The University of New Mexico has an interesting place when it comes to innovation in college football. The University of Houston is where Bill Yeoman invented the veer, Jack Pardee went wild with his run-n-shoot, Art Briles ran his triple-option spread offense, and Kliff Kingsbury called his first games in the Air Raid under Kevin Sumlin. Houston has always been a place where offensive innovation was welcomed. You can make a small argument that New Mexico is the closest thing to a defensive version of Houston. A young unknown coach named Gary Patterson invented his version of the 4-2-5 defense in Albuquerque in 1996. In 1998, Rocky Long arrived as head coach, and brought the 33 Stack defense he honed at Oregon State and UCLA with him. From 1998-2008, New Mexico ran the 33 Stack. Mike Locksley followed Long in a failed three year tenure, and then former A&M defensive coordinator Bob Davie was there 2012-2019. When Danny Gonzales was hired to replace Davie in 2020, he brought Long back to New Mexico from San Diego State. Gonzales played for Long his senior year at UNM, then worked for him as an assistant from '99-2017 at both New Mexico and San Diego State. Long put the 33 Stack in place, and A&M faced it in a 34-0 win at Kyle in 2021.
Over this past season, Nebraska's Matt Rhule hired Long protege Tony White to be his new defensive coordinator at Nebraska. Dino Babers decided he wanted to stay with the 33 Stack, so he hired Long away from New Mexico. Danny Gonzales intends to keep the Stack in place because it is part of the Lobos defensive identity now. Gonzales replaced Long with Troy Reffett, the Lobos cornerbacks coach for the past three seasons under Long. Reffett previously worked for Long as CB coach at UNM in 2004-'07, and defensive coordinator in 2008. When Long left UNM and Mike Locksley came in as head coach, Reffett moved over to Louisiana-Monroe to be their defensive coordinator, a position he would hold from 2009-2014.
It is at ULM where Reffett has his first match up with Bobby Petrino. Petrino took over Western Kentucky in 2013 on his rebound tour after his Arkansas scandal. He would coach the Hilltoppers for only one season before leaving for a second tenure at Louisville.
A&M opens the 2023 season with New Mexico, and we'll again see Petrino taking on Troy Reffett. I thought I'd take a look at some film from their 2013 game.
Here is a look at the base alignment for the 33 Stack.
You have 3 DL (two DEs and a NT) and 3 LBs (Sam, Mike, Will) who give the scheme its name. The hybrid linebacker/safeties are what made the difference for the scheme when it first started. Opposing offensive lines couldn't always see where the linebackers were going since they started the play stacked (hidden) behind the defensive line, which caused havoc when locating them for zone running plays. The hybrid linebacker/safeties on the outside (Nickelback, Jack backer) served as outside linebackers against the run and flat defenders against the pass. The back three contained two cornerbacks and a safety, giving the defense the ability to flow from Cover 3 to Cover 2 to Cover 1.
The Stack players are all spill defenders, meaning their assignment is simply to make the play in their gap, or spill it to the defender in the next gap. The NB and Jack are force players, their assignment is to either make the tackle or force the ballcarrier inside to the spill players where they can make the tackle.
Reffett was pretty multiple in his approach to his scheme.
As you can see, he has the DL slanted strong in an Over look and the Will LB on the line. This gives the alignment a 4-2 look of sorts, but since all DL and LBs are spill defenders, the base alignment doesn't change the responsibilities.
As you can see from the alignment of the SDE outside the TE and Sam outside him, they're trying to give the defense a 4-1 look inside the tackle box. They're trying to bait the offense to run the ball right at that bubble left uncovered between the LT and TE. It's bait, because Monroe has 7 defenders on the left side of the field, all waiting to play the run.
Petrino responds by calling Dig-Drag-Post (DDP), a staple of the Air Raid offense. In Air Raid parlance, it is simply the Shallow Cross series.
The Shallow Cross/DDP puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the second and third levels of a defense. The slot receiver runs a dig route, running 12-15 yards down field, digging his heel in, and cutting across. The X runs a shallow or drag route, running right through the defensive lines' initial foot prints before they begin their pass rush. The Z receiver runs a post route, pushing vertical and then running inside for the goal posts.
The linebackers and safeties are placed in multiple conflicts. If the nickelback covering the slot sinks with him, that leaves the CB one-on-one against the Z. If the free safety helps the cornerback on Z's post route, the QB throws to the slot and hits the dig route. If the safety drops down to help the nickelback cover the dig, the QB goes over the top and hits the post route. If the LBs drop into space to help flood the zone and cover the dig, the drag (shallow cross) is wide open. If the LBs drop into coverage, they also leave no pressure on the QB, leaving him with more time to choose the open man. If the LBs rush the QB, the drag is the hot read.
