Post by braunnasa on Jul 11, 2011 21:15:59 GMT -5
An Introduction to
The 5-3-1 Triangle Defense
By
Denauld Brown
I would like to introduce to the my fellow football coaches, a defensive concept that I have been working on for last 5 years. I call it the 5-3-1 Triangle Defense. The 5-3-1 Triangle is a single gapping, 3-4 hybrid defense, that first adjusts its self to the offense formation; by identifing the middle of the used offensive formation, and placimg a specific defender transversely across from it (termed as MO or the Middle Of Formation)
The 5 in the 5-3-1 refers to the 5 LOS Defenders (4 down linemen and the Sam linebacker). The 3 in the 5-3-1 refers to the two inside linebackers and the stacked safety (Mike, Will, and $). The 1 in the 5 -3-1 refers to the Free (Field) Safety.
Q: Is the 5-3-1 Triangle a balanced single gapping defense?
A: In essence, every 2 high defense is imbalanced. In more traditional defenses, balance can be created by walking down or overlapping a Safety. In the 5-3-1 Triangle, we keep the Sam linebacker on line of scrimmage. This player is the primary overlap, allowing the defense to stay single gapped. However, this allows the scheme to hold a pre-snap disguise longer, making it more effective; and confusing the QB's PSR. The scheme maintains the look of a 2 High Defense by choice, not necessity. To me, that gives the defensive coordinator an extreme amount of latitude and flexibility with the secondary.
Q: How Did the 5-3-1 Trianlge come about?
A: With the immergence of the spread offense and it's off-shoots, traditional defensive schemes have been attacked like never before. These type of offenses has exposed us defensive gurus for the traditional coaches that we really are.
So we are waiting for the defensive gods to bring us our messiah, and with him the answers to defending the Spread that we all seek. However, not all hope is gone, for the Spread Offense has spawned some honorable and fresh defensive ideas; like Gary Patterson and his 4-2-5 defense. In my opinion, the 4-2-5 is the best defense played at the college level today, when defending the spread. It is as close to an answer for the spread as I have seen this decade; but who in the top 25 runs it other than TCU?
It saddens me that offenses have devised schemes and philosophies that allow for over 100 plays of offense a game, as well as averaging 1 play per 10 seconds or less. Actually this is an accepted norm by some defensive coaches. However, I must put my foot down and tell my defensive colleagues, it is not!
Tim Murphy is both the Head football coach and offensive play caller at Harvard University. In my opinion he is one of the best offensive play callers in the country. His call sequences are an amazing piece of work. I have encountered his offense, that was 50/50 in every single category from personnel, hash, down and distance, formation, and run/pass ratio. Needless to say they won several Ivy League Championships during my tenure as a defensive coach and coordinator in that league.
For all you smart guys who call defense out there: if you ever face a play caller like that, who can maintain that type of balance, and at the end the game accomplish a 50/50 run/pass ratio: you can you look like a novice, but only if you are not prepared or even worse, unaware.
Q: How does the 5-3-1 Triangle defend the Spread offense?
A: To me, the biggest culprit is the in defending the Spread Offense is the hash. Binding a defense to the hash, in my opinion, is a mistake that many coaches commit. This has has been a large contributor to why the spread offense is exploding; with a larger volume of plays and points; while being a likely reason to why the Spread Offense has been so successful over the last 10 years.
Q What alternatives does the 5-3-1 Triangle offer to Hash Binding?
A: I challenge defensive coaches to reconsider binding your entire defense to the hashes, and start putting more emphasis on the opponet's offensive sets. By running a hash defense your tendencies in the middle of the field are skewed. Chances are, you will be more likely to stay in your base shell or become a simplistic 2 high shell defense; the majority of the time. This makes you predictable, and gets you beat!
Q: So What are the advatages?
The first thing this scheme does, is reduces the amount of variables used during the opponent break-down phase. I have found it useful to look at formations in a generic manner; instead of a more specific manner.
Instead of making yourself and your players memorize non-systematic formations, this system classsifies them as “even” or “odd.” It is determined by the location of “MO” whether a set is either even or odd.
Most Coaches looking at a single break down scenario could see: 2nd and 8, left hash, 11 personnel, QB Gun, Ace right. This system compiles that information, and presents: 2nd and 8, Even. This allows you to study the results of the previous play in your break rather than locking yourself into the dynamic of the current play's pre-snap.
Q: What does this article series offer me?
I have done a lot of work with this defense and will take several articles and clinics to disclose the finer points of it. I fell that the 5-3-1 Triangle is the answer to the Spread Offense. The 5-3-1 Triangle has allowed me to merge both the alignment with assignment. In this system all personell align to offensive line leverage points. Ask yourself why a 3 technique can’t be a Tackle, Linebacker, or a safety? Now a 3 linebacker just simply does what 3’s do.
We as human beings ask questions for two reasons. First, we ask a question to get an answer. But we also ask questions to simulate thought. I have created this defense by asking one question; “Why is football an 11 man game?”
