Installing the Air Force Base 3-4 Defense

Tim DeRuyter Air Force Academy

 Advantages of Basing out of a 3-4

Personnel
* Get Better Athletes on Field * Easier to Recruit LBs than DLs

Multiplicity of Fronts, Coverages, Pressures

* Any of 4 LBS Can easily be in rush * Offenses must prepare to block all or none of them * Easy to Disguise

Different
* Offenses have 1 week to prepare * Where is Shade/ 3 Tech? * Simplified Gameplans
2

 Installing a Base 3-4 First Questions:

* Who / Where is 4th Rusher? * How does the coverage tie in?

 Installing a Base 3-4 Where Can we Set 4th Rusher:

* * * * * OPEN 63 / CLOSED 36 BENCH PURPLE / FIELD RED MIKE / WILL BLUE STRONG RED / WEAK PURPLE TILT

 Installing a Base 3-4

OPEN 63
* 4TH Rusher from Open Side * Coverage is Double Digit (Could play man)
- , , vs PRO Sets (Cover 6) - Cover 3 vs SLOT Sets - Change of Strength Motion Changes Coverage - Front does not Change

VS PRO

OPEN 63

"RIP" "PURPLE LEFT"

Z Y X

S
9 B U ZZ

E M
B asic Spill MR

NG
R ip

E
4i

B
6

SC
Lock

W
Scrape Squeeze H /C

W C
Squat

SS
R OB B E R "I'm H ere"

FS
1/2

VS SLOT

OPEN 63

"RIP" "RED RIGHT"

S
9 FLAT

E
5

NG
R IP

4i

E B
6

M
B asic Spill H /C

W
Scrape Squeeze H /C

C
1/3 "I'm H ere"

C
1/3

FS
M/3

SS
C/F

VS ZAC DBLS to TREY

OPEN 63

"LIZ" "R E D LE FT" "CH E CK PU R PLE "ZON E IT"

B
6

E
4i

N
R IP

E
5

S
9 Curl/flat // 1/4'S D R OP

SC
1/3 // SQU AT

W SS
SK Y // 1/2 SCR APE H /C // VH

M
B ASIC H /C // MR

W C
1/3 // 1/4

FS
M/3 // 1/4

VS Z A C - Trey to DBLS

OPEN 63

"R IP" "PU R PLE LE F T" "CH E CK R E D "

E S SC
1/4 // 1/3 9 1/4'S // C/F 5

R IP

4i

B
6

M
B ASIC MR // H /C

W
SCR APE VH // H /C

W C
SQU AT // 1/3

SS

1/4 // M/3

FS
1/2 // C/F

 Installing a Base 3-4

CLOSED 36
* 4TH Rusher from Closed Side * Coverage is Double Digit (Could play man)
Cover 3 vs PRO Sets Cover 6 vs SLOT Sets Change of Strength Motion Changes Coverage Front does NOT change

VS PRO

CLOSED 36
T B FB Z Y

"LIZ" "R E D LE FT"

S
6

E
4i

R ip

E
5

B
9 C/F

M C
1/3 SCR APE SPILL H /C

W
B ASIC SQU E E ZE H /C

C
1/3

SS
SK Y C/F M/3

FS

VS SLOT

CLOSED 36
T B FB

"LIZ" "PU R PLE R IG H T" "SO CK S" "ZO N E IT"

Z Y X

S
6 // 9 flat

E
4i

N
R IP

E
5

C
Squat // "Socks"

M
SCR APE Spill H /C

W
B ASIC SQ U E E ZE MR

B
9 1/4'S

C
1/4

FS
1/2

SS
1/4 "Zone it"

v sZ AC Dbls to T R EY

CLOSED 36
T B

"R IP" "PU R PLE LE FT" "CH E CK R E DR IGH T"

