Hi guys!  This is a quick guide on how to best set up your personnel in a 3-4 defense.  A lot of guys seem to struggle with defense, even when they have great personnel.  The main reason is because even if you have great players, their potential won't be maximized if they aren't in the proper scheme.

This guide was originally done by DangleMittens over on the MUT Reddit page, and I have added a few items of my own.  I also view this post, and all the other strategy tips that follow as constant works-in-progress.   If you have any suggestions please let me know and I will be happy to add your input to these topics.  Now on to the 3-4 defense!

Here is an example of a prototypical 3-4 front:
             B     M
W    E     N      E    S
       O  O  O  O  O  C
                 Q

Let’s start with the 3 down linemen. The nose tackle (N), is “head-up” over the center, meaning he lines up directly in front of him. The two defensive ends line up head-up over the offensive tackles. This differs from a 4-3, as shown below, in that each defensive lineman must be responsible for 2 gaps against the run, whereas each lineman in a 4-3 is responsible for only ONE. This is the primary theoretical difference between a 4-3 and a 3-4. A 4-3 is a 1-gap system that allows its defensive linemen to just attack their gap on every snap, while a 3-4 is a 2-gap system that requires its defensive linemen to read and react against the run to fill the appropriate gap.

A typical 4-3 front:
    W    M    S
E     T    T    E
O  O  O  O  O  O
           Q

Now, back to the 3-4, and let’s talk about the linebackers. As shown, the strong-side, or “Sam,” linebacker and weak-side—“Will”—line up on the line of scrimmage outside the defensive ends. Meanwhile, the two inside linebackers, “Mike” and “Buck,” line up about 5 yards off the line of scrimmage and directly in front of the offensive guards. Because of this alignment, and the roles of the defensive linemen, the outside linebackers in a 3-4 must be primarily pass rushers and must be able to set the edge against the run to force the running back to cut back inside where your defensive linemen and middle linebackers are hopefully clogging up all the space.

Coverage ability is necessary for your OLBs, but it is the third priority. Your middle linebackers, meanwhile, will often be up against offensive guards against the run unless a defensive lineman manages to take care of him. This means your MLBs need to be strong to help stop the run inside, and because your OLBs will do most of the pass rushing, your MLBs need to be good in coverage.

What I like most about the 3-4 is its symmetry. It allows me to bring pressure from anywhere along the front 7 without changing my base alignment. However, in certain situations, I like to switch to a 1-gap/hybrid front to allow my front 7 to be more aggressive at the snap. For example, on 3rd and short to stop a quick run or 3rd and medium to get quick pressure. Here are those two fronts:

3-4 Under
               W       M
      J    E      N        E     S
        T   G   C   G   T   TE
                   Q

In an under front, the defensive line shifts away from the strong side of the offense, the strong side being the side with more eligible receivers. In an offensive set with one tight end like in the diagram above, this means the linemen shift away from the tight end.

The 3-4 Under front moves my DT into the strong-side A-gap and my RE lines up over the weak-side B-gap, with the Will linebacker almost directly behind him. With good pass rushers at RE and ROLB, this front can be extremely effective at getting quick pressure out of a 4-man rush. In theory, it’s almost exactly the same as a 4-3 Under, which optimizes quick, pass rushing defensive linemen by forcing the C and RG to double-team the DT and leave the LG and LT to protect one-on-one. Meanwhile, the Under front also covers each gap along the offensive line, making it equally effective at getting linemen upfield quickly to stop the run.

Wade Phillips and Rob Ryan typically use Under principals in their 3-4 defenses.

3-4 Over
           B       M
  W  E      N      E     S
         L  G  C  G  T  TE
                  Q

The 3-4 Over front is ideal when you know your opponent is passing. It shifts the DT into the weak-side A-gap, the LE into the strong-side B-gap, and the RE lines up outside the LT. Because both your RE and ROLB are lined up outside the LT, there will be a gap left uncovered elsewhere along the line should your opponent decide to run. However, this front creates an opportunity for a lethal 4-man rush from the weak side of the formation, with the DT, RE, and ROLB all rushing one-on-one.

Alright. So, those are the basic principles I use to run a 3-4 defense. Big, strong linemen and pass-rushing outside linebackers are key. Hopefully, you enjoyed this guide and learned something from it. Thanks for reading and feel free to leave comments below!

Last edited by EMB_Skywalker (1416809281)