Junk Defenses and how to attack them
In this blog post we will discuss “Junk Defenses” . Those defenses that depart from the norm and really try to mess with your inside veer rules and maintain an edge to their defense.
Lincoln Stack
This defense was popularized by Georgia in their games against Georgia Tech. The two inside linebackers stack their alignments. The lower stacked backer is a dive player and the higher stacked backer is a scrape/QB player into the alley.
How to attack:
1) Staying with IV: Treat the defense as a 5-2 and work through your inside veer rules. PSG would work up to the lower stacked backer and the PST would outside release for the higher stacked backer. Block the perimeter as you normally would. If you are uncomfortable with an “unprotected” mesh and want to double the B gap defender, then you will have to adjust your formation to a 3 man surface to account for the high scraping backer.
Inside Veer vs. Lincoln Stack
2) Staying with 2x2 formations you can run Mid-triple. The PSG and PST are actually the same as above, the Center and BSG handle the nose and backside A gap. The BST will anchor backside B gap. The PSA will twirl and kick the corner, hopefully getting the higher stacked backer to start to flow away and help the PST’s blocking angle.
Mid-Triple vs. Lincoln Stack
3) Add a TE/Over Tackle. I enjoy working with tackle over formations because typically it forces a defense to stay balanced in the secondary. We train our TE/WR’s to understand how to play that backside tackle position. In the diagram below, we outline how to be able to change the dive/hok vs. this defense. Adding an over tackle/tight end allows you to keep the perimeter blocking the same, double a potentially good B gap player, have enough hats to block it all and change the who #1 is.
Inside Veer with “Bear Tag” or Outside Veer
Rebel
This defense is similar to the Lincoln Stack above but instead of having two linebackers stacked, you have a middle field “Rebel” safety that can play the alley as a bonus player in the option game and and can play pass deeper in the middle 1/3. This defense, by alignment invites you to throw the ball, and we will detail that below.
How to Attack:
1) We would look to throw the ball early in the game to take advantage of their alignments. I think you have to take what they have given you and use what they have practiced all week against them. We would start with play action off inside veer. We would utilize a route tag we call “Sideline”. The diagram below details play. The keys to making this work are pushing the BSA on motion all the way out to the flat to trigger the “S” down to pitch ad we would motion on the “D” in down (Early) to make sure that happens. Secondly, you need to slide your line protection away from the play call because you need to be able to pick up the backside OLB in case he triggers with motion away.
312 Sideline vs. Rebel
2) We would also attack Rebel by working another playaction off toss/rocket we called 358/359 Boot. Its really a naked because there is no blocker for the QB but again trying to attack the grass they have given us by alignments. Again, we need to motion on the “D” (Early) to get the secondary screaming to their option assignments. The key for the B back is to sell the backside block of toss/rocket but get into that backside flat quickly. The diagram below details that. If the backside LB is triggering to blitz with motion away then we would lock the BST on the 4i and try and rip through the backer with the B back to give the QB just enough time to dump the ball the B back.
358 Boot vs. “Rebel”
3) Finally, we have to run the ball!!. Here is our base way to handle IV and of course we could always double the B gap defender or run Mid-triple like in the above Lincoln Stack diagrams. The keys to Inside veer here are making sure the PST treats his block like its a “Load Tag” working vertical in case the Mike scrapes hard and then working flat out to the alley to block the “R” if no backer scrape. All other blocking rules are a carry over from a 5-2 scheme.
13 Base vs. “Rebel”
Our next blog post will continue with how to attack junk defenses. As always feel free to discuss blog posts or ask questions on our forum page located here: http://flexbonenation.proboards.com/ If you have any questions please feel free to contact me on twitter @runthetriple or @themeshpoint or @flexbonenation and my email address is lafayettefootball1@gmail.com.