Defending Wing-T G Scheme Runs with a Slanting 3-4

The 3-4 defense has a long history of slanting the front. Here are a couple examples of a odd front 3-4 slanting to attack the wing-t running G scheme off tackle runs.

The defense is spaced as a odd front using head up 4 techniques on the OT's. The front is slanting to the TE/Wing and adding the OLB into the charge. The post-snap spacing is the under front.

The OLB away from the slant creases the wing fitting in the C gap boxing back the pulling guard. The slant of the front does a good job of fighting the movement of the down blocks. The play ends up falling on the block of the wing as the critical piece. The ILB sheds the block and the Corner does a good job of folding in to help make the tackle.

The next slant is coming from the TE side. The slant turns from pre-snap odd front spacing into a post-snap over front. 

The OLB to the wing is in the charge. On the snap the OLB is attacking the C gap too quickly for the pulling OG to make his block effectively. The OLB is able to disrupt the play in the backfield in large part by changing the tempo on the offense. The defender is attacking the the play's point of attack faster than the the blocking was ready to handle. The LB's are all on a chain fitting with a 3 backer fit. The Sam pulls off the LOS on play away to fold into the box.

Next the offense shifts to unbalanced.

The slant is going to the unbalanced surface again creating the under spacing. The Nose does a excellent job winning across the face of the Center on the slant. The Nose builds a wall. Ultimately the backside TE becomes the critical block and is forced to cutoff a slanting DE which he was unable to do in this example. While the unbalanced formation likely improved the playside blocking personnel it may have weakened the backside of the play's ability to make the cutoff. An OT was likely better to cutoff a DE than the TE. 

Good stuff from North Greenville on defense using slants vs the Wing-T.

Attacking Counter with DL slants in the 3-4

Oklahoma is running a GT pull counter from a 2 back formation.

Even with the strong DE slanting outside the offense has good angles and numbers on the defense. The Will backer is going to have to deal with the play side OT. The offense has 3 (RB, Guard, Tackle) for the defense's 3 (Down Safety, Mike, DE). The defense does have an unblocked defender. Unfortunately the plus one defender is the Jack OLB on the backside of the play. Pre-snap the picture looks good for the offense. Post-snap the Will linebacker is able to get a run through and make the tackle due to the slant of the Nose and backside DE.

Play side the safety and DE set an edge and get help from the Mike playing over the top of the inside releasing OT. With an edge play side the backside of the defense can chase the play down from behind. The Nose is slanting strong. The slant attacks the guard who is blocking back, limiting any movement on the Nose. The Center is blocking back on the 4i DE aligned in the B gap. When the DE moves outside the Center ends up in no man's land unable to block the slanting DE and unable to redirect to the Will. The Will attacks the LOS and gets a run through in the seam created by the Nose and the Center chasing the DE. This could be a snap blitz from the Will. Regardless of it being called or a reaction the Will can be fast because the defense has the DE and folding Jack LB for any QB keep or cutback runs. 

Good stuff from UCLA and Jerry Azzinaro.