3-3-5 Defense?

[Blue & Gold]

Can explain the 3-3-5 defense? I'm more accustomed to the 4-3-4 or 3-4-4. Is the 3-3-5 simply a nickle package?Thus, I'm more accustomed to thinking of the DL as DT's and DE's, and I generally think of linebackers as either Inside LB or Outside LB.How can we have a NG (nose guard) without running a 5-2? We've got a DT, NG and one DE? How's that work?And what on earth is a "Bandit", a "Sam" and a "Mike"?!If someone with a little more football IQ than myself could explain this defensive philosophy, I, and I expect many others, will be able to enjoy watching the D play this year!Thanks!Go Zips!

[Buckzip]

It's more like a 3-4, but one of the LB's plays a poition between a safety and linebacker.

[gozips19]

ok a mike is the inside lb...also if you were to hear will or sam that would be weak and strong side lb.as far as the 3-3-5 is concerned you have 3 down linemen 3 linebackers and 5 in the secondary. the bandit pos. was grant last year and looks like it will be williams this year tends to play on the weak side and tends to be used as a 4th rusher and can line up on the line for time to time. the other flexible pos. is the rover spot played by mackey. the rover is a lb/ss as he tends to play close to the line for run support but can also drop back into coverage in nickel packages. the 3-3-5 works well for akron in many ways. first would be the previously mentioned article saying that its easier to recruit a 6'2 lb than a big fast dl. also this works well as the mac tends to run multiply wide sets or a spread offense.