The 3-3-5 defense is emerging as a viable option for teams with more speed than size. With its unique set up, the 3-3-5 defense forces offenses to adjust to the defensive scheme and gives defenses many options in terms of blitzing and zone responsibilities.
Setting Up the 3-3-5
The basic formation of the 3-3-5 is as its name suggests, three down linemen, three linebackers and five defensive back. The front six players are stacked on top of each other with the outside linebackers directly behind the tackles and the middle linebacker directly behind the nose guard. The five defensive backs are lined up about 10 yards from the line of scrimmage across the field.
The defensive backs can flex toward the line in an umbrella shape if facing a team that has a wideouts or an outside rushing scheme.
The defensive tackles are lined up square with the offensive tackles with the nose guard directly over the ball.
Basic Responsibilities in the 3-3-5 Defense
When running the 3-3-5 defense, who has what responsibility is key to the success of the defense. From the 3-3-5, defensive teams have many options and can confuse the offense’s blocking schemes.
The front six players must work together to fill running lanes. The front three can slant to the right, left or even have the tackles take outside responsibility which means the linebackers must fill the corresponding gaps left by the linemen. By switching up who has which lane to fill, the offensive line may not know who to block.
For example, if the offense calls a run play up the middle, right of the center, the previous play, the nose guard may have been slanting that way. This time, the nose guard slants the opposite way taking the center with them and leaving the middle linebacker alone in the hole to stuff the run.
The basic responsibilities of the defensive backs vary by position. The outside corner backs play like traditional corner backs, covering receivers and helping contain on the run. The three inside defensive backs act more like strong safeties with the player in the middle as the key.
The middle players should be one of the team’s best tacklers yet have the speed to support the run defense where needed and fill any holes in the pass defense over the middle.
Advantage of the 3-3-5
The number one advantage of the 3-3-5 defense is its versatility. The 3-3-5 defense allows teams to blitz from anywhere on the field at any time. Because the basic formation has five defensive backs strung out across the field, if any of them blitz, the remaining backs can easily rotate and not leave an open zone like traditional defenses.
The 3-3-5 also gives defenses the opportunity to run to the ball and see how a play is developing. With only three players on the line, offenses have to come out and get the defenders which will give away the flow of the play.
Linebackers and defensive backs will have time to adjust to a sweep or reverse quicker as the offense tries to set up their blocks.
The 3-3-5 also gives the quicker defensive backs better angles of pursuit on plays as a defensive back could come in to support a play from any of the five spots on the field.
The 3-3-5 Against the Run
With only six players in the box, the most glaring weakness of the 3-3-5 defense is its ability to stop the run. But by sticking to the principles of the 3-3-5 defense, teams can effectively stop the run and hold offenses in check.
Against a strong running team, blitzing the safeties on nearly every play is probably called for since the threat of a pass is not really there.
But coaches need to make sure to mix up their blitzes and the responsibilities of the front six. By using the versatility of the defense and the speed of the defenders, the 3-3-5 can be very effective against the run.
Bryan Rose - I have always had a passion for sports and history. Basically they were the two things that got me through high school and ...
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