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AFM Magazine


AFM Subscribers Ask with Cocoa High School (FL) Head Coach John Wilkinson

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Over the last five seasons, Cocoa High School (FL) has given up an average of only 7.2 points per game on their way to a 58-8 record including 24 shutouts. Cocoa has accomplished this under Head Coach John Wilkinson’s base 3-3-5 defense. What makes it effective, according to Wilkinson, is a combination of slants, stunts, blitzes and disguises. And Wilkinson has done it with many undersized players. His nine-year record at Cocoa now stands at 100-19. This includes three 4A State Championships, a 38-game winning streak and a Florida Coach of the Year Award. Coach Wilkinson answers your questions about his defense.

How do you adjust to trips and empty? And do you use any cover 2 concepts vs. trips or empty? John Metcalf, Defensive Coordinator, John Carroll Catholic High School, Birmingham (AL).
   
It depends on the opponent and what they like to do on offense. If we feel like we need to keep 6 in the box, we will play cover 1 or cover 0. If we feel confident with 5 in the box, we play more of a cover 4.
 
What alignment adjustments do you make with your fronts and secondary when defending 3 by 2 and 4 by 1 empty formations?
Thomas Loughran, Head Coach, South Park High School (PA).
   
We go by the same principles I mentioned in the first question. Depending on the opponent and how many we feel we need to keep in the box, we could play cover 0, 1, or 4. We will stay in our stack defense and play cover 0 against some teams or we will keep 5 in box and play cover 3 or 4 depending on the offensive formation.
 
What are some of the reasons behind playing your down ends so wide sometimes at the inside eye of the tight end? Ned Panfile, Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach, Mendham High School (NJ).
 
Most of the time, if we have our ends wide, we have some sort of stunt going to the B gap so he can play hard inside on the TE. He is sometimes playing a blind 7 reading the OT and based on that block, he adjusts accordingly.
With your defense, what are the critical elements to defend the inside zone running game and what offensive sets give you the most trouble? Richard Shepas, Head Coach, Waynesburg University.
 
You must be gap sound against the zone. Each defensive lineman has to get to his gap and penetrate but not be washed out if playing the gap. Slant to the heels of the offensive line and then flatten. The LBs must make sure that they do not create bubbles that the RB can get into easily. Tough formations are empty especially if they have an athletic QB.
 
A two-part question: With the proliferation on the zone read option out of 2 x 2 and 3 x 1 alignments, what stunts, dogs, and edge pressures do you use to take away the quarterback and still be sound in the “Back End”? Also, what adjustments do you make versus traditional power formations, the Wing-T and Double Wing?

Jeff Schaum,  Former Head Coach, Warner University (FL)
 
I think it is important to remain gap sound. We like to play games on the back side switching up the defender responsible for the QB. This makes the QB unsure of his read and most often will hand the ball off if he’s uncertain. 

We do not stay in stack vs. the Wing-T. We used to run the Wing-T and had good success running against teams that stayed in a straight stack. We will bring our stinger down to the 9 technique on TE, roll our Gator (linebacker) defender. The outside linebacker drops down to the outside eye of the wing and the CB drops back. On the open side, we move to 4I and rover (another linebacker). The outside linebacker plays a 2 x 2 off the slot with the free safety over the top. We also can slide to an under front. We are not married to the stack and will gameplan accordingly based on the week’s opponent.
 
How do you teach your defensive backs to defend four vertical routes when in cover 3?
Troy Abbs,  Defensive Coordinator,  Trine University.
 
We do not like to be in cover 3 vs. 4 verticals but have done it a few times in the past. The outside linebacker must be physical on the slot receivers and must carry them so that it helps the free safety. The cornerbacks play an inside leverage and, if ball is thrown late, they can help on the inside by splitting. We would rather make the quarterback throw the outside fade.
 
What are your basic rules for stopping, or at least containing, the up-tempo, no-huddle offense? Bob Conrad, Assistant Coach, Notre Dame High School (CA).
 
We must communicate and make the checks based on formations and the blitz/coverage call from the coach. Those are the most critical elements in trying to contain the no-huddle offense. Without good communication by our linebacker and free safety, we would be in trouble because everyone has to be on the same page. If it’s really a loud situation, we’ll then use hand signals for coverages.






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