By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
Twitter: @MikekKuchar

Introduction:

It’s not an aberration that when the Naval Academy and Army compete against each other in December, they are utilizing odd front structures.

In fact, 27 percent of coaches choose to utilize and odd front when defending flexbone triple option concepts. And while we will present various sources viewpoints on using the odd front, it’s important to note that many odd front coaches continually change their assignments when defending triple option concepts. Part of the complexity of defending triple option is having the discipline to play your assignments properly. We all know that. The successful option offenses will continually monitor how you are defending them and adjust accordingly. So while as a defensive coordinator, you may be confident in delegating these assignments to your players it may all come to naught by the second series of the game.

In this study, we sought out defensive coordinators that were successful in defending the option. In fact, many of them see it in practice every day from their own team. These offenses aren’t going away anytime soon and you’ll need to know how to defend them in order to have some deal of success. Every offense has some element of option football and in this case we will study pure triple option concepts from the flexbone and how odd front defenses are defending them.

First, we found that 88 percent of coaches have some experience in defending flexbone option offenses. By flexbone, we are referring to the Navy system, two slots (or A backs) a B back (FB) and two wide receivers. While these formations can change, the personnel usually does not. We also found that when defending these schemes, 64 percent of coaches use a phase base system (dive, pitch keep) while 19 percent use a gap based system (A gap responsible, B gap responsible, etc.).

Below, we selected a couple contributors to our study to explain the base way they defend option from their odd fronts.

Base Defensive Assignments:

We studied how each type of odd front prepares to defend the triple option. We classified odd front structures based on 3-4 or 3-3 fronts. While we will go into further depth on how specifically, option football is defended, below is a general synopsis of how odd front coaches are playing assignment football. These responses were generated from our reader survey.

3-3-5 Base:

John Martin, Mt. Anthony Union High School (VT): “We run a 3-3 flex defense which gives us a pure gap alignment. From there, we are able to gap exchange easily on the snap, while still being gap sound. This ensures that we are ready for option football once the ball is snapped.”

Eric Firestone, Hazel Green High School (AL): “We run a 3-3-5 System. Our defensive ends are in 5-techniques. They and the middle linebacker are responsible for dive. Our stack linebackers will play quarterback to pitch. Our free safety will play pitch. Everyone else is secondary in the phases.”

3-4 Base:

Bill Debernarde, Calvary Chapel High School (CA): “It really depends on the athletes on the offense, and the athleticism of our personnel. In general, our responsibilities are as follows: nose and inside linebackers have dive; defensive ends have quarterback; outside linebackers have pitch; safeties have ball (RB to QB to pitch); and the corners have pitch.”

Mike Gutelius, Lindsey Wilson College (KY): “We use a 3-4 base with outside linebackers walked up with 4i techniques from the defensive ends. We move the front post-snap one direction or the other and roll the coverage based off of option action.”

Mark Lyons, Central Valley High School (PA): “In our 3-4 structure, we use the nose guard and 5-techniques play the dive. The inside linebackers play dive to quarterback, while the outside linebackers slow play for the quarterback. The safeties will play alley quarterback to pitch.”

George Balian, Burlington High School (MA): “We use a 3-4 defense vs. the flexbone option. The inside linebackers has the dive; the outside linebackers have the quarterback while the safeties play pitch. The corners are locked man to man in coverage.”

Mark Brown, Carroll High School (IN): “The defensive line handles the dive back whether it is the running back or quarterback. The outside linebacker is the QB player or outside runner. The inside linebackers play quarterback to pitch. The safeties play pitch.”

