4-3 Zone Defense

17 formations across 7 groupings.

The 4-3 Zone defense playbook in College Football 27 has 17 formations across 7 families: 4-3 (4), 4-4 (1), 4-2-5 (2), Nickel (6), Dime (1), Prevent (1), Goal Line (2). Together they run 218 plays (112 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 4-3 Zone Defense playbook

4-3 — 4 formations, 57 plays

4-3 Over (12 plays)

1 Robber Press, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Hard Flat, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Cloud Str, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, LB Sting 1, Olb Fire Man, Sam Edge 3, Tampa 2

4-3 Over Walk (9 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 3 Cloud, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Mike Will Blitz, Sam Will Blitz, Ss Blitz 1, Ss Blitz 3

4-3 Under (18 plays)

1 Contain Press, 1 Robber Press, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Hard Flat, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky Wk, Cover 4 Quarters, Dbl Safety Blitz, Free Fire 0, Fs Fire 1, Fs Fire 3, Hammer 0 Blast, Sam Crash 1, Sam Crash 3, Tampa 2, Will Go Fire 3

4-3 Under Wide (18 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, Fs Fire 3, Mike Sam Crash Press, Sam Blitz 2, Ss Sam Crash Press, Tampa 2, Will Go Fire 3

4-4 — 1 formation, 8 plays

4-4 Split (8 plays)

Cover 1, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 3 Match, Crash 3, Fs Blitz, LB Fire, Monster Green, Zone Blitz

4-2-5 — 2 formations, 30 plays

4-2-5 Even (15 plays)

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

4-2-5 Over G (15 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2, Cover 2 Contain, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, LB Blitz, Pinch Blitz, Ss Blitz 3, Ss LB Blitz, Ws Blitz 2, Ws Blitz 3

Nickel — 6 formations, 90 plays

Nickel Double Mug (9 plays)

2 Invert Hard Flat, Blitz Loop 3, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Mid Blitz 0, Nickel 2 Trap, Tampa 2

Nickel Load (15 plays)

0 LB Cross Games, 1 LB Cross Games, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Cloud, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9, Double Bracket, LB 3 Seam Games, Overload 3 Seam, Tampa 2

Nickel 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 Sim 2, Tampa 2

Nickel Single Mug (15 plays)

1 LB Dog, Cov 2 Invert Hard Flat, 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, DT Mike Loop 3, Nickel 2 Trap, Nickel Blitz 3, 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 — 1 formation, 18 plays

Dime 3-2 (18 plays)

Cover 1 Contain Spy, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Hard Flat, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Buzz Match Wk, Cover 3 Cloud, Cover 3 Hard Flat, Cover 3 Lock, Cover 4 Drop, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Dbl Safety Go, Edge Blitz 3, Hot Blitz 3, Tampa 2, Tampa 2 Drop, Zero Blitz

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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