MAKING THE MOVE

4-3 to 3-4

The University of South

Dakota

HISTORY Why we switched

Defensive

Philosophy what makes a

defensive player valuable?
A defenders value to the defense
can be measured by his distance
from the ball at the end of each
and every play.

WHAT DID WE WANT TO

GAIN?

Get more speed on the field live up to

our philosophy

Wanted to create confusion for the

offense

Critical to make sure we kept our identity

which is to stop the run 1st and foremost

DEFENSIVE FACTS
Looking

at current roster had more

62 210 kids than 64 260 kids

Unless

we were superior up front, we

struggled to pressure the QB with 4

As

a result we found that we were

predictable with our pressure

PERSONNEL
Switch

from 4 down linemen to 3

Increase

speed on the field with the

increase in multiple receiver sets

Simply

put easier to recruit 61 210

LBs than it is to find 63 265 DL

ADJUSTING TO OPEN SETS

More

Options with base personnel

Down Linemen allows you to

balance your defensive set

Possible

to bring any of the back 8

defenders at any time any
combination

MULTIPLE LOOKS

Several options out of the same look:

-Traditional 3 deep and 2 deep options
-Zone Pressures (3 deep/3 under concept)
-Man Free to overload the box

Ability to kick into Eagle Front (split eagle)

VALIDATING THE SWITCH

PTS/Game

Run

Pass

TOTAL

2004

19

111

199

310

2005

23

97

221

319

2006

19

74*

214

288

(11 games / 9-2)

(11 games / 9-2)

(13 games / 9-4)

*Finished 5th in the nation against the run.

CREATING A BASE PACKAGE

3 DEEP

3 ROLL

2 DEEP

5 MAN PRESSURE

MAN PRESSURE

BASIC 3 DEEP
Base

concept utilizing a 4 man rush

3 Deep defenders and 4 underneath
-Field 55 Cover 3 (rush Yote & drop Sam)
-Field 55 Short 3 (rush Sam & drop Yote)

 Must

3 DEEP - ROLL THE

COVERAGE

be able to role down a safety to

1/2 balanced formations

Must

not allow the offense to remove

force defender (Field 55 3 Roll)

3 DEEP 3 MAN RUSH

Favorite

in the Red Zone to drop 8

get a hard corner

Must

blitz enough to make it a

legitimate threat to the offense

Once

a threat is established you can

bluff and effectively drop 8 to
clutter passing lanes

2 DEEP
Ability

to roll up field side corner to

counter constant voiding of the flat in
cover 3

Better
Able

to defend 4 verticals in 2x2 sets

to man weak side and help front

side vs 3x1 sets

5 MAN PRESSURES
Ability

to get pressure without selling

out the secondary 3 deep/3under
concepts
Ability to bring pressure out of multiple
patterns
Based on number of split receivers we
could be more aggressive (danger call)
Kids understand where we want the ball
deposited

MAN BLITZ
Ability

to bring 6/7 based on situations

Allow us to overload the protection
Incorporated a bump concept to make
it simple you 4 DBs have those 4 WRs