When defenses are looking to attack an offense’s pass protection, the first order of business is to find the “donkey.” Where is the worst offensive lineman, and how can we get him in a bind or one-on-one with our best player? Once the worst O-lineman is identified, the staff can look at how the line attempts to protect itself in various scenarios.
Does the offense slide to a specific part of the field? To or from a RB or TE? These are all factors that matter when attempting to design ways to attack protection. Most teams at the lower levels focus on Big-on-Big (BOB), Slide, or Combo (half-slide) protection.
For many teams, an easy way to get a one-on-one matchup is to align in a 5-O Front structure to create man-blocking. When defenses place five defenders on the line of scrimmage (LOS), they are creating a natural one-for-one alignment. In many cases, this will create man-blocking; you have the guy in front of you.
A double A-gap presentation will usually create combo protection with the RB responsible for one of the mugged linebackers. A 5-O front, like the one illustrated below, with an off-ball LB for the RB, is the typical way to get the man protection needed to create a one-on-one. The alignment is illustrated with “X’s” across the board because the defense can place any of its players at any technique across the line.
