Attacking the Big, Bad 3-5

This post will be online Saturday night.
(Awe hell, it took til late Sunday... refunds for everyone! And it's late, so typos be damned!)




Below are the two diagrams I posted initially concerning this post.





Okay, If you took a look at the diagrams above, you may have come to the same realization we did concerning the 3-5. While I'm sure there are many coaches who will be glad to tell me all the built-in checks and balances the 3-5 has in it to stop such things, I've found the following to work pretty well.

!. The Wing alignment.

The 3-5 team we saw used the DE asthe contain player. If you gave him a slot, he would drop off and in the hook-to-flat area... sometimes up in the rec's face and other times at linebacker depth. We'll get to that in a minute. We also wondered if they would liden him against a wing... not wanting to get outflanked and all.

That's exactly what we did. Staying with our terminology, we gave our signal for a crack to the Z (wingback) so he would know to block on an inside path. This left the CB as the pitch and the widened DE as the pitch. Oh, how I wish our our starting QB had not been out for this game... our converted TE with 1 week of practice was in no way ready to read a dive so we told him to always give... there were times the keep would have scored... and the QB might still be running!

Later against thier J.V. this play, and the ISV in next diagram, proved to be an effective adjustment to the stack and that "impossible" to block stack OLB! The key moment is when they finally decide to adjust. You can see several things, but the main two would be the three LBs bumping to the TE... or the entire front shading to the TE similar to a weak-eagle 50. If the first occurs, run ISV weak... widening the psT's splits of course! If the latter occurs, then bring in the SE so he can seal/crack the psOLB and run ISV weak... comboing the 3 tech and reading the 5 tech (Speed Option is also a good idea) for the dive and moving the pitch phase to the CB. There are many other things, of course, but the OSV from the Wing set worked really well.


#2 The Tight Flex.

(Whoops! Left off the back paths on the diagram! ...will fix later...)

I had asserted rather childishly in the past that the "best" way to defeat the 3-5 was in the air. Yes... if you have Dan Marino Jr. at the helm.

While we looked at getting the flex and running some ISV for our varsity, without our starting option QB, we decided to shelve it. However, when the J.V. game rolled around, I decided to take it off the shelf and dust it off...

Another way to attack the stack is to again widen the DE and bring the TE down on the stacked Sam OLB. My advice on his split was to "never alignso wide that he couldn't get down on the psOLB with more than three big strides." The psT veer releases inside the DT but must get vertical so he can pick up a psOLB that's blowing up C gap. I widened the OT and put the responsibility of blocking the NG on the Center alone. Work hard on scoops with him and have him "climb the ladder" once he gets into that playside knee... the psG can help vs a shaded NG, but then the MLB is unblocked. We didn't get that. Our psG zone stepped in then up at the MLB... again with a healthy 3 foot split.

After looking at the angles, I told our HBs that this is one week the veer lane just might not be there and to not "freak-out" if they found themselves running straight up the field. I had hopes the either the psT or TE -- whoever didn't get the psOLB -- would come upfield and at least get in the way of the FS... alas, with only 3 days to practice for the JV, we were less than perfect in that regard. But if the FS is having to make tackles on a hard-running HB with the initial hit coming at 7 to 10 yards downfield... well, I can live with that.

Again, look for the defense trying to shore up the strong side wome way and have a plan to attack weak. But to paraphrase Coach Sparks, "run strong versus a balanced defense and run weak versus an unbalanced defense." Or something like that.

I will have to admit, the 3-5 was one of the hardest defenses I've come across with respect to scheming it. And if you insist on going on a long snap count (a bad idea; hint, hint!) they can still move people around and mess up reads and stuff like that. But I will also say we saw a whole lot less of that against us (when we did go on a regular count) than the other teams we saw on film. I guess the option makes even the mightiest of 3-5 coordinators play assignment football...

Just a little.

Coach Smith

I'm Back, Part II

Well, it's been a roller-coaster ride and we're not even to the half-way point in the season. Our very good second string QB transferred during the summer, so of course our starting QB separated his shoulder in the Kickoff Classic game. Did I mention our starting right guard was also out with a high ankle sprain?

Needless to say, it's been tough. Making the switch to O-Line from RBs/QBs was a challenge, but when we were running the veer, it was okay. I felt I could do a pretty good job with the run blocking techniques as it is low, hard, and down in the legs. But when we switched to the "I" and the power game due to necessity, I have really felt as if I was no longer the right man for the job.

