Is the Inside Zone a 33 Stack Defense Weakness?

Every defense has weaknesses. A good football coach knows the weaknesses of each defensive play call, and how to adjust to stop it. Is the Inside Zone run play a 33 Stack Defense weakness? And if so, how do you adjust?

The answer is not to change your defense. The 33 Stack Defense can defend against the Inside Zone (and Zone Read will be very similar). Just have a plan.

To effectively use the 33 Stack Defense, you need to create fronts to stop your opponent. Its not about running 162 different blitz combinations. You only need a few calls that create the fronts you want.

What makes the Inside Zone play a 33 Stack Defense weakness is the ease with which Offensive Linemen can handle the stacks. They work on this stuff all the time in 2 on 2 pod group blocking drills.

The basics of blocking a 33 Stack Defense are pretty simple for Inside Zone teams. To see how it’s done just check out this video: How to Run Inside Zone Against the 33 Stack Defense

There’s 3 basic strategies for defeating the Inside Zone with your Odd Stack. Two are technique based, and the third is going to be scheme based.

Defeat the Combo Block

Sure, defeating the combo block works in any front. This isn’t some 33 Stack Defense secret. This is more about HOW you defeat that combo.

There’s actually two ways. Neither of them involves sacrificing yourself and falling to the ground. Teach your linemen to defeat the block.

It’s all in your slant technique. Defensive Line Coaches in a slanting defensive front can teach different slant techniques based on the situation.

On run downs, 33 Stack Defensive Line slants to attack the half-man. Then focus on defeating the one man, and working your hips into the gap for control.

Slanting to the half-man is like slanting to a shade. If your 33 Stack Defense is a change-up front for a 40 front defense, the rest of the process for the defeating the block is the same.

Defensive Linemen control gaps with their hips. Not the feet. Or the hat. It’s all hip control.

Instead of trying to defeat two defenders on a combo block, you defeat one. The goal of the combo is for one of the blockers to climb to the Linebacker.

If you defeat one blocker, the other blocker in the combo cannot climb to the linebacker. If he does climb you are left with a one on one match-up that the Defensive Lineman is winning.

Grab the Blockers

I took this technique from Pat Fox in a Glazier Clinic several years ago. I made the mistake of sitting too close, and was chosen to the be the demo guy. Pat Fox ripped my chest hair out.

The technique is pretty simple. Against zone heavy run teams, you attack the half man just like before. But instead of trying to hip into the gap and defeat the man, you clench onto the man so that he cannot climb.

When the defender clenches onto the blocker, with hip control in the gap, he prevents the zone combo from overtaking and climbing. In the stack, that will leave your Linebacker free to attack one gap over.

In Figure 1, the Nose would clench onto the Center. That prevents him from climbing to the Mike, leaving the Mike a free run to A Gap. The Left End will do the same, clenching the back side tackle so that the Will Backer can handle any cutback.

The play side Tackle would still be able to climb to the Sam if the play bounces. Your Right End still has hip control in B gap to help make the play.

This is a good technique if you don’t think your Defensive Linemen are over-matched up front, or if your Linebackers are the better defenders on your defense.

I have seen defensive holding called for this technique in the NFL. But I’ve never seen it in a high school game. Don’t tackle the man to the ground, just make it tougher for him to leave.

Using Blitzes to Hide Your 33 Stack Defense Weakness

If your defenders beat a block and make a tackle, you win. There’s no scheme to change that. Basic football truth.

But you can use some tricks to help your defenders keep Inside Zone from being a 33 Stack Defense weakness.

Offensive Linemen are expecting to work the stack in the Inside Zone. It’s a pretty basic combo, and the main reason the play looks like a 33 Stack Defense weakness to Offensive Coordinators.

But the flexibility of the 33 Stack Defense opens up plenty of creative play calling possibilities.

To create chaos and confuse the stack combos, use Defensive Line stunts, bring Linebackers across two gaps, or a combination of both.

Figure 2 uses a twist stunt between the Right End and the Nose. The End is the penetrator, attacking hard to the inside shoulder of the Guard so that he cannot quickly come off.

The end tries to attract a double from the Center and Guard. That lets the Nose, the looper, cleanly attack the B gap.

Figure 3 shows a Smoke Strong X blitz from the 33 Stack Defensive System. That brings the Strong Safety into the B gap. He starts the play outside of the field of vision of the Offensive Linemen.

Don’t show this stunt too early. If the Offensive Line or Quarterback sees him coming they can easily check their line calls.

The Inside Zone is a great play, and tough to defend. But well prepared Defensive Coordinators can turn it from a 33 Stack Defense weakness to a strength with the right game plan and good fundamentals.