How to Run a Football Defense: 5-3

Video Transcript

"Hey, Coach Rudy, Big Ten alumni. Let's talk about the 5-3. This is what we ran at the school I played for. This is a very, very good defense for a team that doesn't have any defined superstars, a team that plays well together. Everyone flies to the ball. Everyone believes in each other and honors their commitments. Let's talk about the responsibilities. Again, you've got the "Mike" and the "Will" taking care of the gaps coming off the defensive line. We're shaded inside to the gap. On the outside, we're on the gap on the defensive front. We're cover 3 behind, which means corners have to play run support. So they start at six, seven yards and as the wide receivers break down that cushion, right, the defensive backs have to have peripheral vision. They have to be able to look forward and see outside the corner of their eyes. They've got to be able to see in the backfield, right, while making sure that the receiver, they have to know what the receiver is doing in front of them. If he's stopping to block or if he's trying to go around him or whatever is happening, but noting that it's not a fake. It's definitely a running play, coming up to make the tackle that's coming up on your side. Or it's a fake. It's definitely a pass play, getting out in pass coverage, right, and playing the particular technique that you need to play in order to make a play. All right. So we've got the "Mike" linebacker. His options are that way, that way, that way, that way. The "Will" linebacker; that way, that way, this way, and this way. You've got "Sam" who's in the gap between the defensive end and the corner. So that's a traditionally defense to stop anything that's going out into that gap. So "Sam" is going to break all that stuff up and keep an eye on the tight end releasing. Anything out of the backfield, that's all that. 5-3 is a good defense to run against a team who has a strong running game and a decent passing game. It's a decent defense to run on a team that throws the ball. I'd recommend it in conjunction with some other defenses. For a team that primarily throws the ball, 5-3 is not the best defense. But for a team that mixes it up, it's the one you want to go with."