The Situation

© More from this issue

          
You’re on defense and your team has continually defended your opponent inside your 40 yard line. It’s red zone defense again as the clock ticks midway through the fourth quarter. It’s 4th and 9, you’re up 14-7 and the ball is on your 20 yard line, set on the (Defensive) right hash. They come out in trips open to the right and have been using slide protection to the strength with the ace back blocking inside-out and releasing if the end gets washed inside.

What defensive play would you use in this situation?

---

Scott Cramer, Defensive Coordinator,
Verona Area High School (WI).
AFM subscriber since 2003.

In this situation, we’d play our 30 Defense, a 3-4 with a four spoke secondary. In most instances we would play quarters coverage in the secondary with a 4 underneath zone. As game planning and game observations dictate, we may bring an outside backer into the pass rush. This situation is likely in an X-stunt with an end, rotating down the safety to that side to a 3-deep, 4-under coverage. We also would consider ‘spying’ our nose or an inside backer in the case of a mobile, scrambling quarterback. We would tell our linebackers to deepen their alignment, so that we would coup any shallow routes and tackle them short of the first down. By deepening the LB alignment, we give them the opportunity to maintain a relationship with the first down. This is opposed to them dropping too deep from their normal alignment and the receiver catching the ball just over the first down. This alignment deepens our secondary. Their initial play reaction would be to slow-play the routes as they develop, eyes on the QB, breaking downhill at the ball. This also gives our linebackers the vision to break downhill on any runs, screens or draws. If not in a spy technique, our nose would have a two-way go on the center, while our ends’ main priority would be to contain the QB and squeeze the pocket. A spying inside linebacker would account for the QB should he run through an inside gap. As the field gets compressed, the corners can be a bit more aggressive in alignment and coverage. Therefore, they would use alignments and/or technique that would prevent a quick inside route and force a throw to the outside.

30 Strong vs. Ace Trips Open

---

Richard Wells, Defensive Coordinator
and Defensive Backs Coach,
Montana State University-Northern,
AFM subscriber since 2007.

Our call would be Okie 2 Trapper. The coverage is Cover 2 with our corners playing second to first level on floods. The free and weak safeties play wider than their normal landmarks because we are using a ‘Tampa’ concept with our Trapper Safety who is aligned at left inside LB. He will be our hole runner, working off #3 strong. If the QB rolls, we will roll the cover to him. The M will Spy the QB for a draw and scramble. The nose will also check draw. The strong safety will work the seam inside out. The ends will be on screen alert. We will emphasize defending the sticks and knowing their favorite routes. Communicate! We don’t have to stop a pass. We have to stop a nine yard or more pass.

Okie 2 Trapper

Coming in December: You’re on special teams where your opponent faces a fourth and four at their own 25 yard line. Your opponent leads, 20-17, with just over a minute remaining in the game. They're in punt formation with gunners spread on both sides and a personal protector lined up in front of the punter. There are also two blocking backs over each guard as signals are called. How would you align your defense and what strategy would you use to do everything to block this punt and get possession in your opponent's territory? Go to www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com/thesituation or send your response and play diagram to AFM’s Managing Editor Rex Lardner at rlardner@lcclark.com.

NEW BOOK!

Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach