1. Strategies for Defending the Spread Offense with the 3-3
JOHN RICE
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
CANYON SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
MORENO VALLEY, CA
(951)
Coach John Rice

2. Strategies “Maximum” Zone Coverage Pressure
Rush 3, drop 8 (2 deep or 3deep)
Rush 4, drop 7 (2 deep or 3 deep w/Tag)
Pressure
Man Pressure 4, 5, 6, or 7 man
1 Bracket with pressure
Fire Zones rush 5 and drop 6
Zone Blitzes (linemen dropping for blitzing LBs)
Combination Coverage with Pressure
Coach John Rice

3. Common Spread Philosophy
 Spread field through Formation and motion
 Open up running lanes
 Create personnel mismatches
 “Take What you Give us philosophy
 Run the ball vs. appropriate numbers in the box (audible to 5 in the box)
 Pass the ball vs. appropriate numbers in the box (audible to 6 or 7 in the box)
 Throw vs. Uncovered receivers
 Create the big play vs. the blitz
 Use of compressed formations to create confusion or gain an advantage in numbers
Coach John Rice

4. Strategies for Defending the Spread
how to take away certain strategies:
 Take away bubble screen by alignment (draw on board)
 Take away funnel screen by sticking like glue to #1
 Outflank compressed formations
 Play zone or match up zone vs. compressed formations
 Playing bunches or stacks
o Jamming first man off the line in a zone
o Triangle concept man on LOS, bracket other two
Coach John Rice

5. Strategies for Defending the Spread
 Analyze and understand protection scheme of your opponent: Have a pressure packaged based on their protection weaknesses (stunts, bluffs, overloads, personnel mismatches)
 Anticipate the offensive coordinator’s adjustments to your strategy and have at least one countermove for each strategy he employs. two
Coach John Rice

6. Strategies for Defending the Spread
Take away an opponents best receiver by alignment, coverage, or both. Jam on line with safety help to test him. Align deep if he’s a deep threat. Bracket him if you can afford it.
 Know the offensive coordinator’s philosophy and take advantage of it
 Take away what they do best. Make them beat you with someone or something other than their best play.
Coach John Rice

7. Strategies for Defending the Spread
Be prepared for the no huddle
 Practice preparation
i. Use two huddles/units in pass skeleton back to back to back w/#1 QB to keep continuity
ii. Increase pace of drills and increase conditioning
 Game preparation-getting the call on the field
i. Hand Signal call to entire defense (everyone must know signals)
ii. Signal to one defender, he relays the call to defense
iii .Use wristbands and coded calls
Coach John Rice

8. Strategies for Defending the Spread
Have multiple adjustments for motion/formation checks
 Teaching progression early in spring/summer
 Jam receivers at different levels to disrupt timing
 In man
i. On line
ii. Catch and trail
 In zone
i. On the line in 2 jam or 3 jam
ii. At 3 or 5 yards
Coach John Rice

9. Strategies for Defending the Spread
 Disrupt the rhythm of the offense-force post-snap reads. Disguise coverage (show examples)
 Huddle call
 “bluff” (make sure they are not the same)
 “universal”
 wait on OC
 Mix up your looks. Blend pressure and coverage. Utilize straight man, combination (man zone), zone blitzes, and fire zones. (Show game ready sheet)
Coach John Rice

10. Strategies for Defending the Spread Offense
 Play fastest players on defense
If the team you are playing uses personnel packages to gain advantages, use the same 11 players without substituting
 Stop the running game first with the least amount of defenders in the box as possible. If you can stop the run with 5 you have an advantage
 Force the offense to be one-dimensional by doing one of the following:
 Take away the pass. If you can consistently rush 3 and drop 8 defenders into pass coverage you are at an advantage
 Take away the run by loading the line of scrimmage with eight or nine defenders
Coach John Rice

11. Formulating a strategy:
Take away what they do best; make them beat you with something else
Have multiple adjustments to formations if needed
Have formations & coverage checks to prevent the offense from gaining an advantage
Be prepared for no huddle
Be prepared for personnel groupings
Know their pass protection and how to attack it
Have a strategy to defend bunches and stacks
Coach John Rice

