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20:
86:
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226:, an assistant coach at the time. He says the Sooners were previously playing the 5–2 Eagle defense. Bud Wilkinson felt the linebackers were too far removed from the center of the action to effectively read keys. By moving the linebackers towards the center, and the defensive tackles on the outside shoulder of the
207:. The latter defense, also called the 5–2 Oklahoma, is supposed to have arisen from Bud's exposure to Earle Neale's 5–2 defense in a College All-Star game after the Philadelphia Eagles' first championship. Bud took the defense back with him to Oklahoma and adapted lineman and linebacker positions to better handle
147:
Note that in this defense, if you pull the middle guard and replace him with a middle linebacker, you get to an early version of the 4–3 defense. Conversely, if you take a 4–3 defense and replace the middle linebacker with a middle guard, then you convert a 4–3 into a 5–2 Eagle. This latter switch
267:
The 5–2 (or 5–4, or 3–4, or Okie, or 50 defense) is a popular defense at all levels of coaching, in part because it has simple reads, is easy to coach, and allows coaches to concentrate on technique. By the 1990s, however, coaches were having issues with the demands of finding players who could
272:" players of exceptional size and power. Further, the "read then react" nature of the defense made it doubly difficult for teams of smaller size. As a consequence, teams began switching back to more
124:
The 5–2 Eagle has a (passing) hole in the middle of the defense, usually dealt with by having outside linebackers jam the ends. Offenses countered by using
600:
93:
Historically, there are two significant variations of the 5–2 defense in professional and college football. The first is the defense created by
97:. This defense was prominent in the National Football League from the late 1940s through the middle 1950s and was a precursor defense to
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593:
285:
237:
that was still in use in college football in the 1930s. The ends of the 7–2 fell off and assumed more of a linebacker technique.
149:
132:. Consequently, teams began to experiment, around 1954, with pulling the middle guard back a couple yards and putting him in a
1314:
117:
was innovative at the time. By 1950, the base defense of NFL teams were five man line defenses, either the 5–2 Eagle or the
215:
grew wider in the
Oklahoma, and the linebackers were positioned a couple yards behind the line, and facing the opponent's
1293:
586:
195:
5–2 Oklahoma defense. Yellow triangles are linemen, yellow squares are linebackers, yellow circles are defensive backs
1169:
1066:
1026:
995:
937:
89:
5–2 Eagle defense. Yellow triangles are linemen, yellow squares are linebackers, yellow circles are defensive backs.
160:
in a playoff game with his unexpected five man front, shutting down the
Packers' powerful rushing combination of
927:
1239:
867:
230:, they could then key on the offensive guards. This account dates the first use of the Oklahoma to 1949.
144:
led to a rapid conversion to the 4–3 in 1957. Almost all teams switched to the new defense at that time.
912:
609:
1047:
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277:
204:
1259:
177:"If I contributed anything to football of an original nature," Dad said, "It was the Oklahoma 5–2."
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234:
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942:
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253:
8:
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65:
1124:
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628:
623:
109:
describes the defense as having a tight five man line, and linebackers who were to jam
64:. This defensive scheme was employed with great success by Coach "Greasy" Neale of the
1177:
1144:
1104:
907:
819:
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273:
268:
handle the nose guard and defensive tackle positions of this defense. These require "
157:
53:
36:
28:
1042:
958:
847:
684:
679:
669:
281:
261:
227:
212:
211:. In particular, the split between the middle guard, or nose tackle, and the other
161:
133:
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1229:
1224:
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1199:
1182:
1154:
1139:
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877:
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249:
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216:
141:
137:
1249:
1159:
1129:
963:
892:
754:
721:
689:
289:
165:
153:
114:
1308:
699:
578:
200:
110:
504:
Total
Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League
264:) were among the first to introduce the 3–4 into the NFL as a base defense.
