What is the 3-3 stack? Different versions of the 3-3 stack 3 safety system-part 1

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The 3-3 stack and broken stack 3 safety systems

People are falling in love with the 3-3 stack and 3-3, 3 safety broken stack system. It is a good defense but not everyone plays it the same way.  Some great coaches run both defenses. I'll just compare the 2 I have been looking at, although there are many great ones. Miss State, Iowa State, TCU and Cincinatti play  the 3 safety defense. Tony Gibson is more a 3-3 stack with 4-2-5 principles, especially on the back end. 

The advantages of going to a 3 hand down system are that it allows more speed on the field to play the spread teams we seem to face on a weekly basis. Most teams are based out of 11 and more and more are running 10 personnel. Both the 3 safety and 3-3 stack teams can get more speed on the field at the Linebacker and SS position.  The 3 safety system allows you flexibility in run fits as you can show different looks and change the run support with more flexibility. 

There are similarities and differences between the 2. I took a look at Tony Gibson a true 3-3 stack team and compared him to Iowa State a 3-3 broken stack system.

Here's what I found:

Similarities:

1. They are both 3 hands fronts in which you will get either a nose and 2, 5 techniques or 2, 4i at De. You will aso see a compbination of the 2. 

2. They will often times play with 3 LB and 5 dbs.

3. They will play a variety of coverages including 3 safeties. Some cover 3, cover 1 and cover 2 will be analyzed further. 

Differences

1. The true 3-3 stack run by Gibson  will not break the stack as often as the broken stack teams. He will often use the safety in run support filling very hard off the rb.

2. The 3-3 stack run by Gibson will make adjustments to a 3 safety with the sam linebacker. The broken stack system will do a ton with the weak side lb/safety. He will often drop into coverage and be the 3rd safety. This is a major difference.

3. Run fits-The Gibson system will often pinch and have the mike play the c gap. The safety will fill off the running back in the Gibson system and you will often see him make plays in the backfield. In the 3  safety, the free safety will often fill on the backside away from the rb.

3 In the 3 safety Iowas State   look 3rd inside  linebacker will often adjust and be out on #2. In Gibson's defense this will be the sam and they will keep the LB inside box. They will not be as likely to break the box. If there is an h back, Gibson will have one of the LB align over him.(see below) It has more 4-2 principles on the back end. 

4. They will often adjust with the sam linebacker in the Gibson model and stay stacked with the other 2 LB. Notice just the one lb moves to the side of the h back. They keep the integrity of the front with the other 2 LB's staying stacked.

RUN FITS 

Gibson Stack:

Let's look at a few examples of how well they fit the run on all three levels. UNC comes out in 11 personnel and they align in their odd front cover 3. They move the De inside and watch the spill overlap technique. DE spill everything, LB box it to the safety. Mike often will play the c gap with all the pinching up front. Safety just fills off the rb. Just mirrors him and is often a free hitter.

Pre snap plus 1 in the run game

nice job with the DE coming hard inside forcing the ball bounced outside.

nice job with the spill as it is forced out side. Safety plays off the RB.

safety unblocked!

The Safety usually just plays off the rb in the scheme. 

2nd example of how they play it on all three levels.

They will often move with the de, he's hard inside so they get the spill, with the overlap LB. Safety usually fills off the back unless they change that with a call.

Mike is a C Gap player, Nose usually off A, OLB will play the cutback.

Again you can see the overlap and safety filing as ball gets bounced.

safety there to make the tackle!

One more example as you can see the de on the left spill it and both LB filling over the top to the b and c gap.

ILB overlap to b and c gap. Sam forces it back inside.

LB is there and the safety if run will be there to fill. 

Great design, Only problem is it's play action so you see the safety put on the brakes

Here's 2 more clips of how explosive the safeties are in the run fits. They come down hill in a hurry when they read run.

Another example is vs Miss State in 2021. They run cover 3 and then cover 2 hole. In the first example the sam is a flat defender. When they go cover 3 they have the sam as the  flat at times . Then on the next clip they go cover 2 hole and the sam is a deep half player. Again all of their coverage variations are often dictated by the sam and his movements and alignment. In the broken stack, the free or will is the adjuster. 

See the zone coverage developing . 

Mike carries 3 vertically.

On the next play they go cover 2 hole. The sam is 2nd from the bottom of the screen. He becomes the deep 1/2 player

You see the sam starting to become the deep 1/2 player. 

