3-4 Defense

15 formations across 6 groupings.

The 3-4 defense playbook in College Football 27 has 15 formations across 6 families: 3-4 (4), 3-3-5 (1), Nickel (5), Dime (2), Prevent (1), Goal Line (2). Together they run 197 plays (110 unique). Nickel is the largest group with 5 formations. Click any formation to see its plays with play art, switch to Diagrams for pre-snap alignments, and use the shift viewer to watch same-personnel formations morph into each other.

Every play in the 3-4 Defense playbook

3-4 — 4 formations, 50 plays

3-4 Grizzly (8 plays)

1 Edge Pinch, 3 Edge Pinch, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 3 Drop, Mike Blitz 0, Mike Hot Blitz 3, Mike Sim 2, Tampa 2 Show 3

3-4 Odd (15 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 3 Sky Wk, Cover 4 Drop Show 2, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Crash Blitz 3, Cross 3 Fire, Pinch Buck 0, Saw Blitz 1, Ss 2 Trap, Storm Brave 1, Tampa 2

3-4 Over (12 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6 Press, Saw Blitz 1, Ss 2 Trap, Ss Blitz 1, Sting Pinch, Trio Sky Zone, Will Buck 3 Press

3-4 Tite (15 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Drop, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Field Blitz 3, Hot Blitz 3, Saw Blitz 0, Saw Blitz 1, Saw Blitz 2, Saw Blitz 3, Ss 2 Trap, Tampa 2, Trio Sky Zone

3-3-5 — 1 formation, 15 plays

3-3-5 Penny (15 plays)

3 Sam Will Blitz, Corner Blitz 2, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 3 Buzz, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover Hole 1, Double Double, Hot Blitz 3, Mike Blitz 0, Mike Blitz 1, Saw Blitz 1, Slot Blitz 3, Tampa 2

Nickel — 5 formations, 84 plays

Nickel 2-4 Load Mug (12 plays)

Cover 1 LB Blitz, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Cloud, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 6, Hot Blitz 3, LB Blitz 0, LB DE Twist 3, Nickel Blitz 1, Nickel Blitz 3, Tampa 2

Nickel 2-4 Single Mug (15 plays)

1 LB Dog, Blitz Tex 3 Sim 3, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Cloud, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky Press, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9, DT Mike Loop 3, Nickel Blitz 3, Tampa 2

Nickel 3-3 Mint (18 plays)

3 Buzz Sting Press, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Buzz Mable, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Drop, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9, LB Cross 3 Show 2, Nickel 2 Trap, Overload 3 Sky Press, Pinch 0, Sam Mike 3 Press, Tampa 2, Tampa Sim Pressure

Nickel 3-3 Wide Jack (18 plays)

Cb Zone Blitz Press, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 LB Blitz, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Buzz Match, Cover 3 Cloud, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9 Show 2, Dbl Safety Blitz, Nickel Blitz 3, Over Storm Brave, Tampa 2 Contain

Dime — 2 formations, 33 plays

Dime Load Weak (12 plays)

Cov 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Drop, Cover 2 Man, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, DB Blitz 1, DB Blitz 3, Pinch Blitz, Pinch Blitz 3, Sim 3 Match, Sim Pressure 3, Tampa 2

Prevent — 1 formation, 3 plays

Prevent 3 Deep (3 plays)

Cover 3, Man 3 Deep, Prevent

Goal Line — 2 formations, 12 plays

Goal Line 5-3 (6 plays)

Gaps Ab, Gaps All, Gaps All LB, Gaps B, Gl Man, Mlb Gap A

Goal Line 6-2 (6 plays)

60 Base, 60 Half Out, 60 Out, 60 Out Jacks, 60 Pinch, Guts

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