Stopping the Run With the Odd Front Defense

The 3-4 defense can be very effective against the run by mixing combinations of stunts, slants, and loops.I grew up learning and then playing defense with an even or four-man front. In my early days as a defensive coordinator, I ran a 4-3, 4-2 and bubble or desert storm defenses. We had some success stopping the run but nothing like the achievements we’ve had recently at Missouri Valley College. Since I arrived for the 2005 season, we have finished either #1 or #2 in team rushing defense among all NAIA colleges. Why have we been so successful against the run? Here are the key reasons – great players, solid schematics, great defensive assistant coaches and an outstanding head coach who controls the clock and likes to run the ball. We run a 3-4 defense and believe our success is directly related to our movements. We believe our defenders are very hard to block when they are slanting,