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I did not grow up playing on a 4-2-5 defense, but they’ve become popular defenses with the rise of spread offenses. We are supposed to be playing in one, although we’ve sometimes used 3 down linemen lately because of depth and injuries.
(I am not close to being an expert on this topic).
This article is two years old, but I thought it was a good read: https://www.footballstudyhall.com/2...ry-patterson-michigan-wolverines-space-backer .
It doesn’t cover Collins/Thacker’s version of a 4-2-5. There can be and are different versions and visions for the defense.
My first confusion in looking at a 4-2-5 is at linebacker—how do you have a middle linebacker when you have two linebackers? Well, you might have one, or you might have two, or you might have none—it depends on your DC and their scheme.
Here’s one description: https://footballtoolbox.net/defense/understanding-the-4-2-5-defense.
You might have a Mike LB and a Will LB. The Mike is your more traditional middle linebacker, and is a plugger (I think we have Curry in this position). The Will is your faster LB, who gets used more for coverage.
Some DCs will run more of a 2-4-5, where the DEs are outside linebackers that occasionally put their hands in the dirt at DE. The defense is about speed and agility and bold, quick decision making (make your read and GO). Players will often be smaller than in a 4-3 or 3-4, but they need to be fast.
Note: earlier, I wrote about the 4-2-5 evolving to solve the spread, and that being one of the reasons for speed and quick decisions. The RPO burns you for committing—you make a read and go, and the QB reads that and hits you where you ain’t.
The one place you don’t get smaller on the field is at NT—that guy gets more important every year.
We’ve gotten some speed at DE, and that’s been great this year. Speed is important for a 4-3 or a 3-4, but it’s essential for a 4-2-5. I’m sure that it’s a major factor in our recruiting. Since it’s about the most common defense right now, those players are more coveted than ever.
For the DBs, you have a Free Safety and two Corners—that’s the part everyone will recognize. We play with a Nickel. The last player is the wild card—they can be in as a strong safety, as a “wolf” or a “rover”/DB as kind of a linebacker. Sometimes, they’re what Saban calls a “money-backer” that’s a DB playing like an inside linebacker. Sometimes, they’re a deep safety and you’re in a 2-deep safety package.
Having 5 DBs playing different roles—some like light, fast linebackers and some more traditional—probably puts a lot of stress on the DB coaches to teach different responsibilities to different kinds of players in different positions.
Again, I’m just learning the 4-2-5: if you’re an expert, I’d love to see you lay out a good description.
(I am not close to being an expert on this topic).
This article is two years old, but I thought it was a good read: https://www.footballstudyhall.com/2...ry-patterson-michigan-wolverines-space-backer .
It doesn’t cover Collins/Thacker’s version of a 4-2-5. There can be and are different versions and visions for the defense.
My first confusion in looking at a 4-2-5 is at linebacker—how do you have a middle linebacker when you have two linebackers? Well, you might have one, or you might have two, or you might have none—it depends on your DC and their scheme.
Here’s one description: https://footballtoolbox.net/defense/understanding-the-4-2-5-defense.
You might have a Mike LB and a Will LB. The Mike is your more traditional middle linebacker, and is a plugger (I think we have Curry in this position). The Will is your faster LB, who gets used more for coverage.
Some DCs will run more of a 2-4-5, where the DEs are outside linebackers that occasionally put their hands in the dirt at DE. The defense is about speed and agility and bold, quick decision making (make your read and GO). Players will often be smaller than in a 4-3 or 3-4, but they need to be fast.
Note: earlier, I wrote about the 4-2-5 evolving to solve the spread, and that being one of the reasons for speed and quick decisions. The RPO burns you for committing—you make a read and go, and the QB reads that and hits you where you ain’t.
The one place you don’t get smaller on the field is at NT—that guy gets more important every year.
We’ve gotten some speed at DE, and that’s been great this year. Speed is important for a 4-3 or a 3-4, but it’s essential for a 4-2-5. I’m sure that it’s a major factor in our recruiting. Since it’s about the most common defense right now, those players are more coveted than ever.
For the DBs, you have a Free Safety and two Corners—that’s the part everyone will recognize. We play with a Nickel. The last player is the wild card—they can be in as a strong safety, as a “wolf” or a “rover”/DB as kind of a linebacker. Sometimes, they’re what Saban calls a “money-backer” that’s a DB playing like an inside linebacker. Sometimes, they’re a deep safety and you’re in a 2-deep safety package.
Having 5 DBs playing different roles—some like light, fast linebackers and some more traditional—probably puts a lot of stress on the DB coaches to teach different responsibilities to different kinds of players in different positions.
Again, I’m just learning the 4-2-5: if you’re an expert, I’d love to see you lay out a good description.
