3 DOWN

RD

DEFENSE

Adam Gaylor
Defensive Coordinator
Broken Arrow High School
3RD DOWN DEFENSE

√GAMEPLAN
√FRONTS
√STUNTS
√COVERAGES
√PRESSURES
 3RD DOWN
GAMEPLAN
• MUST BE GREAT ON 1ST
AND 2ND DOWN IN
ORDER TO GET TO 3RD
DOWN.
• TALK ABOUT 3RD DOWN
AS A STAFF (IDEAS).
• 3RD DOWN COACH
• EMPHASIZE 3RD DOWN
TO PLAYERS.
• WHERE IS THE “CUT” ?
 3RD DOWN
GAMEPLAN
• FAVORITE PLAYS BY 3RD
& 1-3, 4-6, 7-10, AND 11+
• MATCH CALLS WITH
TENDENCIES.
• PLAYERS MUST BE AWARE
OF THE “STICKS”.
• WHO ARE THEIR
PLAYMAKERS?
• ‘CLOUD STAR’
• HOW CAN WE ATTACK
PROTECTIONS? CENTER/RB
• DO THEY THROW HOT?
• WHAT WILL BE THEIR
ANSWERS TO OUR
PRESSURES?
 RD
3 AND LONG:
FRONTS
 TOUGH

E T N E
W M
C N/S C

FS SS

1. Interior defensive linemen go to 3

techniques and Ends are either in a
Loose 5 or a Loose 9 technique for
passing situations. Best Pass Rush
Front.
2. Can ‘Mug’ Mike and Will in the ‘A’ Gaps.
3. Used vs. 20, 11, and 10 Personnel.
4. ‘Field/Strong’ alignment rules.
5. Used Primarily used on 3rd and 6 +
 FALCON

W T N E N/S
M D
C C

FS SS

1. DOLLAR PERSONNEL:
Substituted Defense - Can sub extra
DB or Best Pass Rusher—3-4 Front.
2. Threat of edge pressure—Balanced
front…
3. Automatic ‘Show’ call.
4. Best Pressure Front.
 RD
3 AND LONG:
STUNTS
PASS RUSH STUNTS
‘NATO’ (TOUGH)

E T N E

1. Both 3 Tech. and Nose read the

Center.
2. DT away from sliding Center will
ricochet, then work upfield.
3. DT to the sliding C will wrap
around.
PASS RUSH STUNTS
‘TEX’ (DBL.)

E T N E

1. 3 TECH IS PENETRATOR
AND END IS WRAPPER.
2. END AND 3 TECH WORK
UPFIELD 1ST.
3. 3 TECH LOOK TO
‘RICOCHET’ OT.
4. END ‘TAG OFF’ BEFORE
YOU WRAP. GET
‘EYE TO EYE’.
5. LIKE IT TO RB SIDE.
 RD
3 ANDLONG:
TAMPA
WHY TAMPA 2?
--PERSONNEL
--2ND/3RD AND LONG CALL
--CHANGE UP
--ELIMINATE #1
--HARD CORNER
 TAMPA 2
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
CHANGE UP RUN GAME
TO ¼’S AND QUICK SLANTS
BLITZ 3 VS. OUTSIDE
FLAT LEVERAGE.
PASSING VERTICAL
GAME HOLES ALONG
TAKES SIDELINE.
PRESSURE VOID= 22 YDS.
OFF CORNER
 TOUGH GO TAMPA
T

