BLACK

Also, noting catch-man pressures (from consistent pre-snap coverage shells) as the trend many defenses will look to as an answer to "the spread" offensive game. Nebraska HAS been playing a ton of Cover 1 this year, which was a trademark of former DC, Charlie McBride.

As covered many times in various forms before, the fire zone blitz concept is prevalent in today's game. In this post, we'll cover probably the most under documented aspect of it, the SCIF player. Losing an underneath zone defender to pressure may cause some 'fundamentalist' thinking DC's to lose sleep... "how do you account for the four underneath zones"?

The 5-man pressure package can seem complex or superfluous to many folks, treating it as an alien concept. If you already pattern-match from a MOFC, then adapting to the fire zone for your players and philosophy becomes a natural extension. When players understand zone coverage as it relates to pattern distribution, plugging and playing them into similar roles becomes feasible because of the shared skill set.

When running a fire zone from a coverage standpoint, not much will actually change in the secondary. The fulcrum to this scheme will fall on the integrity of the SCIF/Bronco player, who controls the seams and matches the second receiver in the distribution. This player can be anyone within realistic alignment position (safety, linebacker, defensive end) near the seam. The beauty of the fire zone is its flexibility, you can bring anyone to match / fulfill the 3 underneath players.

If the SCIF player is a member of the secondary, the adjustment is extremely simple. If it is being run out of a 3-man / odd front, there usually is no need to drop linemen to create a fire zone, so you would typically end up with a Dog, Backer, or Safety as the SCIF player. Whoever it may be, the rules and technique will remain the same. The goal is to control the seams, the area between 2 yards inside the hash extending out to the numbers. You are essentially expecting a sack or force a short throw (below the conversion down) and outside (difficult).

This SCIF player must control the seams, which will be immediately threatened by the #2 receiver. On the snap, the defender will keep his eyes on the quarterback, bounce his feet (much like a Cover 4 safety), and easy pedal out with a slide step. Once recognizing drop back action from the quarterback, his eyes will snap to the #2 receiver and continue to slide for depth to stay on top of #2 at a depth of 10 yards.

Because this is a pressure package, the throw, if it occurs, should be quick (under 2 seconds) and not allow the quarterback much time to process through his progressions. If the quarterback's shoulders are directed at the seam, the SCIF player should be expecting an inside or vertical route, to which he has out leveraged the receiver (eliminating the throw). The SCIF defender should know that once the quarterback's shoulders go OUTSIDE the seam (exaggerated toward the flat), there is no way for him to progress back inside (and even if he did, the 'final 3' player would handle it). Therefore, if the quarterback's shoulders turn outside the seam, the SCIF should work parallel (expand width) to the numbers (sideline).

• If #2 pushes vertically on the seam, the SCIF should catch at 10 yards and carry. He is essentially looking to play 'catch' technique on a vertical stem by #2 with inside-out leverage.


• If #2 runs a speed out, the SCIF should slide to his outside foot and bust to the curl route, expecting the #1 receiver to be there on a curl-flat combo. The SCIF should not jump the speed out (but anticipate #1 will be the #2 after the pattern distribution).


• If #2 breaks inside (shallow) underneath 10 yards, the SCIF will attempt to deliver this receiver to the final 3 player in the hole with an outside leveraged collision.


• If the quarterback's shoulders open AWAY from the SCIF player (he is backside), remember, the quarterback won't have time to work back inside, the SCIF should slide parallel inside, no further than 2 yards inside the hash and help squeeze the ball with the 'final 3' player.

Where things get dicey is when you involve a lineman (end) in coverage as the potential dropper / SCIF player. This really becomes a run stunt because being away from the pressure overload, the defensive end's interior linemen will be stunting to his side. The nearest lineman will be looping to his "C" gap contain responsibilities, leaving the SCIF defensive end as a potential "B" gap filler. Below are some reinforcement drills on how the SCIF DE will mirror the back (load/flare) with leverage. The SCIF DE should always think of himself as a run-player FIRST, and a dropper only if there is no run action by the back.

After reviewing their base front, fire zone and dime package, now we'll explore what happens when offenses dictate nickel (substitute a Nickel back for the Buck) based on medium passing downs or 10 personnel package.

