Playbooks
SS LB Blitz out of the 4-2-5 Over G set sends the strong safety on a downhill blitz off the edge while the Mike or the Will linebacker crashes an interior gap, creating a five or six man pressure package. The secondary rotates to a man under coverage look behind the blitz, so this is a pressure package designed to win one on one matchups rather than a coverage disguise. Primary read for the defense is the strong safety's blitz path timing against the offensive line's protection slide, and if the quarterback holds the ball past two seconds this blitz is designed to convert into a sack or a forced check down.
Watch the offensive line splits pre-snap, tight splits usually mean a slide protection that can pick up the interior blitzer and leave the strong safety isolated on an edge rusher. Identify the running back's alignment, if he is set to the blitzing safety's side he is likely assigned to chip or pick him up, which delays the pressure and forces you to hold the blitz angle longer. Post-snap, key the quarterback's eyes immediately after the snap since this blitz beats quick game and shotgun spread concepts that rely on getting the ball out fast before the rush arrives. This blitz gets shut down by max protect schemes and play action rollouts that use extra blockers, so if you see seven or eight men in protection pre-snap consider audibling to a coverage call instead. Look for user controlled running backs stepping up to block, since a skilled user picking up the blitzer in the hole can turn this pressure call into a coverage bust behind it.
Call this on third and medium to third and long when you have identified a slower running back or tight end staying in to block, since the safety blitz path targets that matchup directly.
Check pre-snap for empty backfield or spread formations that leave the offense without a lead blocker, because this blitz gets home fastest when there is no extra protector to pick up the strong safety.
User the strong safety manually right at the snap to control his blitz angle and avoid getting picked off by a puller or chip block, since AI blitzers can get rerouted easily in this play.
Mix this call with Cover 2 Man and Cover 1 Hole from the same set so your pre-snap alignment looks identical, forcing the quarterback to guess between a standard four man rush and this extra pressure look.
Avoid calling this against empty formations with a hot quarterback who audibles into a slide protection, since the interior blitzer can get picked up cleanly and leave you exposed underneath.