H
Z

Y X
CLOUD
E T N E N CLOUD
W M
CURL
C SS
CURL C
FS
1/3
1/2 1/2
POSITON ALIGN TECH KEY RUN TO RUN AWAY PASS

CALL END 5 GO OT ‘D’ GAP QB TO CHASE OUTSIDE RUSH

LANE/CONTAI
N

AWAY END 9 GO OT ‘C’ GAP QB TO CHASE OUTSIDE RUSH

LANE/CONTAI
N

TACKLE 3 GO GUARD ‘A/B’ GAPS ‘PURSUE’ INSIDE RUSH

LANE

NOSE 3 GO GUARD ‘A/B’ GAPS ‘PURSUE’ INSIDE RUSH

LANE

NICKEL #2 WR TO FALL BACK ’B’ GAP ‘B’ GAP TO CURL

STRENGTH OVERTOP

WILL MUG LEVER/ BACK PLAY OFF DT PLAY OFF DT CURL

CUTBACK

MIKE MUG MIDDLE RUN BALL ALLEY ALLEY MIDDLE 1/3

THROUGH

FIELD 5 YDS OFF CLOUD #1 TO BALL FORCE REVERSE/CUT FLAT

OUTSIDE BACK
CORNER

BENCH 5 YDS OFF FUNNEL #1 TO BALL FORCE REVERSE/CUT FLAT

OUTSIDE CORNER/ BACK
CORNER CLOUD

FREE 14 X HASH 1/2 QB SECONDARY SECONDARY DEEP 1/2

RAZOR RUN RUN SUPPORT
SAFETY SUPPORT/FIT
OFF CORNER

STRONG 14 X HASH 1/2 QB SECONDARY SECONDARY DEEP 1/2

RAZOR RUN RUN SUPPORT
SAFETY SUPPORT/FIT
OFF CORNER
 RD
3 AND LONG:
TOUGH
PRESSURES
 TOUGH RAM
T

H
Z
X

E N T E
N M W
C C
2 DROPPER 2 DROPPER
FINAL 3

1/3 SS FS 1/3
1/3

POSITON ALIGN TECH KEY RUN TO RUN AWAY PASS

CALL END 5 OPPOSITE TACKLE OPPOSITE OPPOSITE INSIDE RUSH

‘A’ GAP ‘A’ GAP ‘A’ GAP LANE

AWAY END 9 2 DROPPER TE/QB BOX ‘D’ GAP FOLD #1 FLAT

NOSE 3 GO TACKLE ‘B’ GAP ‘B’ GAP INSIDE RUSH

LANE

TACKLE 3 HOT GUARD/ ‘B’ GAP ‘B’ GAP OUTSIDE

TACKLE RUSH LANE

NICKEL #2 WR TO BLITZ QB BOX QB TO BLITZ

STRENGTH CHASE CONTAIN

MIKE MUG BLITZ ‘A’ GUARD ‘A’ GAP ‘A’ GAP BLITZ ‘A’
GAP GAP

WILL MUG FINAL 3 QB/#2 INSIDE-OUT INSIDE-OUT FINAL 3

FIELD 9 YDS OFF ZONE BLITZ QB TO #1 SECONDARY SECONDARY OUTSIDE 1/3-

INSIDE 1/3 RUN RUN THINK
CORNER SUPPORT SUPPORT QUICKS

BENCH 9 YDS OFF ZONE BLITZ QB TO #1 SECONDARY SECONDARY OUTSIDE 1/3-

INSIDE 1/3 RUN RUN THINK
CORNER SUPPORT SUPPORT QUICKS

FREE 2 SHELL/ MIDDLE 1/3 QB ALLEY ALLEY MIDDLE 1/3

FREEZE
SAFETY

STRONG 2 SHELL/ 2 DROPPER QB FORCE CUTBACK 2 DROPPER

RAZOR
SAFETY
 FIELD TOUGH RAM 3
SPREAD PRO TRIP
T T

Z H H Z
Y X X Y
SEAM/FLAT
E T N E CURL/FLAT
E T N E
W M SEAM/FLAT M SEAM/FLAT
N
W N
C C C C
HOOK/ #3 HOOK/#3

FS
1/3
SS 1/3 FS SS 1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3

ZOOM MOT. TO PRO TRIP ZOOM MOT. TO SPREAD

T T

Z H H Z
Y X X Y
‘EDDIE’
‘EDDIE’ E T N E E T N E
M W M
C W N N
C C SEAM/FLAT CURL/FLATC
HOOK/#3
HOOK/#3
SEAM/FLAT
CURL/FLAT

FS SS FS SS
1/3 1/3 1/3 1/3
1/3
1/3

TWIN OPEN TWIN OPEN ZOOM MOT.