In the glory years of the Tom Osborne-era Huskers, the Blackshirts and Charlie McBride lived in what they called "11 Robber". While we'll touch on that in a later post, it essentially was Nickel Cover 1 (1 high MOFC player, 1 low hole player). Because of the matchup advantages in the secondary and the versatility in personnel, these new Blackshirts thrive on bringing maximum heat when in Nickel.

Much like the spinner grouping, Pelini has a preference on bringing pressure, rather than sitting back in coverage or even fire-zoning offenses.


The easiest way to generate maximum pressure on quarterbacks is Cover 0. Every defender accounts for a receiver, and those without will pressure. This concept should not be discounted because of its insane simplicity.

In their most often used pressure concept when in Nickel, is "Over Loose Bomb Blitz".

This is essentially the 'bonzai' blitz from the Jim Mora 49ers playbook that is bringing both safeties. This is perfect against 2-back sets, but is certainly sound against 3x1 or 2x2.

Corners are playing catch-man technique with a 9 yard cushion, able to jump hot throws and deep enough to maintain an over-the-top leverage on deep receivers.

Both safeties will present the 2-high look (like every snap), then begin creeping once the quarterback begins the cadence. They are both attacking the 'B' gap. The interior tackles collapse the A gaps to open this overload blitz in B gaps. This direct and immediate pressure will force quarterbacks to take unnecessary hits and at best scramble into contain players.


The ends will play the common "peel" technique (as covered previously) against any back flow, and inside-out leverage an flaring action. Versus empty, the ends will have no responsibility but to rush the passer.


Take a look at these clips to get a better perspective of how simple and effective a Cover 0 - check blitz is.




On a personal note, I would like to add that even though being a "defensive-guy" and being a coordinator who is not big on man-to-man, that if you do not have a Cover 0 check blitz in your package, you are really missing out. It can be installed within minutes, disguised from any look, and provides a 'cheap' answer during a game that falls outside your game plan. I would certainly encourage any defensive staff member to look at the 'check-blitz' not as a way of life, but as something up your sleeve to before your first game. It is a great way to jump start your defense into winning conversion downs and build the confidence in the team in the early stages of the season.

So far we've covered Nebraska's base front and adjustments, along with their special dime package for pressure. In this segment, we'll look at how they bridge the gap between base zone coverage and man coverage rules, with the fire zone.


Now, it should be noted that Nebraska doesn't rely on the fire zone nearly as much as many other NCAA defenses. It does provide them with a sound concept against every offensive formation with 5-man pressure. In this post, we'll take a look at their most used blitz and the coverage rules behind it.

Pelini supports all his fire zones with the 3 deep 3 under coverage known as "3 Seam" which simply declares that there will be 2 Bronco players and 1 "final 3" player. The only question remaining is who will fill those roles.

We'll look at the package "Strong Go", which is simply the standard "NCAA Blitz" fire zone. Nebraska will primarily only use this blitz against 10 and 11 personnel. Believe it or not, along with Boston and Frisco concepts, this fire zone package is also installed in the first day of fall camp (with a different fire zone package installed each day thereafter).

This is a strong side / passing strength overload based out of the Frisco family, that is adjustable and sound against any formation. The tight end is matched inside, outside and vertical by the hole, SCIF, and deep hole player, eliminating any hot to him.

The pressure side end long sticks to the “A” gap opening up a lane in the “B” gap for the Mike. The away end becomes the potential dropper, playing run until pass shows, then bailing to take away any hot into the seam. The corners play 3 bail and are man-conscious on #1. From a 2-high shell the safety to the pressure side drops on top of #2 as a SCIF/Bronco player.

The concept remains sound against Trips / Trey looks and just walks the Buck out on #2 and effectively sends pressure from the passing strength.


Even with a formation reset or a called Boston (Over) front, the concept is solid (set to the passing strength). The pressure comes from the passing numbers side, almost egging a quarterback to throw a hot to #2, who is about to be robbed by the dropping Bronco safety.

