Bomber 3-3-5 - Zone Read Principles

Steve Specht's St. Xavier Bombers use a 3-3-5 odd stack to take the zone read away, and this opening session of his defensive series builds the structure from the ground up. Coach Specht walks through base alignment, how the stack front sets against a pro set versus a spread set, and the alignment tags that let one defense look like several. From there he assigns the read scheme itself — edge players, middle stack players and the adjuster — so every defender knows who has the quarterback, who has the dive and who fits the alley.

What you'll learn

• The base defensive alignment of the 3-3-5 and how the stack front positions against a pro set
• Positioning of the spread front, including the Bluff tag
• Four alignment adjustments: Falcon, Sparrow, Bluff and Ninja
• Stack defenses with different alignment tags, plus the 30 and 'circus' fronts
• Read-scheme responsibilities for edge players, middle stack players and the adjuster (middle safety)
• Alley and force techniques for the perimeter players
• The 'Hinge' technique for the safety and nub corner
• Read scheme versus isolation, front side to back side, including both extra safeties
• Read scheme versus stretch and toss with the same full-defense fits
• Stack defense pressures: strong edge storm and strong 'Nasty' storm

Who it's for

High school and college defensive coordinators and secondary coaches who face zone-read and spread run teams every week and want an odd-stack answer with built-in disguise.

About the coach

Steve Specht was the head coach at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, where he won two state championships and earned the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year award. He is regarded as one of the leading defensive high school coaches in America.

Part one of Coach Specht's four-part 3-3-5 series, with detailed game footage cut in to support the presentation.