S X Y

E B 9 1/4'S // C/F SS

N G M

S 6

SC 1/4 // 1/3

Basi c M RP // H/C

Scrape VH // H/C
FS

WC Squat // 1/3

1/4 "ZO NE IT " // M /3

1/2 // SK Y

v sZ AC to DBLS

T rey

CLOSED 36
T B

"LIZ" "R E D LE FT" "CH E CK PU R PLE R IGH T"

S Y X

E S SC
1/3 // SQU AT 6

NG M
Scrape H /C // VH

E W
B ASIC H /C // MR P

B
9 Curl/flat // 1/4

WC
1/3 // 1/4 "ZON E IT"

SS
SK Y // 1/2

FS

M/3 // 1/4 "ZON E IT"

10

 Installing a Base 3-4

BENCH PURPLE
* 4TH Rusher from the Boundary * Coverage is , , to the FIELD * Coverage is Single Digit
- NO CHANGE of Coverage with Motion

11

VS PR O FIELD
Z Y

BEN CH PU R PLE

R IP PU R PLE LE F T

S
9 B uzz

E M
B ASIC Spill MR P

N W

B C
Squat

C
Lock

Scrape Squeeze VH

SS
R obber

FS
1/2

VS SLO T FIELD

R IP PU R PLE LE F T "Socks"

Z X Y

E B C
1/4 9 1/4

N W M
SCR APE Spill VH

S
6 // 9 flat

C
Socks

B ASIC Squeeze MR P

SS
Zone It 1/4

FS
1/2

12

V S DE NV E R

BENCH PURPLE FIELD

S X Y A

"R IP" "ZO N E IT"

E B C
1/4 "ZO NE IT " QT RS

N W
BA S IC M R P

E M
SCRAPE VH

S C
SQ U AT

SS
1/4

FS

1/2
"R IP" "STR E SS"

V S . TE X A S

BENCH FIELD
Z S Y

PURPLE
A

E C
1/4 // 1/3

NG W
Scrape VH

B C
SQ UAT

S
QT RS // C/F

M
Basi c M RP

SS

1/4 // M /3

FS

1/2

V S GU N FA R TA HOE

BENCH PURPLE
A Z QB

FIELD
S X

"R IP" "ZO N E IT" (Possible Solo or Clamp)

B C
1/4 "ZO NE It" Q trs

E W
Basi c M RP

N M
Scrape VH

C
"SO CK S"

SS

1/4

FS
1/2

13

BENCH PURPLE
VS. Texas SAC to DE NVE R
R IP PU R PLE LE FT (stay purple left)
A

FIELD
Z S Y

C
1/4 "Stress" // Lock

E S
QT RS

NG W
Scrape VH

B C
SQUAT 1/2

M
Basic MR

SSS
Robber

tress //

FS 1/2
R IP PU R PLE LE FT (stay purple left)
A

VS. Denver SAC to TE XAS

FIELD
Z Y

S X

S C
Lock // 1/4 QT RS

E M
Basic MR

NG W
Scrape VH

B C
SQUAT

SS
Robber // 1/4 "Stress"

FS

1/2

14

 Installing a Base 3-4

FIELD RED
* 4TH Rusher from the Field * Coverage is 4 under, 3 Deep Rotating Safety to Field * Coverage is Single Digit
- NO CHANGE of Coverage with Motion

15

FIELD
VS I PR O

FIELD RED FORM A TION A DJUSTM ENTS

T B F B Z Y X

S C
1/3 CF F orce

E M
H C

N W

E
H C SQU E E ZE

B
C/F

SS
M/3 VS I SLOT
T B F B Z X

FS

1/3

B C
1/3 C/F

E W

N M

E
H C SPILL

S
C/F

H C Squeeze

C
1/3 "I'M H E R E "

SS
M/3 VS I TR IO

FS
T B F B

S Z X

S C
1/3 CF

E M
H C

N W
H C

B
C/F

SS
1/3

FS

1/3

16

FIELD RED - CHANGE OF STRENGTH MOTION

VS PRO to SLOT:
FIELD
TB FB Z

RED LEFT

S C
1/3 CF Force

E M
HC

N W

B
C/F

HC SQUEEZE

SS FS
1/3

VS SLOT to PRO:
TB FB

RED LEFT

B C
1/3

E W

N M
HC SPILL

S
C/F

C/F

HC Squeeze

C
1/3 "I'M HERE"