You can see the cover 2 hole coverage with a shallow lb playing the shallow crossing area and the middle safety playing the deep hole. 

Here are 2 clips of NC State using the sam in different roles in coverage.

So, that covers the Gibson model, you can see how they use the sam as both a lb underneath, a deep 1/3 or even a a deep 1/2 player but also as an underneath cover man in their man principles. 

Broken Stack System

Here you will see the run fits by the safety usually to the same side of the rb or away from the strength. The FS is more of a cutback player. You can see it on the 3 images below how he fits away from the strength and plays cutback first. 

See the FS

plays cutback.

Iowa State run game fills

Iowa State

Fronts   

At Iowa State 3-3 stack will only be played vs 2x2 10  personnel. It seems like they break it but will start 3 safety.  They have 3 LB and the 3rd LB is often out on #2. It makes their box very light. This is a major difference as you can see their lb split the difference between the tackle and #2.

Basically, any other set they will break the stack look. Here it's a 3-1 front with the safety at 10 yards.

va 20

Strong LB always goes to the formation and is over #2. Again a 5 man box. 

vs 12. Front is a 3-4 with the weak safety acting like the weak side OLB

Vs 11 personnel with a tight end. 3-4 with the overhand with the weak fs/hybrid player playing to the boundary. Starting with the 3 safety look. You can see the 3rd lb out on 2. 

again formation to the boundary and the stack is broken with the 3 safety look. Again more zone.

11 formation to the boundary. They keep the cover 2 look to the field but they still set the front to the boundary. Again broken into a 3-2 defense.

Broken again with the sam over the 3x1 side but off splitting 2 and 3. 

vs 20 its a 3-2 box inside with 2 olb 

va Oklahoma 21

Vs 3x 1 10 personnel and 3-1  it's a 3-2 broken look with the front side lb splitting 2 and 3 and both safeties moving over.  The weak safety lb becomes a deep half player.

Vs 10 personnel, you will get a true 3-1 look with 3 safeties. Again the weak safety is on the hash to the bottom of the screen on the 20 yard line. 

Iowa State Cover 3

Here's a basic cover 3 from Iowa State vs TCU. They roll to 3 with 5 underneath defenders and a 3 deep secondary look. 2 clips below

Weak safety comes down to play the flat, Field safety comes down to play the flat and it turns into a cover 3. 

Again they go cover 3 with the coverage.

See the rotation as the free safety drops and they are in cover 3 

1/4 1/4 half coverage concept with a spy vs Texas

1/4 to the field and 1/2 field to the boundary.

I hope you enjoyed this article. From what Ive seen Gibson will play a true 3-3 stack and because of the man to man concepts can stay in it. The broken stack system is a little more zone based and teams seem to get out of it more with the 3 safety look.

3 safety defense-cover 2 pass defense, 4 and 5 man pressures with run fits

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This article takes a look at some variations of cover 2 with a hole defender from a 3 safety look. I took a look at some college teams that like to play with 3 safeties in base and nickel personnel. Teams are starting to play cover 2 and use the 3rd safety as a middle of the field defender playing the hole or deep hook and running with 3 vertically.

The 2nd part looks at 5 man cover 2 pressures from the 3 safety look.

You see the 3 safety look often with teams that play 3 man fronts. San Diego State and Iowa State being 2. Utah will play it at times. All 3  have been top 20 defenses over the past few years and here are some reasons why.

Also, playing with 6 dbs in the game gives you more speed and coverage variations. It really slows down some of these air raid teams and gives them difficulty with some of their passing concepts. You are a little more suceptible to the run but how many are disciplined enough to run the ball consistently.

Here's traditional cover 2 from a 2 safety look.

The problem is the mike is always in retreat mode and many teams will work off him at the NFL level. They run their bender routes opposite him and often times will run a wr deep with a dig behind it. It is very tough for a mike linebacker to play it.

Here the Falcons run cover 2 vs the Lions. The Falcons mike is retreating the whole time which really makes it tough for him. 

The Lions in 3x1 have #3 run the crossing route with 2 running the post with #1 running the dig. 

In true tampa 2, the mike has to run with #3 vertically.

If he runs with #3 vertically, it could open some things underneath up. 

See the dig starting to develop because in tampa 2 your mike vacates that hook zone to  take 3 vert partterns. 

