3 Deep, 2 Under Fire Zone Blitz

In 2020, Pitt played an aggressive style of defense that led the nation in both Sacks and Tackles for Loss. By attacking on early downs, Pitt was able to set up 3rd and Long opportunities for their 5 and 6-Man Pressure Packages. They were able to utilize both Cover 0 and Fire Zones to keep the QB guessing. I particularly like this 6-Man Pressure from a 3-Down Alignment.

• 3 Down (0 Nose + 5 Techniques)

• Mike LB Stacked on the Nose

• Will & Sam LB’s Show Edge Pressure

• 6-Man Pressure

  • Sam Edge C-Gap Blitz

  • Nose & Field DE Exchange (Nose Penetrates, End Loops to A-Gap

  • Mike & Will Exchange (Mike Penetrates, Will Loops to A-Gap)

  • Boundary DE Rushes C-Gap

• 3 Deep, 2 Under Fire Zone

  • CB’s Press/Bail to Deep 1/3

  • Nickel Bails to Post (Middle 1/3)

  • FS & SS Drop into the Hook as “Hot” Defenders

Whenever you run Fire Zone Pressures, you’re leaving something open. In this case, the Field Comeback is open. The question is whether or not the QB has the Time, Vision, & Arm Strength to make that throw in the face of pressure. I love the idea of bailing the Nickel to Middle 1/3 and dropping both Safeties in as the “Hot” Hook Defenders! Great pressure from Randy Bates and Pat Narduzzi!

Tite Front with Roaming Nose

The Tite Front is a three down defensive line alignment created with a 0 Nose (Head Up on the Center) and two 4i Defensive Ends (Inside Shade on the Offensive Tackle). The Tite Front has taken the football world by storm because it allows defenses to close down interior gaps and force the ball to the edges. It also creates muddier reads for the Quarterback in any sort of Zone Read scenario because there is not an immediate C-Gap Defender. Back in 2013 Oregon Defensive Coordinator Nick Aliotti would Align in a Tite Front, but Roam the Nose 3-4 yards off the Line of Scrimmage.

• Nose & Will Linebacker are responsible for A-Gaps

• The Nose can Spike Frontside or Backside A, Will LB will “Make him right” by taking over the opposite A-Gap.

• 4i’s play through the Shoulder of the Tackle for the B-Gaps

• Overhang Defenders are responsible for the C-Gaps

In the traditional Tite Front with the Nose Zeroed on the Center it is presented as a “Two-Gap” Technique, but ultimately the Nose will often fall to Backside A-Gap and the LB will Takeover the Frontside A-Gap. One drawback of the Tite Front is the possibility of the Nose being reached by the Backside Guard on any type of Wide Zone or Outside Zone Play. When the Nose is off, it makes reach blocks much more difficult and also gives the Nose the capability of declaring his gap with momentum. If you’re experimenting with the Tite Front, this is a nice little wrinkle to add in!

Safety Double A-Gap Blitz

When you see Double A-Gap Pressure it usually comes from the Inside LB’s Mugged in the A-Gaps with the Nose and the Tackle flexed out to 3 Techniques. Defensive Coordinators have used this tactic to force the offense out of Empty sets by gapping out the O-Line and bringing more than they can block. But, back in 2017, the University of Texas at San Antonio ran Double A-Gap Pressure in the most unique way possible. Instead of bringing Linebackers, they brought both Safeties from a Two-High Shell.

• Odd Front (0 Nose, Double 9 Techniques)

• Both Safeties Blitz the A-Gaps

• Both Linebackers Blitz the B-Gaps

• Nose Drops as the Low Hole/Rat Player

• Cover 0 (RAT accounts for RB)

As defensive players trim down and athletes become more interchangeable, I imagine you’ll see more Safeties running interior blitz tracks. The RB form North Texas does a phenomenal job picking up the free runner, but that’s a tough task!

D-Line Stunt vs. Empty

You’re seeing more Empty formations to help the QB identify coverages. Empty creates opportunities for the defense to Overload the line of scrimmage and cause confusion with 3x1 Stunts. Offenses will often take advantage of Unbalanced formations, but Empty is a great time for the defense to toy with Unbalanced Fronts. You see Overloaded Fronts vs. Empty quite a bit in the NFL, but it would be interesting to see it’s effect on the College or High School Game.

• 3x1 Front Overload (Shade, 5 Tech, 9 Tech)

• Solo DE has a 2-Way-Go on the Tackle

• Nose Crosses Center’s Face

• 5 Technique Spikes to B-Gap

• 9 Technique Loops to A-Gap

A traditional Stunt has a Penetrator and a Looper. In this Stunt the 5 Technique Spikes to the B-Gap and hides the 9 Technique Looping behind him. If the offense slides 4 for 3 the Solo DE has a great 1 on 1 matchup with the Tackle. The Stunt is designed to create both a matchup and movement.

3-3-5 Complex Cover 1

There is a reason the NFL values Edge Pass Rushers. You can create pressure in traditional rush lanes without disrupting the structure of your defense. If you don’t have stud on the edge, you’re forced to generate pressure through movement and blitzes. When you’re facing a QB who can make quick escapes you will need to add in a Spy element.

in 2019, San Diego State operated out of a 3-3-5 which incorporated a ton of movement and blitzes. Below is one of my favorite blitzes I saw them run because it incorporated so many different elements:

• D-Line Stunt

• LB Blitz

• Safety Blitz (Peel)

• QB Spy

• Cover 1

• TE shifts the Defensive Front from Odd to Even (7 Mug, 3 Tech, Tilted Shade, 5)

• 3 Tech Spikes to the A-Gap

• Nose Wraps to B-Gap (Continue for Contain)

• 3 Tech Drops Out of the Stunt to become the QB Spy/Underneath RAT

• 5 Technique Spikes to B-Gap

• Mike Blitzes C-Gap (Peel with RB)

• Will Blitzes A-Gap

• FS Blitzes C-Gap (Peel with RB)

• Cover 1 with Jack LB Mug Man on the TE

After all that movement, only 4 players end up rushing the QB. They are able to play Cover 1 with both a Deep Safety and an Underneath RAT player. I love the idea of dropping the Penetrator out of the TEN Stunt (3 Technique Tackle + Nose). The RAT/Spy Player has to know where the main pressure is coming from in order to understand where the QB will be flushed out of the pocket.