THE 3-3-5 DEFENSE has certainly taken the college football and high school football worlds by storm. It wasn’t long ago that this package was regarded as a “gimmick” or fad defense. Today, however, the 3-3-5 defense is being used effectively at every level of football.

Aside from the multiplicity and strategical advantages that the 3-3-5 offers, one of the main reasons that we added this package to our defensive playbook is that we’re finding it more and more difficult to locate and recruit big defensive linemen who can run. There just doesn’t seem to be as many of those type of kids around anymore. With that said, creating quality depth on the d-line is also a problem for almost all teams, regardless of the age group or level of competition. The 3-3-5 allows you to take one of those big bodies out of the equation and replace him with a linebacker- or safety-type of athlete that seem to be plentiful, no matter what part of the country you call home.

Complimentary Package You Can Blitz From

We use the 3-3-5 as a complimentary package to our 4-2-5 defense. We do not base out of the 3-3-5, but have found that it really enables us to attack and pressure the offense. In our 3-3-5 package, we are able to blitz up to five players from a variety of different positions, angles and combinations. We don’t normally sit in a base 3-3-5 look and do nothing unless we are in our “Eagle” front. Typically, we’re going to bring at least one, and on occasions as many as five defenders, with the intent of disrupting an offense’s rhythm and dictating the way the game is played. 

One of the strengths of the 3-3-5 defense is that it enables you to attack all personnel packages, from 22 personnel to 10 personnel, without having to make personnel substitutions yourself. With this series of calls, you can attack both the running and passing game with equally devastating results. For our team, this variety and versatility makes the 3-3-5 package our best pressure defense…period.

In our version of the 3-3-5, we can blitz and play man coverage, blitz and play zone coverage and blitz the run — all depending on down and distance, and the offensive personnel package that is in the game. The blitzes and schemes outlined in this article are not overly complicated or innovative. In fact, the simplicity of these schemes allows us to effectively attack specific areas of the offense in an attempt to take away or nullify our opponent’s strength.

Base Alignment, Player Responsibilities
Our coaching staff doesn’t claim to be 3-3-5 “gurus” — we just do what works best for our team. Our alignments are not the traditional 3-3-5. The following is a description of all the player responsibilities and a diagram of the base alignment for the 3-3-5.

Sam (Strong-Side Spur): Always aligns to the TE side. Plays a walk-up 9-technique over the tight end.

Rush (Strong-Side DE): Always aligns to the TE side.  Plays a 5-technique on the offensive tackle.

Nose Tackle: Aligns in a 0-shade and is head up on the Center.

End (Weak-Side DE): Always sets up away from the TE. Plays a 5-technique on the OT.

Drop (Weak-Side Spur): Always sets up away from the TE. Is in a 4-x-4 alignment off the end man on the line of scrimmage (EMOLOS).

Joker (Strong-Side LB): Always aligns to the TE side. Sets up behind the inside leg of the Rush (strong-side DE).

Mike LB: Stacked behind the NT.

Will LB (Weak-Side LB): Always aligns away from the TE. Sets up behind the inside leg of the End (weak-side DE).

Free Safety: Maintains depth and alignment depending on the formation, down and distance, and called coverage.

Cornerbacks: Depth, alignment and responsibility depend on formation and coverage.

DIAGRAM 1: Base Alignment For 3-3-5 Defense.


3-3-5 Stunts, Variations
There are numerous stunts, blitzes and variations that you can use to disguise and mix in changes to the 3-3-5 defense. The following diagrams illustrate some of the many things that you can do within this versatile defense.

DIAGRAM 2: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Bone Robber” (Mike And Nose). This is a relatively simple, yet effective interior stunt. We like to use this stunt against offenses that utilize Iso, Power and Counter plays.


There are 3 things that you can do behind this blitz. 1) You can play Robber Vs. Man Coverage. 2) Use it as a deep 1/2s coverage. 3) Play a Cover 3 behind it. This call can also give you a ninth man in the box when you allow the FS to flat-foot read and be a part of the run defense.

DIAGRAM 3: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Eagle Bone Robber” (MLB And NT). This call is another variation of the “Bone” call, but run from our Eagle front. We use our Eagle front with either double 3-techniques, double 4-eyes or one of each. This is an effective blitz for us because the interior 3 offensive linemen are covered pre-snap, which allows the Mike to get clean run throughs.


We’ll use this call against offenses that use Iso, Power and Counter plays, or any time an offense likes to pull their OGs. Behind the blitz, you have the same options as described in Diagram 2.

DIAGRAM 4: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Mud” Call. This is a strong-side blitz involving the Joker and Mike backers. You can play Cover 3, Robber or Man-Free behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 5: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Stab” Call. This is a strong-side blitz involving the Sam and Joker backers. You can play Cover 3, Robber or Man-Free behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 6: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Strong” Call. This is a strong-side blitz involving the Sam, Joker and Mike backers. You must play man coverage behind this particular blitz.


DIAGRAM 7: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Weasel” Call. This is a weak-side blitz involving the Will LB and Drop. You can play Cover 3, Robber or Man-Free behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 8: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Weak” Call. This is a weak-side blitz involving the Mike LB, the Will LB and the Drop. You must play man coverage behind this particular blitz.


DIAGRAM 9: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Plug-In” Call. This is an inside blitz involving the Will and Joker backers. You can play Cover 3, Robber or Man-Free behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 10: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Pinch” Call. This is an inside line move or gap exchange involving the Rush DE, Joker and Will LBs. You can play Robber or Cover 3 behind this move.


DIAGRAM 11: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Pinch Blitz” Call. This is a blitz movement involving the Sam, Joker, Will and Drop players. You must use man coverage behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 12: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Eagle Mud” Call. This is a strong-side blitz involving the Joker and Mike backers. You can play Cover 3, Robber or Man-Free behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 13: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Eagle Stab” Call. This is a strong-side blitz involving the Sam and Joker backers. You can play Cover 3, Robber or Man-Free behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 14: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Eagle Strong” Call. This is a strong-side blitz involving the Sam, Joker and Mike backers. You must use man coverage behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 15: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Eagle Weasel” Call. This is a weak-side blitz involving the Will LB and Drop player. You can play Cover 3, Robber or Man-Free behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 16: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Eagle Weak” Call. This is a weak-side blitz involving the Mike LB, Will LB and Drop player. You must use man coverage behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 17: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Eagle Plug-Out” Call. This is a variation of the “Plug-In” call. The blitz involves the Will and Joker backers, and switches gaps with the defensive linemen. You can play Cover 3, Robber or Man-Free behind this blitz.


DIAGRAM 18: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Eagle Outside” Call. This is an outside blitz from the Eagle front involving the Sam LB and Drop player. You can play Cover 3, Robber or Man-Free behind this blitz.



Max Blitz

DIAGRAM 19: 3-3-5 Defense “30 Eagle Max” Call. This is an 8-man blitz involving all three LBs and both edge safeties. You must play man coverage and spy the running backs when using this blitz.