2025 Loaded Pressures Presentations, Research and Development – Case 1: Top “Time to Pressure Analysis”: Slide and Man Side of Protection

By Mike Kuchar
Senior Researcher/Co-Founder
X&O Labs
@MikeKKuchar

 

 

Report Summary: Our research demonstrates the exceptional effectiveness of "loaded presentation" defensive fronts on third downs. Analysis of 279 situations shows these three-to-a-side alignments generated quarterback pressure in nearly half (47.7%) of all plays, with defenders reaching the QB in just 2.42 seconds on average. This report breaks down how programs like East Carolina, James Madison, Navy, and Rutgers implement these loaded presentations, with detailed analysis of the four most efficient rush patterns that consistently disrupt offensive protection schemes across college football.

 

 

 

You are seeing it all over college football right now—these overloaded front presentations have become a mainstay for defenses in third downs. Whether defenses shift to it, stunt to it, or just line up in it, these three-to-a-side alignments not only dictate the slide side of protections but also manipulate the man side of protection schemes.

Last off-season, we showcased what Furman University (SC) was doing by overloading its front into the boundary to draw protection and coupling it with some form of corner pressure.

You can read the report here.

Moving forward an off-season later, we are seeing these presentations both to the field and to the boundary, and they are mixed with several pressure variations. Those pressure variations will be tabled for another report. In this study, we are focusing simply on the most efficient rush patterns from these loaded presentations and which ones generate the quickest time-to-pressure number, which is the amount of time it takes to get home on the quarterback. It’s important to now, we generated this entire research study using the A.I. Protocols we have developed over the last two years—and we were able to complete all the research in 25 minutes.

 

What are “Loaded” Presentations?

Loaded Presentations are fronts where there is a specific overload to one side of the center. It’s labeled as a “presentation” because it is a pre-snap presentation; it’s not an orchestrated post-snap. Mainly used in third downs, the defensive line will present a “three-to-a-side” presentation on one side of the formation, either to the field or to the boundary. It often places your best pass rusher where you want him to be.

 

Why They Work:

These loaded presentations can easily dictate offensive protection schemes. It forces the offense to slide to the overload presentation, essentially giving the defense a one-on-one opportunity away from it. This helps explain why these alignments are effective in three-man fronts—they allow the defense to create pressure through the A-gaps (gaps on either side of the center) while still maintaining the ability to defend both B-gaps with the alignment.

 

Our Metrics:

Using our A.I. Protocols, we analyzed 279 total third-down plays, where any of those defenses above showed loaded front presentations. The two base metrics we used to uncover how quickly defenders were able to get to the quarterback were the following: Core alignment and pressure metrics and pressure effectiveness metrics.

 

Core Alignment & Pressure Metrics:

This identified and analyzed pressure packages and specific blitz designs. This includes the following:

• Specific pressure designs
• Specific defensive line techniques were critical in understanding the pre-snap alignment of these loaded presentations.
• Defensive shift patterns, which will show how the initial three-man alignment shifts or stunts post-snap

 

Pressure Effectiveness Metrics:

This tool measured how quickly defenders were able either to get home on the quarterback or cause enough pressure to alter this throw. This includes the following:

• Time to pressure, which measures the effectiveness of different pressure packages
• Unblocked pressure, which identifies when the scheme creates free runners to the quarterback
• Number of rushers, which is an important distinction to make between pure three-man pressures versus disguised blitz packages

 

Defensive Alignment Nomenclature:

For this study, these were the main locations of defenders in these loaded fronts:

NRT = Nose Right Tackle: This refers to a defensive lineman aligned in a nose position (0 or 1 technique) on the right side of the offensive center.

NLT = Nose Left Tackle: This refers to a defensive lineman aligned in a nose position (0 or 1 technique) on the left side of the offensive center.

NRT (21):  This shows a defensive lineman in a nose alignment on the right side of the center, typically in a 2i technique.

NLT (21): This shows a defensive lineman in a nose alignment on the left side of the center, typically in a 2i technique.

DRT (23):  This shows a defensive lineman in a nose alignment on the right side of the center, typically in a 3-technique.

DLT (23):  This shows a defensive lineman in a nose alignment on the left side of the center, typically in a 3-technique.

LEO (Left End Outside):  alignments based on the numbers in our data:

LEO (04-07): Very wide alignment outside the offensive tackle, almost at a wide-9 technique

LEO (08-10): Traditional wide-9 technique, aligned on the outside eye of the tight end if present

LEO (11-12): Slightly tighter alignment, closer to a 7 or 6 technique

REO (Right End Outside) alignments based on our data:

REO (32-34): Wide alignment to the right side, similar to 9-technique

REO (35-37): Very wide alignment, used often for contain or wide rush angles

 

The diagrams below can be used as a reference as far as these alignments go:

 

How Alignments Dictate Patterns:

When we filtered all our alignment data using our A.I. Protocols, we found some interesting tells in how these overloaded presentations create pressure.

What's interesting in our data is how these alignments are used in pressure packages.

Consider the following results:

• When LEO alignments are very wide (04-07), they're often paired with an interior twist game
• REO alignments in the (35-37) range show up frequently in successful pressure packages, especially when combined with stunts.

 

The most common three-man alignments showed these patterns:

• Strong preference for having an edge rusher in a wide alignment (LEO/REO techniques)
• Common NRT and NLT stunt combinations for interior pressure
• Wide-9 technique (LEO/REO) to create one on one pressure situations with offensive Tackle

 

 

Login to Continue Reading: Editor’s Note: In this report, Mike reveals the details of what our A.I. protocols found. And, as always, Mike includes a lot of video and diagrams—as well as shares where to find more game film in X&O Labs’ Film Room. Login below to get unlock the full report (and if you’re not a member, click the ‘Join’ button in the upper right-hand corner of this page).