Defending Trips Formations in the 4-2-5 Defense | Joe Daniel Football

[@joshualebovic322]

Two ways to defend the trips side: 1. We lock the SS on #3 and play 2 read on 1+2. The thought is why teach the SS who isn't used to playing 2 read play the coverage. I have used the coverage part that you have talked about for 8 years. And we have a few blitz calls out of Trips. Our players know on varsity that if there is a trips formation there is a blitz call coming from the sideline.

[@poqetaces]

I ran into the same problem, I would bump down my WS on weak side C loading up the box giving the QB a 4-3 look but we stay in cover coverage out of the 4-2-5, my WS now is a disguised LB usually most athletic guy on the field , check swing routes protect deep middle

[@nvdeemoney8823]

We showed 2 high at time and we had the Strong side CB play flat to sink , we had the Nickel to the strong side playing hook to curl , SS had deep 3rd to the strong side , FS had deep middle 3rd , weak side CB had man or deep 3rd , WB had Hook to curl late to flat if the is not a flat threat sink and the Mike had middle .

[@benstout6982]

Facing trips, mostly where they don't throw to #1 often, I will run our "mix" coverage. The corner press/locks onto #1, my goal is to eliminate receiver and corner from the field (becomes 10 on 10 football). My safety and scorpion (strong safety) play 2 read (palms) on 2 and 3 and Mike will play the underneath inside wall on 3. The backside plays sky or cloud cover 2.

[@MrC-55]

Have the W cover the R. That allows you to move the w/s covering the H. This also allows the M to cover the middle, runs, qb.

[@pureblood8198]

If I'm on the hash, I really like manning up the #1 on the trips side if the trips is toward the field.

[@arturomcdowell1451]

I typically tell my DE if he sees trips, make a B-Line towards the H receiver. This prevents the Bubble Screen, WR Screen, and Hitch Routes. We also ask the DE to drop back to prevent the quick slant. The LE, if he notices pass (I.e the QB takes one hand off ball or RB goes into flare) he drops into flat. This allows SS safety stay put in the event of a drag route.

[@Joe4372]

How do you stop teams from just running stretch or power read? Seems like you're playing a 5 man box with no DE?

[@dmw526]

Apex SS between 2 and 3. Open and jam 2. If no flat threat carry 2 deep. Mike opens works under 3 with FS working over 3.

[@joshwisniowski8821]

Basically the same alignment, but the strong safety would line up in the apex between man #2 and #3 on a “vice” call. The “whip” and “Mack” would get a scoot call to the trips side sliding over one gap or man depending on down and distance.

[@evaderpunk]

I would play the cb deepqtr/checking any routes from #1 attacking the flat, the ob/ss will check any routes attacking the flat from any 123 and locking any in route from #2 but if #3 is not doing an out route then he sticks to #2, the fs has like you mentioned a 1\4 of that same half locking the post from 123 and helping with crossers. Mike checks #3 in routes and any crosser left also help covering the inside hook zone if crosser is detected. The other cb I play him 5yd man and getting help from w/s in short in routes. W and w/s checks on the RB.

[@timpujol2443]

Coach...good stuff. Makes a difference which side the back lines up on and how you want to treat that. I like the idea of checking the back v. single side and then sinking in case they are in a 4 vert route. I also think that "trips open" lends itself to some fantastic blitz options, especially with WB or SS...if the back is set to the trips, it changes how we structure up the pass defense....still have the run options to consider, which I'm sure you have, but I think you are right on target. Many thanks and all the best.

[@Joe4372]

I've only brought the strong safety in very specific situations because it means we need to rotate the weak (a totally new thing for him) or bump out the Mike (he's not a man cover guy)... or just essentially vacate a zone. But if the tendency is strong enough, we'll do it! Most of my trips considerations are built around the run because the teams we see are much better at the run than the pass.

[@timpujol2443]

@@Joe4372 Great point.....the MB is definitely not a cover guy at the HS level, unless it's a "drop and look for the TE or shallow-cross at 7-15 yds (if he's agile!). Great stuff. Thx

[@vanphillips4243]

Strength call to trips bump M alignment over T and have him disrupt H and push to Y, W backer drops middle and disrupts H. Goal throwing off the timing allowing the F/S to play center field.

