Attacking with Weak Side Pressure

Here are some examples of UCF attacking FAU this season with a variety of weak side pressures.

The Rush:
WS off the edge with the weak DE working slow under

The Coverage:
3 over 2 quarters concept strong with man on the weak side

The two off the edge  pressure and loaded box kills off the zone read while the strong side coverage denys RPO options.

The Rush:
WS off the edge with the weak DE working slow under

The Coverage:
 3 Under 3 Deep Firezone

Same pressure as example one. This time the offense is running power read. The strong DE is up the field building an edge and forcing the QB into a keep read. The two off the weak edge creates problems for the back side of the power. The OT gap hinges and is occupied by the DE leaving the WS free off the edge for the TFL. 

The coverage initially looks like the FS is down and the WS is either going to play the post of help weak. This subtle disguise helps deter RPO throws strong with the FS showing down as well as protects the isolation of the X on the Corner with the WS body presence weak. The FS pops the top and the WS pressures attacking the run. 

The Rush:
Will backer walked outside off the edge. DL slanting away from the pressure

The Coverage:
3 over 2 quarters concept strong with man on the weak side

The design is very good against a TE cutoff run scheme. The WS and Mike load the box forcing the OL's combos to work inside and up to the interior threats. The DE aligned inside the TE is a difficult cutoff and the slanting interior DL force the ball to cut back/jump out. The Will walked on the edge becomes the responsibility of the cut split X receiver. The ILB vs. WR is not a great matchup for the offense combined with the very high degree of difficulty to make a block from WR on a walked up edge blitzer. The ball is forced to the unblocked Will for the TFL.

The Rush:
Odd front spacing with the Tackle and DE working a twist game. WS is pressuring late in the space created by the twist game

The Coverage:
Flooded Cover 3 concept

The twist and WS combine to create pressure and get the QB off his spot. The coverage is interesting. If this coverage concept was a normal Cover 3 Firezone the Mike would have been the 3RH dropper while the Will should have dropped to the weak seam. The Will should be dropping in FZ concept on the RB. Here the defense instead floods the coverage strong. The SS, Mike. and Will are all dropping strong to the trips. The Will even rolls back into the #3 to deny the weak seam route. In a typical 3 flood coverage the WS drops relating to #4 (RB) to the 1st crosser. Instead the defense uses a 5 man pressure to eat the RB while still playing the flooded coverage concept to deny the trips route combinations.

Randy Shannon put on a master class in weak side pressure planning in this game, really good stuff.