Bluffing Pressure to Force Hot Throws

TCU is in a 3-2-6 Dime personnel on 3rd & 7.

The Rush:

America's Blitz pattern with a long stick DE to the pressure, the SS as the outside rusher, and the ILB on the inside pressure

The Coverage:

Cover 1 with the non-blitzing ILB on a green dog technique

The pressure itself is very traditional in both pattern and coverage. The weak side bluff helps increase the effect of this pressure. The ILB walked in the B gap, the Dime bluffing off the weak edge, and the post safety walking low all send the signal to the offense weak/boundary pressure is coming. The look even forces the boundary OT to point out the potential edge pressure threat from the Dime. 

If the QB looks at this pre-snap presentation and thinks the protection has the look picked up he would be right. The OL would be sliding into the pressure and the defense is not threatening to overload the RB. However, the presented pressure and actual pressure are not the same. If the QB holds the ball against the actual post-snap look the pressure is going to get a 2 on 1 vs. the RB. The Green Dog makes it a late 3 on 1. The protection will not hold up post-snap.

The QB has to ID that any two edge rushers from the field overloads the RB and forces a hot throw. The protection cannot block it. The QB does make that ID and gets the ball out fast.

This is one of the valuable aspects of pressure. You don't have to get sacks to succeed. Pressure changes the timing of offensive plays. Forcing a hot throw here prevents the route from getting to the sticks at 7 yards. The offense now has to bank on the WR making a contested catch vs. man coverage at 4 yards then breaking a tackle to get 7 and a 1st down. 

The offense was forced to take a sack or throw the ball short of the line to gain. The offense took the better of the two options but the result is still 4th down and the defense is off the field. Defense dictated the options with the presentation of pressure and killed the play off with the execution of the pressure and coverage.  

Really nice usage of a bluffed pressure by the Horned Frogs to create more pressure forcing the ball out quickly. Always good stuff from Gary Patterson.