T F T F

H H
Z
X Z ‘EDDIE’ X

E SEAM/FLAT
E T N SEAM/FLAT E T N E
W M M
N W
#1/FLAT C C
C C N
HOOK/#3 MIDDLE/#3

CURL/FLAT

FS SS
1/3 FS SS
1/3
1/3 1/3
1/3
1/3
 TOUGH COSMO
T

F H
Z
Y X

E T N E
W M N
C C
2 DROPPER
FINAL 3 2 DROPPER

1/3 FS SS 1/3
1/3

POSITON ALIGN TECH KEY RUN TO RUN AWAY PASS

CALL END 5 ‘EDDIE’ TACKLE BOX ‘C’ GAP FOLD FINAL 3

AWAY END 9 OPPOSITE TACKLE OPPOSITE OPPOSITE INSIDE RUSH

‘A’ GAP ‘A’ GAP ‘A’ GAP LANE

TACKLE 3 GO TACKLE ‘B’ GAP ‘B’ GAP INSIDE RUSH

LANE

NOSE 3 HOT GUARD/ ‘B’ GAP ‘B’ GAP OUTSIDE

TACKLE RUSH LANE

NICKEL #2 WR TO 2 DROPPER QB/#2 OUTSIDE-IN OUTSIDE-IN 2 DROPPER

STRENGTH

WILL MUG BLITZ ‘A’ GUARD ‘A’ GAP ‘A’ GAP BLITZ ‘A’
GAP GAP

MIKE MUG SWIPE/2 QB/#2 INSIDE-OUT INSIDE-OUT 2 DROPPER

DROPPER

FIELD 9 YDS OFF ZONE BLITZ QB TO #1 SECONDARY SECONDARY OUTSIDE 1/3-

INSIDE 1/3 RUN RUN THINK
CORNER SUPPORT SUPPORT QUICKS

BENCH CLOUD/ BLITZ QB BOX QB TO CONTAIN

PRESS CHASE BLITZ
CORNER

FREE 2 SHELL HOT TO 1/3 QB TO #1 SECONDARY SECONDARY HOT TO 1/3

SUPPORT SUPPORT
SAFETY

STRONG 2 SHELL/ MIDDLE 1/3 QB ALLEY ALLEY MIDDLE 1/3

RAZOR
SAFETY
 FIELD TOUGH COSMO 3
SPREAD PRO TRIP
T T

CONTAIN CONTAIN

Z E E Z
Y X X Y
‘EDDIE’ ‘EDDIE’
E T N E E T N E
W M W M
N SEAM/FLAT
N
C SEAM/FLAT SEAM/FLAT
C C C
#2 HOOK/ #3 FLAT/ #1
HOOK/#3

FS
SS 1/3 FS SS 1/3

1/3
1/3 1/3
1/3

TWIN OPEN TWIN TRIP

T F T
CONTAIN CONTAIN

E W E
X Z Z
Y
‘EDDIE’ ‘EDDIE’
E T N E C E T W MN E
W M
N SEAM/FLAT
SEAM/FLAT
#1/FLAT N
C C C
#1/FLAT
HOOK/#3 FS #3/CURL

FS SS SS 1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3 1/3 1/3

EMPTY

CONTAIN

T E
W
Y Z

E T N “GET UP & GO”