Odd Front Systems to Defend Triple Option:

While those might be the base ways to defend triple option concepts in the odd front system, we wanted to single in on some specific programs to research how they were defending pure option football. We selected six programs from all levels who had a winning percentage of .750 or higher in defending option football. We presented a synopsis of how each of these systems defend option football. While much of our contributions come in the form of defending flexbone option, we’ve found that coaches are using these same principles to defend spread option concepts as well. We broke down each of these systems on the following:

By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
Twitter: @MikekKuchar

Introduction:

We found the majority of coaches, 44 percent, choose to use four down fronts to defend the flexbone option (See Chart Below). The reasoning is molded around the ability to cover up offensive linemen to prevent them from getting to the second level. We’ve also found that many defensive coaches are choosing to use a single gap control system (rather than those two-gap principles tied to odd front teams) to defend option. They are in the opinion that your assignments are clearer when you have one gap to control.

Even Front Systems to Defend Triple Option:

While those might be the base ways to defend triple option concepts in the even front system, we wanted to single in on some specific programs to research how they were defending pure option football. We selected six programs from all levels who had a winning percentage of .750 or higher in defending option football. We presented a synopsis of how each of these systems defend option football. While much of our contributions come in the form of defending flexbone option, we’ve found that coaches are using these same principles to defend spread option concepts as well. We broke down each of these systems on the following:

• Base Structure and Methodology
• First Level Play
• Second Level Play
• Third Level Play
• Changeups to defend option
• Pressure Packages

4-2-5 Base Structures:

Source 1: Northwest High School (OH)
Defensive Coordinator Robert Burke

Base Defense:
Northwest High School is a press quarters coverage team that will challenge receivers in the quick game. “Our main front is an under front, but we also use an odd at times.,” said Coach Burke. “Our philosophy is to spill everything to the sideline and let our athletes run it down. We are a squeeze and wrong arm team, which becomes important to how we defend these offenses. Our base coverage is quarters with a cover 3 check. Our coverage calls are dictated by the looks the offense gives us. We split the field in half and adapt to each so that no matter what the offense throws at us so we are not outflanked.”

Play of First Level:
The defensive end is taught to get hands on all down blocks. “This frees our inside linebackers up to make plays,” said Coach Burke. “Our end man on the line of scrimmage must also tackle the dive against the option. This dictates how we run fit the safeties and linebackers. Our DEs (and at times OLBs) must use this technique for us to be effective. Against these offenses and in our under front we play our Mike linebacker at 6 ½ to 7 yards over the ball. By squeezing down blocks we allow him to be an inside out player and flow downhill untouched.”

Play of Second Level:
Coach Burke will align his Mike linebacker at 6.5-7 yards over the ball. “By squeezing down blocks we allow him to be an inside out player and flow downhill untouched,” he said. “It is also important to point out that our coverage calls dictate our force and fill calls as well. When we split the field in half there must be a force, fill and pass only player on each side of the ball. When we discuss these calls note that against options teams the force player is pitch player and the fill player is the quarterback player.” Coach Burke explains these concepts below.

Nail:
“Nail is a read between the outside backer and the quarters safety,” said Burke. “The outside linebacker plays at 3.5-4 yards off the wing on his inside shoulder. The safety aligns at 8 yards on his outside shoulder. Nail is a simple read. If the wing arcs or base blocks then the outside linebacker is the force player. He press sheds the wing and doesn’t let the ball outside him. Again, he is the pitch player vs. the option. The safety becomes the fill player vs. an arc. (Diagram 35). If the wing wraps inside for plays such as midline or belly, the outside linebacker wraps with him and becomes the fill player. The safety then becomes a force player vs. an insert block (Diagram 36). The corner has all of the number one receiver and we press. The safety has all of number two if he crosses five yards. If number two goes under five yards then the safety can double number one. The outside linebacker has the flat and runs with all wheels.”

By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
Twitter: @MikekKuchar

Introduction:

By now, the RPO (run/pass option) game has arrived at a ball field near you. According to our research 80 percent of defensive coordinators have experience defending RPO concepts. While these concepts are proliferating, we wanted to research how defensive coordinators were using a holistic approach in defending them. Were they treating them as triple option elements? Where they using a certain coverage or front to contain them? Since many of these offensive concepts are still being developed, we were not surprised with how many coaches were still grasping for answers. It may be perhaps the number one course of study this off-season for defensive coordinators. In fact, many coaches we researched either didn’t have the confidence to put their names to the report or plainly chose not to for fear of being exposed. Naturally, we did our due diligence to find those that believed in what they are doing and had the credibility to put their name to it.

