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re: Chips are down: Cover 1 man free or Cover 3 zone against a modern RPO offense?
Posted on 4/30/26 at 9:14 am to Lonnie Utah
Posted on 4/30/26 at 9:14 am to Lonnie Utah
quote:If you've got a true nose.
3-4
1
Posted on 4/30/26 at 9:32 am to BevoBucks
quote:
If you've got a true nose.
Yeah, never.
Given my druthers, I'm running a 4-2-5 with an uber athletic safety that can play the run but also drop into coverage and cover the slot or TE's...
This post was edited on 4/30/26 at 9:32 am
Posted on 4/30/26 at 9:37 am to Lonnie Utah
Man free if you are specifically trying to cover glance type RPOs. But in modern college football you need every coverage in the tool box to stop these teams. Nobody runs the type of cover 3 people think of anymore. It's all pattern match. The majority of teams are basing out of a 2 high look and running some variation of quarters, palms, or 2 Man.
Posted on 4/30/26 at 9:43 am to Lonnie Utah
quote:
Follow on question: Chips are down: do you want a 3-4, 4-3, or 4-2-5 as your base D against a modern RPO/spread offense?
You have to be multiple. 3-4 is more of a run stopping front especially when team use Mint Fronts. 4-2-5 is more of a pass rushing front. All good CFB defense use 10+ different fronts.
This post was edited on 4/30/26 at 9:44 am
Posted on 4/30/26 at 9:43 am to Lonnie Utah
Give me the 4-2-5 with an exceptional star/husky/whatever you like to call the hybrid player. You get 5 DBs that can cover spread passing concepts and keep 6 guys in the box to defend the run.
Posted on 4/30/26 at 9:44 am to Lonnie Utah
Unless you are insanely talented cover 1 will get you cooked. The 3 high shell that morphs into Tampa-2 seems pretty effective
Posted on 4/30/26 at 9:50 am to RebelTheBear
quote:
Give me the 4-2-5 with an exceptional star/husky/whatever you like to call the hybrid player. You get 5 DBs that can cover spread passing concepts and keep 6 guys in the box to defend the run.
Isnt that what I said?
Posted on 4/30/26 at 9:52 am to redfishfan
quote:
You have to be multiple. 3-4 is more of a run stopping front especially when team use Mint Fronts. 4-2-5 is more of a pass rushing front. All good CFB defense use 10+ different fronts.
The problem is the substitution rule. You can't put your heavies in for a 3-4 because then the offense won't sub and they'll gash you through the air and gass your big men.
Posted on 4/30/26 at 10:29 am to Lonnie Utah
quote:To clarify, my ideal is a 3-3-5. Again, only if you have a true nose though.
Yeah, never.
Given my druthers, I'm running a 4-2-5 with an uber athletic safety that can play the run but also drop into coverage and cover the slot or TE's...
Posted on 4/30/26 at 10:30 am to BevoBucks
46
preferably with dan hampton and/or mongo mcmichael.
preferably with dan hampton and/or mongo mcmichael.
This post was edited on 4/30/26 at 10:35 am
Posted on 4/30/26 at 10:59 am to MasterAbe1
quote:
However against modern offenses, you have to be able to mix up coverages or they will figure you out (unless your talent gap is large)
This is the obvious answer, be multiple.
I’m not just playing different looks I’m masking them pre-snap.
Posted on 4/30/26 at 11:14 am to Lonnie Utah
quote:
The problem is the substitution rule. You can't put your heavies in for a 3-4 because then the offense won't sub and they'll gash you through the air and gass your big men.
Teams don't really play the the tradition 3 down look with the big 2 gapping DTs. The modern version has the "Jack" backer standing up on the edge with a shaded nose and 5 tech on the backside. My entire point is if you stay in one front and only a few coverages in todays game you will ran off the field. You must be multiple in front and in coverage. The coverage aspect of it has gotten so complicated to try to deal with these newer concepts. Teams aren't sitting in the typical cover 2,3,4 of the past. Its Quarters Mod, Meg, Stubie, Stump It's palms and other 2 read type coverages. Trap coverages. This stuff will make your head spin.
Posted on 4/30/26 at 11:55 am to redfishfan
quote:
Teams don't really play the the tradition 3 down look with the big 2 gapping DTs. The modern version has the "Jack" backer standing up on the edge with a shaded nose and 5 tech on the backside. My entire point is if you stay in one front and only a few coverages in todays game you will ran off the field. You must be multiple in front and in coverage. The coverage aspect of it has gotten so complicated to try to deal with these newer concepts. Teams aren't sitting in the typical cover 2,3,4 of the past. Its Quarters Mod, Meg, Stubie, Stump It's palms and other 2 read type coverages. Trap coverages. This stuff will make your head spin.
I don't disagree with a single thing you said there.
But my original question was what BASE defense are you using. And I'm not running a 3-4 as a base D. Again, as a BASE, it's the 4-2-5 because it's the most flexible based upon athletes required to run it.
ETA: I think were we agree is the modern D has to be just as flexible, disguising and read based as the modern offense.
This post was edited on 4/30/26 at 11:58 am
Posted on 4/30/26 at 12:01 pm to Lonnie Utah
quote:
But my original question was what BASE defense are you using. And I'm not running a 3-4 as a base D. Again, as a BASE, it's the 4-2-5 because it's the most flexible based upon athletes required to run it.
My answer was you have to be multiple not that my base would be a 3-4. My base would be a 3-3-5 or a 4-2-5. Both are very similar. 3-3 has crazy flexibility but can lack in the pass rush department if you don't have a good pass rushing backer. 4-2-5 is very versatile but can't lack deception. That's why you'll see good DC mixing it up between personel/fronts/coverages to make sure they are minimizing the negatives of their base.
Posted on 4/30/26 at 12:42 pm to redfishfan
quote:
My base would be a 3-3-5 or a 4-2-5.
This post was edited on 4/30/26 at 12:43 pm
Posted on 4/30/26 at 12:52 pm to Lonnie Utah
You make the determination based on the tackling ability of your hybrid safeties
Posted on 4/30/26 at 1:20 pm to Lonnie Utah
quote:Why are you overlooking 3-3-5?
do you want a 3-4, 4-3, or 4-2-5 as your base D against a modern RPO/spread offense?
I went to the grocery store. My chips are back up.
Posted on 4/30/26 at 1:25 pm to Lonnie Utah
quote:
Nobody cares about rice on a football forum.
You're in the wrong place to spew this kind of anti-Cajun hate. If you're offered a boatride out to the "fishin' hole" think long and think hard.
Posted on 4/30/26 at 1:26 pm to RebelTheBear
BOOM!
I love a thread where we actually talk about the game of football
I love a thread where we actually talk about the game of football
Posted on 4/30/26 at 1:27 pm to Lonnie Utah
quote:
Nobody cares about rice on a football forum.
It made 3 pages!
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