How Would You Defend Against This?

[coachtom 0]

We play eight man football. I will give you an example of a play that a team I play this week runs. I will explain the play and how I plan to stop it. I am looking for opinions.

The Play:

The quarterback turns and fakes a deep handoff to rb. rb pretends to dive through the middle. wb flys across the backfield and takes the handoff deep (where rb initially starts) and sweeps around left side of the offense. or the qb keeps the ball and sweeps around the right side of the defense.

Stopping the play:

To stop this play I will have my (rc) right corner contain the outside. my right defensive end (rde) will attack the the left shoulder of the left tackle and get into the back field. the defensive tackles will attack through the b gaps (between the offensive guards and tackles) and penetrate into the back field. the left defensive end will attack the outside of the right tackle and make charge directly at qb. my left corner will hold his ground looking for the qb keeper. my right side linebacker (rlb) will go directly after (wb) after he comes across for the handoff. My leftside linebacker will move to the middle of the field until he is sure whether wb has the ball or the qb keeps it and then pursue.

----------------------------rb

----wb--------------------qb

------------------rt---rg---c---lg---lt

----lc-----------lde--dt------dt-----rde-------rc

---------------------llb----------rlb----

What would you do?

[slogar1 0]

Your outside defensive stategy is basically sound in regards to DEs and Cs, but who is taking A gap, the LBs? They'd better be if the RB gets the ball which is surely in their playbook. If their center comes out and picks off a LB you could be in trouble. If the QB fakes it to the RB then follows him through the hole or runs a QB counter through the other A gap, you are in big trouble. Using your current diagram, if their tackles are eligible receivers, you are again screwed. (fake to RB, fake to WB, slant out pass). Consider this defense:

----------------------------rb

----wb--------------------qb

------------------rt---rg---c---lg---lt

----lc---------lde------dt----dt-----rde-------rc

--------------------llb-----------rlb----

Same outside philosephy with DEs and Cs, but LBs are now in better position for run support both inside and outside as well as defend the pass (if the tackles are eligible), plus you now have max pressure up the middle. They want to run play action or double fakes, your DTs will be in their face.

[listerstorm 0]

This play sounds like a play where...you stree to your DE to keep contain.....your insid LB to read. And teach everyone to follow the ball. I dont care who you who...if your coming that deep in the backfield to get a hand off, you can be caught.

Just tell your DE to stay at home and your LBs to read. Dont tell your CBs to come up unless the ball has past the line....that sets you up for a fake and deep pass.