Basically, the shallow cross takes advantage of the attacking, aggressive nature of the 33 Stack and uses it against them. These players are coached to work as a 6-man front and play downhill, which means wide open windows behind them if the pass protection is there. Against ULM, Petrino used 11 personnel, and the in-line tight end meant he matched 6-on-6 in pass protection.
Here you'll see Reffett blitzed the SLB, making the choice to throw the drag/shallow cross an easy one. The pass rush by ULM meant there was a lot of open space between the line of scrimmage and the secondary. Even though the ball is slightly overthrown, it is still an easy 20 yard gain and a first down.
Over this past season, Nebraska's Matt Rhule hired Long protege Tony White to be his new defensive coordinator at Nebraska. Dino Babers decided he wanted to stay with the 33 Stack, so he hired Long away from New Mexico. Danny Gonzales intends to keep the Stack in place because it is part of the Lobos defensive identity now. Gonzales replaced Long with Troy Reffett, the Lobos cornerbacks coach for the past three seasons under Long. Reffett previously worked for Long as CB coach at UNM in 2004-'07, and defensive coordinator in 2008. When Long left UNM and Mike Locksley came in as head coach, Reffett moved over to Louisiana-Monroe to be their defensive coordinator, a position he would hold from 2009-2014.
It is at ULM where Reffett has his first match up with Bobby Petrino. Petrino took over Western Kentucky in 2013 on his rebound tour after his Arkansas scandal. He would coach the Hilltoppers for only one season before leaving for a second tenure at Louisville.
A&M opens the 2023 season with New Mexico, and we'll again see Petrino taking on Troy Reffett. I thought I'd take a look at some film from their 2013 game.
Here is a look at the base alignment for the 33 Stack.
You have 3 DL (two DEs and a NT) and 3 LBs (Sam, Mike, Will) who give the scheme its name. The hybrid linebacker/safeties are what made the difference for the scheme when it first started. Opposing offensive lines couldn't always see where the linebackers were going since they started the play stacked (hidden) behind the defensive line, which caused havoc when locating them for zone running plays. The hybrid linebacker/safeties on the outside (Nickelback, Jack backer) served as outside linebackers against the run and flat defenders against the pass. The back three contained two cornerbacks and a safety, giving the defense the ability to flow from Cover 3 to Cover 2 to Cover 1.
The Stack players are all spill defenders, meaning their assignment is simply to make the play in their gap, or spill it to the defender in the next gap. The NB and Jack are force players, their assignment is to either make the tackle or force the ballcarrier inside to the spill players where they can make the tackle.
Reffett was pretty multiple in his approach to his scheme.
As you can see, he has the DL slanted strong in an Over look and the Will LB on the line. This gives the alignment a 4-2 look of sorts, but since all DL and LBs are spill defenders, the base alignment doesn't change the responsibilities.
As you can see from the alignment of the SDE outside the TE and Sam outside him, they're trying to give the defense a 4-1 look inside the tackle box. They're trying to bait the offense to run the ball right at that bubble left uncovered between the LT and TE. It's bait, because Monroe has 7 defenders on the left side of the field, all waiting to play the run.
Petrino responds by calling Dig-Drag-Post (DDP), a staple of the Air Raid offense. In Air Raid parlance, it is simply the Shallow Cross series.
The Shallow Cross/DDP puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the second and third levels of a defense. The slot receiver runs a dig route, running 12-15 yards down field, digging his heel in, and cutting across. The X runs a shallow or drag route, running right through the defensive lines' initial foot prints before they begin their pass rush. The Z receiver runs a post route, pushing vertical and then running inside for the goal posts.
The linebackers and safeties are placed in multiple conflicts. If the nickelback covering the slot sinks with him, that leaves the CB one-on-one against the Z. If the free safety helps the cornerback on Z's post route, the QB throws to the slot and hits the dig route. If the safety drops down to help the nickelback cover the dig, the QB goes over the top and hits the post route. If the LBs drop into space to help flood the zone and cover the dig, the drag (shallow cross) is wide open. If the LBs drop into coverage, they also leave no pressure on the QB, leaving him with more time to choose the open man. If the LBs rush the QB, the drag is the hot read.
Basically, the shallow cross takes advantage of the attacking, aggressive nature of the 33 Stack and uses it against them. These players are coached to work as a 6-man front and play downhill, which means wide open windows behind them if the pass protection is there. Against ULM, Petrino used 11 personnel, and the in-line tight end meant he matched 6-on-6 in pass protection.
Dig Drag Post (DDP) vs 33 Stack. SLB blitz makes throwing drag an easy decision. pic.twitter.com/hIcsKyQxlF
— Sethtevious Smoochie-Wallace (@sethtevious) June 7, 2023
Here you'll see Reffett blitzed the SLB, making the choice to throw the drag/shallow cross an easy one. The pass rush by ULM meant there was a lot of open space between the line of scrimmage and the secondary. Even though the ball is slightly overthrown, it is still an easy 20 yard gain and a first down.