There is nothing tougher than stopping a great option Offense. No matter how physically superior your guys are, the option guys are going by a simple mantra: If you can’t block ‘em, read ‘em!
The power of the option attack has always been most apparent in college football. In the early 1980’s, the top option offense in the nation was the Oklahoma Sooners. But down in Miami, Jimmy Johnson and the Hurricanes wanted to take their spot atop the college football landscape. And it was that challenge that led to the birth of the Miami 4-3 Defense and the 4-3 Over Front.
I have written a lot of articles, an eBook, and created a full video package on running the 4-3 Defense. One of the most common questions I receive is, “How do you stop the [insert formation] option with the 4-3 Defense.” The answer is simple. Just run it.
If you are coaching the run fits properly, the 4-3 Over Front is the best of the best for stopping the option. It was designed with the sole purpose of shutting down the option! Whether you’re seeing the Wishbone, Spread, I-Formation or Flex Bone Option, this is the perfect front to stop those offenses.
Let’s take a look at how the 4-3 defense can shut down the Flex Bone Option from both the base defense and a simple adjustment.
It Starts with the Midline
What if you’re playing a Pistol Flex Bone Option team that’s worth its salt? They probably run the midline play, and they run it well. Option gurus want to pound it straight up the gut with midline, until you start pinching down inside. Then they’re going off tackle or around the outside for the big play. But if you never stop the midline, they never stop running it.
Figure 1: Over Front vs. Midline Option
The midline will be run at your 3-technique tackle. He has to attack and squeeze the offensive guard, to keep him from getting to the Mike linebacker. The Mike linebacker will be attacking hard downhill because he is assigned to the fullback. When the tackle closes off the A Gap with his and the guard’s bodies, the Mike adjusts his fit to the B gap and can handle the QB or force the ball to bounce to the Sam linebacker or the safety. (see Figure 1)
This is a great play for the offense to use against the 4-3 Defense, because your 3-technique is your best defensive lineman. He’s the one they might not be able to block soo they read him.
A big advantage of the 4-3 defense with quarters coverage is that our force player is the safety. That allows your outside linebacker to fold in to help on the play faster. In the 4-4 defense, he would have to sit outside for contain in case the play bounces.
Dominate the Veer Option Play
The rules of defending the Veer Option rarely change. A and B gap defenders handle the dive. The Mike linebacker is married to the fullback all night long when he sees the Option. In 2012, we opened against an option football team and counted 27 snaps where our Mike linebacker and their fullback collided before anything else happened on the play. Sometimes he had the ball, sometimes he did not. The weakside nose and strongside tackle will also always play the dive.
C Gap defenders are always responsible for the quarterback against the option, but that is where the 4-3 Over Front takes some liberties. Our defensive ends are lined up in the C Gap, but when the play develops, they will not stay in that spot. (see Figure 2)
Figure 2: Over Front vs. Veer Option
A key teaching point for any 4-3 defensive coach is the block down, step down rule for the defensive line. When the tackle veer releases inside to a linebacker, the end bends down the line of scrimmage and attacks the dive. The natural gap exchange that happens in the 4-3 defense may even confuse young option quarterbacks, but for our defense it is natural.
The Will linebacker expects the end to bend down and handle the B Gap. Our more athletic Will linebacker is now in a 1-on-1 match-up with the quarterback. We love that situation because so many teams, particularly in pistol and shotgun alignments, are using their best athlete at quarterback. It is important that your weakside end can squeeze down the veer releasing tackle, so that your Mike can run free on the play for help.
Your force player will always be responsible for the pitch. In quarters coverage, that is our safety. Crack blocks from the wide receivers are commonplace in option attacks, so be sure to work on plenty of crack-replace drills that bring your corner down for force and pitch.
Adjustments Can Limit the Options
The worst part about playing a great Pistol Flex Bone Option team is that they have so many options! With a simple adjustment, you can limit their options and let your defenders play faster. Against a balanced Flex Bone alignment, the offense has the advantage. They can look at your unbalanced Over Front and decide where they want to run. The solution? Balance your defense. We like to move the nose and tackle into 2i techniques, inside shade of the guards. This takes away two staples of the Flex Bone playbook: midline, and trap. (see Figure 3)
Figure 3: Adjustment to the Pistol Flex Bone Option Attack
Now the Flex Bone Option playbook becomes more limited. For most teams, they are down to the Veer Option, Sweep Play, and putting the ball in the air. Because we know it has to be Veer or Sweep, the Mike linebacker can over-play those based on the path of the Fullback (downhill for Veer Option, outside for Sweep). And we love to see option teams putting the ball in the air!
The Over Front in the 4-3 defense is an incredible weapon against those hard-nosed option attacks all by itself. When you expand your package to include quarters coverage, under fronts, and carefully considered stunts, blitzes and front adjustments, you are ready to shut down the Pistol Flex Bone Option.
