4-2-5 Cover 3 Zone Blitz vs. Empty

Here is a simple effective zone blitz that can be checked to from a 4-2-5 personnel versus empty formations.

The Coverage:

Corners - Fire Zone 1/3

FS - FZ Middle 1/3

SS & WS - Seams

LB to pass strength - 3RH

The SS can play outside leverage on #2 strong to help defend bubble to #3. Having the LB to the #3 receiver strong allows for sound defense against the stick route by #3.



If the offense puts the strength of the formation to the boundary the LB to the pass strength is still the 3RH dropper.

The rush:

Call Side DE  - Loop to the middle rush lane. Keep getting up the field while looping. Aiming point is the middle of the QB.

DT - Get width to contain. Aiming point QB's up field shoulder.

LB away from the pass strength - Align in call side A gap, Blitz A gap. Aiming point QB near hip.

Nose - Cross face to the B gap. Aiming point QB's near hip.

Away Side DE  - Contain Rush. Aiming Point QB's up field shoulder.

If the offense is setting the center to the walked up LB in the A gap the looping DE has a great pressure opportunity. The center will be forced to get depth quickly vs. the blitzing LB. Often the center is occupied with the LB and does not see the looping end. Offensive linemen are also less likely to look for a twist when there is an immediate A gap blitzer. Twists are most likely to be from two defensive linemen not from two DL and a blitzing LB. The OG opposite the looper will be occupied with the nose. As the guard sets to the Nose, it opens up the midline for the looping DE.

If the offense attempts to react to the looper, the OT and OG will be forced into very difficult blocks.



If the OT to the loop attempts to redirect to the inside and set to the DT, he is forced to make a very difficult block on the DT. The DT has inside leverage on the OT and a direct path to the QB. The OG has the same difficulty when redirecting to the blitzing LB. The other obstacle for the offense is making sure the OT, OG, and Center are all on the same page in exchanging the 3 pass rushers. Pass protection exchanges with a high degree of difficulty for the offense are more prone to a major mistake.

If the OG doesn't redirect but the OT and Center attempt to exchange, the blitzing LB can end up unblocked.

If the offense uses a full slide protection, either the call or away side DE is unblocked.

 

If the offense full slides to the looper, the DE opposite is a free rusher. Also the Nose has a excellent opportunity to ricochet off the pass set of the OT. The block for the OT is difficult and creates a good inside pass rush opportunity for the Nose.

As the looping DE gets off the ball vertically, he will abort the loop if the OT down blocks. Against full slide the OT will block down and the call side DE will be unblocked.

The blitz is also good versus QB draw.

The looping DE is very difficult for the QB draw blocking. Often the looper is going where the QB is trying to run.



Against a pull scheme QB draw, the blitz is still good. The puller has a very difficult block vs. the walked up blitzer. The looping DE is again going to be looping to where the QB is trying to run.