Coach Daniels Presents

The 33 Odd Stack Defense

Joseph Daniels
Defensive Coordinator
Natomas High School
Sacramento, California
coachdaniels@sbcglobal.net

Why run the 33 Odd Stack

Allows us to get BEST 11 athletes on the field

Flexibility; rush OR drop 8 players
Easy to teach, techniques are ALWAYS the same
Creates doubt in the offense due to pre-snap
movement
The defense promotes aggressive play
There is no need for a Nickel or Dime personnel
package, again your best 11 are already on the field
The defense easily morphs into a 4 or 5 man front.
Finally, again it is SIMPLE.

33 Base Alignments
4
3x3
yards

4
0

NG

LLB

MLB

12 yards

3x3
yards
R

5 yards

L
7 yards

RLB

7 yards

Other Alignments

40

40 Under

MLB

NG

RLB

LLB

MLB

E
L
LLB

NG

RLB

Eagle

Tuff

LLB

NG

RLB

L
R

MLB

Goal Line or Short Yardage

LLB

N
G
MLB

R
RLB

Alignment Terminology
9

7 5
Tech

4i

2i

2i

3 4i

Description of Alignment

Head Up on C Both A Gaps

Shaded defender split w/ inside foot A Gap

Head up on OG A & R gaps

2i

Inside eye of OG outside foot to inside eye A Gap

Outside eye of OG inside foot to outside eye, R Gap

Head up OT R & C Gaps

4i

Inside eye of Tackle R Gap

Outside eye of OT C Gap

Head Up TE C & D Gaps

Inside eye of TE C Gap

Outside eye of TE D Gap

Base 33 Run Gaps and Pass Drops

C

BA

AB

NG

R
LLB

MLB

RLB

C
C
S

Gap Responsibilities
Jacks Strong
C

Jacks Weak
B

Pinch Strong
C

NG

LLB

MLB

NG

LLB

RLB

MLB

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

Pinch Weak/Open
B

E
RLB

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Nose Guard
Run: Play side A gap in direction
Pass: Rush either A gap

Keys: Primary: Center/Ball Movement

Secondary: Both Guards

Techniques: Punch center, inside lockout,

keep shoulders square, find guards for
POA

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Nose Guard Continued
Key Blocks:
Drive Block: Knock center back, square , locate
ball
Dbl Team: Attack guard, stay low, make a pile
Hook/Reach: control centers outside shoulder
Zone: play like hook stay parallel, keep center of
LBs
Center away, G down: release from C and
control guards outside shoulder
Pass: rush either A gap

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Defensive Ends
Run: Base 2 gap, Jacks C Gap, Pinch B Gap
Pass: Contain QB if Razer/Lazer in coverage

Keys: Primary: Tackle

Secondary: TE/Near Back

Technique: step near foot, Rip backside

forearm, square up, anticipate TE/near back
block

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Defensive Ends Continued
Key Blocks
Drive Block: Rip through tackles head, turn OT shoulders,
control C gap
OT/OG zone away: penetrate, flatten ,look for cut back
OT/OG zone to: rip through OT head, keep OT from LBs,
avoid OGs block Plug C and bounce play outside
Tackle/End DBL Team: attack TE, flatten across his face
Tackle blocks down, DE unblocked: stop flatten, look for
trap and trap the trapper, if POA is away chase as deep as
ball

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Lazer and Razor
Run To: Fly up and secure D gap
Run Away: Check TE, then pursue the Ball
Pass: Depends on coverage

Keys: Primary: Tight End or Ball Movement

Secondary: Near back, Pulling Lineman
Techniques: Read TE block, contain run if TE
blocks, drop into pass coverage if he releases

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Lazer and Razor Continued

Key Blocks:

