With the proliferation of passing offenses in the MW, the 3-3-5 is probably the most ideal defense for Wyoming...probably more so than the 3-4. Three down lineman, three linebackers, two strong safties, two corners, and a free safety. Depending on the athlete playing OLB and SS, the front could morph between a 4-3 look, a 3-4, a 4-4, a 4-2-5, and a nickle package without subbing players. Predicated on speed, you could theoretically mix and match coverages and blitzes all day long. In the early 2000s, Rich Rod used this defensive alignment to great effect when he was coaching WVU to upsets in bowl games.
The 3-3-5 is the ultimate hybrid defense that optimizes the talents of the athletes most readily recruitable. It's about the types of athletes that you can recruit in spades. You'd wind up recruiting more athletes to play strong safety/linebacker than anything else. So long as they're in the 4.5 -4.6 forty range and project to fill out to the 220 lbs range by their second year, it should be all systems go on the recruiting trail. You can recruit kids with the same body type for all those positions in the heart of the defense and there's a ton of those guys that are under recruited.
It's a target rich environment for the lanky high school kid with flash of athletic ability that's about 200 lbs. Now, feed him some Weaties and teach him how to play in space and you've got yourself somebody based on their aptitude that can theoretically play one of five positions on your defense in a year or two. Plug and play.
Of course recruiting defensive lineman that project to the 270-280 lbs range and exceptional athletes to play corner and free safety will always be a challenge but they can be found.
