4-4 Cover 3 or 4-3 Cover 2 vs The Spread Offense?

[spreadoffense]

Any success stories vs. The Spread Offense?

[kinnick]

I like the 4-3 cover 2 or cover 4 to defend the spread. To control the backside, we have our DE spike (go flat) and take out the RB. The OLB to that side has the QB. This helps take away the dart play as well. We will change this up, DE and OLB switching responsibility.

Mixing up cover 2 and cover 4 helps take away the passing game.

[zone_read_coach]

Coach,

How do you defend the triple option? Doesn't this put a lot of pressure on your OLB? Do you drop the safety down to defend the pitch and ask your corner to play man to the option play side?

Coach Berg

[CoachStan]

We use a 4-4, which is to say we use a 4-2 Nickel actually. Our OLBs are really SS type players who read and tackle well, yet have the ability to go deep and cover also. Like everyone else, we try to put as much speed on defense as we can. We also put our most experienced players on defense. We will use multiple fronts: a 46 look, as well as a 4-3 front that we play field/strong. We try to keep 6 in the box as much as possible and maintain the integrity of that front. We move our DTs around a lot, crabbing at the LOS, using X stunts and twists. We slant, and we'll plug blitz with the ILBs. We coach our DL and LBs to recognize blocks, and how to defeat them. We stress assignments and pursuit angles, change of direction and flying to the ball. Our philosphy is to stop the run first and we will commit as many resources as possible to do just that.

[kinnick]

If a spike call is on we have our DE take dive, OLB on QB and force has pitch. If we are in cover 2 our force is corner, cover 4 our force is safety. We feel like we'd rather have our OLB on QB than our DE. Also, the spike call is an alert and if the OLB sees zone away he can attack the QB and virtually force him to pitch it right away. You could also have him slow play if you wanted to.

[westjames45]

We run a 4-4 and face a spread option that runs primarily out of a run and shoot formation...

Does anyone have experience defending this from a 4-4 and where have you had success?