"Desert Swarm" Defense

[pack4life]

Does anyone have a pretty good description of this defense? Any insight would be appreciated, thanks.

[Favpack]

Sorry - I've forgotten which team the DS D is?

[jp744]

I do. PM me and we can talk defense.

[HUM398]

Sorry - I've forgotten which team the DS D is?

Arizona.

[jp744]

I think the Horns will show a little Flex defense. Should we say an up to date Flex defense. Akina and MacDuff are the creators of Desert Storm/Flex Defense all under Jim Thome at Arizona. Don't worry Horn fans MacDuff and Akina are the two best coaches in the nation and they are good friends and will bring the same excitement they have always brought. Coach Akina is one of the top coaches in the nation. I am just worried that he won't be around to long. Hawaii job is not open so the man won't leave just yet.

[jtk1519]

Akina and Mac Duff ran the Double Eagle Flex Defense at Arizona and killed doing so.

The base defense is a cover 1. Position wise, up front you have the strong end that plays a 7 technique. His job is to control the C gap vs the run and contain the QB against the pass. Then you have the strong tackle who plays a 3 technique and controls the B gap. You need quickness at that position. Next is the nose who plays a 0 technique and at times is responsible for both A gaps. The weak end lines up in a ghost 7 technique and needs to be the best pass rusher. He controls the weak side C gap and collapses the back against strong side runs. He is the primary pass rusher against the drop back pass. Then there is the whip who is a lineman/linebacker hybrid. The whip lines up just off the line with his toes even with the back of the nose. The whip is responsible for securing the B gap vs. weak side runs and the pursuit of strong side runs. His assignments vary against the drop back pass, but he does a lot of stunting.

The linebacker corp features one true LB and a hybrid. The blood is your best LB who lines of 5 yards off the LOS and just inside the OT. He is responsible for containing the outside on weak side runs and against strong side runs he is responsible for getting downhill and protecting against the cut-back. Against the pass, the blood covers his near back. The rover is a LB/DB hybrid who lines up 5 yards off the LOS and just opposite the blood inside the opposite OT. The rover is responsible for containment on strong side runs as well as plugging any open gaps. On weak side runs, he gets downhill and protects against the cut-back. On passing plays, the rover covers his near back against two back sets and is responsible for the extra receiver in aceback formations.

The secondary is pretty conventional with a field and boundary side corner. The field corner has to be the best cover man because he will often be one on one with the best receiver and no safety help. The boundary corner is typically responsible for jamming at the LOS and funneling the receiver to the FS. The FS lines up 8 to 12 yards from the LOS and has center field duties against the pass. He also has to get up quick against the run to play the alleys. The SS is actually a hybrid S/LB (think Drew Kelson) who lines up in an 8 technique. Against a blocking TE, the SS secures the D gap. Against the pass, he jams the TE and funnels him inside to the FS.

The Double Eagle Flex is a rare defense that is very hard for offenses to read and exploit. Mac Duff and Akina had the Pac 10's best defense for a long while because it was such a unique defense that the other teams never really figured it out. The defense is a multiple 8 man front that is great at defending the run, but is actually better against the pass. The defense was originally designed to defend in the Canadian Football League which is a pass happy league. FWIW, Teddy Bruschi played the whip position for Mac Duff at Arizona.

[HUM398]

Akina and Mac Duff ran the Double Eagle Flex Defense at Arizona and killed doing so.

The base defense is a cover 1. Position wise, up front you have the strong end that plays a 7 technique. His job is to control the C gap vs the run and contain the QB against the pass. Then you have the strong tackle who plays a 3 technique and controls the B gap. You need quickness at that position. Next is the nose who plays a 0 technique and at times is responsible for both A gaps. The weak end lines up in a ghost 7 technique and needs to be the best pass rusher. He controls the weak side C gap and collapses the back against strong side runs. He is the primary pass rusher against the drop back pass. Then there is the whip who is a lineman/linebacker hybrid. The whip lines up just off the line with his toes even with the back of the nose. The whip is responsible for securing the B gap vs. weak side runs and the pursuit of strong side runs. His assignments vary against the drop back pass, but he does a lot of stunting.

