AFM Home | Back Issues | Oct 2004 | 3-5-3

By Rob Manchester
Defensive Backs Coach, Georgia Military College

Georgia Military College’s, 3-5-3 defensive package, is an extremely easy package to implement on any level. We as a defensive staff, feel that this package gives us the greatest advantage of being successful against our opponent’s offense. While running the 3-5-3 defense, GMC is continually one of the statistical leaders in the NJCAA in total defense, run defense, and pass defense. Since the implementation of the 3-5-3 defense during the 2001 season, GMC has lead the nation in total defense twice, third once, won the NJCAA National Championship in 2001, and finished runner up in 2002. We are firm believers that the 3-5-3 defensive system works. Throughout the following text I will explore how our 3-5-3 defensive coverages are executed.

At GMC we are very fortunate to have great athletes. In order to run the 3-5-3 defensive package you have to have the personnel to execute the defenses that are called. The key to executing this defense is to have the Corners, Safeties, and Dogs that can play man coverage. Because of our defensive calls, our coverage package requires us to play man coverage about 95% of the time. The other five percent of the time we are playing either a three deep zone or zero coverage. Our defensive package is one that consists of applying constant pressure to our opponent’s offense. With our blitz package, we have several options in regards to how many people we can blitz. We will blitz between four to six individuals per call. Depending on who is blitzing will determine what coverage we will execute.

As stated, we are a man coverage defense. We will always have a player covering the #1, #2, and #3 receivers. Our coverage package consists of a number and color coding system that alerts our players as to who is blitzing and who is covering the offense’s receivers. For example, Green (zero) coverage, alerts our players that all three middle linebackers are blitzing. Green also alerts our players that the Corners have the #1 receivers, the Dogs the #2 receivers, the Free Safety the #3 receiver, etc. GMC’s 3-5-3 defense only has five different coverages, but our system allows us to blitz from all types of angles and areas. The five different coverages that we run are 1, 3, Green, Blue, and Red. All five of these coverages alert us as to who is blitzing. In the following diagrams, I will give an example of each of our blitzes and the coverage that goes with them.

Cover 1: Five man pressure, man free concept with the Free Safety, and it alerts the two inside linebackers to blitz. (See Diagram 1.)

Diagram 1. Cover 1 Diagram 2. Cover 3 Diagram 3. Cover Green Diagram 4. Cover Blue Diagram 5. Cover Red

Corner: Both have the #1 receivers
Dog: Both have the #2 receivers
Free Safety: Man free helping the Dog to the split #2 receiver side
Bat Strong: Has the back, #3 receiver
Bat Weak: Blitz “B” gap weak
Mike: Blitz “A” gap weak

Cover 3: Five man pressure, fire zone concept, and it alerts the players that the two inside linebackers are blitzing with 3 deep coverage behind it. (See Diagram 2.)

Corner: Both have deep outside 1/3
Dog: Both have the curl to flat to their side
Free Safety: Has the deep middle 1/3, but will shade to the split #2 receiver side to help the dog if necessary
Bat Strong: Blitz “B” gap strong
Bat Weak: Has the middle hook area
Mike: Blitz “A” gap strong

Cover Green: Six man pressure, zero coverage, and it alerts the players that all three middle linebackers are blitzing. (See Diagram 3.)

Corner: Both have the #1 receivers
Dog: Both have the #2 receivers
Free Safety: Has the back, #3 receiver
Bat Strong: Blitz “B” gap strong
Bat Weak: Blitz “B” gap weak
Mike: Blitz “A” gap weak

Cover Blue: Five man pressure, and it alerts the players that the two Dogs are blitzing. (See Diagram 4.)

Corner: Both have the #1 receivers
Dog: Both are contain blitzers
Free Safety: Has the #2 receiver to the strong side of the formation
Bat Strong: Has first threat, or the #3 receiver to his side
Bat Weak: Has first threat, or the #2 receiver to his side
Mike: Watch for leakage in “A” gap weak, and then become a low hole player

Cover Red: Five man pressure, and it alerts the players that the Dog and Bat to the called side will blitz. (See Diagram 5.)

Corner: Both have the #1 receivers
Dog: The Dog to the blitz side blitzes, and the Dog away has the #2 receiver man
Free Safety: Has the #2 receiver to the blitz side
Bat: The Bat to the blitz side blitzes, and the Bat away has the #3 receiver man
Mike: Watch for leakage in “A” gap strong, and then become a low hole player

In conclusion, our 3-5-3 defensive package allows us to have a pre-snap alignment that looks the same to our opponent’s quarterback every time he comes to the line of scrimmage. This consistent, pre-snap look enables us to bring pressure from many various angles. In turn, we have five different players that can blitz at any time using several different combinations. These combinations present our opponent’s offense with an element of surprise as to which one of our players is blitzing. I believe that the 3-5-3 defense is a highly effective defense given the fact that it causes problems and mismatches for our opponents. Also, I believe the way the coverage package is organized makes the defense even easier to learn and execute. With our color and numbering scheme, it leaves no room for error in relation to who has the #1, #2, and #3 receivers. Lastly, if you have the athletes that can play man coverage on a play-by-play basis, this defense can be extremely effective. I hope that this article has given you an insight as to how we execute our coverage package at GMC. I would like to thank American Football Monthly for giving me the opportunity to write this article and give you some insight into our program and its defense.

About the author
Rob Manchester

This fall Rob Manchester enters his second year as defensive backs coach at Georgia Military College. Over the last three years, GMC has lead the nation in defense twice. He received both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s Degree from the University of Kentucky. You can reach him at rmchester00@yahoo.com