osition at times! 1e
have 'ut him ri%ht in the + %a'( $e have coced him on the center at times( and as needed
$e have even 'layed him in a direct shade techni5ue ri%ht over the center at times! The
$ay $e 'lay him on base defense is as an inside-foot to outside-foot ali%nment or a 8
techni5ue on the center to the stron% side of the ali%nment!
The 'rime s'ot on the defense to the $ea side is the B %a' 'layer! He is an inside-foot to
outside-foot ali%nment on the offensive %uard to his side! He is a 3 techni5ue 'layer! He
has B %a' control but he can)t %et reached or hooed by the defense due to the $ay $e
ali%n him! The $hole scheme of this defense is 'redicated u'on not %ettin% hooed!
The best 'ass rusher on the team is usually the defensive end to the o'en side of the field!
That 'uts him on the 5uarterbac)s blind side and maes him a C %a' 'layer in this
defense! 1e often ali%n him $ider than this in order to %ive him a better an%le of attac
and allo$ him to 'lay in s'ace! 1e ali%n him a yard outside of the offensive tacle most of
the time! He has to 'lay C %a' run su''ort but at the same time he is rushin% the 'asser
lie it is third and ten! He has to be able to close do$n ho$ever if the tacle blocs do$n
on him!
The front five 'layers " mentioned are 'layin% a%%ressive defense $ith their outside arms
free! The only thin% $e can)t allo$ to ha''en is for them to %et hooed or reached by the
defender!
This ali%nment leaves o'en the stron% side B 9a' and the $ea side + %a' $hich are
'layed by the .ie and 1ill linebacers! The .ie linebacer is in an inside-foot to out-
side foot ali%nment on the offensive %uard on his side of the field! The 1ill linebacer is
ali%ned a%ainst the offensive %uard to his side of the field! He is basically a 'rotected
'layer in this ali%nment and should mae a lot of tacles! He has to control his $ea-side
+ %a' and 'lay relative to the .ie linebacer and the Free Safety!
The Free Safety is the force 'layer to the o'en side or $ea side of the ball! He $ors off
the defensive end)s 'lay! The 6efensive :nd $ors for levera%e and force! The Free
Safety $ors off of the 6efensive :nd and fills $here he is needed on run 'lays for
e#am'le! "f $e are 'layin% Cover 3 behind him the Stron% Safety is %oin% to have the
middle of the secondary behind him but also fills off the linebacer)s side as needed
de'endin% u'on the 'lay! "f the Sam linebacer does %et hooed for e#am'le the Stron%
Safety $ill then have to come u' and mae the 'lay! The offense $ill obviously %ain a
chun of yarda%e on the 'lay( but that is because there $as a breado$n at the 'oint of
attac in our scheme!
The t$o Safeties are both fill $here needed sort of 'layers! The have to ee' everythin%
on their inside shoulder! +ll the 'layers in this defense have to ee' the blocs in their
inside shoulder and force the ball carrier bac inside to the ne#t 'layer! Here is an
e#am'le of our base ali%nment a%ainst a 'ro set bacfield $ith $ide receivers s'lit to either
side!
4-3 UNDER DEFENSE VERSUS PRO SET
"f you loo at this front it is basically an ei%ht man front a%ainst the run as $e)ll brin% the
Free Safety do$n hard in run situations! This is a sto' the run first ty'e of defense! 1e
$ant to outnumber the offense to either side of the ball! 1e call this 'articular ali%nment
of the front an 3under4 and the covera%e 3fle#4 in our lan%ua%e! The o'en side of the
ali%nment is the fle# side and the ti%ht end side is the stron% or solid side! Those are our
terms for the ti%ht end side and the s'lit end side of the formation!
The defense is a man to man covera%e scheme for the corners in this e#am'le! "f $e call a
cover one fle#( $e are man to man on the corners $ith the stron% safety movin% into the
middle of the field! The Free Safety or fle# side safety is do$n on run su''ort! The Sam
-inebacer has the ti%ht end in man to man in covera%e! He has him any$here he %oes for
this defensive call! He never s$itches if $e are in this covera%e and $ill %o $ith him if the
ti%ht end does %o in motion!
The .ie -inebacer 'lays the first bac out of the bac field to the stron% side! The Free
Safety 'lays the first bac out of the bac field to the $ea side! The 1ill linebacer 'lays
the short middle! The %ives us a man in the hole in the short middle area of the field! "f $e
%et a full flo$ by the bacs to the stron% side the .ie linebacer taes the first bac and
the 1ill linebacer taes the second bac out of the bacfield! The Free Safety becomes
the short middle 'layer!
"f it is a full flo$ $ea side 'lay the Free Safety has the first bac and the 1ill linebacer
has the second man to the $ea side! The .ie linebacer becomes the short hole 'layer!
"n theory the middle hole 'layer hel's $ith the ti%ht end but in reality he is the second line
of defense a%ainst any breado$n in the 'ass rush! They can hel' on the dra$ 'lay(
scramble by the 5uarterbac( or screen 'asses that they can see develo'in%!
