Each week Coach Bass brings his 30 years of NFL coaching experience to USA Football. Email Coach Bass your question.
Mark had the following question:
In high school football, when teams usually run the ball more than pass, how often are there two outside linebackers on the field at the same time?
Hi Mark,
Many defensive teams will play with the two outside backers in the game for the entire contest. When a defense is facing a running team, they will most often play with both outside linebackers and not take either out of the game.
Outside backers are usually stronger against the run and still have the ability to drop back into a zone pass coverage if the offensive team elects to pass the ball. They may adjust the linebacker's position, move them off the line or in a wider location when it is a passing down, but they will be kept in the game.
Other teams may try to match up offensive personnel by substituting defensive players into the game. In this case, if the offense has three wide receivers in the game, the defense may take out an outside backer and substitute into the game a fifth defensive back (a nickel defense).
Be sure to keep your best defensive players on the field as much as you can.
Coach Tom Bass
Jeff had the following question:
Is running a 3-4 defense ideal for a high school team? I think it would be a good defense to play because no high school team has seen it firsthand and it gives you more speed with the four linebackers to stop the run and cover tight ends and backs.
The only downfall I see is with just three linemen, they need to be very big and strong in order to hold the line of scrimmage, and there isn't necessarily an abundance of size in high school.
Hi Jeff,
When a team uses a 3-4 defense it is important that they do not have the front seven players play with just one technique. They may line up the same position but they need to be stunting or slanting from one side or the other of the offensive player.
Your defensive scheme also needs to incorporate the blitzing of one or more of the four linebackers to give you penetration across the line versus the run and pressure on the quarterback if it is a pass. This blitzing can cause indecision for the offense and be designed to disrupt its run or pass blocking schemes.
The blitzing on a run down should be straight ahead, gaining penetration across the line of scrimmage. On a passing down, the linebacker can work in conjunction with an adjacent defensive lineman in a crossing stunt that attacks the pass protection blocking scheme of the offense.
You can play a 3-4 defense with three bigger down players, or if you have smaller players, you can use quicker players and vary their charge. Both can be successful. With smaller, quicker lineman you should only assign one gap to each lineman and give your two inside backers coordinated two-gap responsibility based on backfield action.
Any stunting by the three down players needs to be closely coordinated with the assignments and play of the adjacent linebackers in order to maintain good gap defense.
From a 3-4 defense, it is very easy to substitute a defensive back for one of the outside backers giving you a 3-3 (3-3-5) or Nickel defense or two defensive backs for both outside backers giving you a 3-2 (3-2-6) or Dime defense that can work against spread offenses.
The 3-4 defense gives you versatility and can fit into a defense that has smaller, quicker players that can run to the ball and get good depth and ball reaction for zone pass defense, execute quick blitzing and play man-to-man pass defense when needed. I really think the defense has merit and can be successful in high school.
Coach Tom Bass
Coach Tom Bass, the technical writer and advisor for USA Football, is a 30-year NFL coach who has also authored several books, including "Play Football the NFL Way" - the first "how to" book ever authorized and published by the NFL. Coach Bass is happy to personally autograph his books to you. Book ordering information can be found at http://www.coachbass.com/.