The Dig is hit as a result.

Example #2

Heres another popular concept 4 verts. The 4 verts turns into bender routes vs cover 2. The qb will usually throw the bender off the mike. So if the mike opens one way, throw the bender to the other side. Now if you play the coverage from a 3 safety look, its a tougher read for the qb and easier to play from a defensive standpoint. 

cover 2 

As you can see below the qb reads the bender off the drop of the mike lb.

The Mike opens to the right which opens the bender route up top. 

nice completion

Here's another cover 2 bender concept

They run the bender off the mike in the NFL. When he opens look to hit the other side.
The WR are taught to read this.

The mike doesn't get enough depth which opens up the window.  Again the bender route vs cover 2 2ith the mike trying to get depth. 

As you can see it's tough on the mike as he is always working underneath and is in backpedal mode. Now with a 3 safety look, a more athletic defensive player can read it from depth and it makes it a harder read and throw.

THE 3 SAFETY LOOK

These issues led to the innovation of the 3 safety defense. So here you have the variation of the 3 safety look now being run which causes some issues in the middle of the field for the shallow cross, mesh, dover and 4 vert concepts. It allows a more athletic defender to play that middel hook area at times.

The Chiefs play 1/2 to the strength and  1/4 to the boundary  They show 2 high with the middle safety and bring him down and bail the other safety to the 1.2. They are in 3-2 dime showing pressure. Nice design by

Spags at the NFL Level.

Here is the clip of the above pressure

San Diego State

SDSU likes to play a bunch of cover 2. They use the 3rd safety as a curl defender or hook defender depending if its 2x2 or 3x1 and who they want to rush. The safety vs 3x1 will be a hook defender who will carry 3 vertical.

Below is both examples

3rd and 2

Here they send 5 and use the 3rd safety as a curl defender because the offense comes out in 2x2 formation.

Here's how the zone looks below.

San Diego State cover 2 vs 3x1 formations.

The saafety often plays the middle hook area

The safety will carry 3 vertical.

You can see the safety come down and take away the middle hook area.

They have 3 over 2 up top and 2 over 1 to the bottom of the screen.

Here's another 3x1 variation: Here you see the middle safety carrying 3 vertical. The middle safety has a rule of carry 3 vertically or playing middle hook.

Here's another example in 2019:

You can see the middle hook safety jumps #3 vertical. They do an excellent job with the deep half safety getting over the top but using the safety as the extra defender in the middle of the field really helps 

The middle safety plays hook and has 3 vertical. Other than that it's cover 2 with everyone else.

Here you see the routes. They try to run 3 vertically. The middle safety is playing middle hook.

The safety runs with 3 vertically and the deep 1/2 safety helps as well. 

In the next example,

2nd and 2 in the red zone

 San Diego sends the Mike and the 3rd safety drops down to play the hook. He plays off the mike and plays the run as SD runs a game with the nose and the end. 

The safety comes free and makes the play.

The safety is the extra hat in the box in the run game. 

They run a nice game inside and the safety fills the unoccupied gap.

 

Safety adds in nicely off the running back

Again in the run game.

There are certain fits in the run game. It often depends on whether your ends are 4i  b gap players. In the example below, it looks like Utah has the de in 4i and the middle safety is responsible for c gap.

A and B gap are covered so the middle safety can fill off the RB. Nice design as the ball gets spilled to him by design.

Utah safety does a nice job filling off the RB.

Utah run fit film

Utah

Utah runs it vs cover 2 with a 3 man rush on 1st down. Wash State is 2x2 and the back is strong. The mike opens to the side of the rb. Since it's 2x2 their is no carry so the 3rd safety just plays the deep middle hook.

The cb does a nice job getting under the post corner route so the qb checks it down to the spot route.

Here is the film with the clip

Northwestern 3rd down vs Ohio State

3rd and 10 

cover 2 hole coverage, show pressure but drop 8 and play coverage. Still get great pressure and a bad throw. 

Good job taking away the intermediate and deep routes.

safety gets depth into the hole as they give up the short hook on 3rd and 10

film analysis 

4 man corner pressure

vs 3x1  back weak, just bring the cb.

Iowa State brings the cb off the edge. Rotate to cover 2 with the pressure.

Utah brings the right CB 

They roll the right safety to the flat and play cover 2.

