Fire away.

What do you like best about this defense?

Biggest flaws in this defense?

 

 

http://www.5atexasfootball.com/forum/vB ... php?t=8562

I think some teams do a variation of this defense.

I believe East Carter runs a 3-5-3, but I am not aware of a team that runs a 3-3-5.

West Carter runs the 3-3-5. I think it is a good defense if you have the athletes to run it. You need a monster nose, and two good de's 1st off. Linebackers and safeties must be able to cover the run and pass. I'm more of a 40 or 50 defense type of guy, but to each his own.

I think Highlands runs a 3-3-5 or a 3-5-3

That's a ton of pressure to put on 3 young men on the DL....I do not like this defense at all.

Prevent!!!

Actually, there are several teams in Ky using the 3-5-3, or a variation on it. The better teams I've seen have very versatile OLBs, who they sometimes walk up to create more of a 5-3 look... and sometimes they drop them back into more of a 3-3-5 formation. If you have very good outside backers, who can run and cover, it can be a very good defense.

 

I haven't seen anyone, however, line up in a straight 3-3-5 formation as their base defense this year. I'm not sure many - if any - high schools have three linebackers who are can make that work as an "every down" sort of defense... Generally, I've only seen teams go to the 3-3-5 in long passing downs.

Teams have run this for years or variations of it. As a coach the first time I faced it was in the late 90's when Jerry Perry went to Danville. He does a great job as well as coach Harp in implementing things that are new or different that give them the opportunity to get all their great athletes on the field. As the Mummy/Franklin generation has taken hold I see more teams using this and a Nickel with 2 deep to defend the pass as well as the zone read running game. If you do not have this in your defensive system then you will have trouble if you just play man. Some teams can play a pro (4-3) look and be ok verse run or pass but in high school you need to be able to stop both, but again having it in as a package gives you great versatility. If I was going to implement it I would get in contact with Coach Perry/Harp at

Danville. They implemented long before anyone else around in high school and

know the good and bad.

My high school football coach wrote a book on the "Convertible 3-5-3 defense", his version is basically a 5-3-3 defense that is adaptable to any situation. Sometimes it is a 5-3, sometimes it is a 4-4, and it can be a 3-5, but mostly it is a 5-3. It is built on the premise that your DE are basically OLB's that are sometimes on the line, sometimes off the line. We ran basically the same defense in high school, but it was not called the 3-5 then, it was just formation oriented. It's made to be a "one defense" fits all.

There is a number of teams that run the 3-3-5 or 3-5-3 as their base defense. Depending on who they are playing it will look like a 53 or a 40 front. One of the best coaches to talk to about it is the HC at Cincy St X. Yeah I know that is not KY just saying he is one of THE guys to talk to about.

 

We see more 3-3-5 or 3-5-3 fronts than anything now. It will look like a 53 or 52 to many. Honestly all the defense is hoenstly is the 53 with some adjustments. They can call them spurs, rats, bats, bandits or whatever it is just a 53 with some adjustments. It is like teams saying they run a 34 scheme when all that is, is a 52 with adjustments. It is easier to tell a kid we are recruiting to play OLBer instead of DE and DE instead of DT.

 

All the Oldham Co feeder schools run it. Lex Cath and all the Scott Co feeder programs run it. Holmes runs it or a version of it.

 

Ram I have that book.

 

Just to add something so everyone is on the same page. A 3-3-5/3-5-3 team does not mean you only see 3 defensive linemen and then just 3 LBers. There is a TON of adjusting and rolling of the LBers/DBs. West Virginia runs it.

Edited December 29, 200817 yr by barrel
add information

barrel, I have read that book several times, I just read it because of who wrote it, but he was good at his profession.

 

Your right the 3-5-3 is like Buddy Ryan's 4-6, the 4-6 is not really 4 linemen and 6 linebackers. I like the 3-5-3 for it's versatility. The offensive formation pretty much decides the defensive formation.

This and the Bear defense are my favorites to dial up the pressure. It's like the old 5-3 but more athletes on the field. Highlands used to run it as good as anybody I've seen in the state. Box is loaded up and you can bring pressure from everywhere. Cincy StX is the best I've seen run it.

I do not think you get more athletes on the field compared to a 53. Most DEs in a 53 are OLBer types so it is the same for the most part. You are now just asking to to cover instead of contain all the time. the fact pressure can come from anywhere is the part that is a pain to deal with. It still has many of the same problems the 53 has/had. One of the great upsides to the defense is how simple it is (or the Cincy St X version is) but you better have 3 stud DL. The DE/DTs depending on how you name them have some tough jobs to do.

I agree with the previous posters. The 3-3-5 was not intended to be used as a base defense(so to speak). We have run this defense for 4 yrs now. We have attended WVU coaches clinics and watched them run it. It is used to create pressure plain and simple. They stress the play of the two "swing" guys. OLB/Safety types. These guys are the foundation of the D. They must be able to man cover, play run, and rush the passer. They practice skill work with all three position coaches. The only thing that they stress with the down three is that the nose must be doubled every play. He has to be the anchor of the D. If teams don't have to double him they can release to the lb's. This really opens up the middle of the defense. Pressure and flexibilty are the main assests of this D