Adapting Your D – Adjust Your 4-2-5 to deal with the special formations you will see.

The 4-2-5 defensive scheme provides an effective approach to defending and attacking the various styles of offense currently found in today’s game. Due to its versatility and personnel capabilities, the 4-2-5 also offers a number of simple ways to adjust to a variety of formations. Here are a series of basic, yet effective, adjustments that can be made when facing special offensive formations, such as trips, tight end trips, double tight end, and heavy backfield sets.

Adjustments vs. the Trips and TE-Trips Formations

The trips formation has become a staple of today’s spread offenses. Whether it is a true receiver alignment, or a tight end based alignment, the trips formation requires special attention in order to address and defend its many capabilities. With its built-in versatility in the defensive secondary, the 4-2-5 provides a number of options for effectively defending against the various types of trips formations.

The most basic approach to defending the trips formation is by aligning in a 2-vs-3 look, with one safety playing over the top of the trips side. In a base 4-2-5, cover 3 approach, this would entail having the corner and strong safety aligned over the #1 and #2 receivers, with the free safety playing in the deep-middle of the field, shaded over to the trips side (See Diagram 1).

Diagram 1 Basic Alignment vs. Trips

How much the free safety is shaded over, as well as the depth at which he aligns, can be determined by the player’s overall range and athletic ability, or by his assignment in the given coverage that is called. The 2-vs-3 alignment is well-suited for a zone coverage like cover 3.

Another possible adjustment to the trips formation is a 3-vs-3 alignment, in which the weak safety comes all the way across the field (to the trips side) and lines up over one of the three receivers. A simple alignment using this approach would involve playing the cornerback over the #1 receiver, the strong safety over the #2 receiver, and the weak safety over the #3 receiver or tight end (See Diagram 2).

Diagram 2. 3-on-3 Alignment vs. Trips

This alignment allows both zone and man coverage schemes to be employed. In a man coverage, such as cover 1, each of the three defensive backs would engage his corresponding receiver in the trips formation, with the free safety assuming the coverage responsibility for the deep-middle of the field.

The 3-on-3 alignment is a simple, yet effective way to match-up against trips. It enables the defense to play both zone and man coverages, while also providing the ability to rush the passer from the trips side.

It also has the ability to adjust to motion (to a 2 x 2 spread formation), and to transition into a different coverage (like a cover 3).

Adjustments vs. 2-Tight End Sets and Run-Heavy Offenses

There are various alignment adjustments that you can employ to attack the two tight end formation, or when facing run-oriented offensive systems. The most simple approach is simply to walk down both the strong and weak safeties into the box. This essentially turns the 4-2-5 into a 4-4 alignment, and allows you to play with 8 defenders in the box – at or near the line of scrimmage. The simple shift into a 4-4 look maintains the same gap responsibilities along the line of scrimmage, while adding two extra defenders to the box to help stop the run, generate more pressure on the passer, and cover tight end receiving threats more immediately.

The nature of the opponent’s offensive system and tendencies will largely determine how you align and assign your strong and weak safeties, but shifting them down into the box will give you the flexibility to attack both the run and the pass, as well as provide you with a stout presence up front. The added box defenders also become contain players, helping to set the edge against the run game and attempting to negate plays like the outside zone and stretch. The safety’s alignment also forces the tight ends to work inside on their release, often with a jam at the line of scrimmage, and pushes them back toward the middle of the field where the free safety can account for them in his zone coverage responsibilities.

By bringing the strong and weak safeties into the box and creating a simple 4-4 alignment, you are able to employ the same front four looks that you are accustomed to, while having the ability to utilize your safeties in a number of creative ways, as both box defenders and potential pass-rushers. From the 4-4 look, you can continue to play virtually all the same coverages that you normally do as well. If anything, this simple shift makes it easier to deploy cover schemes such as the robber and cover 1. Both can be very effective against the two tight end formation and its tendencies (See Diagram 3).

Diagram 3.  8 in the Box – Traditional 4-4 Look

The simplest and most effective approach when facing the two tight end formation is to walk-down your weak and strong safeties into the box, effectively turning them into true outside linebackers. This adjustment will give you the opportunity to align to the offense’s two tight end or heavy-backfield sets in the following ways:

• Walking the safeties down into a traditional 4-4 look, with both of the safeties now playing at the edge of the box, over or shaded on the tight ends. This brings two extra defenders into the box, while also providing the athleticism to still be able to quickly vacate to the flats and hook/curl areas of coverage.

• Walking the safeties all the way down into a true 6-2 look, with the strong and weak safeties playing all the way down at the line-of-scrimmage, aligned head-up or on the outside shoulder of the tight ends. This provides a strong presence at the potential points of attack, giving you a greater ability to plug running lanes and force wide run plays back inside. It also creates the ability to jam the tight ends at the line of scrimmage, slowing and re-routing their pass releases. When coupled with a simple cover 1 (man) or cover 3 (zone) behind it, the 6-2 alignment enables you to blitz up to 8 defenders, effectively suffocating the run game and overwhelming the quarterback (See Diagram 4).

Diagram 4. 8 in the box – 6-2 Look vs. 2 Tight Ends

About the Author: Frank DiCocco is an Assistant Coach and the Director of Player Development at Stillman College. He has also coached at Dwyer High School (FL), South Pointe High School (SC), Godby High School (FL), and Avon Old Farms School (CT). DiCocco is also the author of five books.

Frank DiCocco is an assistant coach and Director of Player Development for Stillman