3rd Down Defensive Study: Load Front Simulated 4 man and Other 5 man Pressures

One of my favorite stunts to utilize on 3rd down is the load front. It is effective for various reasons and you can do many things with the front. The load front involves aligning 3 defensive lineman on the same side, with a LB in the B gap on the other side.

Load to the side of the back

Load Away from the back

The load front is good for several reasons:

• Create 1x1 matchups for their best rusher

• Run some games and pick plays

• Force the protection in one direction and bring pressure in another

Here are several examples of load front games and pressures starting with a few simulated 4 man pressures. Simulated pressures are showing 5-6 man blitzing but only blitzing 4.

Sim 4 man Pressures

The Bucs Overload Concept

3rd and 12 Eagles Empty 3x1

The Bucs run a nice overload concept from the load front. It’s just a 4 man pressure with the overload on the left side. The slot nickel comes clean on the pressure.

Film Clip

Wisconsin Jim Leonhard Overload Pressure

Here’s the Sam off the edge, looks like man free or cover 3 carry. They do a nice job getting the pressure off the edge. You can run this concept with the Nickel pressure and play either man free or zone. The coverage can be adapted. If man free, the SS has #2 the ILB combo the RB, the DE drops as a rat defender as shown below to get in the slant window. So off man is a viable option to the single side becuase you have help underneath.

Michigan Load Front 4 man pressure

The front is set to the side of the RB

They bring the ILB to the side of the back. The Nose is the contain rusher, as he works outside to the C gap.

They play cover 3

2 Clips of the coverage concept above

1 more clip of the Ravens version

Some 5 man pressures

Dennis Allen and the Saints loves to run 5 man pressures. He runs it with a game on the 3 man side with usually the Sam coming off the other side.

Here’s how the games look like with his 5 man pressures

They set the front opposite the back and bring the pressure with the Nickel off #2. They love these type of pressures as you get a game on one side and the edge pressure off the other. It forces the guard to stay t

Vs Trips they bring the nickel and they set the front away from the strength. They bring this pressure 2x vs the Giants.

The coverages you will see are man free and 4 robber in the clips below.
Notes: Just see how they force the 3x3 situation to the load side by alignment and pressure. They run the game accordingly and get pressure often because of this set up presnap.

Here are some short videos with some other concepts and coverages from other teams.