Pat Narduzzi-Pitt Press Quarters Coverage Scheme.
Pitt Panthers Press Quarters Coverage
Pat Narduzzi is one of the best college coaches in the country. Someone I admire and have a tremendous amount of respect for. He is one of the best defensive coaches in college football and has been both at Michigan State as defensive coordinator and at Pitt as Head Coach.
Coach Narduzzi runs a 4-2-5 defense with press quarters as the base coverage. Press quarters is an agressive zone concept with man principles. It allows 9 players to play the run, while having cornerbacks on the outside in man coverage using press bail technique unless your WR goes inside at less than 5 yards.
Your safeties are aggressive run defenders who key #2. If they read run fill. If they read pass, play off #2. If # 2 goes vertical at more than 8 yards, you play #2 man for man.
They also can give a solo call vs 3x1 alerting the corner to the 1 wr side he is locking on #1. We go over that in more detail below.
Here's a few variations of the base coverage and how Pitt will align:
VS 2x2 formations
You will see the following coverage: CB are 1 yard off and will bail while maintaining outside leverage. Some will argue it makes it easy to run slants but you have the Sam and the Will both being aggressive flat defenders. This makes it harder to complete those quick slants vs the defense.
The safeties are at 10 and keying #2 and reading his release. Depending on the call the Safety will fill C or D gap vs run or alley to the 2 wr side. If #2 goes vertical at more than 8 yards he becomes the responsibility of the Safety. It becomes a match up man situation.
VS 3x1 Formations
Their are a few adjustments vs 3x1.
Weak CB-Is now locked on the #1 WR. Expect no help
FS- Now he reads #3 and has to play #3 if he goes vertical
SS-Will split #2 and #3 by alignment but his read doesn't change
Sam- will split the difference between #1 and #2
Strengths of the defense
1. Solid vs the run because you have 9 players in the box
2. Aggressive and by alignment makes it tough to throw the quick game, short screens and free access throws.
3. Simplifies things for your CB. Expect fades, comebacks and sideline routes vs the coverage as that is what some teams will run. In football, that is a low percentage throw so your CB's are well adapted to those type of throws. Understand that teams will try to hit #1 vertically quite often so expect that throw often.
4. Sam LB's are aggressive to the flat, no curl responsibility, Double Robber to both sides.
Weaknesses of the coverage that teams will try to expose
1. Teams will try to run the post/dig concept in college but it's not the NFL and a very difficult pass to throw and get time to throw. At the NFL level, you don't see as much of the coverage because teams can make that throw on a consistent basis.
2. Route combinations where #2 (either a slot or RB) will run a wheel. Probably the toughest route to defend in the defense. Very hard to defend. Thus, why you don't see the coverage as much at the NFL Level where QB's can make those throws consistently
3. The 6-8 yard out route by #2 as the Safety has to really drive on that route. (see below)
4. If they have better matchups on the outside they will throw some fades throughout the game. But as discussed earlier, if you are playing this coverage, you are confident in your corners ability. If they can't cover don't play press quarters.
1st play of the game vs Louisville, they run the fade concept to #1 off play action
Teams will always try to test you with a fade concept.
Your CB have to be able to cover.
Nice job as they get the fade up top and the comeback to the bottom of the screen.
Good defense
5. Toss crack or just crack block in the run game, You will get a 2 for 1 on the outside when they crack because the CB will at times hang on the WR initially. here you see it vs Notre Dame. They get a 2 for 1 and a nice 10 yard game on the toss crack.
Notre Dame cracks from the condensed look and the DB gets drawn inside.
Nice scheme offensively.
These are just a few of the issues. Like any defense their are a few weaknesses, but overall I love the press quarters concept.
Here Notre Dame runs the ball again, and they crack replace with the CB. They communicate it and the cb comes off and helps on the tackle.
You see the wr to the bottom crack on the free safety, The CB calls crack and replaces.
The Cb is there to make the tackle if needed but they do a great job in the run game upfront.
Coverage Cover 4 examples
Here are some examples vs 2x2 coverages vs BC in 2020
in the next example you see the CB let the WR go inside at less than 5 yards. Thats a key part of the press quarters system, any inside route less than 5 yards, the cb yells In in in and passes it off.
vs 3x1
vs Louisville you can see the solo concept to the single wr side with press quarters everywhere else.The safety reads #3. Louisville tries to divide the 2 safeties but is unsuccessful with the concept.3 verts with a shallow are difficult vs this coverage.
vs 3x1 you will give a solo call to the 1 wr side at times(depending on what you get)
cb locks as he gets no other threat his way.
3x1 defense vs Notre Dame
Notre Dame goes 3x1 with the TE strong, spread formation h strong. They try to throw the fade and Pitt CB plays it well. One of the things you will see often vs press quarters.
vs condensed
Some teams will check out and maybe go to cover 2 but here Narduzzi stays with the cover 4 call vs 2x2. They have it played nicely but the safety jumps the 5 yard out on the bottom. If he played it right they would have had great double coverage on both vertical routes.
cb playing press bail on the perimeter
good defense except for the safety
These are some of the ways they play press quarters vs 2x2, 3x1 and condensed. I hope you enjoyed this article and the Pitt press quarters concepts.