IUP’s Third Down

Nickel Package
O n behalf of Indiana University of
Pennsylvania, our head coach, Frank
Cignetti, our defensive staff, Tom Rogish
Diagram 2: Boundary or Closed
Nickel
(Defensive Line), Chris Bache (Lineback-
ers), Bernie McQuown (Defensive Ends),
Wally Fleming (Student Assistant) and our
players, it is a pleasure to be asked to con-
tribute to the AFCA Summer Manual.
Throughout the past two seasons, one
of the strengths of our defense has been
our third down efficiency. Our goal is to be Diagram 3: Field or Closed Nickel
70 percent efficient on third down. We
have surpassed that goal by stopping our
opponents 72 percent in the past two
years. The importance of this phase has
been instrumental in our success as a
defense.

Philosophy
We strongly believe that being both
unpredictable and flexible are very impor-
tant when game planing on a week to week
basis. With the multiplicity of offenses, we
must be able to “shift gears” in regard to
stopping opponents on third down. In this
article, we will show our overall plan on
third and medium (3-6 yards), as well as
third and long (7-10 yards) with our nickel
defense.
Paul Tortorella
Front Multiplicity
Defensive Coordinator Our nickel package will be a basic 4-2
look with the ability to set our three-tech-
Indiana University of nique tackle wherever we feel necessary.
Pennsylvania The four calls we can make are; field,
boundary, open, closed. This designates
Indiana, Pa. were our three-technique will align.
• Our call side will have a three-tech-
nique tackle and an end in a five-technique
(open) or a seven-technique closed.
• Away from the call, we will be in a two-
technique (nose) with an end (5-7 tech-
nique). Both linebackers will align in 30s,
which is on the outside shoulder of the
guard.
Diagram 1: Field or Open Nickel
Coverage Scheme
After setting our front, we then decide to
package our coverage plan into five areas.
A. Zone Coverage.
Diagram 4: Boundary or Open Nickel
B. Man Under Coverage.
C. Double Robber Coverage.
D. Zone Pressure.
E. Blitz Man.
All of our coverages will start off in a
two-deep alignment. Both corners and our
nickel will align five to seven yards,
depending on the call. Our safeties will line
up at 12 yards.
In this article, we will show our scheme
versus two formations out of a one-back
offense. The formations will be a three by
one alignment with the tight end to the trips
and a balanced two by two alignment.
Zone Coverage
We want to be able to play two types of
zone coverage, especially on third and
long. They are a balanced two-deep zone
coverage and a three-deep zone. Our
two-deep coverage will have the ability to
be both “hard” or “soft,” depending on our
opponent. If we are playing “soft,” our cor-
ner and safety will read the pattern of the
No. 2 receiver. If we are playing “hard,”
our corner and safety will read the
release of the No. 1 receiver to give us a
true half-field look.
We believe the advantage of playing our

• AFCA Summer Manual — 2000 •

two-deep from both a hard and soft con-
cept gives us the ability to “pattern read” all
combination routes to the “soft” side. In
reality, our soft call puts us in what we call
a “match up zone.”
Diagram 5: Closed Nickel Cover 2
In Diagram 5, if No. 2 receiver to the
“soft” call goes to the flat, the corner will
level and the safety will play over the top of
No. 1. The nickel back will stay in curl
unless a runningback or tight end cross his
face. He will then take the first in flat
receiver. If No. 2 receiver goes vertical,
then safety takes No. 2 and corner will play
No. 1 with outside leverage. The nickel’s
rule is the same.
Diagram 6: Field Nickel Cover 2
In Diagram 6, the only difference is that
it is a trips formation to the “soft” call, so the
strong linebacker will get a “stress” call and
will have to carry the tight end vertical. In
both diagrams, the “hard” side is a true sta-
tionary two-deep coverage for the corner,
weak linebacker and weak safety.
Our three-deep coverage on third and
medium or long is a weak roll coverage.
This coverage should take away the weak
side passing game and force longer throws
to the field. Our philosophy with this
scheme is we are not in a pattern read con-
cept, so this is a much more conservative
Diagram 7: Open Nickel Weak Roll
coverage and we will be very aggressive
versus your X receiver to the weak side.
Man Under
The next package we like to use is our
two-man concept or our “double robber”
scheme. With this call, we are putting our
two linebackers on No. 3 strong and No. 2
weak and we are playing man coverage
with our corners and nickel back with two
deep safeties or a short safety (10-15
yards) and deep safety in the middle of the
field.
This package is a more aggressive cov-
erage concept to take away the short con-
trolled passing game. We will play our cor-
ners and nickel a majority of the time in
press coverage.
Diagram 8: Boundary Nickel 2 Man
Diagram 9: Field Nickel Double
Robber
Zone Pressure
This phase of our third down defense has
been very successful and is a package that
we continue to build on from season to sea-
son. As is the case with all of our calls, “dis-
guise” is a very important factor in our suc-
cess. With this pressure, we will bring it to
the strength of the formation and have three
under, three-deep coverage. We also have
the ability to call the pressure to your open
or closed side of the formation as well as to
the field or boundary. With this scheme, we
are trying to pressure the quarterback and
create a “hot” or sight adjust by the offense
in a third and long situation.
Blitz Man
The last part of our nickel package is our
six-man blitz with straight man coverage.
With this package, we are looking for mis-
matches in protection on third and medi-
• AFCA Summer Manual — 2000 •
Diagram 10: Closed Nickel/Zone
Pressure
um/long or we would like to create an extra
defender for the run game on third and
medium. The blitz we will illustrate is a bal-
anced “three-and-three blitz” to both the
open and closed side of the formation.
Diagram 11: Closed Nickel/Blitz Man
Once again, we appreciate the opportu-
nity to contribute to the AFCA Summer
Manual. If we can ever be of any assis-
tance, please contact us at Indiana
University of Pennsylvania.
Double-Dipping
Affects July to July
Contract
Recommendation
Coaches who are fortunate enough
to have July to July contracts, or
the equivalent, as recommended
by the AFCA, should not abuse the
privilege when moving from one
job to another by accepting
salaries from two institutions dur-
ing the transition.
Be ethically responsible to your pro-
fession by notifying your former insti-
tution’s athletic director immediately
when you are hired by another insti-
tution. Don’t jeopardize the contracts
of many of your fellow coaches by
being selfish.