The linebacker corp features one true LB and a hybrid. The blood is your best LB who lines of 5 yards off the LOS and just inside the OT. He is responsible for containing the outside on weak side runs and against strong side runs he is responsible for getting downhill and protecting against the cut-back. Against the pass, the blood covers his near back. The rover is a LB/DB hybrid who lines up 5 yards off the LOS and just opposite the blood inside the opposite OT. The rover is responsible for containment on strong side runs as well as plugging any open gaps. On weak side runs, he gets downhill and protects against the cut-back. On passing plays, the rover covers his near back against two back sets and is responsible for the extra receiver in aceback formations.

The secondary is pretty conventional with a field and boundary side corner. The field corner has to be the best cover man because he will often be one on one with the best receiver and no safety help. The boundary corner is typically responsible for jamming at the LOS and funneling the receiver to the FS. The FS lines up 8 to 12 yards from the LOS and has center field duties against the pass. He also has to get up quick against the run to play the alleys. The SS is actually a hybrid S/LB (think Drew Kelson) who lines up in an 8 technique. Against a blocking TE, the SS secures the D gap. Against the pass, he jams the TE and funnels him inside to the FS.

The Double Eagle Flex is a rare defense that is very hard for offenses to read and exploit. Mac Duff and Akina had the Pac 10's best defense for a long while because it was such a unique defense that the other teams never really figured it out. The defense is a multiple 8 man front that is great at defending the run, but is actually better against the pass. The defense was originally designed to defend in the Canadian Football League which is a pass happy league. FWIW, Teddy Bruschi played the whip position for Mac Duff at Arizona.


Good explanation.

I give you an A+...

[jtk1519]

Good explanation.

I give you an A+...

Thanks. It's all plagiarized.

[HUM398]

Thanks. It's all plagiarized.

no, i wouldn't of ever guessed it.:D

[jp744]

Not really what it is but that is the base of it. The word FLEX represents how they flexed the 3tech and played games inside by slanting weak or strong. There is a lot more to it than the basic alignment. But, I guess that is enough to get you by. I have the playbook if needed by anyone.

[jp744]

please email me for Swarm playbook at . I have a PDF file of this playbook. All of this has changed since then. I can tell you that much. But, if you want it I got it.

[svhorns]

I think the Horns will show a little Flex defense. Should we say an up to date Flex defense. Akina and MacDuff are the creators of Desert Storm/Flex Defense all under Jim Thome at Arizona. Don't worry Horn fans MacDuff and Akina are the two best coaches in the nation and they are good friends and will bring the same excitement they have always brought. Coach Akina is one of the top coaches in the nation. I am just worried that he won't be around to long. Hawaii job is not open so the man won't leave just yet.

hes a pretty good baseball player

[jtk1519]

BTW, this is where jtk got his info. Pretty in depth look at the defense...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1585188972/ref=sib_dp_pt/102-5648321-9775369#reader-link

[jp744]

hes a pretty good baseball player

my bad **** Tomey. I think I was trying to watch sports center and type. my bad. Damn I wasn't even close.

[jtk1519]

my bad **** Tomey. I think I was trying to watch sports center and type. my bad. Damn I wasn't even close.

Please don't test the language filters. Thank you.

[jp744]

Please don't test the language filters. Thank you.

jp744 sorry.

[olineiq]

Not really what it is but that is the base of it. The word FLEX represents how they flexed the 3tech and played games inside by slanting weak or strong. There is a lot more to it than the basic alignment. But, I guess that is enough to get you by. I have the playbook if needed by anyone.

PLEASE E-MAIL ME YOUR PLAYBOOK olineiq@yahoo.com thanks

[Human Machine]

PLEASE E-MAIL ME YOUR PLAYBOOK olineiq@yahoo.com thanks



Would this happen to be . THE Olin?

[jp744]

PLEASE E-MAIL ME YOUR PLAYBOOK olineiq@yahoo.com thanks

If it is Coach Olin. I will send it.

[toddg]

desert swarm.....thats funny!

[d-train]

AZ flex, the BS LB/DE moves back and forth from a 3/gap to a 7, with the DE. He aligns in a flexed position like the Cowboys used to run with Randy White. Very popular at UA in the early to mid 90s, when PAC-10 teams were infatuated with 8 man fronts. 1990 UW split title with Miami running the 4-4 defense, that VA Tech runs now, with the G and Tuff fronts and lots of pre-snap shifts.