[@BrianHelveston]

I’ve stacked coverages over top of each other on the trip side. The SS is further back but his primary focus will be the short behind the trips throw. This confuses the QB because he’s uncertain which defenders are assigned to his receivers

[@Stlmademe]

On my semi pro team we run 4-2-5.. On trips side we have a hard corner (plays flats) with the FS rotating over the top to that side. SS has hook/curl, WS goes middle third. Mike and Will have the same responsibilities as yours. Back side corner is put into a stress situation. He plays outside technique, if his Wr doesn't run a route 10 yards or deeper he sinks to find work

[@Joe4372]

That's a strong way of defending pass to the 3 receiver side, worries me because you are outnumbered on a speed option weak - but if no one's running it, it doesn't matter

[@billyfay3545]

I do too our safety plays the #2 deep

[@Stjimmydude88]

WS or ($) on strong side getting hands on #3 if he goes vertical. Corner in deep quarter. Strong safety over number 2 at 8 yards on deep quarter. FS OTB cross reading 3 if 3 goes vertical. If 3 runs and out or bubble the FS gets eyes on number 1 weak side.

[@damionvoss1227]

Drop the will just as you would in a Tampa 2, that way you free up your Ws for Delay blizt or for the tip ball. Plus the Rb who tends to be the best athlete is covered in case of a late dumpoff.

[@chasedaniel2028]

I basically play this the same way except I man press the single WR with my corner and drop my WS to about 7 yards pre-snap. WS is looking too help with run support first and then quick slant by X. If it's a pass and X doesn't run quick slant, WS drops and looks for deep crossing patterns or RB wheel.

[@Joe4372]

Absolutely, we use a solo tag to tell the corner to press the single receiver.

[@cleansweepercleaningservic4359]

my question would be....#3 either bubbles or speed out, and then double slant from #2 and #1. Or if the Rb swings, vert from #3, #2 slant #1 hitch or sit route

[@prettirikki69]

That's one good way too stop the pass especially if you have a solid front...

[@ethanestrada5430]

Let the w/s cover the lone receiver and have the LBs move right and let the corner cover middle and even deep

[@davidwallace953]

When we see trips we would run a 3-1 defense. Cover 3 on the trips and m2m on the back 1. That leaves the backside backer to be focused on run and swing routes.

[@mpcmason3885]

I used to call that cover three colt. It was very valuable when you have a stud CB and their RBS are active in the pass game

[@ericdaniels8942]

👍🏼

[@ericdaniels8942]

How do u guys stop wandering eyes. Falling for routes that vacate areas. Saw a nick Saban tape where he uses a pass off technique. Think that can be taught to a team with lack of athletes?

[@ericdaniels8942]

Great idea, This has to be easy for the kids to grasp. Do they seem to play faster in this and is your DE a hybrid guy or DL

[@spicychampu5734]

Run this at the freshman level 4-3 defense, sam lb locked on 3 (most inside WR) SS is 6 yards off on 2 WR on the snap he plays the flat, CB is inside position on WR. Before the snap he moves 7 yards has deep 3rd. FS plays “free” middle of the field Back side CB is locked on WR. Mike Lb has hook/Curl helps (get hands on and helps Sam LB) or RB is to his side ( he locked) Will (can spy/QB ) Curl/Flat , or RB releases his side he’s locked

[@CoachTobyXL]

Slide LB over to trips side, other LB stays in the middle.

[@johnmcknight2206]

And leave backer in the box? or you gonna balance the box with the week safety?

[@Gmorktron]

We will do this. The weak saftey as you have him drawn is played like a Free for us at 11 yards. His alignment is close enough to the hash that if he falls down, he can touch it. Its so tight into the boundary at the HS level its not a problem. ​He then rolls in after snap. Mikes base alignment rule for us is inside #3. Nickle outside #2 like you for those bubbles. We do this if the team lines up gun weak as the run strength is to the trips side. Every gap is covered and mike is the extra guy. For coverage you have 2 over 1 in the boundary, and 4 over three to the field. Ends always have flare control. A variation on that is we roll field side saftey down on #3 after the snap. This pushes our mike back into the box. This especially in gun strong when team like to rpo the lb on 3. To the qb it looks like #3 is wide open. This takes the pressure of the lb in rpo. And we have someone sprinting into the throw right now. Back side saftey work to the field 1/4. It ends up being 3 deep 4 under coverage. We also like to blitz the qb n trips. Send the boundary corner. Line slant to the field. Boundary saftey sprints at #1 right now. Three deep with 3 under zone. Oh and our boundary corner is press for all of this. @johnmcknight2206

[@RonHall-it8rd]

Just stay in cover 3 on the 3 receiver side and backside lock man. But have the lb stay with rb and have the nickel drop back to 2 high safeties. Simple

[@jessepearson2848]

The #3 receiver is open before the ball is even snapped. Run a 4-3 and have the SS match on #2 and run deep with him. Sam backer plays inside #3, curl to flat.