Nice job in coverage as the hook defender carries 3 vertically forcing a bad throw. 

Film with it!

5 man pressure

Iowa State 5 man pressure

3x1 back strong, they bring the will and the cb

On 1st and 10 Oklahoma goes 3x1 strong and Iowa State runs a 5 man pressure with cover 2. They disguise it pre snap as it looks like man. The safety over #3 ends up being a half player. The Mike runs with 3 vertical and because the back is strong, he can play off #3. The cb to the boundary knows his only threat is #1. 

Good design on the play but ends up being a completion as the safety mistimes his jump. 

They take away the underneath stuff. and have good coverage with the 5 man pressure.

3rd and 16

Iowa State goes to a 3 man 1/4, 1/4 half look but use the 3rd safety as a middle hook defender. This time he doesn't run with 3 vertically but probably should have based on the down and distance.  Another good scheme defensively as they force pressure and get qb to scramble.

2nd and 10

cover 2/ from a cover 3 disguise. looks like they are going cover 3 from the 3 3 stack but shift into a cover 2 with the sam coming off the edge. Middle safety comes down to play the curl and the weak safety plays deep 1/2

Oklahoma runs jet and the flood concept and high lows the flat defender.

The flat defender sinks under the deep out so they throw the swing to the rb.

Here are some film clips to go with it.

Utah version:

On 3rd and 15 Utah plays a soft cover 2 hole look. They use the safety in the middle of the field and take away all vertical routes and windows. They dare Washington state to check it down.

The left cb does an excellent job sinking and knowing where the sticks are. 

Here are the clips that go with it:

Michigan State

5 man pressure from Michigan State with the cb and will vs 2x2

These are some examples of cover 2 and different variations from a 3 safety defense. Please check my blog for other posts. Here Michigan State brings the CB and will LB(Dime LB)

Nice job getting the free rusher home.

Nice job rolling the coverage with the cb fire with the olb.

Nice cover 2 5 man pressure

They get the sack with the nice design.

I added this diagram of Michigan state out of an odd look. They bring the cb from the odd look and 5 man pressure and play cover 2.

Michigan State example #2

On 3rd and 1 they run it from the boundary.

Ohio state goes formation into the boundary.

Nice design as they run it with cover 2 once again. The pressure forces Fields to vacate and they get the sack.

Another cb fire from Michigan with the will LB coming off the edge.

Michigan State vs Ohio State 2018

3rd and 10

Michigan State

3rd and 10 

They play cover 2 hole

COVER 2 HOLE

3 man pressure (film below)

3rd and 10 later in the Ohio State game.

Here's the same coverage with a 3 man d line stunt. They drop the defensive end and play cover 2 hole again. No gain on the quick wr screen!

Auburn goes 4-1 dime and has the middle safety show like a linebacker. On the snap, he drops and plays the hole. Pretty athletic by Sherwood, the new jets safety.

Here's some bonus footage from my YouTube page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mqqAjB3tCU

5 man cover 2 pressures

Michigan Cover 2 

5 man pressure from a 3 safety look. 

3rd and 10

offense 3x1

They are in their 3 hands package and bring the boundary CB and will to the boundary and use the 3rd safety as a flat defender. Nice design as they bring 5 and play cover 2

They bring the CB and will LB 

They go cover 2 with the free safety at 10 playing middle hook.

They get full slide so the CB comes free

He hits the qb as he releases.

Here is the film with it

Michigan State Cover 2 

5 man pressures

Michigan State runs the cowboy and will stunt vs Ohio State. Here Michigan State brings the CB and will LB(Dime LB) and play cover 2.

Michigan state out of an odd look. They bring the cb from the odd look and 5 man pressure and play cover 2.

Michigan State example #2

On 3rd and 1 they run it from the boundary.

Ohio state goes formation into the boundary.

Nice design as they run it with cover 2 once again. The pressure forces Fields to vacate and they get the sack.

Michigan State vs Ohio State 2018 Good concept to run vs slide protection.

3rd and 10

Resources:

Iowa State 3 safety vs trips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ILRf88bqJo

3 safety front analysis

https://matchquarters.com/tag/three-safety-defense/

dime as your base-Oklahoma State 3 safety defense

https://matchquarters.com/2018/03/02/running-dime-as-your-base/

josh Runda clinic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhVxdNHC3zo