Man to Man Pressure concepts vs Empty Formations
Defending Empty Formations
This article looks at bringing 5 and 6 man pressures and playing cover 1 or cover 0 vs empty.
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. It’s an indicator.
Others will just stay in empty and run the passing game accordingly. You may also see some QB designed runs and jet sweep out of empty. These are other things to look at is you prepare for empty.
They will also try to get advantageous in personnel sets like 12. If they go empty out of 12, teams will often play more zone to this and it gives teams an advantage in the passing game.
Then there are of course the plays team will run out of empty. Some defensive teams check to empty as 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 when they get basic and generic. The good teams will have 2-3 calls vs empty and some will just play their 3x1 check.
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.
Do I want to use rat defenders when we pressure. A rat defender is a DE or DT that drops into coverage.
How do we want to play the RB when we aren’t blitzing. Do we want to blitz engage the RB and add in to the pressure or drop them as underneath help defenders.
Here are some coverages and ways team play it at the NFL and College Level:
Man Pressures
Man to Man Concepts
COVER 1 5 man Pressures with an Inside Game
The 49ers run a 3 man game with the Mike and 2 interior DT. They are in man free. This should be a sack but the will tries to help underneath and the back releases late. Nice design but the coverage breaks down later.
Patriots Inside Game 5 Man Pressure
3rd and 15
Patriots bring 5 and play man free.
Patriots run the game inside with the Mike. The DE puts a nice move on and beats the tackle forcing the quick throw. They get off the field
.Film
Clemson odd 3-3 personnel
They run a nice game from their odd look. The looper comes clean on the stunt
Get the free rusher
The looper comes clean and they get the 2 for 1 with the tackle taking the DE.
Back End
The front 5 are rushing and the back end is in man free.
Film!
Here the Bills run a cover 1 pressure vs the Jets.
The Jets see it throw to the flat but the quick pressure on White causes an errant throw.
5 man pressure with man free. Sam coming off the edge. Mike has the rb man to man. TE played by the other lb.
Pressure comes with the safety off the edge at the bottom of the screen.
The edge pressure forces a bad throw from the QB.
Here's a clip of the below:
The next examples are read it concepts which I would implement. This has 2 ILB walk up into the A Gap.If the center steps your way drop. They also drop Parsons who the OT has to account for. They get the clean rusher from the LB as a result. #27 drops out as the center steps his way. #33 comes clean on the read it concept.
#33 and parsons drop so its a 4 man rush. The QB rushes it and it’s imcomplete!
Film
Titans
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 is you are 1x1 across the board.
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.
COVER 0 Clemson showing outside
Clemson runs 2 versions of cover 0 rat. See them below! They walk the LB up on the outside and have the DT and DE in the A and B gap. This is a guarantee that someone is coming clean. If you hold up on the backend. They drop 2 DT as rat defenders.
Cover O DE RAT
Here's a sim pressure by NC A and T vs Duke.
Cover 0 on the outside but they drop the 2 de to help on inside breaking routes.
They send the 2 ILB to cause issues inside. The right inside lb comes clean. It's a 4 man pressure with man coverage with 2 inside rat defenders. They get home on the pressure.
They drop the 2 de are in man with rat defenders as they send the 2 ILB
They drop the 2 defensive ends and play cover 0
I hope you enjoyed my empty man pressure concepts and how teams handle empty with various pressures and coverages.
There are different trains of thought but I like to show pressure and work from there. It gives you flexibility to bring 6 or bail 2 guys out and play 4 while trying to get the free rusher.