Defending The Spread Offense With The 3 5 3

Defending the spread offense
with the 3-5-3/3-3-5
Thomas Cousins
coachcousins@yahoo.com
coachcousins@yahoo.com 1
What teams running the
spread try to do.
• Get us to remove linebackers from the box and lose
gap integrity.
• Rub or mesh our DBS when we are in man.
• Find holes in our zone coverage.
• Get us thinking pass and bust us with the run.
• Pick up our blitzes and give their QB time to throw.
• Reduce outside pressure by making our OLBS cover
receivers.
What we try to do to teams
running the spread.
• Force the QB to throw under distress.
• Maintain gap integrity.
• Confuse the QB by disguising and changing
coverages.
• Force the QB to try and find the holes in our zone
coverage.
• Shut down the run by maintaining gap integrity, and
in turn making the offense one dimensional.
Our beliefs:
• We feel that we can dictate to the offense what they
can and cannot run.
• We do not want to be counter punchers, we want
the offense to stay off balance.
• We want the offense waiting to see what we are
going to do next.
• We want to send as much pressure as possible.
• We will void zones in zone coverage.
Vocabulary
• Sky- tells us that we are showing cover 3, but rolling to cover 4 with the whip and free
safety. Will ILB has hook/curl/flats weak
• Banjo- when an OLB is called on to blitz but is responsible for a player in man coverage.
The OLB will call “banjo” to either tell the free safety to take his man or banjo the blitz to the
inside linebacker to perform.
• Cover 1- man free coverage. We are man underneath and our free safety is playing
centerfield.
• Cover 4- true quarters coverage.
• Cover 3- three deep zone coverage
• Man- true man to man coverage.
• Cat- tells the will linebacker to slide out to 4x4
• Sam and Will- our two inside linebackers
• Stud and Whip- our two outside linebackers
Coverages
1. Cover 3
2. Cover Man
3. Cover 1
4. Cover 3 sky
5. Cover 4
Cover 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Cover Man
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Corners have #1
Whip has # 2
Free has #2 strong, #3 weak
Stud has #3 strong
Cover 1 (man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Corners have #1
Whip has # 2
Free has #3 either way
Stud has #2 strong
Cover 3 (sky)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
“Sky” tell us that we are going to show cover three

and on the snap roll to cover 4 (quarters)
Free safety will slide to the strong hash
Whip will sprint to the weak hash.
Cover 4 (Quarters)
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C
In cover 4 Mike will not rush, he will settle in the

middle of the field.
Whip will move back as a true safety.
Will will play weak hook/ curl to flats.
“Cat” Cover 4
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C
Cat will tell the will to line up 4x4. It will be the

only time we remove a ILB from the box.
Mike will not go.
Formation adjustments against
the spread.
Shotgun spread W/TE
option 1.- stay in 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Shotgun spread W/TE
option 2.- check to 1(man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Free safety cover 1 rules:

# 3 either side- #2 if banjo
Shotgun spread W/TE
option 3.- check to man
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Free safety man rules:

#2 strong, #3 weak.
Shotgun spread W/TE
option 4.- roll to 4 (sky)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
“Sky” tells us that we are showing cover 3, but rolling to cover 4

with the whip and free safety. Will ILB has hook/curl/flats weak.
Shotgun spread W/TE
option 5.- check to “cat” cover
4
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C
“Cat” tells the will linebacker to slide out

to 4x4
Shotgun spread trips W/TE
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Shotgun spread trips W/TE
option 2.- check man
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Shotgun spread trio W/TE
option 1.- stay 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
option 2.- roll to sky(4)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
option 3.- 1 (man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Shotgun spread trips open
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
option 2.- roll to sky (4)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
option 3.- 1 (man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Shotgun spread double twins
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
option 2.- check 1 (man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
option 3.- check to “cat” cover
4
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C
Defending empty sets
Shotgun spread empty pro trips
option 1.- check to “cat” cover 4
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C
Shotgun spread empty trips
twins
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C
Shotgun spread empty quads
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C
We will bump our coverage to the quads to

even out our numbers
Shotgun spread moose
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Shotgun spread moose
option 2.- check cover 1(man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
In cover 1- the OLBS will tighten up to

1x4 off the TE
Shotgun spread moose-trio
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Shotgun spread moose-trio
option 2.- check cover 1(man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
In cover 1- the OLBS will tighten up to

1x4 off the TE
Motion adjustments
• When in doubt, check to cover 3 and play

football.
• Cover 4(quarters) is our “oh crap”
coverage.
Defending the run
• Zone
• Sweep
• Trap
• Lead
• Power
Defending the zone
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap
Mike- Read- base/double team- flow strong- Fit under chip by tackle if possible-
playside a gap
Sam- Read- base/ double team- flow inside- Fit- step to outside of double team-
refit under because of flow.
Stud- Read- down- flow to- Fit- run feet of TE d gap. Force play inside.
Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold.
Defending the sweep
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

Mike- Read- reach- flow strong- Fit- under pulling guard playside b gap -
Sam- Reach- flow outside- Fit- playside c gap- under pulling guard- down by TE.
Stud- Read- fan- flow to- Fit- beat te up the field . Force play inside.
Defending the trap
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
playside b gap
Sam- Read- down- flow inside- Fit- rip under down block by TE-
Defending the lead
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
playside b gap
Sam- Read- fan- flow inside- Fit- fill open window now. Take on fullback with
outside arm and make ball bounce
Stud- Read- fan- flow to- Fit- beat TE upfield. Force play inside.
Defending the power
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
playside b gap
Sam- Read- base/ double team- flow outside- Fit- rip under chip by tackle-
playside c gap
Blitzes we like to use
3 to the weak side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
•Slant strong dog weak
3 to the weak side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
•Slant weak dog weak
3 to the weak side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
•Slant strong will A whip fire
3 to the weak side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
• out dog weak
3 to the strong side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
•Pinch dog strong
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
• slant weak mike go stud fire
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
•Pinch dog strong stud fire
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
• slant strong sam go stud fire
Closing
• We work very hard on not getting

outflanked by formations.
• We work formation adjustments, motion
adjustment, and checks everyday.
• As you can see, our adjustments are very
simple usually only one or two people
move.

Defending The Spread Offense With The 3 5 3

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Defending The Spread Offense With The 3 5 3

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Defending the spread offense

with the 3-5-3/3-3-5

“Sky” tell us that we are going to show cover three

In cover 4 Mike will not rush, he will settle in the

Cat will tell the will to line up 4x4. It will be the

Free safety cover 1 rules:

Free safety man rules:

“Sky” tells us that we are showing cover 3, but rolling to cover 4

“Cat” tells the will linebacker to slide out

We will bump our coverage to the quads to

In cover 1- the OLBS will tighten up to

In cover 1- the OLBS will tighten up to

• When in doubt, check to cover 3 and play

Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap

• We work very hard on not getting

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