[@Joe4372]

If you're concerned about #3 you slide the Linebackers. You don't need to change the defense.

[@zairemacapagal9335]

We got 2 ways of covering it. 1st we man #1 with the corner then play 2 read with the nickel and safety. 2nd way is nickel mans #2 if #3 goes vertical

[@cordbailiff5238]

Cover#2 backside, MLB walls, WLB gets vertical to help low hole.

[@jaydensouthard6027]

I don't think scheme is the main issue. The quarter, quarter, half zone is a solid answer to trips without the hang. Thankfully we don't have the contact rule in high school like the NFL. Teach Mike to wall and make that H not want to run across the middle any more. That can throw off the QBs progression and give the pressure time to get to him or force a poor throw.

[@dylanfalso1035]

When you run this do the two quarters play with quarters rules and read or are they play spot drop quarter to protect deep??

[@isaacsantana6560]

Quarter defense vs bunch and Cover 9 vs bunch and clound 3 vs close fromation

[@joshscobey]

In my area, I rarely see teams throw to #1 on a vert. I have at times apexed my Trips corner between #1 and #2. I have also at times locked up #3 with what would have been a hook-curl LB. Both of these were out of Cover Three.

[@Joe4372]

Thanks coach! I wonder how much we see the ball go to #1 on a vert? That's a good adjustment.

[@ChrisWilson49ers]

@@Joe4372 I'd imagine only when he's elite and they want him isolated.

[@bernardcoleman738]

Enjoy that information

[@r.mcdonnell8614]

Hey Coach, thanks for the great video. I really like this way of defending trips, but the only thing that ever scares me away from it is...bubble seems like a big threat to the strong side. Is there a way you deal with that?

[@Joe4372]

Playing outside leverage of #2 I don't see bubble as a significant threat. There's a lot going on with key reads and alignment and the whole cat and mouse game, but you should get a ball up read, rip outside #2 by SS if #3 bubbles. Then Mike and FS are driving inside-out.

[@earlhunter2927]

Eyes too the flats, body to the lanes!

[@isaacsantana6560]

Quarter defense vs bunch set they attack the flats and upper corner

[@iamQuinnD]

what software are u using for this coach?

[@ellisbarlow4626]

Run man on the back side and quarters on the trips side

[@TheBLKMIATA98]

What do you do vs quads?

[@goodtimestodd]

I cross stunt the defensive tackles and it will open the pass rush, I called the box fan

[@Jerico-fd2zk]

DE's need to versatile and one Dt on DL. QB spy DT middle zone drop coverage only rushing 3 on pass situations. Zone route flats weak or strong by DE's. Dline zone blitz w/dB's all options for gap rush or 1 + 1 Xtra blitz zone w or s

[@vanphillips4243]

Cover 2 look FS and man to man on single receiver side

[@gmanthegoat-f3d]

Why not slide your w/s into a 50 will in a 10 mike in a 50 (towards trips)and have your mike collision 3 and run with him at that point your will can help with any slants coming from the tips side or any inside short routes.

[@gmanthegoat-f3d]

You could even have your mike move out further in a 50 depends on match ups. To keep a true 4-2-5

[@Joe4372]

You can do that, and we slide the LBs to help on RPOs but not all the way out there. Mike isn't really a pass defender, I want him in the box playing the run at the high school level.

[@isaacsantana6560]

More video vs trip s 245 d

[@JovitoMaisling]

Diamond for sale Philippines

[@hectorgz9548]

2 safety split Ss man to man with h Play c. 2 with y and z (fs and c) C.2 inverted with x ( ws and c) like c.3

[@isaacava920]

This is a very over generalized analysis of what you were talking about, but to the field I agree with a lot of other coaches here who have identified the problem with the bubble of 3. I think that if you see a ton of 4 verts out of Trips, than this adjustment by all means makes a lot of sense. But just anticipating the next move, spread teams will gladly take the chunk yardage from blocking SS and C with #1 and #2 while having their #3 receiver race away from the mike. It puts your mike in a bind pretty quickly. In fact an old Qtrs problem might arise if the front by rule is slid to the field and the mike is now even further from 3 because he now has an A gap rather than a B gap which was closer to 3. So do you close gaps with a line stunt and let mike walk out a bit or do we lock the box and just pray that mike can check an A gap AND sprint to the opposite hash to cap the alley. Just food for thought bro✊😔 love your stuff coach

[@Joe4372]

The beauty of football! Every defense has a weakness, coaching is all about having a base plan that takes away most of your issues, and having a plan for the issues that OCs want to attack! Thanks coach

[@bob35382]

Why not slide the LB to a 10 and let him be the hole player as a adjustment to cover 4 verts?

