3-4 Shell Defense

15 formations across 6 groupings.

The 3-4 Shell defense playbook in College Football 27 has 15 formations across 6 families: 3-4 (4), 3-3-5 (1), Nickel (5), Dime (2), Prevent (1), Goal Line (2). Together they run 204 plays (108 unique). Nickel is the largest group with 5 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 3-4 Shell Defense playbook

3-4 — 4 formations, 57 plays

3-4 Odd (15 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 Robber, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 3 Sky Wk, Cover 4 Drop Show 2, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Crash Blitz 3, Cross 3 Fire, Pinch Buck 0, Saw Blitz 1, Ss 2 Trap, Storm Brave 1, Tampa 2

3-4 Over (12 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Invert, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6 Press, Saw Blitz 1, Ss 2 Trap, Ss Blitz 1, Sting Pinch, Trio Sky Zone, Will Buck 3 Press

3-4 Tite (15 plays)

Cover 1 Hole, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Drop, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Field Blitz 3, Hot Blitz 3, Saw Blitz 0, Saw Blitz 1, Saw Blitz 2, Saw Blitz 3, Ss 2 Trap, Tampa 2, Trio Sky Zone

3-4 Under (15 plays)

Cov 1 QB Contain Spy, Cover 1 Hole Wk, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Hard Flat, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Mlb Cross Fire 3, Pinch Buck 0, Saw Blitz 1, Tampa 2, Weak Blitz 1, Weak Blitz 3

3-3-5 — 1 formation, 6 plays

3-3-5 3 High Over (6 plays)

3 Double Cloud, Cover 2 Lurk, Cover 4 Quarters, Hot Blitz 3, LB Blitz 0, Tampa 2

Nickel — 5 formations, 93 plays

Nickel 2-4 Load Dbl Mug (12 plays)

1 DT LB Loop, Blitz Loop 0, Blitz Loop 3, Cb Bench Sim 2, Cover 1 LB Blitz, Cover 3 Match, Cover 3 Sky, LB Blitz 6, Nickel Sim 2, Redzone DT Drop, Side Blitz, Tampa 2

Nickel 2-4 Single Mug (15 plays)

1 LB Dog, Blitz Tex 3 Sim 3, Cov 3 Buzz Match Wk, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 2 Man, Cover 3 Buzz Match, Cover 3 Cloud, Cover 3 Match, Cover 4 Palms, Cover 4 Quarters, Cover 6, Cover 9, DT Mike Loop 3, Nickel Blitz 3, Tampa 2

Dime — 2 formations, 33 plays

Dime 3-2 (18 plays)

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

Dime 3-2 Single Mug (15 plays)

1 LB Dog, Blitz Tex 3, Bracket Switch Willie, Cov 3 Buzz Show 1, Cover 1 Games, Cover 1 Hole, Cover 1 Robber Press, Cover 2 Man, Cover 4 Palms, DB Blitz, DB Blitz Tex 3, Dbl Safety Blitz, Dime Blitz 2, Double Bracket, Tampa 2

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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