STOPPING THE RUN WITH THE 3-3

USING 4-3 PRICIPALS

Eric Lo
Head Coach
Huntington Beach High School
elo@hbuhsd.edu
 Reasons for using the 3-3
• Gives Maximum numbers to the running game.
• Able to give a Variety of looks with Minimal
Teaching.
• Physical, Aggressive, Attacking style of play.
• Allows smaller, faster athletes to be Successful.
• Fun for the players.
 Struggles and Adjustments
Struggles:
Playing our Sam and Will down on Tight Ends.
Adjustments:
SS play on TEs. LB Stay stacked.
Struggles:
Ends get washed when slanting.
Adjustments:
Keeping DEs in 5 techs and having them control c gaps.
 Personnel

NG – “Wrestler” type player. Tough. Must force double teams.

D Ends – Agile and Fast. Understand leverage.
Mike – Tough and physical.
Sam – Best LB.
Will – Doesn’t need to be big. Needs to run well and be explosive
Stud – The bigger and stronger of the 2 SS.
Whip – Less Physical than the Stud. Must be able to play man and be a deep ½ safety.
CB’s – Cover and Late force on run.
FS – Smart. Needs to be a good football player.
BASE DEFENSIVE ALIGNEMENT vs. Pro I

ST E N E
S M W WP
C C
FS
BASE DEFENSIVE ALIGNEMENT vs. Pro Slot I

ST E N E
C S M W WP
C
FS
BASE DEFENSIVE ALIGNEMENT vs. Ace

ST E N E WP
C S M W C

FS
 Defensive Line and Linebackers
Base Cover 3

E N E
C S M W C
Position ST Alignment Key Run to/ Run Away Pass Responsibility
Left End 5 Tech OT FS C GAP/ TRAIL-REV.
WP CONTAIN RUSH
NG 0 OC OR OG A GAP INSIDE RUSH
Right End 5 Tech OT C GAP/ TRAIL-REV. CONTAIN RUSH
Sam Stack STG. OG FIT OR FILL/FUZZ HASH DROP
Mike Stack STG. OG FIT/FIT HOLE DROP
Will Stack WK. OG FIT OR FILL/FUZZ HASH DROP
 NOSE GUARD SLANT TECHNIQUE
ALIGNENMENT: “0” TECH, NOSE TO NOSE ON CENTER.

KEY: GUARD THAT YOU ARE SLANTING TO. BE AWARE OF FEELING PRESSURE FROM
CENTER.

RESPONSIBILITY: A GAP THAT YOU ARE SLANTING TO.

COACHING POINTS:
• BACK OF THE BALL SLIGHTLY
• STEP WITH FOOT TO THE SIDE YOU ARE RIPPING TO.
• TURN SHOULDERS ON FIRST STEP, THEN SQUARE BACK UP ON SECOND STEP.
• THE GUARD WILL THEN TELL YOU HOW TO REACT.
 NOSE GUARD SLANT TECHNIQUE
VS. BASE BLOCK
VS. BASE BLOCK:
DIP AND RIP TO DIRECTION YOU ARE GOING. WITH GUARD FIRING OUT, YOU
SHOULD BEAT THE CENTER’S BLOCK ON YOUR INITIAL STEP. FIND THE FOOTBALL.

N
 NOSE GUARD SLANT TECHNIQUE
VS. A REACH
VS. A REACH:
AS GUARD MOVES AWAY FROM YOU, YOU FEEL THE CENTER TRYING TO REACH
YOU. TURN HIPS AND RUN FLAT DOWN THE LOS.

N
 NOSE GUARD SLANT TECHNIQUE
VS. SCOOP
VS. SCOOP:
SEE SCOOP AND FEEL SCOOP FLOW. GUARD HAS FLAT SHOULDERS COMING AT YOU
AND CENTER IS WORKING AWAY. ENGAGE OG MAINTAINING A GAP LEVERAGE
AND REDIRECT TO PLAY FLOW.

N
 NOSE GUARD SLANT TECHNIQUE
VS. DOUBLE TEAM
VS. DOUBLE TEAM:
ID TURNED SHOULDERS BY GUARD. ATTACK NEAR BREAST WITH HANDS AND
LEVEARGE GAP. HIPS TO HELPER WHEN YOU FEEL DOUBLE TEAM.

N
 NOSE GUARD SLANT TECHNIQUE
VS. DOWN
VS. DOWN:
ID TURNED SHOULDERS BY GUARD. ATTACK NEAR BREAST WITH HANDS AND
LEVEARGE GAP WITH SQUARE SHOULDERS.

N
 DEFENSIVE END 5 TECHNIQUE
ALIGNENMENT: “5: TECHNIQUE. OUTSIDE SHADE OF TACKLE. TIP ON OPEN SIDE.
CROUCH ON TE SIDE.

