3 High Safety Split Field Quarters Coverage Sim Pressure

San Diego St is in 3-3-5 personnel spaced like a double 3 technique even front and initially presenting a 3 high safety shell.

The Rush:

Both Ends contain. The End aligned as a 3 technique works through the B gap to contain. The Mike is pressuring A gap working a twist with the field side 3 technique.

The Coverage:

Split field quarters with a Safety rolled into the box as the 3 dropper.

Once the Mike walks up into the pressure look the OL is 5-0, because they are all covered they are all 1 on 1. Twists are highly effective vs. 5-0 man protection schemes because adjacent OL aren't uncovered and available to help. The Mike does a good job of penetrating to get quickly up field which forces the Center to commit and helps put the Center and Guard on two different levels. The 3 technique's timing plays off the Mike. He stays square while keeping his path tight off the inside hip of the Mike at full speed allowing for quick efficient pressure.

The usage quarters on 3rd & 4 allows for a good denial coverage of all 4 quick receiving threats. 

Always good scheme and execution from a Zach Arnett and Rocky Long coached defense.

Split Field Coverage Sim Pressure

Sim pressure on 3rd & 6 from a 3-3-5 defense spaced like an under front 4-2-5.

The initial presentation is a 1 high post defense rotated strong.

The presence of the Sam walked up on the LOS with the FS showing down gets the OL pointing out the pressure threat from the field. The protection is half slide to the RB's alignment with the RB cross protecting to the field. 

When the QB gets into his cadence the defense comes out of the disguise.

The Sam walks off the LOS to the apex alignment while the Mike walks up to pressure the open B gap. The FS replaces the Mike while the SS pops the top and WS adjusts weak to create a 2 high coverage alignment.

The Rush:

Mike blitzes as contain through the widest part of B gap working a YOU game with the End. The End is up an under off the penetrating Mike. The Nose and Tackle are looping weak to balance the rush.

The Coverage:

Quarter Quarter Half. The most interesting part of the concept is the usage of the FS as the 3 dropper. By using a DB in this role the defense can expect the 3 player to carry the #3 receiver with no help. The #3 being accounted for vertical by the FS allows the field side to play a 3 over 2 quarters concept against #1 and #2 receivers and the weak side to play a cloud half concept. 

Nice split field coverage sim concept and execution from San Diego St. This is a creative way to get a traditional 4 down pass rush stunt from a sim pressure.  Always good stuff from Zach Arnett and Rocky Long.

Winning the 1 on 1 Pass Rush

San Diego State is in a 3-3-5 personnel spacing as a bear front running a Tampa 2 Sim Pressure.

The Rush:

Both DE's work out to contain while the Nose works strong to balance the pass rush. The Mike is in the pass rush as the weak side interior pass rush.

The Coverage:

Tampa 2 with a safety in the high hole

By covering up all the OL the defense forces the OL into 1 on 1 blocking. The slide of the OL sends the OT to a LB who is dropping to the strong hook. The Center in the slide works to the Nose. The DE weak occupies the OT leaving the the sliding OG 1 on 1 against the Mike on the sim pressure. Sim pressure is a 4 man pass rush concept, often the pressure doesn't create unblocked players on clean run throughs. What sims do really well is isolate 1 on 1 pass rush matchups that favor the defense. 

The Mike uses a very nice pass rush move here to win the 1 on 1. The OG is setting aggressively, the Mike attacks the momentum of the OG then crosses face. You can't fight physics, an object in motion stays in motion. On OL aggressively setting has trouble redirecting. This type of move is the same concept of a crossover dribble in basketball.

Would you run into a defender when you want to score in basketball? If the defender is in great position where you are moving are you going to run into a wall or change direction? QB is the basket, find a way to score.

This same body movement is a cut used by ball carriers.

This is where cross training can be applied in and out of season. In a circuit for RB cuts a defender can be developing pass rush skills. In a pass rush circuit for blitzers a ball carrier can develop open field evasion skills. Playing pickup or varsity basketball can make you better as a pass rusher. The key is players understand how and when to apply these movements in pass rush situations.

Hit 'em with the Crossover!

Great execution by the Aztecs and really good coaching of pass rush technique by Zach Arnett and Rocky Long.

Cover 2 Zone Pressure to Attack Duo

Here is a 5 man zone pressure using twists and back stopped by a cover 2 concept. San Diego State is in a 3-3-5 personnel. The spacing builds a bear front. 

The Rush:

Nose is in a knock back two gap technique vs. the Center. Both DE's are penetrating with both mugged up LB's looping outside.

The Coverage:

4 under 2 deep zone coverage

The usage of mugged up LB's on the guards creates problems for Duo. The goal of duo is double teams and creating LOS movement. Here the unbalanced side double on the DE can't stay on vs. the mugged up LB. The double team elects to stay on the DE which leaves the looper free. The result is the TE is forced to block the looping Sam LB. With the TE occupied the offense has no blocker for the Mike who is bumped out to the unbalanced formation. 

If the OL had abandoned the double team and blocked the twist, the TE would have been free for the Mike. This is where the usage of cover 2 and corner support vs. the run comes into play. The WR cracks the safety, which is a great scheme against quarters coverage where the safety will be triggering down hill against the run. Here however the crack block is wasted on a deep 1/2 safety allowing the cloud corner to trigger the run. If the OL and TE had blocked the box the ball would have bounced out to the unblocked corner. 

Nice usage of mugged up LB's, twist games, and cloud run support to attack the run. Good stuff from Zach Arnett, Rocky Long, and the Aztec defense.

Packaging Complimentary Pressure Concepts

Here are two complimentary pressure concepts from San Diego State.

The Aztecs are in a 3-3-5 personnel but are aligned in a 4-2-5 under front spacing.

The Rush:

The Sam and Will are contain with the Mike hitting the A gap. The Nose and reduced DE are working a twist.

The Coverage:

Cover Zero 

The success of the pressure is all about the speed of the blitzers. Both the Sam and Will are able to win with speed and create the strong side pressure forcing the fumble.

Later in the game the Aztecs present the same strong side cover zero pressure concept pre-snap. Post-snap the concept is zone under man corner pressure instead.

The Rush:

The DL is slanting strong with the corner pressuring off the boundary edge

The Coverage:

Zone under man concept. More on the coverage concept HERE.

The offense ID's the strong pressure threats and attempts to adjust the protection. The adjustment is to send the slide to the pressure. This forces the RB to block across the formation which is a difficult pick up. Even more difficult is this corner pressure creates 2 rushers off the edge vs. the RB in a full slide concept. The corner ends up on the free run and creates a second forced fumble. 

Great execution from San Diego State and great plan to manipulate pass protection from Defensive Coordinator Zach Arnett and Head Coach Rocky Long. Rocky Long coached teams have played great defense for the last 20 plus years. Really fun defenses to break down and study at both New Mexico and now San Diego State. Coach Long doesn't get the credit he deserves as a great football mind and defensive coach.