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Penny Front

Defense

also: Penny · Penny package

A Fangio-tree defensive package that uses 3-3-5 personnel to present a five-man line (5-1 box) with a single stacked inside linebacker.

Penny against a 2x2 shotgun spread set with the back offset right, two edge linebackers, a 3-0-3 defensive-line interior and one linebacker stacked behind the five-man surface.
Penny turns 3-3-5 personnel into a 5-1 presentation; this version uses 3-0-3 inside.

The Penny front is a 3-3-5 personnel package and front structure popularized by Vic Fangio and widely adopted across the NFL that presents a five-man line of scrimmage (5-1 box) with only one off-ball inside linebacker stacked behind the line.

Penny provides specific answers against modern passing spread offenses and two-high coverage looks:

Five-Man Line Presentation
Three interior defensive linemen and two edge rushers occupy the line of scrimmage, threatening five immediate rushers and stressing five-man pass protection rules.
Interior Alignment Flexibility
The three interior linemen can align in a Bear front 3-0-3 look (covering the center and both guards) or a Tite front 4i-0-4i look (covering the center and both tackles).
Gap-and-a-Half Linebacker Overlap
Because the five front defenders lock down the C, B, and A gaps along the line, the lone stacked linebacker is free to play a 'gap-and-a-half' overlap, scraping laterally to plug whichever interior gap the ball-carrier chooses.
Nickel Pass Coverage Integrity
By playing 3-3-5 personnel (five defensive backs), the defense can present five-man run stopping and pass rush power while maintaining a 2-high safety shell and split-field pass coverage (such as Cover 4 or Cover 6).
Also calledPenny, Penny package
Not to be confused withMint front, Bear front, Tite front

One common run fit

Shown with Penny's 4i-0-4i interior against Inside Zone left. The 4i defenders squeeze B toward A, the nose works both A gaps, the edge linebackers handle C and the stacked linebacker overlaps the first open interior gap.

A Fangio-style Penny run fit against Inside Zone left. The two edge linebackers close the C gaps, the 4i-0-4i interior squeezes the run and the lone stacked linebacker overlaps toward the first open interior gap.
Penny's gap-and-a-half line play lets the lone stacked linebacker overlap whichever interior gap opens.

A note on how the term is used

Some Fangio-tree material uses Eat for a particular front or call inside the Penny package. That language is not portable: other defenses use Eat for an unrelated gap-exchange call against option runs.

Where you will hear it

  • Fangio-tree NFL defenses
  • nickel packages built from 3-3-5 personnel

Related terms