4-2-5 Defense

18 formations across 7 groupings.

The 4-2-5 defense playbook in College Football 27 has 18 formations across 7 families: 3-4 (1), 4-2-5 (4), 3-3-5 (2), Nickel (6), Dime (2), Prevent (1), Goal Line (2). Together they run 243 plays (121 unique). Nickel is the largest group with 6 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 4-2-5 Defense playbook

3-4 — 1 formation, 12 plays

3-4 Tite (12 plays)

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

4-2-5 — 4 formations, 60 plays

4-2-5 3 High (9 plays)

3 Double Cloud, 3 Double Sky, Cover 2 Lurk, Cover 3 Match, Cover 4 Quarters, Edge Blitz 3, Hot Blitz 3, LB Blitz 0, Tampa 2

4-2-5 Even (18 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 2, Cover 2 Contain, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Buzz Match Wk, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9, LB Blitz, Ss Blitz 2, Ss LB Blitz, Ws Blitz 1, Ws Blitz 2, Ws Blitz 3

4-2-5 Over G (18 plays)

1 Double Wr1, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2, Cover 2 Contain, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Buzz Match Wk, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9, LB Blitz, Pinch Blitz, Ss Blitz 3, Ws Blitz 1, Ws Blitz 2, Ws Blitz 3

4-2-5 Under (15 plays)

1 Fs Fire, 1 Slant Crash, Cover 1 Contain Press, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky Wk, Cover 4 Quarters, Free Fire, Safety Blitz, Sam Blitz 2, Tampa 2, Will Go Fire 3, Wk Corner Blitz

3-3-5 — 2 formations, 30 plays

3-3-5 Over Flex (18 plays)

1 Double Wr1, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 LB Blitz, Cover 1 Ss Blitz, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Buzz Match, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Drop Field, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9, Edge Blitz 0, Hot Blitz 3, Nickel Sim 3, Over 3 Sting, Tampa 2

3-3-5 Penny (12 plays)

3 Sam Will Blitz, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 3 Buzz, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 9, Cover Hole 1, Hot Blitz 3, Mike Blitz 0, Slot Blitz 3, Tampa 2

Nickel — 6 formations, 93 plays

Nickel 3-3 Mint (18 plays)

1 Double Wr1, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Buzz Match, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Drop, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9, Hot Blitz Bail, LB Cross 0, LB Cross 3 Show 2, Pinch 0, Sam Mike 1, Tampa 2, Tampa Sim Pressure

Nickel Double Mug (12 plays)

2 Invert Hard Flat, Buck Zone Blitz, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Field Sim 3, Mid Blitz 0, Nickel 2 Trap, Nickel Sim 2, Ss Blitz 3, Tampa 2

Nickel Load Dbl Mug (12 plays)

1 DT LB Loop, Blitz Loop 3, Blitz Loop Sim 3, Cb Bench Sim 2, Cover 1 LB Blitz, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, LB Blitz 6, Nickel Sim 2, Redzone DT Drop, Side Blitz, Tampa 2

Nickel Load Mug (15 plays)

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

Nickel Single Mug (15 plays)

1 LB Dog, Cov 2 Invert Hard Flat, Cov 3 Buzz Match Wk, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky Press, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9, Nickel 2 Trap, Nickel Blitz 3, Tampa 2

Dime — 2 formations, 33 plays

Dime Single Mug (12 plays)

1 LB Dog, Blitz Tex 3, Cov 3 Buzz 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, 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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