W M
E
C N C
HOOK/VERT.
SEAM/FLAT HOOK/#3
SEAM/FLAT

1/3 FS SS 1/3
* CORNER READ OUT VS. EMPTY
1/3
 TOUGH SLAM DOGS
T

H
Z
X

E N T E
N M W
C C
2 DROPPER 2 DROPPER
FINAL 3

1/3 SS FS 1/3
1/3

POSITON ALIGN TECH KEY RUN TO RUN AWAY PASS

CALL END 5 PEEL TACKLE ‘C’ GAP SQUEEZE ‘C’ OUTSIDE

GAP-CHASE RUSH LANE

AWAY END 9 2 DROPPER TE/QB BOX ‘D’ GAP FOLD #1 FLAT

NOSE 3 READ STICK CENTER ‘A’ GAP ‘A’ GAP INSIDE RUSH
LANE

TACKLE 3 HOT GUARD/ ‘B’ GAP ‘B’ GAP OUTSIDE

TACKLE RUSH LANE

NICKEL #2 WR TO BLITZ ‘B’ QB ‘B’ GAP SQUEEZE ‘B’ BLITZ

STRENGTH GAP GAP-CHASE OUTSIDE ‘B’
GAP

MIKE MUG BLITZ ‘B’ GUARD/ ‘B’ GAP ‘B’ GAP BLITZ INSIDE
GAP BACK ‘B’ GAP

WILL MUG FINAL 3 QB/#2 INSIDE-OUT INSIDE-OUT FINAL 3

FIELD 9 YDS OFF ZONE BLITZ QB TO #1 SECONDARY SECONDARY OUTSIDE 1/3-

INSIDE 1/3 RUN RUN THINK
CORNER SUPPORT SUPPORT QUICKS

BENCH 9 YDS OFF ZONE BLITZ QB TO #1 SECONDARY SECONDARY OUTSIDE 1/3-

INSIDE 1/3 RUN RUN THINK
CORNER SUPPORT SUPPORT QUICKS

FREE 2 SHELL/ MIDDLE 1/3 QB ALLEY ALLEY MIDDLE 1/3

FREEZE
SAFETY

STRONG 2 SHELL/ 2 DROPPER QB FORCE CUTBACK 2 DROPPER

RAZOR
SAFETY
 TOUGH SLAM DOGS 3
SPREAD PRO TRIP
T T

Z H H Z
Y X X Y
SEAM/FLAT
E N T E #1/FLAT
E N T E
SEAM/FLAT
A GAP A GAP SEAM/FLAT
W M N W M N
C C C C
MIDDLE/ #3
#3

FS
1/3
SS 1/3 FS SS 1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3

ZOOM MOT. TO PRO TRIP ZOOM MOT. TO SPREAD

T T

Z H H Z
Y X X Y

E N A GAP T E #1FLAT E N A GAP T E #1/FLAT

M W M
C W N N
HOOK/#3
C C SEAM/FLAT C
HOOK/#3
SEAM/FLAT

FS SS FS SS
1/3 1/3 1/3 1/3
1/3
1/3

TWIN OPEN TWIN OPEN ZOOM MOT.

T F T F

H H
Z
X Z X

E N T E SEAM/FLAT SEAM/FLAT
E N T E
LEVER
N W LEVER RUN/FLAT
#1/FLAT W M C M C
C C N
#3/CURL MIDDLE/#3

FS SS
1/3 FS SS
1/3
1/3 1/3
1/3
1/3
 TOUGH SLAM DOGS 3
DOUBLE SLOT TWIN TRIP OPEN
T T

W H W H
X Z X Z
#1/FLAT
E N T E SEAM/FLAT E N T E SEAM/FLAT
SEAM/FLAT A GAP N
W M N W M
HOOK/ #3
C C C C
CURL/#3

FS SS 1/3 FS SS 1/3
1/3 1/3

1/3 1/3

TWIN TRIP EMPTY

T

W H T H
W
Y Z X Z

E N T E SEAM/FLAT E N T E
SEAM/FLAT
SEAM/FLAT C W M N N
A GAP
C SEAM/FLAT W M
C GAP C C
HOOK/#3
#3/CURL

1/3

FS SS 1/3
1/3 FS SS 1/3

1/3 1/3
 RD
3 AND LONG:
FALCON
 FALCON RIP DOGS 3
T

H W

X
Z
E N T
N M D W 2 DROPPER
‘EDDIE’
2 DROPPER
C FINAL 3 C
SS FS
1/3
1/3 1/3

FALCON SUGAR 3

H W

X
Z
E N T
N D M W 2 DROPPER

2 DROPPER
C FINAL 3 C
SS FS
1/3
1/3 1/3
 Adam Gaylor
Defensive Coordinator
Broken Arrow High
School
gagaylor@baschools.org