LSU VS Auburn "Auburn's Game Plan"

As it turns out Auburn would play the best game anyone would play all year vs LSU. The score ending 20-23. But how did Auburn slow down one of the best offenses college football has ever seen? They did it in some unconventional ways, coach Kevin Steele created a stack linebacker tite front and had a reverse defensive philosophy when it came to playing LSU. They decided to play the pass first then react to run. The would bring their Buck/weak linebacker and blitz him into different gaps when LSU decided to pass. They would go back and forth between three down and four down linemen. Below is some of the ways Auburn used a 3-2-6 package and a 4-2-5 package to slow the high powered LSU offense.

Stubbie + 20 Rat

Stubbie + 20 Rat does not allow for very many passing windows. Stubbie is man coverage for the trips side corner. The nickel (L) and safety (S) read the number two receiver and the number three receiver. If they both go vertical they take them in man coverage. If two goes vertical and three does not, the safety will double number two. If two goes vertical and three does not and he goes to the flats, the nickel will take three to the flats. If the two does not go vertical he will close on number two unless he sees a flat route or corner route by number three. Mike will take number three underneath.

20 Rat is on the single receiver side and allows aggressive coverage underneath while being protected over the top. The weak side safety will play the RB man to man and the middle safety (H) will go to a 20 hole which is a half of the field.

Cover 4

Cover 4 allows for better run support by getting the safeties involved. The safety (S) and middle safety (H) will play the number two receivers vertical and the corners play man to man and the weak side safety (W) will play weak flats. The nickel and mike play their normal hook and flats.

3 Cut

3 cut is designed to take away the inside routes and quickly turns into man coverage. The corner gets underneath help from the nickel (L) and can play over the top on the deep shots. The weak safety (W) is able to play as midfielder and follow the lead shoulder. The inside backers play man to man with the RB and TE. The backside corner is left man to man but the weak safety can cheat that way because the corner is playing a third and the safety is man to man.

(The Safety is just a little late here)

3 Cut Rat

3 Cut Rat is designed to take away the inside routes and quickly turns into man coverage. The corner gets underneath help from the nickel (L) and can play over the top on the deep shots. The middle safety (H) is able to play as midfielder and follow the lead shoulder. The mike (M) linebacker plays man to man with the TE and the buck (B) blitzes the gap called. The backside corner is left man to man and the weak safety (W) is man to man with the running back. This allows a more athletic safety to cover the running back