TE blocks down or Near Back kicks out: Off-Tackle play, fill the TEs
block, spill play outside
TE down/Back Hooks: Sweep, keep shoulders parallel, maintain outside
leverage, force runner inside or outside DEEP
TE blocks you or releases/near back kicks out LLB or RLB: Off tackle
Play, if TE releases cover him or drop in coverage. If TE blocks, squeeze
play inside, maintain outside leverage and expect runner to bounce
outside
TE Blocks Player/Sweep: Beat TEs block and blow up play in the
backfield
TE releases/Flow away: check TE for throwback , then pursue play

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Mike Linebacker
Run: fly to LOS and plug A gap
Pass: Depends upon the coverage
Keys: Primary: Backfield flow
Secondary: Pulling guards
Techniques: keep shoulders parallel to LOS.
Attack block as close to LOS as possible, take
on blockers outside shoulder with outside leg
back. Pursue runs from an inside out position

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Mike Linebacker Continued
Key Blocks
Flowside G blocks Will B: attack Gs outside shoulder a close to
LOS as possible, maintain outside leverage, bounce play out
side
Flowside G pulls opposite flow: reverse direction and plug
opposite B gap
Flowside T blocks LB: control Ts shoulder and fill outside of the
block
Flowside G blocks down/Near back blocks Will B: attack backs
outside shoulder with inside forearm rip as close to LOS as
possible, keep outside leverage, spill play outside
Passing play: depends on coverage

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Lou and Rob LBs
Run: Plug the B or C gap depending on OTs block
and direction of DEs slant
Pass: Depends on coverage
Keys
Primary: Tackle
Secondary: Backfield flow/Pulling Guards
Technique: Keep shoulders parallel to the line and
attack blocks close to LOS. Attack blockers outside
shoulder. Pursue runs from an inside out position

33 Base Responsibilities and Keys

Lou and Rob LBs Continued
Key Blocks
DE slants outside /OT blocks DE: Fill B gap, attack the guard
or near back close to LOS. Keep outside leverage
DE slants outside/OT blocks Player: If flow is away, rip through
the tackles block, look for cutback, if towards player, avoid
OTs block and fill C gap off of DEs tail
DE slants outside/OT gets Mike: fill B gap
DE slants inside/OT blocks player: Fill C gap, Attack OT at
LOS, maintain leverage, bounce play outside
DE slants inside/ OT blocks Mike: fill to DE tail
TE/OT DBL team DE: fill close to DBL team, take on near back
or pulling OL with inside forearm ,maintain outside leverage
TE blocks Player: attack TE with outside forearm, maintain
inside leverage and protect C gap

Formation Adjustments
Full House/Bone
BLACK CALL

With any Double TE

formation we will make a
BLACK which tells both
Razor and Lazer they are
on the LOS outside eye
of TE

E
LLB

NG

MLB

RLB

Formation Adjustments -Trips

NG

L
C

R
LLB

MLB

RLB

33 vs. Wing-T

L
C

E
LLB

NG

E
R

MLB

RLB

33 vs. The Option

Lazer and Razor Rules
1.

NG

L
C

DL has FB DIVE, TACKLE HIM EVERY

TIME, whether he has the ball or not
LLB

MLB

TACKLE THE PITCH

BACK EVERY
TIMEtake away
the option

2. Option away get

across LOS play as
deep as deepest
man watch reverse
C

RLB

Rob and Lou Rules

1.