We decided to segment our research in this case to certain coverages that coaches are using to defend RPO concepts. We also detail which types of RPO concepts or constraints (stick draw, zone bubble, zone pop, etc.) that these coverages are efficient in defending. This case will focus on zone-based configurations, whether it be split field variations or whole field variations. Our research shows that the majority of coaches, 32 percent, will use split field coverage principles to defend the RPO game.

We selected six sources that have had a win percentage of .750 or higher in defending these offenses to explain how they were successful. Their system analysis is below.

Quarters/Split Field Coverage Families:

Source 1: Henderson State University (AR)
Co-Defensive Coordinator Jeff McInerney

Methodology:
Henderson State University finished third in the country among Division II schools with 29 interceptions and did so by teaching their secondary to read the eyes of the quarterback even in zone concepts. They play their corners in the off position at eight yards and read the quarterback to determine run or pass. According to co-defensive coordinator Jeff McInerney, it’s a concept he learned from TCU’s head Coach Gary Patterson that has made a world of difference in them breaking to the ball. “Yeah, it can be scary,” he told us. “But if you do it right, you will confuse him and more importantly bait him into making a poor throw.” Henderson State is a 3-4 outfit that will rush an additional fourth defender at times. They play split field, matchup zone coverage structures, but will choose to play with at least two deep safeties to limit the vertical gains. “We will rally and tackle,” said Coach McInerney.

QB Down Elbow Trigger Point:
When Henderson State preps against RPO offenses, they will use the quarterback’s down (or play side) elbow to determine whether it’s give of pull. “We teach our defensive backs to have a visual aiming point of the quarterbacks midsection to down elbow,” co-defensive coordinator Matt Gordon told us. “If he is a right handed quarterback, we are staring at his belly to his left elbow. If that left elbow stays high and up, we will stay with our flat footwork progression. Quarterbacks are not going to pick their arms up after they handoff the ball. They will go through the mesh and the progression, but they are lazy. When the ball is out, the elbow stays high. When the elbow pops back up, we find our pass responsibilities.” While this is apropos for offset situations, Coach Gordon tells us the pistol is harder to read, but the triple option component is not there. “In Pistol for us it’s ‘is his back to me or is his back away?’ Is the quarterback pushing to me or is his back being turned at me?”

We talk a lot about angles of departure. By the receivers third or fourth step, we have a good feel of what he is running. We should know by the third step what he is running.

Deuce Coverage:

Constraints Defended: 3×1 Stick Draw Concepts, 3×1 vertical concepts

Deuce coverage is a four down front coverage where the additional rusher will come from the second level. It’s similar to a read two coverage in quarters where the trips side corner will play the out routes of number two while the free safety will play the vertical of number two behind him. The Nickel is the short wall player of number two while the Sam is the short wall player of number three. The safety plays number two only if he’s past linebacker depth. In 3×1 sets, the Nickel is inside number two and the apexed Sam linebacker will play the short game of number three and does so by reading the quarterback for his run/pass demeanor before breaking on the ball. He will be the quarterback player on zone read option. The coaching point is not to get beat inside and rally to the flat.

“The Sam must see the mesh of the quarterback,” said Coach McInerney. “Once the ball is thrown, he has to get here in a hurry.” It’s basically a matchup cover two. To the backside, the weak safety will start at 12 yards and come down to 8 to be on top of number three. He will poach or play anything past five yards on the backside number three. The corner plays man-to-man backside. “You have to match up on number three and number two without playing true man free. We widen our backers vs. trips but we don’t pull them. The Mike has to get under number three if it’s trips. We matchup with the Nickel on number two and the strong safety will carry number three to the backside safety. (Diagram 62).”