As we covered earlier, for every concept installed, a counter-concept is introduced. In this case, instead of a passing strength pressure, the opposite would be a weak side blitz, known as "Flex Go", always run out of the Boston (Over) front. Instead of blitzing into a passing strength, "Flex Go" blitzes away from the passing strength.

If 2 becomes 1 (motion/shift) the safety replaces the Mike, and the Mike becomes the Bronco player to the pressure.

This provides an easy adjustment/answer to everything that can be presented on any given down. A simple breakdown of motion / shift checks out of this blitz looks like this:

• 2 (wr) becomes 1 (wr) = Flex (Buck / Safety)
• 1 (wr) becomes 2 (wr) = Strong (Buck / Mike)

In the example below, strength is set to the flexed tight end and Strong Go is called. This will bring the Buck and the FS (with a switch call on the Mike, who becomes the Bronco player).

The final 3 player is the Will, with the away-side end playing run, then dropping underneath the stem of the single split receiver. The field pressure forces the ball into the area where the end drops to (that the quarterback did not account for).




The very same concept can be applied to any front, with nothing new to teach. Shown here with the Spinner package detailed earlier:


Have you seen this concept before? Yes, you have.....
fire zones from the 2002 San Francisco 49ers playbook (3 Seam)


In our last installment of the Nebraska defense, we'll detail how they borrow from their past to generate maximum pressure on their opponents.

In the first installment, we covered Nebraska’s base front and the base principles about matching fronts with their Buck linebacker. But what happens when your base defense and personnel are not the best tool for the job? What happens when you get in long-yardage situations or the offense gets out of 21 / 11 personnel? How does Pelini handle these special situations?

The spinner personnel grouping (3 DL, 1 Nickel + 1 Spinner) equates to a GATA package, and is premised on just that; getting after your ass. Whenever you see 3 DL in the game for Nebraska you can bet good money that they will likely end up in a 7 man pressure package supported by Cover 0. The most common concept Nebraska will use is known as “Steeler”.



This simply puts the corners and safeties on split receivers and everyone else is collapsing the pocket. This is the simplest pressure package in football and most known as the “Tigercat” blitz from Jim Bates (of 90's era Dallas Cowboys renown). The numbers will always afford for 1 free rushing defender (no matter how many stay in to protect, the defense will always to bring 1 more than they can block).


In spinner, the Ends will align head-up on the tackles to provide the threat of a 2-way go, though they will bull rush through the inside arm, to free up both the “C” gaps for Nickel/Safety edge pressure as well as help open the “B” gaps for Mike/Spinner blitzing. Versus 2 backs, the nose will always take the right “A” gap. Versus 1 back, the nose will bull rush the center. The edge rushers in this blitz have a "peel" assignment that allows them a free path to the passer unless the back releases to their side. In the event of a back release to their side, the rusher should peel off the rush angle and pickup the back in coverage from an inside-out leverage.

All coverage defenders are playing in an off-man or ‘catch’ position on receivers, allowing the receivers to free release. This prevents the coverage defender from giving up a deep throw, as well as, allowing the defender to keep his eyes on the ball, looking to break on the interception the minute the receiver sticks into his break.

If the slot matchup is better suited for a nickel / buck backer, the converse spinner adjustment is known as “thriller”. Exactly the same as "Steeler", with the exception of freeing up the safeties by engaging the Will / Buck ( substitute for Nickel) in coverage on inside receivers.



As a change-up and counter to the Cover 0 pressures, a rotating man-free concept is available provide a little more insurance behind the blitz and provide middle of the field protection.


The Back Dog pressure features an orchestrated overload to the Mike backer side of the ball. The Mike will be supported by a cross-facing nose (to open up the blitz lane), an end, and either the Buck Nickel or corner. The spinner will align away from the back, with the Mike to the back. The Weak Nickel will align to the tight end (or 4th receiver), with the Buc Nickel to the passing strength. This basic concept can be run based on personnel or field/boundary, the only adjustment (called from the safeties) would be from the blitzing corner or Buc Nickel.


Examples of Spinner Back Dog 1 Comet being run:

If you recall (or rewatch), during the Big XII Championship Game, after stalling Texas early in the 1st half, Pelini used his Spinner groupings to pressure McCoy all night into errant throws and interceptions.

