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.

Football Cover 3 variations and concepts at the NFL and College Level

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This article takes a look at some cover 3 variations that you see at the pro and college level. We will look at some different cover 3 rotations both strong and weak from a 3, 4 and 5 man pass rush.

The big difference between the NFL and college is NFl teams will carry the seem routes vertical for 14-18 yards and give up those short flat throws at times. They will match often with #1 on the outside with the cb taking all of 1 vertically. They are more match based in the nfl and you will see some examples below.

Also, in the NFL you don't have hash marks so it's more of a 3 strong, 3 weak concept. In college you have the added hash marks so you will see some more coverages to the field. 

COVER 3 WEAK 

The Patriots run cover 3 weak vs. the Chargers. The coverage confuses Herbert as it starts as a 2 high. He takes the check down as the pressure forces him to take the easy completion on 3rd and 9. The Patriots rally and get off the field.

The game they run gets home. Excellent design and pressure combined with excellent coverage downfield.

COVER 3 PLUG WEAK.

This is a 3 read situation vs 3x1. The weak safety is playing the curl and looking for a crosser weak vs 3x1.

Here's some clips of the Bills running cover 3 vs the Chargers

The Broncos run a 3 weak variation vs the SF 49ers. They do a great job of understanding the 49ers routes and do a great job matching vertically. 

49ers motion and then post snap Kittle goes across as they full slide in protection. This allows the LCB to match #1 vertically as he has no other threat vertically.

The LCB and RCB are matching both outside wr vertically. 

Jimmy G tries to hit the comeback but is very well covered. 

The Seahawks run cover 3 weak out of their bear front. 

Haskins checks it down to the back for a  2 yard gain.

COVER 3 STRONG

One thing teams will do is try to run a stick concept vs cover 3. Texas A & M tries to run it out of 12 personnel. Your Mike lb has to be aggressive in his 3 to 2 progression. Here Florida does a nice job with their mike and ss. The SS takes the flat defender and the Mike does an excellent job pushing to #3. The will gets under the dig and their is no place to go with the football. Nice job matching it off by Florida.

3 MAN RUSH 8 MAN COVERAGES

COVER 3 STRONG

Kentucky vs Miss State

Here's cover 3 at the college level with a 3 man rush. The ball is on the defensive right hash so Kentucky runs cover 3 to the strong side of the field.

On 1st and 10, they play it again, cover 3 to the field with the safety inserting and the sam LB buzzing the flat.  Costello works the man side and could have thrown the ball to #2 on the bottom of the screen but took the check down and ends up getting 5 yards. For much of the day Kentucky took away the deeper passes with coverage.

Again, these are just 2 variations of cover 3 strong.

COVER 3 FIRE ZONE 5 MAN PRESSURES

3rd and 9

Seahawks in a load front and bring the extra defensive back.  They  bring the Sam and the Mike and the pressure causes a quick throw

.

In the 2nd example they go cover 3 fire zone and force Haskins into working the man side. Nice disguise and Adams makes an excellent play on the weak side of the fire zone. If he worked the zone beater side he had an easy first down with the spacing concepts.

Here are the 2 clips of the plays above. 

Here Florida plays the Texas A & M Aggies and they bring a fire zone pressure from the boundary. They match the route concepts nicely and force a really tough pass on the shallow cross concept. Texas A & M does a nice job sliding that way and picking up the pressure on the backside. 

These are just some of the cover 3 concepts you will see at the NFL and college level. I will be adding some more real soon.