Not a great way to start off the season.

Coach Bennett has a saying, "It's time to bow-up," and it's a good one. This past week vs. Madison, with our option QB back (much quicker than anticipated), we switched back to the veer and gashed them in the second half. The backs and line had the best game of the short season versus what is argueably the best defense they have faced yet. After an 80 or 90 yard drive, it all came down to an inside veer... 4th and goal on the three yard line with about 6 minutes left to play - down by six points. We had them on the ropes and out of gas. The play was there... but we didn't get in.

I'm not going to dwell on what happened because it isn't worth the effort. What went wrong can be fixed, and we have a heck of a foundation with which to build the second half of the season.

It's gonna be quite a ride.

Coach Smith

Attacking the Split 6 Defense

Over on Rolling Thunder's Message Board, the question was posed on how to attack the Split 6 defense. This particular defense has 3 technique defensive tackles, 7 technique defensive ends, and Inside Linbackers stacked over the 3 techniques.

I sat down and thought about this defense for a while. Below is the reply I came up with - perhaps others will comment as well.

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Coach, we like to run midline at a 3 tech if possible.

also, any 44-style defense has trouble covering the flat in play action... I like a 12 yard In/Curl by the Flanker with the TE running a flat route underneath off play action off veer action...

Twins and Twins-Open might make the OLBs widen... if not, work the 3 step game... 5 yard hitches with automatic fades if the CB aligns 5 yards or closer...

Lead Option might help the LB/3 Tech stunts:

The backside Seam or Post off play action to the Te or SE can be a good call vs. a cover 3 FS that wants to be an alley player for the option...

The Crazy or Spinner Option could trap that 7 tech...

the handback trap ran to the 7 tech might not be too bad a play - seems like JT Curtis runs something like that...

Just some ideas, Coach. Ideally, you will get them out of 8 in the box by offensive alignment and run your veer... but if you can't... vs. stack defenses, I think it can help to switch over to more double options like Midline, Speed, and Lead to help account for possible gap exchanges that might mess up veer reads and blocking assignments.

Coach Smith
www.veersite.com

I'm Back!

Well, It's been an eventful school year. Thank goodness its over. Every part of my life was a series of ups and downs.... (what was left of) my marriage, teaching basic mathematics (yet) again, my desire to coach, my social life... it was all a mixed bag. Its hard to get yourself back on solid ground in life when there's no "firm footing" to be found. So if you have been wondering why I've not been too enthusiastic about Veersite, well, let's just say it was part of a pattern.

Thankfully, that pattern has been broken.

Nuff Said.

I've moved and am now an assistant coach at a high school in Florida. I'm much more excited about my teaching, my coaching, and I might even have a social life again one of these days!

Well, two out of three ain't bad, according to Meatloaf.

Coach Smith


ps. I've got to give Coach Jody Hagins of Summerville, SC credit for successfully doing the "Where's Waldo" and figuring out the high school I've started working out. Coach figured it out from 3 clues... but I'm pretty sure he would have gotten it right with less. The man should be a private detective!

Night of the Living Walmart

Well, my first post in a while and its not even related to football... Unless you count the fact that I'm a football coach and it happened to your's truly. Works for me!

Watch For Falling Prices

"Watch for falling prices." A very successful slogan for Walmart back in the day. I found out Friday night, unfortunately, that falling prices aren't the only things you have keep from landing on you.



It started simple enough... while my Pathfinder is in the shop having it's 170K-mile transmi$ion rebuilt, Coach Bennett was nice enough to offer me his pickup truck to go to the store. (p.s. I just gave you a clue to my present whereabouts... sorta like "Where's Waldo!") Anyway, it seemed inoccent enough, but little did I know what was, literally, "in store" for me.

I should have noticed the signs...

Yep, things definitely were amiss.

Welcome to Walmart. May I eat your brain?

It was late, though, so I missed a few subtle hints that perhaps tonight wasn't going to be my night.


After loading-up on Skillet Select Dinners, I made my way to the pet section. I have four dogs, and the oldest is getting up there in years. I decided it would be nice if I got her and the three other dogs each a big, soft dog bed pillow to sleep on.


Remember when you were a kid and you loosened the lid on the restaraunt salt shaker so it would spill it's entire contents onto the plate of the next poor slob to pick it up?

Hey, I'm the Next Poor Slob!

