1. Defending the spread offense with the 3-5-3/3-3-5
Thomas Cousins

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. Cover 3 Cover Man Cover 1 Cover 3 sky Cover 4
Coverages
Cover 3
Cover Man
Cover 1
Cover 3 sky
Cover 4

7. Cover 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

8. Cover Man Corners have #1 Whip has # 2 Free has #2 strong, #3 weak
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

9. Cover 1 (man free) Corners have #1 Whip has # 2 Free has #3 either way
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

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. “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.

13. Formation adjustments against the spread.

14. Shotgun spread W/TE option 1.- stay in 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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

19. Shotgun spread trips W/TE option 1.- stay in 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

20. Shotgun spread trips W/TE option 2.- check man
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

21. Shotgun spread trio W/TE option 1.- stay 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

22. Shotgun spread trio W/TE option 2.- roll to sky(4)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

23. Shotgun spread trio W/TE option 3.- 1 (man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

24. Shotgun spread trips open option 1.- stay in 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

25. Shotgun spread trips open option 2.- roll to sky (4)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

26. Shotgun spread trips open option 3.- 1 (man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

27. Shotgun spread double twins option 1.- stay in 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

28. Shotgun spread double twins option 2.- check 1 (man free)
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

29. Shotgun spread double twins option 3.- check to “cat” cover 4
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C

30. Defending empty sets

31. Shotgun spread empty pro trips option 1.- check to “cat” cover 4
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C

32. Shotgun spread empty trips twins option 1.- check to “cat” cover 4
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C

33. Shotgun spread empty quads option 1.- check to “cat” cover 4
T N T
W M S ST
C WP FS C
We will bump our coverage to the quads to even out our numbers

34. Shotgun spread moose option 1.- stay in 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

35. 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

36. Shotgun spread moose-trio option 1.- stay in 3
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C

37. 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

38. Motion adjustments When in doubt, check to cover 3 and play football.
Cover 4(quarters) is our “oh crap” coverage.

39. Defending the run
Zone
Sweep
Trap
Lead
Power

40. 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.

41. Defending the sweep T N T WP W M S ST C FS C
Will- Read- scoop/flow away- Fit- backside a gap
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.
Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold.

42. Defending the trap 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 b gap
Sam- Read- down- flow inside- Fit- rip under down block by TE-
Stud- Read- down- flow to- Fit- run feet of TE d gap. Force play inside.
Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold.

43. Defending the lead 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 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.
Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold.

44. Defending the power 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 b gap
Sam- Read- base/ double team- flow outside- Fit- rip under chip by tackle-playside c gap
Stud- Read- down- flow to- Fit- run feet of TE d gap. Force play inside.
Whip- Read- scoop- flow away- Fit- hold and fold.

45. 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

46. Blitzes we like to use 3 to the weak side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Slant weak dog weak

47. Blitzes we like to use 3 to the weak side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Slant strong will A whip fire

48. Blitzes we like to use 3 to the weak side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
out dog weak

49. Blitzes we like to use 3 to the strong side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Pinch dog strong

50. Blitzes we like to use 3 to the strong side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
slant weak mike go stud fire

51. Blitzes we like to use 4 to the strong side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
Pinch dog strong stud fire

52. Blitzes we like to use 4 to the strong side
T N T
WP W M S ST
C FS C
slant strong sam go stud fire

53. 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.