LBs in a 3-4

[john van brocklin]

I have not posted in a while.
I have been reading about some alinements of the LBs in a 3-4 but some of it seems difficult to do. How the Dline lines up and where the LBs are suppose to be. The LEO is the one that seems to be without an assignment. Any ideas?

Won't we be running a hybrid?

 

[Risen Star]

The LEO will rush the QB on passes and hold the edge on run downs to his side. He will trail run plays to the other side.

The LEO really is the 4th lineman (WDE) except he typically stands like a 34 OLB (but can put his hand in the dirt at times)and plays in a wide-9, which is wider than the typical WDE plays.

That’s why Quinn said “it will look like a 34”… because it isn’t strictly an odd front. You have a SDE ( called big end) in this scheme. It is called a big end because the SDE is somewhat bigger than a typical 43 SDE… but smaller than a typical 34 DE. The big End plays a 2-gap responsibility and can line up in the 5, 6, 4, or even 4i to close down the DE-DT bubble (4 and 4i alignment really helps stop inside runs). Should be Urban and maybe DLaw a little because he’s so strong in the run game. Odighizuwa could also do it if they need, but they drafted him to play 3T.

On the inside you have a heavier DT that will align in the 1 tech or 0 tech (NT). He also has 2-gap responsibility and usually draws a double team from the OG-C. This is critical for the success of the other DT. This will probably be Watkins or Bohanna.

The other DT is a 3-tech that has single-gap responsibility. He is usually one-on-one with the OG and is schemed to have success getting to the ball. Likely Odighizuwa, Gallimore, or Maybe Hill. Signing Atkins would have him in this rotation. He has always been very good as a 3T.

The final DL is the LEO standing in the 9.

Those 4 are really your DL although the LEO does appear as a 34 OLB.

As for the LB’s, you have the typical 3 that you have in a 43 scheme: SAM, MIKE, and WILL.

Sometimes, the SAM can walk up on the ball outside of the Big End and rush or drop from there. He is the other guy (along with the LEO) that “looks like” a 34 OLB, with the MIKE and WILL ‘backers off the ball behind the DL, also like a 34. This will likely be Parsons but it could also be J Smith, with Parsons as the Mike. Micah is such a great, natural A-gap blitzer, that they do want him inside to shoot the gap and be on the QB in an instant.

The Cowboys have been practicing Parsons at the MIKE spot but also some as a SAM. When he’s a SAM, the two outside (Edge) rushers on Pass downs will be Parsons and Gregory sometimes, with the Big End, 1-tech and 3-tach rushing from inside.

There is Leo some talk of Parsons playing some LEO when Gregory needs a break. He played DE all through high school and was recruited by Penn State at that position. He’s a natural rushing the QB. Penn State just saw that he runs a sub 4.4 forty and decided that he should be a LB.

Sometimes Parsons might drop off the line of scrimmage in coverage as the SAM, so he wouldn’t be going after the QB every time he’s lined up on the line of scrimmage. Or they could drop the Big End back in a zone and send Micah… or send all 5 and really stress the blocking.

There’s a lot you can do with it.

Of course, most of the time on passing downs (in nickel), they’ll be in a more typical 43 like we are used to seeing around here. That will be DLaw coming from SDE, Gregory coming from the WDE, and two 3-tech’s inside at DT (probably Odighizuwa and Gallimore), although it could also be Hill replacing one of them or Even Golston replacing one.

The nickel LB’s are likely to be Parsons and Neal, although Cox or LVE might could do it.

That is a rough estimation of what they’ll be doing.

Here is a look at the 43 under with two DL 2-gapping and two playing 1-gap. Note the SAM and LEO up on the line of scrimmage with the ability to rush or drop, while the other two LB’s and the SS have some gap responsibility in the run game. If the LEO was standing here (like he often does), it would look very much like a 34 scheme, but it isn’t.

You can also have a variation of that for some situations called the “Bear Front” in Seattle.

Below, you can see two 3-tech DT’s both playing 1-gap and a large NT playing 2-gap. Again, your Edge defenders are the SAM and the LEO. Either can rush or drop. I like this alignment, particularly if Odighizuwa and Gallimore are playing well. The QB has to get the ball out immediately.

Anyway, that gives you some idea of what the defense is going to look like and some of their responsibilities.

If you don't know just say you don't know.