By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
Twitter: @MikekKuchar

Introduction:

It’s impossible to defend these schemes during the course of a game week, which is why most coaches don’t. We’ve found that the majority of coaches, 57 percent choose to start preparing for triple option offenses in the spring or summer leading up to the season (See Graph Below). So, we reached out to those coaches who have won at least half their games against these schemes to tell us exactly how they prep for these offenses.

Practice Planning Flexbone Option:

Shawn Quinn, the defensive coordinators at Western Carolina University, adopted the following practice philosophies when defending triple option concepts:

• Teach half/part/whole
• Start half line than progress to full line.
• Start with defensive line and back seven split up.
• Start in the spring devoting time to defending the option every day.
• Do a technique circuit which includes arc, load and cut work.
• During the season, set aside time every day to practice basic option fits. We use ten minutes every Monday practice.
• Work option fits during bye weeks.
• Do as many drills without a ball to have defenders go to their responsibilities.
• Rep every call verses one play. For example, use dive option weak vs. every defensive call you have.
• Rep every play vs. one defensive call.
• Use a perimeter blocking drill with cut blocking.

Half-Line Methodologies:

Jay Brophy, Buchtel High School (OH): “Set up half line group work on assignment football. Two half lines set up going left and right, rotating defense so they get looks going both ways on option.”

Jared Ocker, Sioux City East High School (IA): “We do half line fits all week against the various phases of the options. We use scout team cards and do not use a football. We will work on getting hands on and blocking down step down. This is also the time where we will script in our line stunts and blitzes.”

Jim Dawson, Trinity University (TX): “Split drills…a-b gap reads and games, c-d gap reads and play all before coming together in a team option drill or script.”

Team Defense Methodologies:

Gary Phillips, Conestoga High School (PA): “We practice a whole defense drill that works all phases of the option (dive/keep/pitch). We work on this for 10 minutes every practice in preparation.”

James Cook, Smithfield High School (RI): “Pursuit drills. Making sure our defense is running through the dive to QB then to the pitch.”

No-Ball Methodologies:

Michael McKay, Indian Trail High School (WI): “We have the LBs and perimeter guys practice responsibilities without a ball. Using bags as OL.”

Andy Guyon, Xavier High School (CT): “We always practice without the ball and on the last day all of the phases have the ball so we can work on takeaways.”

By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
Twitter: @MikekKuchar

Introduction:

The following research was conducted as part of XandOLabs.com special report on “Even Front Structures to Defend Flexbone Option,” which can be accessed in full by clicking here. 

Source 1: Northwest High School (OH)
Defensive Coordinator Robert Burke

Base Defense:
Northwest High School is a press quarters coverage team that will challenge receivers in the quick game. “Our main front is an under front, but we also use an odd at times.,” said Coach Burke. “Our philosophy is to spill everything to the sideline and let our athletes run it down. We are a squeeze and wrong arm team, which becomes important to how we defend these offenses. Our base coverage is quarters with a cover 3 check. Our coverage calls are dictated by the looks the offense gives us. We split the field in half and adapt to each so that no matter what the offense throws at us so we are not outflanked.”

Play of First Level:
The defensive end is taught to get hands on all down blocks. “This frees our inside linebackers up to make plays,” said Coach Burke. “Our end man on the line of scrimmage must also tackle the dive against the option. This dictates how we run fit the safeties and linebackers. Our DEs (and at times OLBs) must use this technique for us to be effective. Against these offenses and in our under front we play our Mike linebacker at 6 ½ to 7 yards over the ball. By squeezing down blocks we allow him to be an inside out player and flow downhill untouched.”

Play of Second Level:
Coach Burke will align his Mike linebacker at 6.5-7 yards over the ball. “By squeezing down blocks we allow him to be an inside out player and flow downhill untouched,” he said. “It is also important to point out that our coverage calls dictate our force and fill calls as well. When we split the field in half there must be a force, fill and pass only player on each side of the ball. When we discuss these calls note that against options teams the force player is pitch player and the fill player is the quarterback player.” Coach Burke explains these concepts below.