Well, I used to be that kid. If I had a nickle for every time I left one like that, I would be a rich man. Well, tonight, it was my turn. This is the part where I met the recieving-end of the ol' Karma-Boomarang.




Warning signs - they're all around us... telling us to look out for this... watch out for that. All you have to do is pay attention and you see them everywhere.





I look way up on the top shelf and see the dog pillows perched precariously on the edge. In plain sight and visible for all to see is the following: "Please get assistance with items on the top shelf." Of course, I'm the kind of take-charge guy who waits for no mere "associate" and takes matters into his own hands... So I pull down pillow one... pillow two and three... and then pillow four. But number four is the same color as pillow one and I think to myself that each dog should have a different color pillow in order to remember where they sleep. Now I know full-well that dogs would be considered color-blind with respect to humans and the different colors on these pillows are more for the owner's sake than for anything else. But I was being "me" that night... and it was a quarter 'til one A.M. So I reach up and give it a pull.


The ironic part is now I have no idea what which of the four pillows was number four; I've completely forgotten what color was so appealing. As the pillow clears the shelf I see something getting dragged down with it out of the corner of my eye.




I usually get my dogs dry food. I save the canned stuff for treats and other occations. However, tonight I was "getting" a certain special can of dogfood whether i wanted it or not. I didn't know exactly what was tumbling down off the top shelf right at my head, but I did know it was coming apart or something as it fell. It is a small comfort looking back that at least I still have reflexes good enough to avoid an open can of rancid dog food falling at my head at one in the morning in a strange Walmart in North Florida (clue #2, waldo fans). I had little time to congradulate myself however as it fairly exploded upon impact - showering my shoes and lower legs with a hearty blend of rotten meat, black fluid, and maggots. Mmmmmm, Mmmmm! That's good eatin', Folks!




The worst part is it got on the dog pillow and I had to settle with another color. Dammit, now I'm pissed! Ah yes, how could I have been so foolish - it was a variation on the old salt shaker ploy. Except they had upped the ante by wrapping an open can of dog food in a pet pillow! Yep, the first thing they teach you in the Cub Scouts - always check your pillow for rancid dog food! I would have smacked my forehead like the V-8 commercial except I was trying to figure out what in the heck I was smelling. It was bad, that much was immediately apparent. It will be hard to describe, but I'll give it a shot. Let's see... Imagine your 10 closest friends. Now imagine them defecating into a 5 gallon bucket one after the other. Now carefully sit that bucket in the hatchback of a black Trans Am on the 4th of July. Make sure you leave the windows rolled up, Sports Fans! Now take out the bucket in a couple of days, stick your head over it, and breathe in. Do all that and you will begin to get a picture of what "Isle 12" smelled like... and not just Isle 12... Ol' Steve (at least the lower third of me) now smelled like that, too!

I'll skip through the rest of the evening, but I can attest that my "shopping experience" made the term "sub-par" look like getting an A+ on the GRE. The best was check out. I don't know which i liked more, the dude that came up behind me while i was unloading my buggy or the reaction of the check out girl. Dude started out acting all put-out cause he was having to wait (you've had to tolerate this cat too, I'm sure) Imagine my glee when he almost threw-up on himself when he invaded my "personal space" in a vain attempt to make me hurry. Sorry, Dude, the Stevemeister doesn't rush! To add insult to injury I loudly and proudly proclaimed, "Hey, I think I just sh*t myself... How 'bout that!?"

Super Plus - an extra gallon of holding capacity!

He suddenly decided another check out isle was the place to be.

I kinda felt sorry for the poor check out girl struggling to scan my items with one hand while holding her nose and mouth with the other. That little scan window can be pretty honery, especially when you're in a hurry it seems. I explained to her what had happened, but after the "soiling myself" comment I made to Dude, I wonder if she believed me?

Probably not.

The ride home was a windy one, what with the windows down and all. I was almost used to the stench by the time I pulled in the driveway as I was able to put up all my groceries before hitting the shower. I fell into a fitful sleep filled with images of pet pillows, rotten meat coming at my head, literally being buried under an "avalanch of values", and then Rosie O'Donald shows up in in a G-string.

What a flippin' nightmare!

Consider this advice, Sports Fans - and a warning - always check your shelving for booby-trapped exploding meat cans before giving something a yank. The wardrobe you save just might be your own!



Coach Smith

ps. Week one of Spring practice is in... more to come as I experience installing the Veer from scratch for the first time!