Dave Aranda Clinic - THSCA 2020

This post is a breakdown of the virtual clinic Dave Aranda did at the 2020 THSCA Convention. Aranda is currently the head coach at Baylor University, but prior to taking the helm at BU he was the Defensive Coordinator at LSU from 2016-2019, where he won a national championship in 2019. The topic of the clinic is defending the spread offense using a 3-4 scheme.

He starts the clinic with comparing 3-4 run fits to 4-3 run fits with an analogy that they are like zone coverage and man coverage. Aranda is fond of the TITE front, and he compares his three down front to running zone coverage. He argues that 4-3 run fits are like man coverage because it's one man in one gap spacing. The TITE front, like all 3 down fronts, needs to rely on two gap principles to stop the run. He describes these two gap responsibility as having a primary gap and a secondary gap.

Aranda wants us to think about zone defense like an upside down umbrella, drawing a Tampa 2 coverage on the board (see diagram below). Zone drops are based off the QB's drop, and the underneath defenders cover eight yards in either direction. The Safeties cover their deep half with some overlap.

When it comes to playing two gap technique it all starts with the DL fighting off the hard shoulder from the OL to sit in their primary gap. They play their secondary gap by crossing face of the defender and "falling back" into the other gap. Which gap the DL will ultimately take is based off the read of the ball carrier. If that ball carrier continues their initial path then they will play primary gap, but if the ball carrier cuts back across the DL's face then they will fall back into their secondary gap. Aranda equates this DL technique to an underneath defender who is in their zone drop reading the QB's drop and shoulder. LB's will stack over the NOSE or DE to work primary gap to secondary. He compares the LB's to an underneath defender reading the QB and trying to "steal second" (jump a route) when his hand comes off the ball.

Aranda brings up the old philosophy used in the NFL of defending the drop back pass by forcing the QB to read through all his progressions and then making him throw to the check down. He believes this philosophy has somewhat gone by the wayside in the modern game, besides maybe two minute defense. The QB is the only one on the field that has a clock in his head, and the defenses job is to not give him an easy decision. Think of a shallow route with a dig behind, where the LB jumps the shallow and opens up the intermediate throw. The defense must force the ball down and not give up the big play.

If good defenses force the ball down in the passing game then how could you equate that same philosophy to stopping the run? In the run game the RB is the QB. Think of an inside zone play where the RB can hit the A Gap or he can bend it to the backside C Gap depending on how quickly the DL and LB's take their primary gaps. Just like with the QB in the passing game, the defense cannot let the RB make an easy decision.

If you want to be successful at stopping the run with a three down scheme then you have to dedicate time to the 3-4 run principles, because you know there will be times when you are outnumbered up front. You have to use your front to squeeze gaps, take away gaps, and set edges. If you allow your front seven to accomplish those three things then that allows your Safeties to work play action and help with RPO's before getting into the fits.

Aranda provides the example below of a simple zone run out of 11 personnel. The two 4i's will fill the B Gaps and the NOSE will play the away side A Gap when they are in a TITE front. ROVER will fill B Gap and the MIKE will stack over the DE and can take the C Gap. The Q, a SAFETY playing the Ni spot, must hold for the RPO because he is the one on the read side. He can join to help with QB run late in the down as the FS can now help with the S. BENCH will play outside the block of the Y, which leaves the C Gap open. The BS is technically responsible for that C Gap but that opens up the slant/post window for the Z WR, which is an issue.

Aranda believes there are two ways to deal with those kinds of issues in the run game, you either fix them by using the front or by using coverage. He argues that this is the fork in the road that separate how most coaches view defense. If you started your coaching career up front or you see things through the lens of the front seven then you will be more accepting of the tools (LB alignments and DL shades) that you use with the TITE front.

In the example above, if the LB's run right to their gap responsibility (strong A Gap and weak C Gap) then then that would push the ball to the strong side C Gap. The problem is that the BS doesn't have the time to get there. Just like forcing the ball down in the pass, the LB's need to stack and hold, which should force the RB to bend back and then the LB makes the play. If the ball doesn't bend back and the RB decides to make a cut to the outside, that should give the BS time to read run/pass and help fill that open C Gap. That is an example of fixing an issue with front seven techniques. Your other option is the screw down that BS and include him in the fits right away. Then you would have to lock up the CB, however that could be a match-up problem. Using your coverage guys in the fit can take away your ability to cap a play and keep everything in front. You cannot give up big plays and be successful.