This is the primary look Pelini will give once this dime grouping is introduced. He does have other coverage variations (next post) that apply to the base defense, but rarely utilizes them if nothing more than a change-up.

After another exciting college football season in 2009, there weren't many stories that were as satisfying as the Nebraska Cornhuskers return to national significance with Head Coach Bo Pelini.

Lead by once-in-a-lifetime freak of nature, Ndamukong Suh, the Huskers dominated opponents through the season and narrowly missed an opportunity at a National Championship ( after completely dominating the explosive Texas Longhorn offense in the Big XII championship game).

With such a phenomenal athlete graduating, you'd be hard pressed to believe the defense in Lincoln could improve on such a performance. Think again....

With up-and-coming Sophomore phenom NT, Baker Steinkuhler (55), and his returning linebackers Will Compton (51) and Sean Fisher (42), this youth movement will prove to be a integral part of the Blackshirts rebirth in 2010.

In this post, we'll look at how the Nebraska base front sets the philosophy behind everything Pelini does. In subsequent posts, we'll look at the secret behind their overwhelming pressure and how it relates to these base defensive principles.
At the core of it, Bo Pelini has a made a name for creating fundamentally sound defenses that play fast, year in and year out. Among the signatures of these defenses is a dominating front 7. The fundamental concept behind this defense is his use of the Under / Over defense. This is a 7 man front, complimented by 8-man (front) principles (of bringing a safety down in support).


Pelini will install his entire defense within one practice. This simplicity affords built in answers to everything an offense can present, as well as a foundation to build off of for multiplicity.

Every offense, according to this philosophy, is determined by numbers. The key factor that swings numbers for the offense (at the point of attack) is the Tight End. Pelini spends a lot of time teaching identifying and explaining why teams get into those personnel groupings, then how to handle all adjustments. Once the defense recognizes what an offense presents, it can begin narrowing down the types of actions the offense can deliver in any given personnel grouping. For instance, "21" (2 backs, 1 TE) would predominantly run-centered defense, primarily geared to attack to the Tight End side. "11" personnel eliminates the threat of lead runs and is geared more to the passing game. With "10" personnel, they just need to determine if it is a pro or slot look. The entire defense is built off of where the TE is. So by identifying personnel groupings immediately after a play, the defense narrows their focus to determine if they have to look for a TE or a slot.

"Once you know the personnel you can anticipate formations by process of elimination.

• We treat 12 & 21 the same. In 12 we consider the U the fullback


• Vs. 21 think I-pro or I-slot.


• Vs. 12 think pro or slot pair.


• Vs. 11 we are thinking in terms of doubles (2x2) or trips (3x1) & since there is a TE they can still form a slot. We always go into a game with a check vs. slot trips


• Vs. 10 we are thinking in terms of doubles (2x2) or trips (3x1) & since there is no TE they can’t form a slot.


• Vs. 20 A pro set is the only formation that can be formed. Any change of strength motion, same as, “Y-TRADE.”

Fast accurate identification is very important because it gives the entire defense time to adjust. We usually go into a game with a number of automatic checks and adjustments based on formations. "

With a Tight end in a formation, the Under front allows the defense to match numbers by aligning a linebacker tight, outside the tight end. This gives the defense 4 defenders to a 3 man surface (neutralizing any offensive numbers advantage). Shown here is the under alignment:


The remaining linebackers are protected in the front with a 7 technique and 1 technique in a strong side bubble with the Mike. The common weakness in a tight end formation is the weakside bubble. The under front now covers up this liability with a 3 technique and 5 technique end. This alignment effectively covers up the bubble and protects the 10 technique Will linebacker.

To simplify things, Pelini categorizes his fronts into families, coded by east and west coast cities. Under is west coast, over is east coast. The Under family is based out of Frisco (Under Zone X) and Vegas (man) and its compliment is Boston (Over Zone Y) and Philly (man).



Pelini's defense will always align in a 2-high shell, to always present the same presnap look. Though presenting a 7 man front, the defense will drop the safety away from the Buck to serve as the backside contain player. This method known as "Lever-Spill-Lever" and through it, the defense evens up the numbers (gap fits) available with 2-backs in flow action.