TACKLE THE QB EVERY TIME

HIT HIM HARD, but CLEAN

2. Option away DIVE , QB then

pitch help in that order,
watch for cut back or reverse

S
Safety get to the alley
play QB then Pitch

Mike Rules
1.Dive-check FB, if no ball..
2. QB if no ball
3. Pitch help

Blitz Gaps
Strong

E
LLB

Weak/Open

NG
MLB

E
RLB

Stunts and Blitzes

Prowl

Moving around and showing before snap

LLB

NG
MLB

RLB

Bear

LLB

NG
MLB

RLB

Stunts and Blitzes

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

NG

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

LLB

MLB

RLB

Stunts and Blitzes

E
L

E
L
LLB

MLB

LLB

N
G
MLB

N
G

RLB

LLB

N
G

MLB

N
G

RLB

E
R

RLB
LLB

MLB

RLB

Stunts and Blitzes

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

Lazer or Razor

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

Shoot

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

Stunts and Blitzes

NG

L
LLB

MLB

NG

RLB

L
LLB

MLB

RLB

Stunts and Blitzes

L

E
R

LLB

NG

MLB

NG

RLB

E
R

LLB

MLB

RLB

Stunts and Blitzes

E
R

LLB

NG

MLB

NG

RLB

E
R

LLB

MLB

RLB

Stunts & Blitzes to Field

R
LLB

NG

MLB

RLB

NG

R
LLB

MLB

RLB

Stunts and Blitzes

NG

E
R

LLB

MLB

RLB

NG

E
R

LLB

MLB

RLB

Falcon: Safety Blitz

Weak/Open
E

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

Strong

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

FS

FS

BAT

Weak/Open BAT

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

FS

NG

LLB

MLB

RLB

FS

Zero Coverage
C

E
LLB

NG

R
C

MLB

RLB

CBs have first man from

sideline. Force everything
outside and over your
head. FS will cover the
TE or second receiver to
the declared strong side

It will be an automatic
SHOOT call for the OLBs

Lou and Rob will have

first Back out to their
side. In an I formation
mike will have FB and
follow him and wrap him
up. If he fakes TACKLE
him. All LBs if no one
come out, drop into
coverage

Pass Coverages - Cover 1

E

NG

2
C

R
LLB

MLB

RLB

2
C

1
S

Free

Cover 2
E

NG

E
L
S

LLB

MLB

We will rush
one of the LBs
unless there is
a max call,
then we Rob
drop 8

RLB

Example:
Lou Bat or Rob Bat
The remaining LBS will rotate
to fill the hole in coverage
left by the blitzing LB

Cover 2 Man

NG

RLB

L
LLB

MLB

2
3 or first man out

Cover 3
L

E
LLB

NG

MLB

RLB

C
S

Cover 3 Man
E

NG

R
LLB

MLB

3
S

RLB

2
C

Cover 4
E

NG

RLB

LLB

MLB

C
S

Cover 5
E

Lazer and Razor line up in

and cover flats, have outside
contain on runs
C

LLB

NG

MLB

RLB

CBs and Safety line up

across @ 12 yards and
have deep 1/3s

Cover 6- Long Distance/Prevent

NG

Ends contain , NG collapse pocket

LLB

Spy the QB and play draw

L

MLB

RLB

LAZER,MIKE ROB have 1/3s just below the back

watch the underneath patterns and draws
C

C
S

CB, RAZOR & S have deep s NOTHING GETS BEHIND YOU

Goal Line Defense- Bear

Vs DBL TE
LLB

NG

RLB

MLB

C
S

Vs I/Pro

LLB

NG

MLB

RLB

C
S

Goal Line Defense- 33 Bear

Vs Trips
LLB

NG

RLB

L
MLB

C
S

Vs Empty sets

LLB

NG

RLB

MLB

C
S

Goal Line Defense-Bear Responsibility Chart

Pos

Align

Key

Run Str

Run Wk

Pass

St E

Guard

B-Gap

C-Gap/Pursue

Free Rush

Wk E

Guard

B-Gap/Pursue

C-Gap

Free Rush

Ball

Backdoor (A-Wk)

Backdoor (A-Str)

Free Rush

Lou

TE

C-gap

C-gap

Man to Man TE

Mike

00

Near Back

Path of Ball

Path of Ball

Man to Man F

Rob

Over # 2

# 2 WR

Man to Man # 2

Man to Man # 2

Man to Man # 2

Lazer

3x1

Ball

Contain Blitzer

Contain Blitzer

Contain Blitzer

Razor

Wide 5

Ball

Contain Blitzer

Contain Blitzer

Contain Blitzer

FS

12-14yds

Qb

Run Alley

Run Alley

Free

SC

1 x 9 OT

Qb

Late Support

Cut-off

Man to Man #1

WC

1 X 9 OT

Qb

Cut-off

Late Support

Man to Man #1