12. Alignment vs. Doubles Vs. Doubles Corner Free Safety Spur Bandit Mike
Ram
Lion
Coach John Rice

13. “Pull” ALIGNMENT VS. TRIPS
Coach John Rice

14. “Stack” ALIGNMENT VS. (TE) TRIPS
Coach John Rice

15. Cover 3 Drops Cover 3 Drops
Corner
Free
Safety
Spur
Bandit
Mike
Ram
Lion
5 under
3 Deep Zone
Cover 3 Drops
Spur and Bandit buzz to the flats NOW, playing stop, hitch, & the out cut by #1, and the arrow and bubble by #2. Lion & Ram (as soon as they make a pass read) must get to the hashes to play vertical routes by #2s.
Coach John Rice

16. Cover 3 “Jam” Pass Drops Vs. Doubles Corner Free Safety Spur Bandit
Mike
Ram
Lion
Spur and Bandit jam & reroute #2s, then buzz the flat. On other
than a vertical release
By #2, they take their normal drops to the top of the number once they make their pass read
Coach John Rice

17. Cover 3 Drops Cover 2 Drops
Corner
5 under
2 Deep Zone
W/hi hole player
Bandit
Mike
Ram
Lion
Free
Safety
Spur
Corner
Coach John Rice

18. Strategies for covering empty (or trips) with 33 defense
Play straight cover 2; run with #3 verts
Play soft cover 2 to two receiver side; Quarters to trips side
Play the corner man to man on #1 to the trips side, and soft 2 everywhere else
Play 2 Deep zone, run with inside vertical routes
3-2 w/man free
3-1 with 2 safety look
Coach John Rice

19. 2 Deep Zone VS. TRIPS
Coaching Point in a 2 deep zone: Run with the #3’ vertical route
Coach John Rice

20. Strategy vs. Trips Formations:
Quarters to trips side; Soft 2 to single side
Quarters to trips side
Soft Cover 2
Soft 2 to single cut side E N E S C C L M R F B
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/2
Coach John Rice

21. Strategy vs. Trips Formations:
Man #1 Trips side; Soft 2 everywhere else
Soft Cover 2
Corner man #1 E N E S C C L M R F B
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/2
Coach John Rice

22. Strategy vs. Empty Formations:
Quarters to trips side; Soft 2 to single side
Quarters to trips side
Soft Cover 2
Soft 2 to single cut side E N E S C C M R L F B
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/2
Coach John Rice

23. Strategy vs. Empty Formations:
Man #1 Trips side; Soft 2 everywhere else
Soft Cover 2
Corner man #1 E N E S C C M R L F B
Deep 1/4
Deep 1/2
Coach John Rice

24. Strategies for covering empty w/33
Play soft cover 2 to two receiver side; Quarters to trips side
Play the corner man to man on #1 to the trips side, and soft 2 everywhere else
Play 2 Deep zone, run with inside vertical routes
3-2 w/man free
3-1 with 2 safety look
Coach John Rice

25. Pressure Man Pressure 5 man 6 man 7 man Coach John Rice

26. Principles for Applying Pressure
Disguise your intentions if at all possible
Use more than one disguise per blitz
Know the protection scheme you are attacking
Know the opponent’s hot reads and sight adjustments
(may be able to force a certain throw favorable to you)
Ensure your defense is gap sound
Assign proper run force
In man schemes, every potential receiver is accounted for
Don’t allow offense to create a mismatch
Create mismatches that favor the defense-attack weakness
Coach John Rice

27. Principles for Maximizing Effectiveness of Pressure Scheme
Pressure Calls MUST be scripted.
Blitz Period /7 on 7/Team
Practice the four looks (show, half, time, depth)
Show unusual formations/motion
Force checks to prevent unfavorable situations
Emphasize blitzing defenders redirect to the ball if play is a run
Coach John Rice

28. Zone Pressure
Can you force an audible by showing pressure pre-snap and drop a defender into a passing lane?
Coach John Rice

