1. BASE DEFENSE 6 – 3 ALIGNMENT
CB = CORNER BACK, T = TACKLE, NG = NOSE GUARD, DE = DEFENSIVE END, LB = LINEBACKER, R AND L = LEFT AND RIGHT
MLB
LLB
RLB
RCB
LCB
RDE RT
RNG
LNG LT
LDE x

2. x MLB LLB RLB RCB LCB RDE RT RNG LNG LT LDE
BASIC COVERAGE RESPONSIBILITIES: CB’S OUTSIDE MAN COVERAGE – LINE UP ON OUTSIDE MOST MAN, DE’S FLATS – IF SOMEONE IN BACKFIELD CROSS’S FACE – STAY BETWEEN MAN AND BALL, RLB RIGHT THIRD CHECK 2ND ELIGIBLE RECEIVER TO HIS SIDE USUALLY TE, MLB MIDDLE THIRD – FAVORING SIDE QB OPENS TOO AND EYES, LLB LEFT THIRD CHECK 2ND ELIGIBLE RECIEVER TO HIS SIDE USUALLY TE. ONCE READ PASS (LINEMAN PASS BLOCKING OR RUN BLOCKING) AS SOON AS YOU READ PASS, DROP TO ZONE RESPONSIBILITIES - COVER NEAREST RECEIVER IN ZONE UNTIL COMPLETELY LEAVES ZONE - WHEN IN DOUBT STAY WITH YOUR MAN (WE’LL WORK ON IT).
MLB
LLB
RLB
RCB
LCB
RDE RT
RNG
LNG LT
LDE x

3. x LLB RLB MLB RCB LCB RT LT LDE RDE RNG LNG
AGAINST UNBALANCED – ALL POSITIONS SHIFT ONE MAN IN DIRECTION OF THE UNBALANCE. LB’S RESPONSIBILITY TO CALL. UNBALANCED IS DEFINED AS 4 MEN ON L.O.S. TO RIGHT OR LEFT OF THE CENTER. NOTE: UNBALANCED IS ALSO DEFINED AS A TE AND 3 WR’S TO ONE SIDE (SHOWN LATER).
LLB
RLB
MLB
RCB
LCB RT LT
LDE
RDE
RNG
LNG x
NOTE: BACKSIDE DE AND CB MUST STAY HOME!!!

4. x MLB LLB RLB RCB LCB RDE RT RNG LNG LT LDE
AGAINST 2 WR SET – OLB SHIFTS TO INSIDE SHOULDER OF 2ND RECEIVER AND HAS MAN COVERAGE. 2 REMAINING LB’S SHIFT TO OUTSIDE SHOULDERS OF GUARDS. ZONES SHIFT TO 2 DEEP COVERAGE. WEAKSIDE CB HAS OUTSIDE COVERAGE ON TE AND CONTAIN RESPONSIBILITY WITH DE.
MLB
LLB
RLB
RCB
LCB
RDE RT
RNG
LNG LT
LDE x

5. x LLB RLB RCB MLB LCB LDE RDE RT RNG LNG LT
AGAINST WEAKSIDE TRIPS (3 WR TO ONE SIDE) RARE - USUALLY STRONG OR TWO BACK FAVORING TRIPS SIDE. CB LINES UP ON OUTSIDE MAN (ALWAYS), OLB LINES UP ON INSIDE SHOULDER OF 2ND MAN, DE WALKS OFF ABOUT 6 YDS OUT AND OFF LOS AND COVERS THE FLAT, MLB LINES UP INSIDE SHOULDER OF 3RD WR. RLB TAKES OVER MIDDLE ZONE (FOLLOW QB EYES) ALSO HAS OVER THE TOP DEEP RESPONSIBILITY. RCB MUST STAY HOME. RDE HAS CONTAIN AND FLAT IF RB GOES OUT.
LLB
RLB
RCB
MLB
LCB
LDE
RDE RT
RNG
LNG LT x
DE HAS THE FLAT, CB HAS THE OUTSIDE MOST MAN, RLB, MLB, AND LLB ALL PLAY ZONE – ON TRIPS ½ OF FIELD. RCB HAS WEAKSIDE TE IF HE GOES OUT

