Defending the Option with the 30
Stack Defense
Offensive Philosophy
• Option: Basis of offense or a complementary
play?
• Why are they running the option?
– Can QB read the option and is he a running
threat?
• How many different options do they run?
– Midline, inside veer, outside veer, belly, & speed
• How often do they play action pass with
option action?
Defensive Philosophy
• Force the angle of the fullback to be wider
– No midline
– Always play with a zero technique
• Most teams run the option because of an athletic
QB.
– We will always double team the QB
• Option teams want to force defenses to account for
the dive back, quarterback, and pitch man
– We want the quarterback to read the end, pull the ball,
and pitch it as he is getting hit.
– Force the offense to be sound as well
Taking away the Midline
LE
N
RE
FD
FC
H
B
M
F
W
BC
Inside Veer
LE
N
RE
FD
FC
H
B
M
F
W
BC
Defending the Inside Veer
• Pinch against a team that runs it as their base
option
• Double team dive back with DE and Mike
linebacker
• Double team quarterback with outside
linebacker and alley player
• Double team pitch with free safety and corner
• Key to defending inside veer – leveraging your
responsibility correctly!
Leveraging the Inside Veer
LE
N
RE
FD
FC
H
B
M
F
W
BC
Inside Veer Cut – Up #21
Inside Veer Cut – Up #43
Outside Veer
LE
N
RE
FD
H
B
M
W
BC
FC
F
Defending the Outside Veer
• Keep responsibilities as similar to the inside veer as
possible
– More reps the players get at it, the better chance they
have of executing it.
• Mike and outside linebacker double team dive back
• Alley player and safety double team quarterback
• Cornerback has the pitch man
– If offense is in twins, we can double team pitch man with
both corners!
Leveraging the Outside Veer
LE
N
RE
FD
H
B
M
W
BC
FC
F
Outside Veer Cut – Up #31 (N.H.)
Outside Veer Cut – Up #127
Outside Veer Cut – Up #134
Outside Veer Cut – Up #142
Handling Motion with the Veer
Option
• Motion – Gives away which side they are running the
option
– Typically, teams will run some counter away from the
motion to keep teams from over playing their option
• Bump your linebackers to motion
– Number to option side is favorable
• Mike and Will double dive back, Brick and Fred double
quarterback, & Falcon (Safety) and corner double pitch man
– Also, can still be sound in playing the counter backside
• Right DE pinches down into b gap and wrong arms pulling guard,
spilling it to Hawk who wrong arms pulling tackle and spills it to
unblocked Falcon.
Motion and the Veer Option
LE
FD
B
M
N
W
FC
RE
H
BC
F
Speed Option
LE
N
RE
FD
FC
H
B
M
F
W
BC
Defending the Speed Option
• Playside DE must attack the quarterback ASAP!
– Force him to pitch the ball quickly and turn the play into a
toss
– We do not use the feather technique because it created
confusion for our pursuit.
• Playside outside linebacker must play the pitch man
inside – out
• Playside alley player must play the pitch man outside
– in
• Key to defending this play: Shedding blocks on the
perimeter!
Leveraging the Speed Option
LE
N
RE
FD
FC
H
B
M
F
W
BC