Aranda has two calls that help defend the spread; TITE 4 and WIZARD 4. TITE 4 has the ROVER (weak side LB) always rushing. In WIZARD 4 the ROVER will rush verse any 2X2, but with 3X1 or 2X1 the BENCH will rush. In TITE 4 your BENCH can be your hammer flat defender. We will talk more about Hammer coverage later. The thought behind TITE is that the more perimeter a play gets you like it because of how strong the edges are. He gives the example of a stretch play from that same 11 personnel formation, where the BENCH sets a hard edge.

TITE can also be good verse RPO's, screens, quick game, and some three step drop passing concepts. The other benefit of TITE is that you still have your edges when you go from 2X2 to 3X1. In the example below of 3X1 we can see the benefit of why only the ROVER rushes in TITE, because if the BENCH were to rush then your ROVER would be responsible for the flat and that is a hard stretch from his alignment.

If your facing a team that likes to throw the ball down the field then WIZARD 4 can be a good option. Remember that in WIZARD the ROVER rushes when it's 2X2 and the BENCH rushes anytime it's 2X1 or 3X1. In the diagram below there is shift by the Y, which would be a "ROY" call, meaning the shift came from the right. If the play were to be flipped and the motion/shift came from the left it would be a "LEE" call. Now that the formation went from 2X2 to 3X1 the BENCH now becomes the rusher. The front knows to play technique then on pass work away. The NOSE balances the front and the 4i's play contain. The backside DE becomes in essence a 3 tech and it would play like an under front in 4-3.

Let's look at defending the run/pass using the TITE look and some of the differences that can come up. He starts with an example of playing TITE verse an ACE formation to highlight some of the principles that it takes to make TITE a successful defense against most spread concepts.

There are three must haves when it comes to teaching and running TITE. First, is the DL and LB's playing their primary to secondary gaps. Second, is that ability to set edges to both sides with your overhangs. The final component is knowing which SAFETY is playing the aggressor and which is playing the protector role so you can add additional defenders to the box.

In the above example the CB's are playing loose man, sometimes referred to as MOD coverage. MOD stands for Man On Deep, which means the CB's have #1 deep but will zone it up when #1 runs any shallow route. SAFETIES are playing "Hammer", which means they play #2 up the field but the LB's have #2 to the flat. Flow of the RB determines which SAFETY is the aggressor and is getting involved in the fits.

If it where any other form of 2X2 then it would look like the diagram below. Any true TWINS set the DB's have options to play, either "Nail", which is 2 Read, or "Red Hammer". In Red Hammer the CB would be in press on #1, the SAFETY would take #2 up and out, while the LB would play any in cuts. Any splits that are wide between #1 and #2 WR's, like a PRO set or Y-OFF set, would be regular Hammer coverage. The Q and BENCH can still set edges.

Lets look at how TITE would cover an RPO like POWER READ POP. You need the DL to take the edge off the SAFETY, we don't want him to fit right now and give up the pass. The LB's need to take responsibility for the gap scheme, which allows that SAFETY to hang a little longer and read run/pass before triggering. If they throw the RPO we want the SAFETY sitting in that hole.

When defending the spread your gonna have issues with defenders being in conflict, and you need to be able to fix it with the front to allow your DB's to play pass first. A formation that gives fits is any NUB set, especially TRIPS NUB.

The issue is that the CB is in conflict because he has a WR but is also responsible for the C Gap. You can fix that with your BS with a few different options. You could screw him down and play him in that gap to free up the CB or you could play a coverage that gives you options. Most defenses would play a TRIP set by soloing the backside CB and allowing the BS to help to the TRIPS side in a poach technique. That can be a good coverage if the match-up with the one-on-one is in your favor. What if you need help or, like in this example, your CB is in the fits? The base way that Aranda plays this set would be "Stubby", sometimes called "Special". He plays man on the #1 WR on the trips side, and plays 2 Read with the Q and FS on #2 and #3. This frees up the BS to play a variety of options.

Issues get fixed by the front or fixed by coverage. You have two main tools when fixing issues; LB alignments and DL shades. In the above example you can have some issues with defending the zone with your LB alignment.

When the ROVER in a 0 alignment there is a chance that, if he triggers to his gap too quickly, the OG will chip up and seal him. The RB reads fast flow by the LB and bends it back to a big crease. We adjust the ROVER alignment, stacking him over the OG, and that will change the blocking up front. The CENTER will have to play the NOSE with more of a base block, which allows the NOSE to play through the CENTER and get more of a vertical push. The OG will now have to honor the threat of the ROVER running through the weak A Gap and won't be working laterally enough to chip up and seal. The ROVER then holds, forcing the RB to take the strong A Gap where the ROVER scrapes to make the play. We didn't let the RB make the easy decision, we forced him into the gap we wanted him in.

