5 Wide Offense Pass

Protections

Alignment

L
G

LT
-

R
G

R
T

Offensive linemen should maintain a 2 foot split between

each other.
Offensive linemen should line up with their helmet even
with the centers numbers.

Quick Reference
Even front - Any front where the center does not have a man on him.
Odd front - Any front where the center has a man on him.
Combo front - Any front where there are 4 at the line of scrimmage, but a man is lined up over the
center.
Box - Area in-between 3 feet outside both offensive tackles. A defensive player is considered to be in
the box when he is 6 yards or less off of the line of scrimmage, and in-between the aforementioned
area.
Overhang - An overhang player is considered to be a defender who is close enough to the box to
make a play on the run. A player is considered to be an overhang defender when he is A) 6 yards or
less off of the line of scrimmage, and B) anywhere between 1-5 yards away from the box.

50s Pass Protection - Base Drop

0
2

versus 4-1 box

-

Center identifies the mike before each snap, and will take him in pass protection. This is the 0
man in our protection scheme. Guards will get the 1 man or the next man from the mike. Tackles
will get the 2 man, or the next man from the 1 man.

50s Pass Protection - cont.

1
2

1
0

versus 3-2 box

-

With our rules, nothing changes when dealing with an odd front (odd front defined as having a man
over the center). The center will take any man lined up over him.

50s Pass Protection - cont.

1

versus 4-1 combo box

-

With a combo front (4 man front with a man on the center), we tell the center to declare the man
lined up over him as the mike, and will go from there.

50s Pass Protection - Overload

0

OVER
2

versus 4-2 box

-

Against anything more than a 5 man box, the QB is responsible for the 6th rusher -- this means a
quick throw. For us on the offensive line, we first need to deal with the most immediate threat -- the
defensive linemen. The center will identify the mike like he does normally, and we will still count off
and take our man. However, the guy who isnt accounted for is an over player, and its the QBs job
to find him and see if he blitzes or drops in coverage.

50s Pass Protection - Overload cont.

1

OVER

versus 3-3 box

-

Stack alignments can prove to be somewhat difficult to handle with a counting system like were
using, but our system proves to be easily adaptable. Handle this like you did the 3-2 box alignment,
but declare the LB behind the nose tackle (the guy lined up over the center) as the over player.

50s Pass Protection - Overload cont.

OVER

versus 4-2 combo box

-

Versus a 4-2 combo box, were going to have the center declare the mike as the man over him. The
only real difference is that the overload player is the man away from the side of the player over the
center.

50s Pass Protection - 7 Man Box

OVER

0
1

OVER
1

versus 4-3 box

-

If any team is dumb enough to give us a 7 man box against a 5 wide set, were probably not going to
be protecting long, because our QB will check to a bubble screen, and were probably going to end
up with a big play. Nevertheless, you must understand how were going to block this.
Center will take the mike, and well deal with the most immediate threat, meaning that our 4
remaining offensive linemen will take the 4 down defensive linemen. There will be 2 overload players
here.

50s Pass Protection - 7 Man Box cont.

OVER OVER
2

versus 3-4 box

-

Once again, we have our rules versus an odd front -- center will take the man lined up over him,
while the two guards will take the two down linemen. The tackles will take the two outside
linebackers.
If we feel like were going to get smacked up the middle because the OLBs are too far out for us to
get to without risking a free rusher coming through right up the middle, we can make a smack call,
which will switch who the tackles get -- instead of the OLBs, theyll get the 2 ILBs.

Adjustment Calls
Clyde - Tells the center and the LG that they need to switch responsibilities because of a stunt,
twist, or loop by one or two defensive players.
Cramp - Same as Clyde, but to the RG instead of the LG.
Gator - Tells the guard and the tackle to switch responsibilities because of a stunt, twist, or loop by
one or two defensive players on their side.
Cropper - Tells the offensive line that one of the counted players has dropped in coverage, and
that they are helping out on the closest player to them.
Chris - Tells the offensive line that one of the counted players has dropped in coverage, but one of
the over players is blitzing, and that the player whos man has dropped has responsibility on the
uncounted blitzer.
Smack Left/Right - Call by the QB that tells one or both tackles (if smack is called out without a
left or right call attached to it) to take an inside player thats not already counted instead of an
outside or overhang player. This call should be made if the QB feels like there is going to be some
type of blitz up the middle.

Examples of Adjustments

Clyde

Cramp

Chris

Gator

Smack

Cropper