What are the pros and cons of the 5-3 defense?

Answer 1

The 53 defense is very good against the run, but not so good against the pass. Since the 53 defense is an eight-man front, you can cover all of the gaps (A, B, C, D) along the line of scrimmage and still have a player left over. On the other hand, the 53 is only a cover-three defense, so it is lacking against the pass. To cover the pass adequately, you have to rotate a linebacker into pass coverage. Some coaches, like myself, will change into a 52 or 43 defense on passing situations so you can be in four-deep coverage against the pass. There are a lot of different alignments and blitzes you can use out of a 53. This makes it fun for the kids to run. But being burned by the long pass can take the air out of a defense, so be careful to know down and distance when you blitz from a 53.