Playbooks

Over G

SpecialistsRLERRENTSUBLBSLCB

Overview

Over G is a defensive set inside the 4-2-5 Big Nickel formation, and the naming matters: "Over" refers to the front shifted strong with the nose tackle covering the strong side guard, and "G" reflects the guard shade that anchors the interior. Unlike the standard 4-2-5 Nickel sets that spread the front wide and lean pass rush, Over G stacks weight to one side of the center, giving you a legitimate run front out of a five defensive back package. You get two edge rushers (RLE and RRE), a nose tackle plugged inside, two linebackers with a SUBLB in the box, and a slot corner (SLCB) plus the extra safety body that defines Big Nickel personnel.

Strengths

  • Extremely deep coverage menu: Cover 9, Cover 6 Trap, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 3 Buzz Match, Cover 3 Match, Cover 6 Invert, and Cover 1 Hole all live here, so you can disguise nearly every shell from one alignment.
  • Big Nickel personnel keeps a safety body on the field instead of a third linebacker, giving you better man coverage grades against tight ends and slot receivers on option routes and seam reads.
  • The shifted Over front holds up against inside zone and duo without needing to commit an extra box defender, letting you stay in five DBs on second and medium.
  • Strong safety and weak safety blitz variety (SS Blitz 1, SS Blitz 2, SS Blitz 3, Ws Blitz 1, Ws Blitz 2, Ws Blitz 3, Mike SS 3, SS LB Blitz) means you can pressure from either edge while keeping the same base shell art behind it.
  • Casino Blitz, Pinch Blitz, and Corner Blitz 3 give you interior and outside overload looks that hit fast when the offense sets protection to the wrong side of the shifted front.

Weaknesses

  • The Over front is unbalanced by design, so trap, counter, and pin and pull runs at the weak side edge can get outside the RLE before the linebackers scrape.
  • Only two linebackers on the field means play action rollouts and drag or crosser combos put real stress on the SUBLB in man coverage.
  • Heavy safety blitz calls (SS Blitz 3, Ws Blitz 3) vacate the post and the hook, which good users attack with corner routes and deep overs off a single high tell.
  • Big Nickel personnel is undersized against 21 and 22 personnel power run sets, and repeat runs at the guard shade will grind out four and five yard chunks.
  • Man coverage calls here are vulnerable to bunch and stack releases that generate free access, especially when the SLCB is caught inside on a slot fade.

Usage Tips

Use this as your base second and medium set: the run front holds and the coverage list lets you sit in Cover 4 Palms or Cover 3 Buzz Match without a personnel change tell.

Show one high pre snap and rotate late into Cover 6 Trap or Cover 6 Invert so the QB reads a single high shell and throws the out into your trapping corner.

User the free safety or the SUBLB rather than a corner: the coverage art already handles the outside, and you need a body reading the second level with only two linebackers on the field.

When you dial SS Blitz 2 or Ws Blitz 2, pinch your ends and manually drop one rusher to a hook so you keep four in coverage against quick game and RPO reads.

Against heavy personnel, check out of Big Nickel entirely rather than spamming Pinch Blitz, and save Casino Blitz and Corner Blitz 3 for third down when the offense has to protect five wide receiver splits.

Plays (24)

Plays in Over G
PlayDiagramOpen
Casino BlitzBlitz
Corner Blitz 3Cover 3, Blitz, Corner Blitz +1
Cover 1 HoleCover 1, Cover 1 Hole, Man Coverage
Cover 2Cover 2, Zone Coverage
Cover 2 ContainCover 2, Contain, Zone Coverage
Cover 2 ManCover 2 Man, Man To Man, Man Coverage
Cover 3 Buzz MatchCover 3, Cover 3 Buzz, Cover 3 Match +1
Cover 3 MatchCover 3, Cover 3 Match, Zone Coverage
Cover 3 SkyCover 3, Cover 3 Sky, Zone Coverage
Cover 4 PalmsCover 4, Cover 4 Palms, Zone Coverage
Cover 4 QuartersCover 4, Quarters, Zone Coverage
Cover 6Cover 6, Zone Coverage
Cover 6 InvertCover 6, Inverted Coverage, Zone Coverage
Cover 6 TrapCover 6, Trap Coverage, Zone Coverage
Cover 9Cover 9, Zone Coverage
LB BlitzBlitz, LB Blitz
Mike SS 3Cover 3, Zone Coverage
Pinch BlitzBlitz, Pinch
SS Blitz 2Cover 2, Blitz, Safety Blitz +1
SS Blitz 3Cover 3, Blitz, Safety Blitz +1
SS LB BlitzBlitz, LB Blitz, Safety Blitz
Ws Blitz 1Cover 1, Blitz, Safety Blitz +1
Ws Blitz 2Cover 2, Blitz, Safety Blitz +1
Ws Blitz 3Cover 3, Blitz, Safety Blitz +1

Other Sets in 4-2-5

Under

18 Plays · Big Nickel 4-2-5