The 5-3-1 Triangle Defense
By
Denauld Brown
I would like to introduce to the my fellow football coaches, a defensive concept that I have been working on for last 5 years. I call it the 5-3-1 Triangle Defense. The 5-3-1 Triangle is a single gapping, 3-4 hybrid defense, that first adjusts its self to the offense formation; by identifing the middle of the used offensive formation, and placimg a specific defender transversely across from it (termed as MO or the Middle Of Formation)
The 5 in the 5-3-1 refers to the 5 LOS Defenders (4 down linemen and the Sam linebacker). The 3 in the 5-3-1 refers to the two inside linebackers and the stacked safety (Mike, Will, and $). The 1 in the 5 -3-1 refers to the Free (Field) Safety.
Q: Is the 5-3-1 Triangle a balanced single gapping defense?
A: In essence, every 2 high defense is imbalanced. In more traditional defenses, balance can be created by walking down or overlapping a Safety. In the 5-3-1 Triangle, we keep the Sam linebacker on line of scrimmage. This player is the primary overlap, allowing the defense to stay single gapped. However, this allows the scheme to hold a pre-snap disguise longer, making it more effective; and confusing the QB's PSR. The scheme maintains the look of a 2 High Defense by choice, not necessity. To me, that gives the defensive coordinator an extreme amount of latitude and flexibility with the secondary.
Q: How Did the 5-3-1 Trianlge come about?
A: With the immergence of the spread offense and it's off-shoots, traditional defensive schemes have been attacked like never before. These type of offenses has exposed us defensive gurus for the traditional coaches that we really are.
So we are waiting for the defensive gods to bring us our messiah, and with him the answers to defending the Spread that we all seek. However, not all hope is gone, for the Spread Offense has spawned some honorable and fresh defensive ideas; like Gary Patterson and his 4-2-5 defense. In my opinion, the 4-2-5 is the best defense played at the college level today, when defending the spread. It is as close to an answer for the spread as I have seen this decade; but who in the top 25 runs it other than TCU?
It saddens me that offenses have devised schemes and philosophies that allow for over 100 plays of offense a game, as well as averaging 1 play per 10 seconds or less. Actually this is an accepted norm by some defensive coaches. However, I must put my foot down and tell my defensive colleagues, it is not!
Tim Murphy is both the Head football coach and offensive play caller at Harvard University. In my opinion he is one of the best offensive play callers in the country. His call sequences are an amazing piece of work. I have encountered his offense, that was 50/50 in every single category from personnel, hash, down and distance, formation, and run/pass ratio. Needless to say they won several Ivy League Championships during my tenure as a defensive coach and coordinator in that league.
For all you smart guys who call defense out there: if you ever face a play caller like that, who can maintain that type of balance, and at the end the game accomplish a 50/50 run/pass ratio: you can you look like a novice, but only if you are not prepared or even worse, unaware.
Q: How does the 5-3-1 Triangle defend the Spread offense?
A: To me, the biggest culprit is the in defending the Spread Offense is the hash. Binding a defense to the hash, in my opinion, is a mistake that many coaches commit. This has has been a large contributor to why the spread offense is exploding; with a larger volume of plays and points; while being a likely reason to why the Spread Offense has been so successful over the last 10 years.
Q What alternatives does the 5-3-1 Triangle offer to Hash Binding?
A: I challenge defensive coaches to reconsider binding your entire defense to the hashes, and start putting more emphasis on the opponet's offensive sets. By running a hash defense your tendencies in the middle of the field are skewed. Chances are, you will be more likely to stay in your base shell or become a simplistic 2 high shell defense; the majority of the time. This makes you predictable, and gets you beat!
Q: So What are the advatages?
The first thing this scheme does, is reduces the amount of variables used during the opponent break-down phase. I have found it useful to look at formations in a generic manner; instead of a more specific manner.
Instead of making yourself and your players memorize non-systematic formations, this system classsifies them as “even” or “odd.” It is determined by the location of “MO” whether a set is either even or odd.
Most Coaches looking at a single break down scenario could see: 2nd and 8, left hash, 11 personnel, QB Gun, Ace right. This system compiles that information, and presents: 2nd and 8, Even. This allows you to study the results of the previous play in your break rather than locking yourself into the dynamic of the current play's pre-snap.
Q: What does this article series offer me?
I have done a lot of work with this defense and will take several articles and clinics to disclose the finer points of it. I fell that the 5-3-1 Triangle is the answer to the Spread Offense. The 5-3-1 Triangle has allowed me to merge both the alignment with assignment. In this system all personell align to offensive line leverage points. Ask yourself why a 3 technique can’t be a Tackle, Linebacker, or a safety? Now a 3 linebacker just simply does what 3’s do.
We as human beings ask questions for two reasons. First, we ask a question to get an answer. But we also ask questions to simulate thought. I have created this defense by asking one question; “Why is football an 11 man game?”