Effective Strategies for Dealing with Man - Coverage Beaters: Stacks, Bunches and Mesh

ULM’s 3-3-5 defensive scheme is known for its aggressive style of play predicated on five and six-man pressure. To effectively utilize this type of defense, the pass coverage system must be proficient in man-to-man coverage. The ability to play cover 1 and cover 0 allows the defensive line and linebackers a great deal of freedom to find numerous ways to pressure the quarterback and stop the run by outnumbering the offense at or near the line of scrimmage. Of course, no defensive scheme is without its weaknesses, and over time, offenses have developed a number of strategies aimed at diminishing the effectiveness of pressure-based, man coverage defenses.  Perhaps the most difficult issue that offenses can present to man coverage teams comes in the form of stack and bunch formations and mesh route concepts that are specifically designed to attack inherent weaknesses found in man