Defensive Creativity Shines in Montana State’s Big Win

Another week, another massive FCS showdown as we march through the most critical stretch of the season. Montana State's defense came ready for the moment, employing relentless pressure and exotic coverages to smother UC Davis for most of the night. For those who missed it, UC Davis struck early, scoring on their second drive, but didn’t find the end zone again until a furious stretch of big plays late in the fourth quarter nearly fueled an epic comeback. Until that point, Montana State's defense dominated, dictating the game and keeping the Aggies on their heels. In this breakdown, we’ll dive into the key pressures and coverage concepts Montana State used to attack and confuse UC Davis's offense.

Montana State wasted no time setting the tone. On the very first play, they dialed up "God’s pressure," sending the corner on a blitz. This five-man pressure, paired with Cover 1, immediately put UC Davis in a bind. Despite max protection, the combination of the corner screaming off the edge and the 5-technique spiking inside was too much for the Aggies to handle, resulting in a sack to open the game.

Later in the same drive, Montana State struck again on third down, bringing a five-man pressure disguised as a six-man look. This time, they ran a three-man game featuring the walked-up interior backer, the defensive tackle, and the defensive end—a concept I call a "wrap" stunt. In this design, the backer and tackle work out of their initial gaps while the defensive end loops inside to attack the A-gap. While the defensive end didn’t quite make it through, the interior backer executed perfectly, slipping the blocker in the B-gap to notch another sack. Check out the diagram below for a breakdown of how the stunt worked.

On UC Davis’s next series, Montana State deployed a simulated pressure featuring the weak interior backer. While it appeared the defensive line may have worked in the wrong direction, the scheme still functioned as designed. The linebacker came free and had a clear shot at the quarterback but couldn’t finish the play. Regardless of the missed sack, the pressure succeeded from a schematic standpoint—getting an unblocked defender to the quarterback is always a win.

In the second quarter, facing 3rd-and-12, Montana State showed a 5-1 box with an interior backer walked up over the center and five defensive backs aligned at the sticks. The Bobcats dialed up another three-man game featuring a wrap stunt, while the middle safety dropped down to create a 2-under, 4-deep quarters variation. UC Davis countered with Y-Cross, but the coverage worked perfectly for Montana State. The over route was effectively doubled, leaving the UC Davis quarterback with nowhere to go and the play ending in a stop.

Montana State’s next pressure came from a "Boss" front, with an interior linebacker walked up weak. The Bobcats paired this alignment with two two-man stunts: one involving the nose tackle and weak-side end, and the other featuring the defensive tackle and strong-side end. Behind the front, they rolled into Cover 2, effectively blanketing UC Davis’s options downfield. The pressure forced the quarterback into a scramble, which ended in a sack, a fumble, and a game-changing turnover for the Bobcats.

Late in the second quarter, the Bobcats revisited the simulated pressure they had run earlier in the game. Once again, the weak-side interior backer came free but was unable to finish the play. While the pressure design continued to work perfectly, Montana State may want to consider involving another player in this concept to ensure the play is finished, as the execution is falling short despite the scheme’s effectiveness.

In the third quarter, facing 3rd-and-9, Montana State returned to their "umbrella" look. The front aligned in a Boss front with the interior backer walked weak. This time, they executed a two-man game between the backer and the defensive end, which led to yet another sack for the Bobcats. On the back end, Montana State opted for Cover 1 instead of their earlier quarters variation, locking up UC Davis’s routes and complementing the pressure perfectly. Strong coverage and an excellent stunt combined for another big play by the Bobcats.

There’s not a lot to break down here, just a great job defending glance by the corner.

With four minutes left in the third quarter, Montana State dialed up a five-man pressure with Cover 1 behind it. The defense appeared to run a pirate stunt weak, with the defensive tackle and defensive end working inside while the interior backer looped around the edge. Although the linebacker didn’t fully reach the quarterback, he found a seam that disrupted the pocket, and the Bobcats capitalized with another sack.

Early in the fourth quarter, on 3rd-and-9, Montana State lined up in a four-down front with the interior backer walked over the center and the familiar "umbrella" look on the back end. The Bobcats ran a three-man stunt often referred to as "Magic," (but inverted) involving both defensive tackles and the interior backer to generate pressure.

On 3rd-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Montana State went all-in, bringing everyone on a full sellout blitz. It was as aggressive as it gets—essentially “bringing the house”—and it paid off with a tackle for loss, shutting down UC Davis in a critical moment.

For our final defensive highlight, Montana State once again showed their signature "umbrella" look in the secondary—but this time, there was no pressure. Instead, they spun into a non-traditional Tampa 2 (NTT) that perfectly countered UC Davis’s screen attempt, resulting in a pass breakup. While this play may not stand out at first glance, it’s another excellent example of Montana State using a familiar look to disguise something completely different, keeping the offense guessing.

Throughout the night, Montana State excelled at blending pressures with varied coverage looks, particularly in third-and-long situations. Most of these pressures were staples seen at all levels of football, paired with familiar coverages—though the non-traditional Tampa 2 (NTT) stood out as an exception. If you’re a coach who hasn’t spent time watching these top-tier FCS teams, I strongly encourage you to dive into their games. They showcase exceptional coaching, maximizing the potential of athletes who might not carry the "elite" label often seen at FBS programs on Saturday afternoons.

Montana State vs UC Davis Full Condensed Game