Defensive Coaching Clinic

[martywebb]

I always admired crazy 3-4 techniques.

My style tends to be Dick LeBeau with a Jim Johnson attitude type of 3-4. (I'm a Cowboys fan, so the irony isn't lost on me)

I adapted this style after NCAA 12 with 4 friends in an Online Dynasty in an attempt to 'show' chaos, but really be calculated and direct. Later down the road in Tradition Sports Online Dynasties, while I never had the best defense, I was at least a headache. Against the computer, it's mixed results, but I love the scheme so I stick with it through thick and thin.

More than anything, what is necessary (if you're just playing--no coach mode,) is quick fingers.

With the exception of a team going 5-wide, there will always be 4 minimum rushing the Quarterback. Down and distance plays a lot into my decision making, but I hot route generally 2 to 4 players per play.

My DT is typically at a 0-technique. Everyone else is pretty much a wild-card. My favorite hot-routes might include a DE into a Flat or Hook zone (short side of the field,) an OLB playing QB Contain on that same side (but not to overlap the DE assignment) and a MLB filling that gap between them rushing at the QB.

Cornerbacks and Safety's I typically don't play around with at all, the exception being on Deep Zones to play narrow or wide. CB Blitzes aren't really a thing for me, if my front 7 can't handle it, then I'm not recruiting correctly.

In terms of player types, and I've been away from the game for about a month so this is all by the seat of my pants.

DE - Pass Rusher, great speed preferable, zone coverage ability a bonus.
-- After reading above, it's pretty easy to see why I'll do it this way. In many plays they'll be stepping back to essentially play OLB, and if they're great, might be on my 3-deep at that position.

DT - Run Stopper, great tackling.

OLB & MLB - I look for good tackling, but typically I'm recruiting speed. If you can't tackle, you can at least run their *** out-of-bounds, is the thought here.

CB - Coverage

FS - Coverage

SS - Coverage

All very simple. I tend to take oversized or slow SS and place them somewhere as a Linebacker. Typically I'm at a small school so position changes might be the only way to get a formidable team defensively.

The one thing I do enjoy that I've mentioned before is controlled chaos with defense. Whether that's a Tampa 2 style 3-4 in certain situations, or press man with my safeties playing Flat Zones in short yardage situations. I want to be unpredictable (even though the computer knows,) and it usually works out for me. It also allows me to get beat regularly with great sliders, and that is something I strive for sim wise.

[jt2000]

Quote: Originally Posted by jello1717

I play a 3-4 and almost always have a dominant defense. My run-first spread option offense can score me points with the correct players, but their main job is always to not screw up and let the defense win the game for us. I play zone coverage about 90% of the time, which is why I love the 3-4 as the variety of zone coverages in the 3-4 is VASTLY superior to every other defense (I'm almost positive there are a lot more varied zone coverages in the 3-4 than there is in the 4-3, 3-3-5, and 4-2-5 combined). In general, I go 1 less than the offense personnel wise. Ie I go 3-4 against 2 and 3 wide, nickle against 4 wide, and dollar or quarters against 5 wide. I very rarely bring more than 6 guys, but will on occasion. I often bring 4 (which is another great thing about the 3-4 as that 4th guy can be ROLB, MLB1, MLB2, LOLB, CB1, CB2, FS, or SS). I probably bring only 3 as often as I rush 4. The variety of zone blitzes available in the 3-4 is phenomenal as well. I mix up my D a LOT. I'll throw in the occasional man coverages as a change up, but I'll switch between cover 2 shells to cover 3s, to cover 4s and 6s. I'll bring that 4th guy or even 5th guys from all over. I'll also switch up my zones a lot as well. I'll go from no buzz zones, to 2, to 1 with rolled coverage, etc. If there's a scrambler, then I'll call a spy on almost every play (or at least every play I expect a pass). This is yet another great thing about the 3-4 as it has more spy plays. If he's balanced, I'll call spies for plays where I'm sure there'll be a pass. Here's who I recruit: DE: BSH is by far most important, then FMV, PMV, ACC in that order. To be realistic, I don't recruit anyone under 250 lbs. DT: BSH, by far, then PMV. (Most important for all linebackers is tackle) LOLB: This is the guy that blitzes the most so he needs BSH, FMV, ACC first and foremost. MLBs: I mainly care about TKL 1st, TKL 2nd, and third, TKL. If you're a MLB that can't tackle, you'll never even make my practice squad. ROLB: This is the guy that plays in nickle normal so I care more about cover skills and SPD than I do the LOLB. CBs: ZCV is obviously #1 for me. After that I look for MCV, and then SPD. I rarely press so I don't care about that and I'll take a 95 ZCV/85 SPD guy over an 85 ZCV/95 SPD guy every time. SS: TKL is #1, then ZCV FS: TKL is #1 (I'm guessing you've noticed a theme by now), then ZCV, and SPD.

lol I setup my 3-4 just like yours on Madden 17 and got laughed at.

My 3-4 setup on Madden 17

[SilverBullet19]

my defensive scheme:

Base
4-3 (although currently experimenting with 3-4 in my dynasty)

Player Types
DT-RUN STOPPER. Large, "plug the hole" type of guys

DE- PASS RUSHER. strong rushers on the edge, this is more important than the DT. I'd rather have two 85 ovr DE's and a 75 DT than the other way around

MLB- BALANCED. moderate speed (80 is ideal), run stopper/rusher
OLB- COVERAGE. SPEED based, coverage heavy

CB/FS- "coverage" SPEED is top priority CORNERBACK is where I spend a lot of recruiting resources. If I don't have speed or good corners, I can't run man coverage. That would severely limit options.

SS- "hard hitter" Since he tends to be more zone oriented/run support in a traditional defense, I don't mind him being a bit slower. If he's slower, I just avoid him being matched up with a WR.

Scheme
Base coverage is cover 3. I revert to this when I'm getting toasted, but ideally I can run man-to-man with blitzing on passing downs, IE 2nd and long or 3rd downs. I like to bring a lot of pressure in the passing game, and it serves me well. I seem to average 3-5 sacks a game depending on the QB abilities. I will often blitz a safety, even both if its 3rd and very long. I control a backer and tend to my zone or man as I should.

If the team is known to air it out, or if they have a strong run/pass balance, I will essentially revert to nickel as my base for the game. My outside backers run the nickel/dime packages due to their speed in coverage.


I usually have the #1 run defense in the nation (but really I'm sure most guys do). I've managed to be in the 30/126 range for passing defense, usually around 50th though. I think that's decent, since I force teams to the air for most of the game.