X and O question

[NCHawker]

..........................J......M
................W...E......N......E....S
......................T..G..C..G..T..Y
..............................Q
..............................F
..............................T

I always thought that the names like 3-4 or 4-3 described WHERE the players lined up and WHO is on the field. Maybe is only describes WHOs on the field and has nothing to do with WHERE they line up.


That's a 3-4 hu? Looks like a 5-2 if you asked me.


just sayin

 

[Eda]

This is for the coaches out there....

Tell me what the implications to Iowa are with Wisconsin playing a 3-4 defense. I'll hang up and listen.

NCH

If you want to know what a coach thinks, you've come to the right place!

 

[notsoold]

NC I see what your driving at and agree. The TE's have to occupy their LB's, atleast enough to keep them off the line a bit. Be it with blocking or getting behind them and catching some balls. If we want to run inside (after we get the LB's to back off), I highly suggest running plays where an OL pulls, that would be a good one for the MW, JC combo, you can run zone with MW, or pull an OL and feed JC right up the gut, both out of the same formation. Gotta occupy those LB's for anything to work, so I would try and burn them early and often.

 

[hawkfan2679]

I always thought that the names like 3-4 or 4-3 described WHERE the players lined up and WHO is on the field. Maybe is only describes WHOs on the field and has nothing to do with WHERE they line up.


That's a 3-4 hu? Looks like a 5-2 if you asked me.


just sayin

Main difference between the 3-4 and the 5-2 are the responsibilities of those DE/OLB players (I have them shown as Sam and Will in my example above). In the 3-4, those guys might be on the LOS, off the LOS, split out on a slot, or even have their hand on the ground in certain situations. In the 5-2, those guys are almost exclusively defensive linemen, most often having contain responsibilities. Thus, you aren't really wrong. It is a 5-2...it's just that those outside players on the defensive LOS are LB's, not DE's.

**Edit - It's also probably worth noting that in the 5-2, the DL are almost exclusively going to be playing one gap as opposed to two.

Further examples...Steelers (3-4 stalwart) 3-4 under with Polamalu walked up:

Another Steelers 3-4 eagle front:

 

[NCHawker]

thanks, good stuff there.