"f the offense comes out in a different loo such as a T$ins loo to one side( the basic core
of the defense stays the same! There are no ad0ustments to be made! The defenders tae
their men in covera%e re%ardless of $here they line u'! The .ie linebacer has hel' in
the middle from the short hole 'layer! Ho$ever( he can)t allo$ himself to %et beat in the
flat! The 'lay action 'ass is a 'roblem for this defense! That is an area on $hich you really
have to focus on reads and e#ecution! That is a critical as'ect you have to 'ractice!
Before $e %o any further( let)s tal about 'ersonnel! *ou $ant to %et your best 'layers on
the field! The o'en side 6efensive :nd has to be one of your best football 'layers! Size
does not matter as much! 1e $ant an athletic 'layer $ho can move around!
+t &ose Tacle you have to find a 'layer $ho lies to mi# it u'! 1e $ant a bi% %uy in
there $ho lies to %et do$n and dirty! He is %oin% to %et doubled a lot on the run and 'ass
and is %oin% to %et do$n bloced a lot! He has to be a tou%h 'layer! This %uy can be a
short and stubby ty'e of 'layer!
The other defensive tacle the 3 techni5ue 'layer should be your 'remier interior 'ass
rusher! He is %oin% to %et a lot of one on one blocs as it is hard to double team him
because of $here he lines u'!
The defensive end to the ti%ht end side needs to be a defensive 'layer that can 'lay the run!
He does not have to be a bi% time 'ass rusher! He has to 'lay the C %a' and sto' the run!
The .ie linebacer is a traditional middle linebacer! He is instinctive and maes a lot of
calls for the defense! He may be the %uy $ith the most e#'erience or the best feel for the
%ame!
The 1ill linebacer can be a smaller 'layer! He is %enerally 'rotected in the defensive
schemes and $ill not see as many blocs! +ll you $ant him to do most 'lays is flo$ and
chase the football! 1e $ant our fastest linebacer at this 'osition!
The Sam linebacer has to be a %ood containment 'layer! He has to be bi% and stron%
enou%h to 'lay on the ed%e of the ti%ht end! He has to be able to run in 'ass covera%e also!
The defensive bacs that are the best run defenders are our safeties! The Free Safety is
another 'layer $ho maes a lot of tacles for us! He has to have %ood instincts! He is $hat
$e call a natural 'layer! *ou don)t have to coach this 'layer too much! He has to have a
feel for the everythin% and understand the bi% 'icture!
The corners have to run fast if you 'lan on 'layin% bum' and run! "f they don)t run fast
then you can still 'lay $ith them! But if your corners are not faster than the $ide receivers
you are facin% don)t 'lay bum' and run! *our asin% them to do somethin% they can not
do and they)ll %et beat dee'! "t is a race $hen you 'lay bum' and run and if you can)t $in
the race don)t 'lay bum' and run!
"f you have a million reads for your secondary you are crazy! They don)t need that even at
our level! +ll they need to no$ is their 'rimary res'onsibility and then secondary! +t the
hi%hest level in the &F- the 'ass %ame is as com'le# as you can ima%ine! Ho$ever if a
defender can 'lay the 'ost and the seam route then they can learn to 'lay at that level! The
thin% that ills and breas do$n a defense is a ball bein% thro$n over the defender)s head
for a touchdo$n!
Teach your youn%er 'layers to 'lay the dee' middle and for%et about all the confusin%
rules! The %uy $ho is 'layin% in the middle of the field has to fi%ure out $ho can %et into
the middle! 1e $ant our safety to 'lay in the middle of the t$o receivers that can run the
'ost route! He $ants to s'lit the relationshi' $ith anyone $ho can %et do$n the middle!
1hen $e 'lay 'ass defense $ith our corners $e 'lay as ti%ht $as $e can for the match u'!
+%ainst s'read offenses $e bac them off more!
"f $e %et a one bac or an +ce set the safeties are %oin% to tae care of it! :verythin% else
in the defense stays the same! The .ie and 1ill linebacers tae the bac out of the
bacfield! "f he %oes to the stron% side the .ie linebacer taes him! "f he %oes to the
$ea side the 1ill linebacer taes him! The linebacer that is not involved in covera%e
dro's into the short middle hole on 'ass covera%e! The Free Safety ad0usts do$n to tae
the second ti%ht end!
"f the offense s'reads out a bit into a double set to one side $e don)t mae any ad0ustment
e#ce't to match u' better $ith the safeties! :verythin% else on the defense remains the
same! :veryone is 'layin% their %a' control and su''ort schemes! "f the bac %oes in
motion to leave an em'ty bacfield set the linebacer to the side of the motion taes him!
The remainin% linebacer bum's over to the middle to balance the defense and 'lays
football!
"f the offense comes out in a tri'les set the ad0ustment is made by the safeties! "n this case
'ictured the Stron% Safety %oes out to cover the third receiver to the stron% side! The Free
Safety moves to the middle third of the field and 'lays the middle third! :veryone else
stays the same $ith the linebacers 'layin% the remainin% bac the same $ay! Tri's to the
other side $ould flo' the role of the safeties! ,r if one is a better cover 'erson that the
other you can 'rotect accordin%ly!