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902:
897:
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814:
749:
659:
257:
241:
94:
61:
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The 5–2 Oklahoma, with defensive ends given the ability to drop back into
199:
The second significant version of the 5–2 defense is the 5–2 defense that
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as they came off the line. Brown goes on to say that the use of four
248:. It should not come as a surprise then that coaches from Oklahoma (
56:, hold up offensive ends, and still cover their pass zones when the
152:
pulled his middle linebacker, replacing him with defensive lineman
125:
1109:
1079:
1000:
223:
208:
502:
Carroll, Bob, Gershman, Michael, Neft, David, and Thorn, John,
233:
Bud
Wilkinson himself has said the defense evolved from the
148:
was historically significant in at least one game. In 1972,
85:
19:
191:
560:
Bud
Wilkinson: An Intimate Portrait of an American Legend
411:
Bud
Wilkinson: An Intimate Portrait of an American Legend
184:
Bud
Wilkinson: An Intimate Portrait of an American Legend
474:, American Football Coaches Association, 2000, pp. 70–71
448:, American Football Coaches Association, 2000, p. 160.
525:
Forty Seven
Straight: The Wilkinson Years at Oklahoma
546:
Riddell
Presents The Gridiron's Greatest Linebackers
509:Halas, George, Morgan, Gwen, and Veysey, Arthur,
35:is a defensive alignment consisting of five down
1306:
608:
594:
574:The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football
382:, Temple University Press, 2008, pp. 87–89.
601:
587:
222:Another account of the origin comes from
311:, Temple University Press, 2005, p. 101.
190:
84:
18:
576:, Simon and Schuster, 1984, Chapter 6.
203:developed while he was a head coach at
1307:
527:, University of Oklahoma Press, 1984.
582:
558:Wilkinson, Jay and Hirsch, Gretchen,
409:Wilkinson, Jay and Hirsch, Gretchen,
16:American football defensive formation
506:, HarperCollins, 1999, Chapter 17.
307:Didinger, Ray and Lyons, Robert S.
182:Jay Wilkinson and Gretchen Hirsch,
78:Secrets of the "Split T" Formation
13:
530:Kirwan, Pat and Seigerman, David,
520:, Prentice-Hall, 1957, Chapter 9.
516:Jones, Gomer, and Wilkinson, Bud,
457:Kirwan and Siegerman, pp. 110–112.
14:
1326:
52:Linebackers also may play on the
1289:
1288:
442:Using the Okie 5–2 to KO the Run
440:Norris, Rex and Walper, Warren,
244:, is indistinguishable from the
209:the college offenses of the time
497:
477:
460:
451:
434:
425:
416:
403:
394:
276:, of the kind pioneered by the
171:
553:Coaching Football's 46 Defense
385:
372:
363:
354:
345:
336:
323:
314:
301:
1:
562:, Sagamore Publishing, 1994.
472:Defensive Football Strategies
446:Defensive Football Strategies
329:Brown, Paul and Clary, Jack,
295:
274:modern four man line defenses
68:' professional football team.
1315:American football formations
569:, Sports Illustrated, 1973.
551:Ryan, Rex and Walker, Jeff,
468:Choosing the 4–3 over the 50
413:, Sagamore Publishing, 1994.
46:
7:
548:, Sports Publishing, 2003.
10:
1331:
610:American football strategy
532:Take Your Eye Off the Ball
491:, retrieved July 22, 2013.
1284:
1268:
1168:
1065:
1035:
1009:
983:
976:
951:
838:
735:
652:
642:
616:
518:Modern Defensive Football
380:The Redskins Encyclopedia
333:, Atheneum, 1979, p. 197.
555:, Coaches Choice, 2000.
331:PB: The Paul Brown Story
140:in 1956 with their base
534:, Triumph Books, 2010.
320:Ryan and Walker, p. 10.
309:The Eagles Encyclopedia
485:Ode to the War Daddies
342:Carroll et al. p. 465.
256:) and Oklahoma State (
196:
189:
90:
83:
24:
541:, David McKay, 1952.
513:, McGraw-Hill, 1979.
422:Wilkinson, Bud, p. 95
194:
175:
136:. The success of the
88:
50:
22:
1276:Resting the starters
1170:Defensive formations
1067:Offensive formations
487:. February 3, 2012.
391:Carroll et al. p 463
254:New England Patriots
95:Earle (Greasy) Neale
539:My Kind of Football
66:Philadelphia Eagles
977:Defensive strategy
431:Zimmerman, p. 130.
378:Richman, Michael,
197:
91:
25:
1302:
1301:
1061:
1060:
972:
971:
918:Statue of Liberty
572:Zimmerman, Paul,
567:Football: Defense
369:Zimmerman, p 128.
