4 Fronts - 4 Pressures that Attack Offense in Multiple Ways
Mar 24, 2022 6:21 pm
Coach ,
Much like today’s offenses, multiplicity has become a weapon on defense as well. The challenge becomes marrying things together in an organized structured way, but doing so like we discussed earlier this week with Coach Jason Thier’s “Universal Run Fit System,” can provide huge advantages in-game planning stressors to attack an offense.
So while these are not intended to make their way into every playbook, they are effective pressures from the fronts they are designed to be executed from.
Let’s take a look at each…
4-2-5: Cowboy Cover 1
A sure way to get a blitzer free is to bring him from somewhere they don’t expect him to come. From any defense, the least suspected blitzer is the corner, and in this one from LIU Defensive Coordinator Bryan Collins, the Corner comes from the boundary, and Cover 1 is played behind (click on image for video):
3-5-3: Tight-Wolf-Away-Shark
The 3-5-3 Defense can be difficult to plan for because of all of the blitz combinations created by the front. In this one from Mike Moon, Head Coach Pacifica HS (Oxnard, CA), the line slants one way and the stacked backer comes off of the opposite end. The movement of the line creates a situation where the OL can be attracted to move with the slant and leave the stacked backer clean off the edge (click on image for video):
3-4: OLB Blitz - Cover 1
Winning “money downs” is important for any defense, and to do so at Heidelberg University, Defensive Coordinator Branden Jakubcin utilizes an OLB blitz with Cover 1 behind. He makes the point that it is a great answer for RPO teams who like to take advantage of Cover 3 blitzes. He illustrates in on game film here (click on image for video):
4-3: Double B-Gap vs. 10 Personnel
Defending 10 personnel is something that most defenses have to do, and from the 4-3, a double B-gap blitz from walked-up OLB’s can spring one of them free with the chaos that is created for the offensive line. Coach Ben Martin shows the pressure on game film here (click on image for video):
Video: Double B-gap Blitz vs. 10 Personnel
Whether you use these or not, they certainly can provide you with ideas for answers to some of the things you will face in 2022.
Good luck as you put together your playbook and plan for this season!
Always be growing!
Coach Grabowski