For a base defense to hold u' you have to have some thin%s that you can use to
com'lement it! 1hen you 'lay USC every sin%le one of my 'layers is %oin% to have a blitz
'attern! The offense $ill have to account for every 'layer on our side of the ball in their
'ass 'rotection scheme!
The ne#t thin% that " am %oin% to sho$ you are some of the most basic combinations of
'ass rushes that $e use $ith the under defensive front! " $ant it to be multi'le so that the
defense doesn)t no$ $ho is comin% and from $here!
The first blitz that " am %oin% to sho$ you is $hat $e sim'ly refer to as 3Sam and .ie4!
1e are %oin% to use the stron% side linebacer and middle linebacers to rush the 'asser!
1e slant our stron% side defensive end( nose %uard( and 3 techni5ue to the o'en side of
their formation a$ay from their normal rush %a's! The $ea side defensive end is %oin% to
dro' into 'ass covera%e on this 'lay! The ali%nment is the same as before! The Corners are
line u' in ti%ht covera%e but are %oin% to bail out and 'lay a three dee' zone covera%e $ith
the Free Safety! The Corners $ill 'lay outside levera%e on this blitz and force everythin%
inside! The Free Safety is 'layin% a dee' middle! The $ea side 6efense :nd and Stron%
Safety are the outside defenders to each side! They are 'layin% seam covera%e $ith the
1ill linebacer in the middle seam! The Stron% Safety and $ea side 6efensive :nd 'lay
$hat $e call the hot receivers to their side! ,nce the 5uarterbac sees the blitz he)ll often
thro$ to these short areas to his desi%nated hot receiver! "f the ti%ht end comes do$n the
middle seam the Stron% Safety colla'ses on him! The 6efensive :nd does the same thin%
$ith the bac out of the bacfield!
The 1ill linebacer is 'layin% the hot receiver to the middle of the field! That means he is
findin% the third receiver and coverin% him if he comes out on a hot route! 1hen $e
overload on the rush the ball $ith be thro$n 5uicly! 1e $ant %ood s'acin% in our
covera%e 'eo'le so $e can react by chan%in% u'( and mae the 'lay for a short %ain!
The formation doesn)t matter much! 1e have to find the hot receivers on this blitz and
identify them! +nother advanta%e the defense has in these ty'es of stunts is the chan%e u'
of the line! The defensive line is no$ slantin% a$ay from $here they have been 'layin% the
entire %ame! That chan%es the landmar for the offensive lineman and %ives the defensive
lineman an advanta%e in his 'ass rush! The defense has to have counter moves to the ee'
the offense off balance!
This stunt can also be used in run defense! To %ive us a chan%e u' $e brin% the Sam
linebacer underneath the ti%ht ends bloc! 1e can also let the Sam linebacer 'lay under
all the blocs and bounce 'lays to the outside! Those are chan%es $e add to the base
defense to ee' the offense off balance!
+nother $ay to %et five man 'ressure on the 5uarterbac is our Under Safety blitz! ,n this
stunt $e are brin%in% the Free Safety from the outside! The defensive line is slantin% a$ay
from his blitz! The corners are 'layin% their same bail covera%e and the Stron% Safety is
%oin% to the dee' middle! The Sam and 1ill linebacers have the first t$o hot receivers
and the .ie $ith have the hot third receiver!
+ very effective stunt from this defense is called 3Sam and Safety4! ,n this stunt $e are
blitzin% $ith both the Sam and the Free Safety! The defense line slants to the Free Safety
side! The o'en side 6efensive :nd comes off in covera%e and everythin% else is the same!
The .ie linebacer and the dro' end have the first t$o hot receivers and the 1ill
linebacer has the third!
,ne of the 'roblems $e have $hen $e dro' the 6efensive :nd in covera%e is containment
to his side! 1hen $e dro' the end it means the 3 Techni5ue tacle has to $or hard to
contain outside! That is not a %ood situation but $e $or hard to mae it $or!
1e also lie to brin% the defensive bacs in the blitz scheme! "f they can dis%uise the stunt
they can %et there in a hurry! 1e lie to brin% the Corner on a blitz as a chan%e u' from
time to time! The Corner ali%ns in a bum' and run techni5ue! ,n the sna' of the ball
ho$ever he comes hard off the corner! The Free Safety cheats bac and covers the dee'
outside third! The Stron% Safety is coverin% the middle third and the stron% side corner in
this case is tain% the outside third to his side! The rush end and the 3 techni5ue rush the +
%a' and the B %a'! The corner comes off the ed%e!
The Sam( .ie( and 1ill linebacers 'lay the hot zones on this 'lay! *ou can mi# u'
your blitzes accordin% to your needs! This sim'listic blitz scheme lets you brin% 'ressure
from a number of different areas! *ou can %ame 'lan the match u's the $ay you $ant $ith
other combinations as $ell! The im'ortant thin% in this blitz 'attern is that $e are not
chan%in% anythin% in our basic schemes underneath!
That is all the time " have! " ho'e " have %iven you somethin% you can tae home $ith you
today! "t is e#tremely im'ortant to have a 'hiloso'hy that can %uide you to the success you
are looin% for! Than you! "t has been a 'leasure!