Bandit and tite 3-4

[rahien.din]

According to this article, odd-front defenses in Texas are adopting a new alignment to counter the spread running game. It's called the tite 3-4. From either a 4i-0-4i or a 3-0-3 alignment, the defense's first goal is to kill the B-gaps and one of the A-gaps, which severely limits the offense's inside running game. Below is a good picture of the base alignment / assignments.

Reason I bring it up : my Bandit 335 defense predicted this alignment by about 10 years! Feels pretty good to see the principles successfully put into action.

Everything the article describes is true. The B gap is the most dangerous gap along the line and the best one to defend first. Attacking the B gap makes it hard for the offense to pull guards. The philosophy of this alignment is built from the double eagle, with hybrid players having a similar role to the 9's. It is a gap-fitting defense like the under (although I align the nose tackle strong by default).



Thanks BUS36 for resizing the image

[BUS36]

02-2x2.png (16.2 KiB) Viewed 2066 times

here it is resized...

[BUS36]

I take it that the back 5 are in man coverage. if they play zone I can see the RB getting in the flat or running a zip route through the middle being open. If it is man across the middle of the field is open to a RB delay seam route or a quick slant or skinning post from the 2W (Slot) position. If I would draw this up I would take the RE to the out side shoulder of the LT taking a contain charge. "J" would come up through the Tackle -Guard gap on a delay so that the guard commits to either helping the Center or the Tackle. that would either force the RB to stay ing or force the QB to hurry his throw.

[rahien.din]

(The image is just to show basic gap assignments, not blitzing paths. OLB's cover the C gaps, MLB covers the open A gap.)

[BUS36]

I understand ..what I was explaining if a team showed me that defense where the weakness is.. also to place more speed on the field I would have moved the "J' to the "W" and placed the "SAM" in the 'J" position. and roll the cs to the middle and DS up on the 2W.

[rahien.din]

I understand ..what I was explaining if a team showed me that defense where the weakness is..

I'm not sure I follow you. Any of those things you mentioned would be weaknesses of playcalls, rather than of formations. For instance : you say if they play zone the RB could be open in the flat, but if that zone is a base cover-2, that should include flat coverage. And it is true that if it is man across the field, then slants and skinny posts are good counters, but that is true for every formation, not just this one.

I understand ..what I was explaining if a team showed me that defense where the weakness is.. also to place more speed on the field I would have moved the "J' to the "W" and placed the "SAM" in the 'J" position. and roll the cs to the middle and DS up on the 2W.

That would essentially be my bandit formation. 335 semi-stack, a FS in centerfield, and a player in each alley/slot.