Double A Gap Mug Zone Under Man Pressure

The Browns are in Nickel personnel on 3rd & 7. The defense adjusts to motion and walks into the pressure concept. Likely this is a blitz the formation concept adjusting to the new formation following the motion.

The Rush:
Safety is off the edge with the DT and ILB penetrating. The DE is looping weak.

The Coverage:
Zone Under Man

The pass protection is a 6 man scheme with the RB accounting for an A gap. The OL is in a bind. With all the OL covered they are forced into a man protection principle. The pressure presentation make it difficult to quickly assess who are rushers and who is dropping. If the OL fans out to the Safety they risk leaving an interior pass rush threat unblocked to the QB. If they don't fan to the Safety there is an immediate pressure to the QB off the edge. The QB doesn't want to be forced into a hot throw on 3rd & 7 against a 5 man pressure. With a 6 man protection the offense does not want a 5 man pressure to force a hot throw.

Hot throws are also problematic in that the routes will be thrown quickly and likely short of the line to gain.The coverage concept allows the defense to add zone droppers to deny the hot routes to the inside receivers while playing off man to deny the vertical shots. 

The coverage concept also allows the defense to show the double A gap mug while the droppers can execute the drops assigned. The coverage responsibility isn't in conflict for the skill set of a DE/ILB and avoids conflicts based on alignment. The alignment/pressure presentation is critical to affecting the pass pro and allowing the Safety to come free. 

Nice design from former Cleveland Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks. 

Middle Overload Zone Under Man Pressure

Clemson is in even front spacing Nickel personnel with OLB bodies at DE on 3rd & 7. The pressure is a middle triple overload pressure concept.

The Rush:

DTs working through the B gaps to contain, ILBs through the A, and the Safety as the third rusher inside running down the midline

The Coverage:

Zone under Man. This coverage has be covered before on the site with examples from Bill Belichick's coaching tree. 

The middle overload forces the OL to account for the two Rush LBs who are dropping, the two DTs who end up occupying the Guards as they work to contain. The remaining protection is the Center and RB for the two A gap ILBs. When the Safety adds as the triple overload there is no blocker to account for him.

The coverage concept allows the defense to account for four verticals with four defenders over the threats like cover zero. The disguise of post defense is excellent with the post aligned Safety holding the disguise before playing coverage weak. The weak side uses a man combo technique with the Corner handling #2 out when #1 and #2 switch. The combo protects the Safety disguising from the MOF from being quickly out leveraged by #2 on an  immediate out breaking route. The two low players provide inside zone presence in the seams helping deny hot routes and control crossers. The drop LBs are also able to get eyes back to the backfield for the RB releasing, break on the QB's throw, or rally to a QB scramble.

Nice overload design and coverage concept from the Tigers and Brent Venables.

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. 

A Gapped Mugged Zone Under Man Pressure

Here is a clip of the 2016 Patriots running a zone under man pressure coverage. The coverage shares many similarities to quarters coverage.

The Patriots are in a 4-2-5 nickel personnel with OLB bodies as the DE's.

The Rush:

Nickel off the edge with the DT and Mike pressuring their gaps. The field side rush is working a long loop over the top of the penetrating DT and LB.

The Coverage:

The Corners and Safeties are playing man coverage while the two drop LB's are working inside the #2 receivers to deny hot throws.

The protection ends up taking on a man to man principle with all the OL covered. The RB works inside to help with the A gap rush threat. The Rush looping pulls the OT's eyes and feet inside leaving the Nickel free off the edge. With no safety rotation it is very difficult to ID the Nickel as a pass rush threat pre-snap.

This coverage concepts shows up in the 2006 Eric Mangini Jets Defense

It also shows up in the 2010 playbook from Romeo Crennel in Kansas City

In this concept the Palms coverage is only played vs. 2x2 and the coverage converts to a 3 under 3 deep vs. any 3x1

This coverage concept can help mitigate some of the 2x2 formation risk associated with being in a 3 deep fire zone coverage. The risk of verticals often requires a firezone coverage to carry the #2's vertical with the seam dropper. If the defense doesn't want to match the #2 receivers in the seam with underneath droppers this coverage allows the defense to use DB's on all four vertical pass threats while maintaining a strong coverage presence in the seams for hot throws.

Good stuff from former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. No doubt Bill Belichick had a hand in this concept showing up all over in his coaching tree.