SS

FS

17

 Installing a Base 3-4

MIKE or WILL RUSH
* * * *
4TH Rusher is Closed Side Inside Linebacker (Mike)
Or OPEN SIDE INSIDE LINEBACKER (WILL)

Not a blitz, ILB is a DELAYED RUSH Balanced Coverage No change of Coverage with Change of Strength Motion

18

MIKE GAP GREEN FORMATION ADJUSTMENTS

VS PRO LIZ GRE E N LE FT
TB F B Z Y X

S C
Lock 1/4

E M

N W
MH

B
1/4

C
Lock

SS
Robber

FS
Robber

VS SLOT RIP GRE E N LE FT

Z X

TB F B

E B C
Lock 1/4

N W
MH

E M

1/4

C
Lock

SS
Robber

FS
Robber

19

MIKE GAP GREEN FORMATION ADJUSTMENTS

VS PRO LIZ GRE E N LE FT CHK GRE E N RIGHT
Z Y X TB F B

S
1/4

E M

N W
MH

B
1/4

C
Lock

C
Lock

SS
Robber

FS
Robber

VS SLOT RIP GRE E N LE FT CHK GRE E N RIGHT

Z X

TB F B

E B C
Lock 1/4

N W
MH

E M

1/4

C
Lock

SS
Robber

FS
Robber

20

M IKE GA P GREEN FORM A TION A DJUSTM ENTS

VS D E N VE R
T B

"R IP" "G R E E N LE F T"

Z Y

S X

E B C
Lock 1/4

N W
MH

E M

S
1/4 Lock

SS
R obber

FS
R obber

VS TE XAS

T B

"R IP" "G R E E NR IG H T"

S X Y

E B
1/4

N W FS
MH

E M S
1/4

Lock

C
Lock

SS
R obber

R obber 3 X VS TAH O E
T B

"R IP" "G R E E N LE F T"

S X

Z Y

E B C
Lock 1/4

N W
MH

E M

S
1/4

C
Lock

R obber

SS

FS
R obber

21

WILL
VS PR O R IP B LU E LE F T

TITE BLUE FORM A TION A DJUSTM ENTS

T B F B Z Y X

1/4

E M
Sc ra pe 3

N W
Sc ra pe

E FS

B
1/4

C
Lock

SS
R obber

C
Lock R obber

VS SLO T LIZ B LU E LE F T

T B F B Z

E C
zone it 1/4 VS TR IO R IP B LU E LE F T

N W
Sc ra pe

E M
Sc ra pe 3

S
1/4

B
zone it 1/4

C FS
Lock // CLO U D
Robber "I'M HERE"

SS

zone it

T B F B S X X

S C
Zone it Zone it

E M

N
Sc ra pe 3 Sc ra pe

E W

B
1/4

C
Lock

SS
Zone it

FS
R O B B E R

22

WILL TITE BLUE FORM A TION A DJUSTM ENTS

VS D E N VE R "LIZ" "B LU E LE F T"
S X Y T B

E B C
1/4 ZO N E IT

N W M
MH

S
1/4

CO N TAIN

C
LO CK

SS
1/4

FS
R O B B E R

VS TE XAS "LIZ" "B LU ER IG H T"

T B

Wide
X Y

B
B U ZZ

E W

N M
MH CO N TAIN

S
ZO N E IT

C
LO CK

C
ZO N E IT

SS FS
R O B B E R 3 x ZO N E IT

VS TAH O E "LIZ" (Possible "Clamp")

S X Z

T B

E C
1/4 ZO N E IT

N W
chk Change?

E M
MH

S
F LAT

C
LO CK

SS
1/4

FS
R O B B E R

23