4-3 Man Defense

15 formations across 6 groupings.

The 4-3 Man defense playbook in College Football 27 has 15 formations across 6 families: 4-3 (3), 5-2 (1), Nickel (5), Dime (3), Prevent (1), Goal Line (2). Together they run 165 plays (91 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 4-3 Man Defense playbook

4-3 — 3 formations, 42 plays

4-3 Over (15 plays)

Cover 1 Contain, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 Hole Press, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 1 Sting Wk, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Cloud Press, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Dbl Safety Blitz, Free Fire 3, Olb Fire Man, Sam Edge 3, Tampa 2

4-3 Over Wide (12 plays)

Cover 1 Contain, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Fire Man, Free Fire 3, Sam Blitz 3, Tampa 2

4-3 Under Wide (15 plays)

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

5-2 — 1 formation, 6 plays

5-2 Normal (6 plays)

Cover 1, Cover 2, Cover 3, DT Loop, Pinch, Trio Sky Zone

Nickel — 5 formations, 66 plays

Nickel 3-3 Cub (9 plays)

1 Sam Ss Blitz, 3 Sam Will Blitz, Cover 1 Contain, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 4 Show 2, Mike Blitz 0, Nickel Blitz 3, Olb Blitz 1, Tampa 2

Nickel Double Mug (9 plays)

Blitz Loop 3, Buck Zone Blitz, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Mid Blitz, Ss Blitz 3, Tampa 2

Nickel Load Mug (9 plays)

Cover 1 LB Blitz, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 6, Cover 6 Willie, Hot Blitz 3, LB Blitz 0, Tampa 2

Nickel Wide (15 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 LB Blitz, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky Press, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Dbl Safety Blitz, Nickel 2 Trap, Nickel Blitz 3, Silver Shoot Pinch, Tampa 2 Contain

Dime — 3 formations, 36 plays

Dime 3-2 (18 plays)

1 Double Wr1, 1 Double Wr2, Cover 1 Contain Spy, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Lock, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 6 Willie, Dbl Safety Go, Double Bracket, Edge Blitz 1, Hot Blitz 3, Overload 3 Seam Press, Tampa 2, Tampa 2 Drop, Zero Blitz

Dime Normal (9 plays)

Cov 3 Buzz Show 1, Cover 1 Contain, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Dbl Safety Blitz, Dime Blitz 3, LB Blitz 1, Overload 3 Show 2, Ss Blitz 3

Dime Rush (9 plays)

Cover 1 Contain Spy, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, DB Blitz, Dbl Safety Blitz, Fox Fire Zone Press, Fs Middle Blitz 3, Mug DT Loop 1, Ss Overload 3

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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