Thread by @The_Coach_A

Miss State did a great job neutralizing the high-powered run game of Ole Miss

The Bulldogs base from a 3-3-5 that stems from the SDSU Aztec defenses of Rocky Long

Here are 5⃣ concepts from their hybrid defense...

#ArtofX | ⤵️

1) Being able to bounce from an odd to an even front is important when trying to keep the offense guessing in the run game

MSU is aligned in their 4-2-5 against Ole Miss' 2-back unbalanced - a fluid front w/ the Heavy-5 taking the Dive & the ILB snapping down for the QB

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Gap exchanges are important when defending ZN Read plays from a 4-down front

The Heavy-5 works through the hip of the OT, working the heel-line

The ILB snaps down to the LOS, staying tight off the DEs hip & leveraging the QB

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📖: matchquarters.com/2016/12/30/tea…

2) Another way to attack a ZN-centric offense is to use line stunts to "waste" blocks

Usually relegated to passing downs, GAMES can be used against ZN offenses too

Below, Miss St. runs a TEX (Read-Pop) away from the RB & an EXIT stunt too

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3) The Penny alignment (5-1) has become popular in the NFL, but it is not new to the 3-3-5

Below, the Bulldogs walk down into a Bear Front w/ one off-ball ILB (Penny)

The 303 (odd spacing) is great vs ZN runs

The EDGE takes the RB, forcing a pull read into numbers

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4) I call this KNICKS, & the Bulldogs run this from their odd front w/ both ILBs mugged

Post-snap, the DEs rip into the B-gaps & the ILBs loop for contain - ending in a Bear Front (5-1)

Just another way to give the O one look but snap to a best-practice front

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Below is an ex. of Knicks from a BLAZERS alignment

On 3rd Down you can add a NED stunt to free up your DE in the A-gap

Love the post-snap movement by the Bulldogs

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📖: matchquarters.substack.com/p/the-blazers-…

5) On mixed downs, where Ole Miss could run or pass, the Bulldogs used 5MPRS to attack the box

Below is a look at what I call CLEVELAND or CAVS, which is a derivative of the SPIKE path, but attacks away from the RB

❌-dog opposite puts 2 on the back & is ran w/ C1

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BAKER is the root call for the pressure above in my language & the city name puts it opposite the back

The path is a favorite within odd front defenses & is easily converted to Peso or even front alignments

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If interested in how I name pressures & how to teach them, check out Anchor Points or my new book on the 4-2-5: amzn.to/2QA3Zqi

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matchquarters.substack.com