6. x RCB RLB LLB LCB MLB LT RDE RT RNG LDE LNG
AGAINST STRONGSIDE TRIPS – UNBALANCED RULES APPLY FOR DL=SHIFT ONE MAN OVER. CB LINES UP ON OUTSIDE MAN (ALWAYS), OLB LINES UP ON INSIDE SHOULDER OF 2ND MAN, DE WALKS OFF ABOUT 6 YDS OUT AND OFF LOS STILL AND COVERS THE FLAT, MLB LINES UP INSIDE SHOULDER OF 3RD WR. RLB TAKES OVER MIDDLE ZONE (FOLLOW QB EYES) BUT SHADES TO STRONG SIDE - ALSO HAS OVER THE TOP RESPONSIBILITY. RCB AND RDE MUST STAY HOME. ZONES SHIFT ACCORDINGLY.
RCB
RLB
LLB
LCB
MLB LT
RDE RT
RNG
LDE
LNG x
DE HAS FLAT, CB HAS OUTSIDE MAN, LB’S PLAY ZONE. BACKSIDE DE AND CB STAY HOME. NOTE: 9 TIMES OUT OF TEN COACHES ARE SETTING UP A QUICK PASS TO MIDDLE WR WITH OTHER WR’S BLOCKING OR SWINGING OUT TO BACK OUT OF BACKFIELD WITH WR’S BLOCKING. DE GET UPFIELD IMMEDIATELY AND MAY GET PICK FOR TD OR TACKLE FOR LOSS IN FLAT.

7. x MLB RLB LLB RCB LCB RT RNG LNG LT LDE RDE
AGAINST 4 WIDES – OLB WIDEN TO INSIDE SHOULDERS OF 2ND WR’S. OLB AND CB IN MAN COVERAGE. MLB HAS DEEP ZONE. DE’S SHOULD PUT HEAVY PRESSURE ON QB. SHOULDN’T HAVE MORE THAN 2 SECONDS TO THROW. NOTICE RULES DON’T CHANGE MUCH FROM FORMATION TO FORMATION. IF QB AND TB OPTION OUT OF THIS FORMATION, DE GET BETWEEN PITCH MAN AND QB AND MAKE QB KEEP INSIDE IF CAN. MLB HAS QB AND OUTSIDE LB HAS PITCH MAN. (SAME RULES FOR ANY FORMATION).
MLB
RLB
LLB
RCB
LCB RT
RNG
LNG LT
LDE
RDE x
NOTE: CRYSTAL LAKE LIKES TO RUN QB SNEAKS OUT OF THIS FORMATION

8. x RLB LLB MLB RCB LCB RDE LDE RT RNG LNG LT
AGAINST 5 WIDES – MAN TO MAN INCLUDING PLAYSIDE DE - WEAKSIDE DE (HARD PASS RUSH AND MLB (ZONE FOLLOWING QB’S EYES DEEP RESPONSIBLITY TO EITHER SIDE). IF THERE IS MOTION DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD SHIFTS ACCORDINLGY RATHER THAN SINGLE MAN FOLLOWING MOTION MAN. THAT GOES FOR EVERY FORMATION, PLAYERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADJUST TO CHANGING FORMATIONS IMMEDIATELY. NOTE: THIS IS THE GAME DAY EMERGENCY DEFENSE FOR THIS FORMATION, IF WE SCOUT A TEAM THAT USES THIS OFTEN OR AS THEIR BASE OFFENSIVE SET WE WILL UTILIZE A DIFFERENT DEFENSE TO BE DETERMINED WITH LESS D LINEMEN.
RLB
LLB
MLB
RCB x
LCB
RDE
LDE RT
RNG
LNG LT