NC State Tony Gibson 3rd Down Schemes, Coverages and Pressure Concepts

Tony Gibson is one of the best coordinators in college football. He does an outstanding job getting the most out of his players.

On 3rd down his defense was 5th in the country at a 28% completion percentage in 2023. In 2022, they were 28th in the country at 35%. In 2021, they were also 5th in the country at 30%, They were also 5th in the country in opponents 3rd downs converted at 3.8 a game in 2023. These are all impressive stats.

On base downs, they are often and primarily in a 3 -3 stack look. But on 3rd down, you will see Tony Gibson and his Nc State shift into some 4 hands pressures with man coverage. He mixes this in along with his odd package. In addition to man pressures you will see some drop 8 from 3rd down. So to say it simply, he mixes it up and keeps teams very off balance..

He can play some zone and man but has shown various 4 and 5 man pressures. Here are 2 4 man pressures with man concepts involved. 

3rd Down Coverages:

Cover 1 both 4-1 and 3-2 odd looks with 5 man pressures(often adding in)

Cover 2 man

odd drop 8

3x1 combination coverage

One of the principles they love is to bring the mike in a game away from the RB with the DE to the side of the back peeling for the RB. Here’s 2 examples.

#1 2023 vs Ball State

Front-4 man

Cover 2 man

They bring the pressure opposite the RB with the DE away from the game responsible for the RB.

Notice they will play inside leverage with the #2 wr with the nickel and sam. They don’t allow inside breaking routes by #2 in 2 man.

Film Clip

#2 2023 vs UNC

#3 2 man vs 2021 North Carolina

pressure mike  w a game

They run a nice game

Again, they run the game away from the RB with the mike involved.

Coverage 2 man DE peel for RB

film clips

2023

He starts in an odd look then shifts to a 4-1 and sends the mike and free safety.

Here the shift

From there they send 6 play man free. RB taken by either the DE or LB depending on where he releases.

Film!

3rd and 6

coverage man free rat

In example #2 vs LA Tech

3rd and 6 

they go man free rat. THE ILB gets under the mesh route and takes that away. The DE covers the rb so no place to go with the football in the primary read. Nice design  and understanding of route concepts vs condensed to the boundary.

Here’s how the game looks with the mike coming on the pressure.

3rd and 11 va UNC

Man Free

4 hands man free

In the next 2 examples the NC STATE defense will bring the safety to the boundary into the b gap. On both occasions the safety goes untouched. Nice scheme vs 3x1 strong.

Man free Rat Concept

Safety blitz b gap away from the back. 

Nice design and execution as the safety comes unblocked.

3rd and 7 vs UNC

5 man pressure (same as above)
3rd and 7 vs UNC

5 man pressure (same as above)