360:Zimmerman, p. 128
228:offensive tackles
213:defensive tackles
158:Green Bay Packers
54:line of scrimmage
29:American football
1322:
1292:
1291:
1043:Icing the kicker
981:
980:
959:Clock management
913:Hook and lateral
848:Play-action pass
650:
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565:Wilkinson, Bud,
544:Rand, Jonathan,
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282:college football
278:Miami Hurricanes
217:offensive guards
187:
162:John Brockington
156:, defeating the
134:two-point stance
81:
23:Base 5–2 defense
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1324:
1323:
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1320:
1319:
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1193:Seattle Cover 3
1164:
1155:Minnesota shift
1115:Single set back
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1031:
1005:
968:
947:
943:Tackle-eligible
923:Halfback option
878:Fake field goal
834:
731:
695:Run-pass option
638:
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523:Keith, Harold,
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138:New York Giants
115:defensive backs
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290:Dallas Cowboys
262:Houston Oilers
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166:MacArthur Lane
154:Manny Sistrunk
111:offensive ends
80:, 1950, p. 235
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712:Run and shoot
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700:Triple option
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537:Owen, Steve,
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486:
483:Brown, Chris
480:
473:
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443:
437:
428:
419:
412:
406:
400:Keith, p. 55.
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286:Jimmy Johnson
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242:pass coverage
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235:7–2–2 defense
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201:Bud Wilkinson
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34:
30:
21:
1260:8-in-the-box
1219:
1017:Bump and run
903:Fumblerooski
898:Flea flicker
675:Buck-lateral
634:Play calling
573:
571:
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498:Bibliography
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467:
466:Novak, Joe,
462:
453:
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351:Rand, p. 36.
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330:
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308:
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258:Bum Phillips
239:
232:
221:
198:
183:
176:
172:5–2 Oklahoma
150:George Allen
146:
123:
92:
77:
51:
32:
26:
1135:Pistol-Flex
1095:Single-wing
908:Hidden ball
858:Double pass
840:Trick plays
820:Stop-and-go
665:Air Coryell
629:Two-platoon
624:One-platoon
246:3–4 defense
142:4–3 defense
128:instead of
58:quarterback
41:linebackers
33:5–2 defense
1150:Jump shift
1100:Short punt
991:Man-to-man
928:Hard count
888:Fake spike
863:End-around
727:West Coast
717:Smashmouth
643:Offensive
296:References
130:tight ends
107:Paul Brown
103:46 defense
99:Buddy Ryan
74:Don Faurot
1188:Miami 4–3
1010:Coverages
883:Fake punt
707:Pro-style
489:Grantland
260:with the
252:with the
126:slotbacks
60:fades to
47:5–2 Eagle
1309:Category
1294:Category
1125:Flexbone
1120:Wishbone
755:Crossing
685:Multiple
680:Hurry-up
670:Air raid
645:strategy
284:and the
205:Oklahoma
180:—
71:—
39:and two
1255:Prevent
1240:7–1–2–1
1178:2-level
1145:Wildcat
1110:Pro set
1105:Shotgun
1080:Split-T
1001:Tampa 2
933:Pyramid
873:Spinner
868:Reverse
617:Systems
270:two gap
224:Pop Ivy
37:linemen
1250:Nickel
1130:Pistol
1022:Double
984:Scheme
815:Sluggo
800:Screen
750:Corner
737:Routes
722:Spread
690:Option
653:Scheme
186:, 1994
31:, the
1269:Other
1235:7–2–2
1205:3–3–5
1140:Trips
1048:Stunt
1036:Other
952:Other
830:Wheel
825:Swing
810:Slant
745:Chair
470:, in
444:, in
288:-led
119:5–3–3
1245:Dime
1027:Zone
996:Zone
853:Draw
805:Seam
795:Post
785:Jerk
770:Flat
765:Drag
760:Curl
660:A-11
164:and
62:pass
1230:6–2
1225:5–3
1220:5–2
1210:4–4
1200:3–4
1183:4–3
1053:Spy
790:Out
780:Hot
775:Fly
280:of
101:'s
27:In
1311::
1215:46
292:.
219:.
168:.
121:.
105:.
76:,
43:.
1090:A
1085:I
1075:T
602:e
595:t
588:v
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