29. Dime 4 “Idaho” 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 E N E S B C $ F L M Coach John Rice

30. Dime 4 “Oregon” 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/4 E N E S B C $ F L M Coach John Rice

31. 5 Man Pressure From Base Front (6) Ox, Tiger, Smoke, Torch, Red, Crazy
Fire Zones (9)
Thunder, Hurrican, Lamb, Rambo, Rex, Lex, Laser, Male, Mare
From Dime Front (6)
Crossfire, Mable (switch), Spice, Sugar, Axe
Coach John Rice

32. 5 man pressure-from base
“Coverage-Blitz”
Examples:
“3 Ox Show” (cover 3 with Mike & Ram going)
“3 Tiger Half” (cover 3 Mike and Ram going)
“0 Sting Time” (cover 0 with Spur and Bandit going)
“0 Smoke Show” (cover 0, line slanting weak, Spur, Ram going outside End)
Coach John Rice

33. 3 OX
Coach John Rice

34. 3 Tiger
Coach John Rice

35. 0 Smoke
Coach John Rice

36. 0 Torch
Coach John Rice

37. 3 Jacks Red
Coach John Rice

38. “Crazy”
Coach John Rice

39. 5 man pressure from Dime:
Crossfire
Mable (Switch)
Spice
Sugar
Axe
Coach John Rice

40. Dime 1Free Rules: E N $ M R B C S F Hole Deep Middle
Dime ($) in for Lion; will align according to blitz called. Man up with #3 in empty
We are playing man coverage with Spur and Bandit on #2’s (over vs. trips)
We will always send at least 1 linebacker; the other will be a hole defender.
If we send both inside backers, Dime will be hole defender unless covering #3 in empty.
Free Safety is playing deep middle. We can also use him to bracket a receiver & play 0.
Hole defender will abandon responsibility if R releases. In that case, man up on R.
Coach John Rice

41. Dime Crossfire Cover 1FreeN E S B $ M R C C
Hole F
Deep Middle
Coach John Rice

42. Dime “Mable” Cover 1 FreeN E B S C M R C $
Hole F
Deep Middle
Coach John Rice

43. Dime “ Mable Switch” Cover 1 FreeN E B C M R S C $
Hole F
Deep Middle
Coach John Rice

44. Dime “Spice” Cover 1 FreeN E $ B C M R C S
Hole F
Deep Middle
Coach John Rice

45. Dime “Sugar” Cover 1 FreeN E B $ C M R C S
Hole F
Deep Middle
Coach John Rice

46. Dime Axe Cover 1Free E N E B $ M R C S C F To field Hole Deep Middle
Nose slants to field (blitz)
Coach John Rice

47. 2 Shell Pressure
Coach John Rice

48. Dime Double Plug Robber
Coach John Rice

49. Dime Tornado
Coach John Rice

50. Dime Field Slam
Coach John Rice

51. Dime Lightening
Coach John Rice

52. Dime Win
Coach John Rice

53. 3-3 Fire Zone Pressure E N L M R B C S F
Cover 33: 3 deep, 3 under, rush 5 E N L M R B C S F
Seam/curl/flat
hole
Seam/curl/flat
Cover 33 Rules:
We are sending 5 (3 linemen and usually 2 linebackers)
The remaining linebacker is a hole defender
We will cover both seams, not allow vertical releases by #2’s
Coach John Rice

54. Thunder Cover 33 E N E B C L M R C S F Field Seam/curl/flat
Hole S F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
Coach John Rice

55. Hurricane Cover 33 E N E S C L M R C B F Field Seam/curl/flat Hole
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
Coach John Rice

56. Lamb Cover 33 E N E C S L M R B C F Seam/curl/flat Seam/curl/flat Hole
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
Coach John Rice

57. Rambo Cover 33 E N E C S L M R B C F Seam/curl/flat Hole
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
Coach John Rice

58. Rex Cover 33 E N E R C S L M B C F Seam/curl/flat Hole Seam/curl/flat
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
Coach John Rice