In your defensive toolbox you have LB alignments, which we just went through, as well as DL shades. One of the ways you can fix issues is with simple shade adjustments, like playing "Eagle".

You can can Eagle any 2X1 or 3X1. The front side DE stays in a 4i but the NOSE moves to a shade and the backside DE plays in a 3 tech, think of it as your pulling a string. The weak-side CB would play loose man, and the BS would key the #3 to the TRIPS side in a "Goal" check. To the TRIPS you could play Nail or Red Hammer.

The benefit to Eagle is that verse zone the NOSE is now one-on-one whereas with TITE its always the away side 4i, which is a nuisance. The NOSE's single block allows him to get a vertical push, the LB's can stack, then fall back to make play.

To help against certain alignments and other spread concepts Aranda also has two other DL shades that he uses; "Shade" and "Cinco". Shade is same as Eagle except the front-side DE is in a 5 tech. Shade is a great front to play against Gap Schemes because that 5 tech draws a down block from the Y and can allow the OLB to attack now plus give the LB's a chance to scrape.

Cinco is the same as TITE except for the front-side DE is in a 5 tech. Cinco is good against Zone Schemes because you get the same action as TITE but it takes away the double from the play-side OT and OG, which can protect the outside edge if your LB's aren't scraping over the top.

In the example above you have your LB's in 30/30 alignment, which may make it easy to defend zone out of Cinco but difficult to defend stretch while in a TITE front. Can the 4i and the NOSE hold off the double teams to let the LB's make their scrape?

So now you slide your LB's to a 50/0, and you have given the MIKE a much better angle. The chess match begins because now you have opened yourself up to Gap Schemes back the other way. Your LB's counter angles are now bad in this 50/0 alignment.

Aranda believes that in TITE you should play 30/30 LB alignments verse 2 Back, but verse 1 Back, like TREY and TRIPS, you should play the 50/0 LB alignment. He also talks about understanding what your likely to get based off personnel alignment, specifically when it comes to the Y-OFF formations..

The first Y-OFF alignment he describes is where the Y is tight to the LOS and OT. He calls this alignment "Highway". In Highway alignment with the back near the Y you should expect the Down Zone play with a bend back. Highway alignment with the back away expect Buck Sweep, Stretch, or some type of Gap Scheme (see three diagrams above). The second Y-OFF alignment he describes is where the Y is loose off the LOS and OT. He calls this alignment "Relay". In Relay alignment with the back near the Y you should expect Counter. Relay alignment with with the back away expect Split Zone.

In the last part of the clinic Aranda discusses the aggressor/protector concept that the SAFETIES play in their quarters coverage. In the diagram below the BS is playing Red Hammer where the CB is pressed on #1, SAFETIES have #2 up and out, and the LB's have #2 in. If #2 WR goes in then the BS would work to the middle to close off the post. Aranda calls this "Fox". To the other side TWINS side they have options to play NAIL or play Red Hammer as well.

If #2 WR is in the core then it is an automatic "Fox Alert" for the SAFETY to that side.

If the backs are stacked, like in the formation below, then it is okay for the FS play outside leverage on #2 if they go vertical because he has Fox help to the MOF.

Another coverage help that a SAFETY can play is "Slant Help". This tells the SAFETY that if the #1 to his side runs an inside route then he can help. The only way that this can be done is if the MIKE is keying the H-BACK (#3) for a pop pass. He has to cover that vertical seam to make the QB have to put some air on the ball, giving time for either SAFETY to help depending on the route distribution.

If #1 WR runs an outside route or vertical then the SAFETY can work to his quarter while checking for #3 to get vertical on a pop pass.

The reason he is available to run Fox or Slant Help is because he is not accounted for in the fits to that side. If they were to see run flow to the weak side then the Q would take the strong C Gap, DL and MIKE would account for both A and B Gaps, BENCH would take weak C Gap, and the ROVER can be the plus one to that side.

Hope you enjoyed this breakdown of Aranda's THSCA virtual clinic. There are two other parts to the clinic that I was not able to cover. The first, prior to the whiteboard session, Aranda spoke about how different athletes learn and how we as coaches must accommodate these different learning styles. A wise coach once said, "Nobody cares how much you know, they care how well your kids play." He also covered his staff's install process and the steps he believes you must cover to be successful. The second, a video study after the whiteboard session. I would highly recommend watching both segments that were not covered in this post.