Different Football Pressures and Coverage Concepts: Bringing Pressure vs Empty
Defending Empty Formations
Empty formations are all over the league and in college football. Some teams use it like the Chiefs to dictate coverage: When teams walk a SS or LB out on the RB or TE who is flexed, it is a clear indication it is man coverage. Some teams won't disguise and check the coverage when they motion that man back in.
Others will just stay in empty and run the passing game accordingly.
Then there are of course the plays team will run out of empty. Some defensive teams check to empty other teams run the coverage called in the huddle. Not sure what each teams philosophy is but here's a look at some variations of what teams have shown.
The biggest flaw is that many teams make it easy on teams from a protection standpoint. In the NFL
If you don't see many teams playing or showing cover 0 to it but there are some that will.
That being said you need to ask yourself these questions as a defensive coordinator:
1. What route concepts will they run?
2. Will those route concepts be progression based and universal or man/zone beaters built in. Meaning if you get man I will go here with the ball and if I get zone coverage will I go here with the ball. They will often put the RB wide to get this indicator. When the RB is split and a safety or LB walks out, it is usually man.
3. What will they do when they feel cover 0 is coming. Do they have an answer for cover 0 and can you possible disguise, get them to check cover 0 and maybe change the coverage post snap and get some rat defenders underneath. Bluff one way and drop to the site of where they are throwing hot. Most teams are in their 5-0 protection with the qb throwing hot off #6.
4. Will they run the qb if they get the look they want. Example, 3x1 motion to empty and we run the lb out. Will they run the qb draw. Those are some of the questions you should ask yourself as a coordinator.
Here are some coverages and ways team play it at the NFL and College Level:
Cover 3 Sim
Penn State brings a version of America’s blitz and plays cover 3 with the DE dropping away from the trips side.
Cover 2 Sim
4 man overload Pressure from the Bucs, Get the free rusher while only bringing 4 on 3rd and long. They get off the field with the Sam coming free.
Chiefs Cover 2 Sim
Bring 2 off the edge, drop the DT into the curl and play cover 2.
COVER 0 with and without mug looks
What you don't see enough of at the pro level is showing cover 0 and playing from there. If you show cover 0, with some mug pressure looks you will force the following:
1. They may bring the TE in and make it a 6 man protection to help vs cover 0.
2. They will throw hot and you may be able to get them by moving from a cover 0 look to some kind of zone/man free concept.
3. They may full slide it and that could free up one of the defensive ends if you mug it and that may free up a defensive end in pressure and then you can get cute and drop a defensive lineman or LB back into coverage.
One of my favorite concepts is Cover 0 Read it Concept
Read it involves both LB showing in the B gap.
There rule is as follows:
If the Guard steps to you drop into pressure. If the guard steps away from you rush. It is a very effective way to get pressure instantaneously in man coverage. The problem from a blocking perspective is you are 1x1 across the board.
Patriots Read it Concept
Titans Read it Concept
pre snap cover 0, bring 6 force the hot throw. They drop a LB late after the guard steps to him.
They get instant pressure which forces the throw and causes the int.
Panthers Read it Cover 0 Concept From Depth
The Guard steps to his left so the right LB reads it and drops. The LB blitzing on the left side has a clear path because the line is sliding to the left.
Clemson Cover 0
We used to call this delta. If someone steps to you, you drop into coverage, if not get a free run at the quarterback. This is another read it type scheme. You see several D Lineman drop into coverage.
The difference is the DE align in their scheme in the b gaps. They are tight. They end up getting both rushers home in the scheme.
They create the free rusher as the jet doesn't draw #91
In the 2nd example in the clip below it just becomes a 3 man rush as 2 D Lineman drop into coverage. The OLB comes clean and they take away the quick throws underneath.
Clemson runs 2 versions of cover 0 rat. See them below!
Combination Coverages
Baylor Combination coverage
Send 5 and play Special to the 3 WR side and man to the 2 WR side.
You can also play combo coverage vs empty
Combo coverage(part zone, part man)
Falcons bring 4 and drop the de. They play 4 over 3 to the trips side with man on the backside. Do a nice job dictating the coverage and getting the free hit by the LB.
Nice pressure scheme with the LB coming
Cover 4 combo
The Jaguars go empty and bring the overload pressure.The pressure gets home as they bring 4 to a side and play cover 4 carry and lock the backside. Nice job on the 5 man pressure as the Sam comes untouched. They move the nose across the centers face and the DT in the A gap. B gap opens which leads to the sack!
Cover 3 Sim
Nice Design and pressure.
One last version as the Bills run a nice simulated pressure. They send the will and play cover 3. They drop the defensive end to the passing strength away from the pressure.
I hope you enjoyed my empty pressure concepts and how teams handle empty with various pressures and coverages.