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eorgia Military College’s, 3-5-3 defensive package, is an Submit
extremely easy package to implement on any level. We as a defensive
staff, feel that this package gives us the greatest advantage of being
successful against our opponent’s offense. While running the 3-5-3
FREE SECTION defense, GMC is continually one of the statistical leaders in the NJCAA
in total defense, run defense, and pass defense. Since the
Sample Articles implementation of the 3-5-3 defense during the 2001 season, GMC
Message Board has lead the nation in total defense twice, third once, won the NJCAA Football Playbook
National Championship in 2001, and finished runner up in 2002. We Fully diagramed
Staff Report
are firm believers that the 3-5-3 defensive system works. Throughout offense and
Coaches' Classifieds the following text I will explore how our 3-5-3 defensive coverages defense Easy to
are executed. learn and
GEAR
implement
Survey At GMC we are very fortunate to have great athletes. In order to run www.totalplaybook.com
Third & Short the 3-5-3 defensive package you have to have the personnel to
execute the defenses that are called. The key to executing this
Tech Talk defense is to have the Corners, Safeties, and Dogs that can play man
Quarterback
Product Service Guide coverage. Because of our defensive calls, our coverage package
Training
requires us to play man coverage about 95% of the time. The other
How to grow a
five percent of the time we are playing either a three deep zone or
zero coverage. Our defensive package is one that consists of applying winning
constant pressure to our opponent’s offense. With our blitz package, quarterback that
Current Issue
we have several options in regards to how many people we can blitz. will reach the next
Back Issues We will blitz between four to six individuals per call. Depending on level
Web Only who is blitzing will determine what coverage we will execute. jerryrhome.com

Offense
As stated, we are a man coverage defense. We will always have a
Defense player covering the #1, #2, and #3 receivers. Our coverage package Youth Football
consists of a number and color coding system that alerts our players Plays
Special Teams
as to who is blitzing and who is covering the offense’s receivers. For Playbook, Practice
Top Coaches example, Green (zero) coverage, alerts our players that all three Plans, Drills DVD,
Technology middle linebackers are blitzing. Green also alerts our players that the Youth Coach with
Corners have the #1 receivers, the Dogs the #2 receivers, the Free 97% Wins
Strength & Safety the #3 receiver, etc. GMC’s 3-5-3 defense only has five www.winningyouthfootball
Conditioning different coverages, but our system allows us to blitz from all types of
Sports Medicine angles and areas. The five different coverages that we run are 1, 3,
Articles Green, Blue, and Red. All five of these coverages alert us as to who is FB Playbook
The Last Rep blitzing. In the following diagrams, I will give an example of each of Software
our blitzes and the coverage that goes with them.
Special Interest Draw & print X's &
O's in less time FB
Open Door Policy Cover 1: Five man pressure, man free concept with the Free Safety,
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The Way It Used To Be coaches, by
Words From A Legend coaches
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Editors Letters

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Legends Of The Hall and it alerts the two inside linebackers to blitz. (See Diagram 1.)
Tuesday Morning
Corner: Both have the #1
Quarterback
receivers
Words of Wisdom Dog: Both have the #2 receivers
Third and Short Free Safety: Man free helping the
Dog to the split #2 receiver side
Spotlight Bat Strong: Has the back, #3
receiver
Bat Weak: Blitz “B” gap weak
Mike: Blitz “A” gap weak
FREE SECTION

Books & Videos Cover 3: Five man pressure, fire

zone concept, and it alerts the
Links players that the two inside Diagram 1. Cover 1
AFM Store linebackers are blitzing with 3 deep
coverage behind it. (See Diagram
2.)
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Corner: Both have deep outside
JOIN TODAY to Start 1/3
Earning Money Selling Dog: Both have the curl to flat to
AFM Subscriptions their side
Free Safety: Has the deep middle
1/3, but will shade to the split #2
receiver side to help the dog if
necessary
Bat Strong: Blitz “B” gap strong
Bat Weak: Has the middle hook
area
Mike: Blitz “A” gap strong Diagram 2. Cover 3

Cover Green: Six man pressure,

zero coverage, and it alerts the
players that all three middle
linebackers are blitzing. (See
Diagram 3.)

Corner: Both have the #1

receivers
Dog: Both have the #2 receivers
Free Safety: Has the back, #3 Diagram 3. Cover Green
receiver
Bat Strong: Blitz “B” gap strong
Bat Weak: Blitz “B” gap weak
Mike: Blitz “A” gap weak

Cover Blue: Five man pressure,

and it alerts the players that the
two Dogs are blitzing. (See
Diagram 4.)
Diagram 4. Cover Blue
Corner: Both have the #1
receivers
Dog: Both are contain blitzers
Free Safety: Has the #2 receiver
to the strong side of the formation
Bat Strong: Has first threat, or the
#3 receiver to his side
Bat Weak: Has first threat, or the
#2 receiver to his side
Mike: Watch for leakage in “A” gap
weak, and then become a low hole Diagram 5. Cover Red
player

Cover Red: Five man pressure, and it alerts the players that the Dog
and Bat to the called side will blitz. (See Diagram 5.)

Corner: Both have the #1 receivers

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Dog: The Dog to the blitz side blitzes, and the Dog away has the #2
receiver man
Free Safety: Has the #2 receiver to the blitz side
Bat: The Bat to the blitz side blitzes, and the Bat away has the #3
receiver man
Mike: Watch for leakage in “A” gap strong, and then become a low
hole player

In conclusion, our 3-5-3 defensive package allows us to have a

pre-snap alignment that looks the same to our opponent’s
quarterback every time he comes to the line of scrimmage. This
consistent, pre-snap look enables us to bring pressure from many
various angles. In turn, we have five different players that can blitz at
any time using several different combinations. These combinations
present our opponent’s offense with an element of surprise as to
which one of our players is blitzing. I believe that the 3-5-3 defense is
a highly effective defense given the fact that it causes problems and
mismatches for our opponents. Also, I believe the way the coverage
package is organized makes the defense even easier to learn and
execute. With our color and numbering scheme, it leaves no room for
error in relation to who has the #1, #2, and #3 receivers. Lastly, if
you have the athletes that can play man coverage on a play-by-play
basis, this defense can be extremely effective. I hope that this article
has given you an insight as to how we execute our coverage package
at GMC. I would like to thank American Football Monthly for giving me
the opportunity to write this article and give you some insight into our
program and its defense.

About the author Related Videos

Rob Manchester
This fall Rob Manchester enters his
second year as defensive backs
coach at Georgia Military College.
Over the last three years, GMC has
lead the nation in defense twice.
He received both a Bachelor of
Arts and a Master’s Degree from
the University of Kentucky. You
can reach him at
rmchester00@yahoo.com
American Football Monthly
now offers a full line of
coaching videos. So, if you
enjoyed this clinic article,
here are a few videos that
you may find interesting:
FV-01887A Confusing the
Offense with a Multiple 5-2
Defense (Campbell)
FV-01294B 8 in the Box:
the Defensive Secondary
(Elliott)
FV-01334D Zone Pressure –
The Secondary

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