KEY: SCREWS ON THE OT HELMET.

RESPONSIBILITY: C GAP.

COACHING POINTS:
• REPLACE HAND ON FIRST STEP
• HAND ATTACK NEAR BREAST OF OT
• 1ST STEP ATTACKS
• 2ND STEP REACTS
 DEFENSIVE END TECHNIQUE
VS. TURN-OUT
VS. TURN-OUT:
ID INSIDE SHOULDER COLLAPSING. FLATEN AND SQUEEZE OT. RUNNIGN INSIDE
KNEE THROUGH THE OT’S CROUCH. KEEP SHOULDERS SQUARE.

E
 DEFENSIVE END TECHNIQUE
VS. REACH
VS. REACH:
ID LATERAL MOVEMENT. 2ND STEP AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. STRONG AND LONG
WITH OUTSIDE HAND. WHEN YOU BEAT IT. SQEEZE IT.

E
 DEFENSIVE END TECHNIQUE
VS. DOWN
E
VS. DOWN:E
W C W C E
HEAD GOES AWAY. DOWN. SQUEEZE AND REDIRECT WITH SQUARE SHOULDERS.
W OR IN
WHILE SQUEEZING EYES GO INSIDE. NEED TO KNOW IF QB IS UNDER CENTER C
C TO KNOW
GUN. NEED WP WP
HOW MANY BACKS ARE IN THE BACKFIELD. A FRAME. FB
M WP
ETO BOOT (UNDERCENTER). C M
TO GUARDST
S ST
E
FS S
FS

CHECK
CHECK BOOT
BOOT

E E
E
 DEFENSIVE END TECHNIQUE
VS. DOUBLE TEAM
VS. DOUBLE TEAM:
ID SQUARE SHOUDERS. HIP IN THE HOLE

E
 DEFENSIVE END TECHNIQUE
VS. SCOOP CUT-OFF
VS. SCOOP CUT-OFF:
ID SCOOP FLOW. OUTSIDE HIP IN THE HOLE AND RUN DOWN LOS.

E
 DEFENSIVE END TECHNIQUE
VS. PULL AWAY
VS. PULL AWAY:
FOLLOW

E
S
DEFENSIVE END TECHNIQUE
VS. PULL OUTSIDE
VS. PULL OUTSIDE:
HANDS ON TE AND STAY SQUARE IN THE C GAP.

E
 SAM AND WILL
STIMULUS AND RESPONSE

STIMULUS RESPONSE
DOWN BLOCK LOOK TO END = FIT OR FILL
PULL AWAY FUZZ
PULL TO FIT
SCOOP AWAY FUZZ
REACH FILL TO FIT
 E
SAM/WILL TECHNIQUE E
W C W C
VS. DOWN BLOCK
VS. DOWN: WP
M ID DOWN BY OG. EYES GO TOMDE. IF IT’S DOWN BY OG AND DOWN BY OT = WP
C FIT.
DOWN BY OG AND TURN-OUTE BY OT = FILL.

FILL
FS FIT FS

E N E N

S S
 E E
W
SAM/WILL
C
TECHNIQUE
W
VS. SCOOP AWAY AND REACH
VS. SCOOP AWAY: WP C VS. REACH: W
M
FUZZ E FILL TO FIT

FUZZ FIT
FS

E N E N

S S
 E
E SAM/WILL TECHNIQUE W
W C
VS. PULL AWAY
VS. PULL AWAY: WP C VS. PULL TO: W
M
E
FUZZ FIT

FUZZ FIT
FS

E N E N
S S
 MIKE
STIMULUS AND RESPONSE

STIMULUS RESPONSE
DOWN BLOCK FILL
PULL INSIDE FILL TO PULL DIRECTION
PULL OUTSIDE FILL TO PULL DIRECTION
SCOOP AWAY FILL TO SCOOP
REACH FILL TO REACH
 W C

C MIKE TECHNIQUE WP
M VS. DOWN
E
EFS
VS. DOWN:
FILL

FILL

N
M
 C WP TECHNIQUE
SAM/WILL W
M
E E
FS
VS. PULL INSIDE/OUTSIDE
VS. PULL INSIDE: VS. PULL OUTSIDE:
FILL FILL

N N
FILL FILL
M M
 C WP TECHNIQUE
SAM/WILL W
M
E E
FS
VS. SCOOP AWAY/REACH
VS. SCOOP AWAY: VS. REACH:
FILL FILL

N N
FILL FILL
M M
 RUN FITS VS POWER

ST E N E WP
C
S M W C

FS
 RUN FITS VS OUTSIDE ZONE

ST E N E WP
C
S M C
W

FS