The NFL’s All-Time 3-4 Defense (With Video)

July 21, 2010   ·   Chris Young   ·   Jump to comments

The 3-4 defense was originally developed by Bud Wilkinson at the University of Oklahoma in the 1940s. Chuck Fairbanks learned the defense from Wilkinson and is credited with importing it to the NFL. Fairbanks' schemes have influenced many important winning coaches in the years following his retirement, among them Bill Parcells, Bill Cowher, and Bill Belichick. The 3-4 defense is a defensive alignment that consists of three down linemen, four linebackers, and four defensive backs. The defensive line is made up of a nose tackle and two defensive ends. Linemen in 3-4 schemes tend to be larger than their 4-3 counterparts to take up more space and guard more territory along the defensive front. The nose tackle and the inside linebackers - those are three guys that are very important. But when you go through it, the nose tackle is probably the single-most important guy. Ideally, 3-4 DEs should weigh 285–300 pounds and be able to beat double teams by getting a push. The ideal nose ...

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