[@scottstoner8561]

Your suggested alignment leaves you very vulnerable to the bubble screen on trips side or levels. Defenders have to play 2 v 3. Need to put the FS over H at a depth past (or even even with the SS)

[@Joe4372]

Then your alignment leaves the middle of the field wide open. Bubble screen, or easy touchdown? Every defense has a weakness. As I said, we'll carry multiple ways of playing it. If a bubble screen is a major concern, we can put in another adjustment to handle it.

[@scottstoner8561]

Not leaving the MOF open, rather he's adjusting his alignment based upon the trips, and reacting to routes and backfield action. With your specific route combo in the video, he's dropping into coverage with the deep quarter. Just a suggestion.

[@Joe4372]

I'm not sure how I see the FS over top of the H and even with the SS as being able to cover a deep route to the MOF. 5 yards off is no man's land in man coverage, much less deep quarter. If they just can't run at all then that's OK, but as a base way of playing we need to keep the ball in front of us. We fit the bubble with the corner to the outside, SS in the space between #1 and #2, DE and Mike driving from the inside and FS in the alley. Someone has to beat a block, but that's the case on any defensive play. Happy for suggestions, just discussing the concepts - I don't see anything as being the right or wrong way.

[@jamelleholieway4]

There is no team HS or above that doesn't bubble screen or quick pass this to death.

[@The_Morpheus77]

You could also have the ws Rob the middle of the field. Have them pre-snap or on the snap (depends on how fast he is and what route you expect) get to where the F/S would normally be, and have the FS take away that vert by #2.

[@Joe4372]

We've done that in the past with our survivor check in Quarters coverage. Very similar concept, the only difference is we have the corner over top and the Weak Safety playing more underneath here. I liked that better because of what we were trying to take away.

[@junefiasco]

This is how I run the concept depending on the pre-snap look as well.

[@charlesmutter7668]

My Concern is if the back is to the W/S side then you get a back flaring out while your running the Middle. Mike could always jump the Back but RB on LB. We mix it up where we will just Roll Coverage this play and then next rob the middle with the W/S. Hope we can catch him slipping when we go to it. Also like doing it the second time I see trips. It seems to be a test at first then the real deal on the second one.

[@manuelimort7343]

What do you think about defending the trips side with cover 3 rules (FS and C Deep third, M hook to curl, down safety curl to flat) and the away side with cover 1 rules? W would Play the low hole to take care of crossers or could be send in for a blitz.

[@Joe4372]

Can definitely do it. We play a Solo check where the corner is man on the single receiver side.

[@victoryathletictrainingcen9533]

I use these rule in my program and it works well. I like to send W on a blitz. It has been good and bad for us. 😂

[@isaacsantana6560]

Bunch set vs quarter defense and 5 wide out too and cover 9 vs bunch set and 5 wide out to cover 6 vs 3 by 1!too clond 3 defense vs close formation and quarter defense vs close fromation I play madden it cool do thing u say sometime ur dline must play flats vs 5 wide outs strong sefety play alert waiting for tight end to cross and second post to strong side I play strong side waiting luker

[@KlutchCustoms_]

Weak side safety should key the H

[@kb5532]

So cover 6?

[@Joe4372]

1/4, 1/4/ 1/2 is the same as cover 6, yes.

[@KlutchCustoms_]

Backside bc man to man Backside w/s safety keys the vertical of H F/S keys the #2 receiver, has anything deep S/S curl flat CB deep half

[@pchurch90pc]

A disruptive front would halt a lot of this.

[@Joe4372]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Disruptive front?

[@pchurch90pc]

If you have a disruptive defensive line

[@Joe4372]

Sure, what do you mean by disruptive?

[@isaacsantana6560]

2,4,5 defense nickel

[@zairemacapagal9335]

We got 2 ways of covering it. 1st we man #1 with the corner then play 2 read with the nickel and safety. 2nd way is nickel mans #2 if #3 goes vertical