3-4 Man Defense

17 formations across 6 groupings.

The 3-4 Man defense playbook in College Football 27 has 17 formations across 6 families: 2-5 (1), 3-4 (5), Nickel (5), Dime (3), Prevent (1), Goal Line (2). Together they run 231 plays (113 unique). 3-4 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 Man Defense playbook

2-5 — 1 formation, 15 plays

2-5 Over Wide (15 plays)

Cover 1 Contain, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 1 Sting Wk, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Fire Man, Free Fire 3, Mike Sam Cross 3, Tampa 2, Thunder Smoke, Will Blitz 3

3-4 — 5 formations, 63 plays

3-4 Bear (9 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Invert Hard Flat, Cover 3, Cover 3 Hard Flat, LB Blitz 0, Sam Mike 1, Trio Sky Zone, Will Sam 1

3-4 Even (9 plays)

Cov 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Cloud, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cross Fire 3, Pinch Buck 0, Tampa 2, Will Fire 3 Seam

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 Under (15 plays)

Cov 1 QB Contain Spy, Cover 1 Hole Wk, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Hard Flat, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Mlb Cross Fire 3, Pinch Buck 0, Saw Blitz 1, Tampa 2, Weak Blitz 1, Weak Blitz 3

3-4 Under 4 Tech (15 plays)

Cov 1 QB Contain Spy, Cover 1 Fs Fire, Cover 1 Hole Wk, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Hard Flat, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Dbl Safety Blitz, Fs Slant 3, Saw Blitz 1, Will Fire 3 Seam

Nickel — 5 formations, 78 plays

Nickel 2-4 Dbl Mug (9 plays)

Buck Zone Blitz, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Mid Blitz, Nickel 2 Trap, Nickel Dog 3 Buzz, Nickel Overload 3

Nickel 2-4 Load (18 plays)

0 LB Cross Games, 1 Double Wr1, 1 LB Cross Games, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 1 Robber Press, 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 6 Willie, Double Bracket, LB 3 Seam Games, Overload 3 Seam, Tampa 2

Nickel 2-4 Load Mug (12 plays)

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

Nickel 3-3 Mint (18 plays)

1 Double Wr1, 1 Double Wr2, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Buzz Match, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 6 Willie, LB Cross 3 Show 2, Nickel 2 Trap, Overload 3 Sky Press, Pinch 0, Sam Mike 1, Sam Mike 3 Press, Tampa 2

Dime — 3 formations, 60 plays

Dime 3-2 Single Mug (15 plays)

1 LB Dog, Blitz Tex 3, Bracket Switch Willie, Cov 3buzz Show 1, Cover 1 Games, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Cover 4 Palms, DB Blitz, DB Blitz Tex 3, Dbl Safety Blitz, Dime Blitz 2, Double Bracket, 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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