59. Lex Cover 33 L E N E C S M R B C F Seam/curl/flat Seam/curl/flat Hole
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
Coach John Rice

60. Laser Cover 33 E N E C S L M R B C F Seam/curl/flat Seam/curl/flat
Hole F
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
Coach John Rice

61. Male Cover 33 E N E C S L M R B C F Seam/curl/flat Seam/curl/flat Hole
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
Coach John Rice

62. Mare Cover 33 E N E C S L M R B C F Seam/curl/flat Seam/curl/flat Hole
Thirds
Thirds
Thirds
Coach John Rice

63. 6 man pressure
Coach John Rice

64. Zoo
Coach John Rice

65. TigerBandit
Coach John Rice

66. Ox Spur
Coach John Rice

67. TigerSpur
Coach John Rice

68. OxBandit
Coach John Rice

69. Pressure from dime
Coach John Rice

70. 6 man pressure from Base “Coverage-Blitz” Examples:
“ 0 Zoo Time” (cover 0 with Lion Mike,Ram going)
“3 Zoo” (cover 3 Lion,Mike and Ram going)
“0 Tiger Bandit half” (cover 0 with Lion, Mike & Bandit going)
“0 Ox Spur” (cover 0, line slanting weak, Spur, Ram going outside End)
Coach John Rice

71. Dime “Python” Cover 0 E N E $ C M R C L S F Coach John Rice

72. Dime “Python Under” Cover 0$ L C M R C S F
Coach John Rice

73. Dime “Boa” Cover 0 E N E L $ C M R C S F Coach John Rice

74. Numbers package
Coach John Rice

75. Numbers Package with Pressure
When double-bracket coverage with pressure is desirable as part of a package
May play single bracket with pressure if desired
When a team places their best receiver at various positions in the offensive formation
Coach John Rice

76. Dime Numbers “12” Anchor Low Hole E E N B S L M C F C $
Coach John Rice

77. Dime Numbers “12” Anchor Low Hole E E N B S L M C F C $
Coach John Rice

78. Numbers 11 Ox (Swap) $ F E N E B S L M C C Coach John Rice

79. Man on #1; keep inside leverage Spur Bracket #2; outside leverage
“Duo” Package E N E S B N M $ C C F
Corners
Man on #1; keep inside leverage
Spur
Bracket #2; outside leverage
Nickel
Bracket #2; inside leverage
Mike
Pressure
Dime
Bandit
Free Safety
Coach John Rice

80. Duo Pressure E N M E N M F Tags: Right Left Field Boundary
“Indiana Right” F
“Indiana Left” E E E E N N M M F
“Ohio Right” F
“Ohio Left”
Coach John Rice

81. Appendix Weekly Practice Overview Sample Defensive Practice Plan
Sample Inside Drill Practice Script
Sample 7 on 7 Period Practice Script
Sample Team Period
Sample Defensive Game Call Sheet
Defensive Implementation Schedule
Coach John Rice

82. WEEKLY OVERVIEW Review Review No Huddle 2 minute
WEEKLY OVERVIEW (USED TO PLAN DAILY PRACTICE)
WEEKLY OVERVIEW
Wrap/Dart
Goaline Runs
Vs. 2 minute offense
Inside Zone
Wrap/Dart
Hi-Lo Crosses
Smash
Review
Hi-Lo Crosses
Smash
Review
Crossing Routes
Review
No Huddle
2 minute
Review Bracket & Pressure Package
Coach John Rice

83. SAMPLE DEFENSIVE PRACTICE PLAN
Coach John Rice

84. SAMPLE INSIDE DRILL PRACTICE SCRIPT
Coach John Rice

85. SAMPLE 7 ON 7 PRACTICE SCRIPT
Coach John Rice

86. SAMPLE TEAM PERIOD PRACTICE SCRIPT
Coach John Rice

87. SAMPLE DEFENSIVE GAME CALL SHEET
Coach John Rice

88. Implementation Schedule
Coach John Rice

89. VIDEO CUT-UPS
Coach John Rice