Breaking down the 2019 Ohio State defense and how they operate, creeper and simulated pressures were a big part of their package to attack offenses.

Creepers and simulated pressures bring a 2nd or 3rd level defensive player, while a 1st level player drops into pass coverage. They are rising in popularity for the simplicity and "safe" blitz that defenses can throw at offenses on passing downs.

Ohio State utilized both creepers and simulated pressures to get to the QB in 2019. These pressures only bring 4 players and does not sacrifice the pass coverage. Both of these blitz concepts present the offense with the idea that pressure is coming, but the defense is only bringing 4.

These pressures are built to manipulate the pass protection and free up the 4th rusher. With these blitz concepts, teams play zone coverage behind it depending on where the pressure is coming from. These pressures can be used from a variety of fronts (odd, even, tite, mint, etc).

A creeper and simulated pressure look very similar on tape but have one major difference. A creeper will not show the pressure pre-snap, but a simulated pressure will. In a simulated pressure, you will notice that the MLB and the WLB will "mug" the A or B gap depending on the front.

In this creeper diagram, the defense is lined up in a even over front to the field (3 technique to the field). The diagram comes from Coach Hoover Football blog that has vast amount of defensive information at your disposable.

The $ (Shaun Wade) is the creeper pressure, where he is lined up over #2 pre-snap and post-snap he is responsible for C gap and to pressure the QB. Remember, creeper pressures bring a second/third level defender and has a 1st level defender drop into pass coverage.

With Ohio State, the defensive ends were usually the 1st level defender they put into a pass coverage responsibility. With this creeper pressure, the secondary spins from 2 high to 1 high to play cover 3 similar to the Rip/Liz coverage Nick Saban and his coaching tree run.

The only difference is that Saban's defense will play 3 match, which has a different set of rules than the basic spot drop cover 3 (explanation for another time). The two safeties will spin to where the creeper pressure is coming from. The FS spins to the field and will be the curl/flat player that the $ once was. The boundary DE (B in diagram) is the 1st level defender dropping into pass coverage, and will be the weak curl/flat player and will take the final 2. Up front, the front is slanting a gap over to the boundary with the $ taking the field C gap.

The first example is a creeper concept that Ohio State loved to utilize with Wade.

Michigan State is in a 3 x 1 (Trips) set to the field. Shaun Wade is lined up over #2 like the diagram above shows. Ohio State is in an over front to the strength, where both the guard and tackle are covered.

Michigan State runs a BOB (big-on-big) protection and the guard takes the 3 technique, and the tackle takes the 5 technique. This opens the door for Shaun Wade to run freely through the B gap.

Backside, Ohio State drops the boundary DE to the weak curl/flat area. The only difference from this play and the diagram above is that Ohio State doesn't slant to the boundary away from the creeper pressure. The secondary is playing cover 3 behind it, and only bringing 4. There are no holes in the coverage from a 4 man pressure, and gives Ohio State a "safe" pressure to run on 3rd and 10.

In this second example, Nebraska comes out in a 2 x 2 (Ace) set. The over front is set to the field with Shaun Wade lined up over #2. The creeper pressure again comes from Wade, with the safeties spinning down towards the blitz.

Another advantage creeper pressures create is QB's throwing "hot" with the field pressure. In this example, Wade comes from the field into C gap and forces Adrian Martinez to throw the hot.

The field corner is a deep third player, and breaks on the ball quickly to force a 0 yard gain.The front slants towards the boundary away from the pressure, where the boundary DE (Chase Young) drops to the weak hook area.

In this third example, Ohio State presents the creeper in a different look.

Cincinnati comes out in a 2 x 2 H with the H back into the boundary. The SLB follows the TE and presents himself in the box. With the previous creeper pressures, Ohio State will start in 2 high and rotate to 1.

In this example, the SLB starts in the box and rotates to a deep third player. Ohio State brings Wade from the field where he is aligned over #2 with the boundary DE dropping as the weak curl/flat player. Front side, the front slant away from the creeper leaving the tackle 1 on 1 with Wade. Wade is too quick for the tackle and strips the ball from the QB.

Again, the same creeper pressure, from a different look.

In this last look, Ohio State runs the creeper pressure again falling right into the hands of the screen. Wade again comes from the field and Young drops as the boundary hook player.

The diagram above is a basic simulated pressure that Ohio State utilized frequently but will do so from a even front.

In this picture, both the WLB and MLB will "mug" the A gap presenting 6 defensive players at the LOS. Presenting 6 defensive players at the LOS forces the OL to check to BOB (big-on-big) protection.

Like it was mentioned before, simulated pressures manipulate pass protections. Post snap the $ blitzes from the field and the B (5 technique/DE) drops to the weak curl/flat. With the OL checking to BOB, the tackle to the field is responsible for the F (5 technique/DE).

With the F inserting into B gap, this frees up the $ on the blitz. If anything, this forces the QB to escape out of the pocket and throw off schedule. The secondary behind the simulated pressure is playing MOF closed cover 3. The FS rotates down to replace the $ and is a curl/flat player. With dropping the 1st level player into the curl/flat area, there are no holes in the coverage.

This is considered a "safe" pressure that be utilized on throwing downs.

In a recent post from James Light, he tweeted out the simulated pressure Ohio State threw at Clemson.

In this example, Ohio State mugs their WLB into A gap presenting 5 guys on the LOS to manipulate BOB (Big in Big) protection. Ohio State brings the nickel/slot corner from the field into B gap. With the guard taking the 3 technique and tackle taking the 5 technique in BOB protection, there is nobody responsible for the nickel/slot corner who is pressuring B gap.

With this pressure, the SS rotates into the curl/flat player. The 1st level guy that gets put into coverage is the boundary 3 technique. He turns into the weak curl/flat player. The mugged WLB plays the weak hook area in pass coverage. Again, presenting pressure but only bringing 4.

Above is how Georgia runs this same exact simulated pressure from their odd front personnel.

This gives you a visual on how simulated pressures look to an opposing offense. Georgia lines up 5 defenders on the LOS pre-snap, and post-snap only bring 4. Georgia drops their MAC backer and their Jack backer from the LOS.

The MAC plays the weak hook and has the final 3, and the Jack is the weak curl/flat player and takes the final 4. You will see that they rush 2 players into the field C gap with the End going 1st and taking the tackle, and their star (nickel) going second to pressure the QB. Similar to Ohio State, they play cover 3 behind it. Kirby Smart runs a similar defense to Saban, so spinning and playing cover 3 behind it is nothing new to them.

In this simulated pressure example, Ohio State shows a different look. They mug the WLB into C gap, and Nickel/slot corner into the field C gap. Post snap, Ohio State drops Chase Young into the weak hook area in their cover 3 scheme. Ohio State presented 6 guys on the LOS pre-snap, and post-snap only bring 4. Again, a safe pressure concept that only brings 4 and doesn't leave holes in the pass coverage.