• B-force (curl/flat)


• M-Lever (hook)


• W-Spill (hook)


• BS-Lever (curl/flat)

So as action flows strong, the Buck cuts off the perimeter as the force player. The Lever player maintains outside leverage on the lead back (attacking outside-in), engaging with the inside arm. The Spill player attacks the lead back inside-out. This forces either of these players free to attack the ball carrier and/or force the ball carrier to bounce to the force player or the backside lever player this puts the defense at a numbers advantage at the point of attack.

Dropping the safety, creates an 8 man front, and obviously puts the secondary in a 1-high (MOFC) coverage that essentially amounts to cover 3.



Even with the man principle (Vegas) the Lever-Spill-Lever concept remains with 1-high (man-free) man coverage, with a 3-on-2 on the backs with the M,W, and down safety.

With the tight end number advantage neutralized, and the run-fit supported within the front, how can an offense gain a strategic advantage?

If the front is set (by the tight end), the easiest thing an offense can do is move the tight end and reset the strength of the formation (trade). Bingo! Now, the offense has moved away from the teeth of the defense and has reset against the defense's deficiency.

With each Under concept (play) introduced, Pelini also introduces its front compliment (opposite). If the TE motions or shifts, the Buck linebacker will adjust. If teams attempt to Y-trade (shift the TE after the front is set), the defense already has a built-in answer. Because there is already an automatic response to TE trades/shifts, the advantage for offenses has been neutralized. This effectively eliminates matchup exploitations and offense could typically use before a game has begun.

If more than one player shifts, the defense will simply reset the front (see example below). Notice the DT and NT adjusting their alignment ('1' to a '3').


With the Over front, the same principles apply, with the exception of the Buck linebacker making the adjustment (away from the TE) and shifting the front (1 & 3 tech).




The Lever-Spill-Lever concept still applies to the Over front, simply by adding a down safety (away from the Buck linebacker) into the 7-man front.

As you’ll see in this example, Virginia tech comes out in slot to the field (walking the Buck out on the slot) and attempts to set the front with a tight end and upback to the field (quads). You can see the linebackers attempting to set an Over front (and looking at the front like, “you can’t be serious – who are you fooling with this quads set?”). Tech quickly shifts (aha!) to outflank the defense, only to have the linebackers simply reset the front with little thought required.





The corner assumes the boundary role to the closed side and acts as the force player (with the SS as help over the top).

The flow action has the corner establishing leverage to cut-off the perimeter and the Will (#52) fast-flows to leverage the runner as the ‘lever’ player. The Mike (#51) slow plays the action to squeeze the runner inside-out as the spill player.


The ball carrier is left with no legitimate options to find daylight (bounced to boundary corner or trapped by the spill / backside lever player). The backside Buck (#42) enters the play in a controlled lever position.



In subsequent posts, we'll take a look at how, out of these base concepts, Pelini routinely generates pressure through personnel groupings and coverage to frustrate and stall offenses.

Just a blast from the past, with easily one of the best college games ever played, 1995 Fiesta Bowl with the Miami Hurricanes and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

In one sitting you can digest the majesty of Milt Tenopir's zone run game and Tommie Frazier's wizardry, as well as the young playmakers, Ray Lewis and Warren Sapp.

As the Red Raiders prepare to invade Lincoln this weekend, the defensive fingerprint of Bo Pelini is becoming apparent (averaging 8 ppg and only 273.4 yards total per game) and setting up an exciting matchup between the prolific Texas Tech offense and this new generation of Blackshirts.

As the Huskers press on to an inspiring turn around season, one can appreciate the hustle and determination Pelini instills in his players. Today's offering is Pelini speaking of his approach to building and coordinating defensive units (showcased here at the peak of his tenure at LSU).

Bo Pelini Defensive Philosophy Clinic (pgs 15 -18)
( located at http://sitekreator.com/brophyfootball2/main_page.html )

Audio of the lecture
( located at http://sitekreator.com/brophyfootball/main_page.html )