In football, pressure is production.
The NFL Playoffs begin this weekend, and if you look at the two No. 1 seeds — the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks — both those defenses rank in the top six in pressure percentage. While they get there in different ways (Denver is one of the top blitzing teams in the NFL this season while the Seahawks rank near the bottom in that category) those two teams earned those No. 1 seeds largely on the backs of their defenses.
While merely pressuring the opposing quarterback is not a silver bullet (the Dallas Cowboys ranked first in pressure percentage) it certainly helps.
But before the NFL Playoffs begin, the College Football Playoff resumes tonight when Miami takes on Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. And for those NFL teams looking to generate more pressure on opposing passers next season, they might want to pay particular attention to Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr.
Bain has been on a tear since the CFP began, starting with three sacks in Miami’s upset win over Texas A&M in the first round. The Miami pass rusher followed that performance with a sack in the Hurricane’s upset of Ohio State, but beyond the lone sack was the pressure Bain put on Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin throughout the game.
Looking at some of those pressures, you will see what he means to the Hurricanes, what he does to opposing offenses, how he wins as a pass rusher, and what he can do at the next level.
We start with Bain’s sack from the Cotton Bowl, which came on a 1st-and-10 situation early in the second quarter. The Buckeyes are driving, with the ball on the Miami 16-yard line, and Bain aligns on the outside shoulder of the left tackle.
As the play begins, the Buckeyes use a half-slide protection scheme with the center, left guard, and left tackle sliding to Bain’s side of the formation. He slices inside, and the combination of protection and his get off match him with the left guard.
Watch as Bain uses a power move to stagger the left guard, toss them to the side, and get after Sayin:
On this next example, Bain again uses power to put pressure on Sayin. On this play the Buckeyes face a second down just before halftime near midfield, and Bain aligns in a wide-9 alignment well outside the left tackle.
Off the snap, Bain crashes into the left tackle and drives him backward, before using a rip move to the inside to pressure Sayin:
While those two examples highlight his power as a pass rusher, these next two emphasis his athleticism off the edge. Take this play, also from just before halftime:
Bain is again in the wide-9 alignment, well outside the left tackle. Instead of a move to the inside, he uses his hands to beat the LT to the outside, and then bursts around him before flattening his path to Sayin.
Something to note about these two examples? They came on back-to-back plays, with the move to the outside coming on first down and then the move to the inside coming on second down. This is noteworthy as it illustrates a solid pass-rushing plan from Bain on successive snaps.
Here is another example of his athleticism off the edge, this time from the opposite side of the formation:
This time Bain aligns in the wide-9 outside of the right tackle, and off the snap stresses his outside shoulder with a speed move. That’s when he flashes his hands, dips under the tackle’s arms, and angles towards Sayin, nearly coming away with the strip sack.
This is also a good example of his bend off the edge, as he maintains his balance and stays under control while rounding outside the tackle. Only good pocket movement from Sayin prevents this from being a disaster for Ohio State.
Here is another example of that bend in action:
If there is another trait that Bain brings to the table, it is his motor. The Miami defender is relentless, and that flashes every time you watch him.
On this example, the Buckeyes face a 3rd and 20 midway through the fourth quarter, with Miami leading by three. This is the type of situation where you want your standout pass rusher to get your defense off the field and force a punt.
Watch as Bain works first through the tight end with a swim move, then the right tackle with a power move to the inside, flushes Sayin from the pocket and forces a throw behind the line of scrimmage that goes for a loss:
Ohio State indeed punted, and the Hurricanes salted away the win on their next drive.
I want to close with Bain’s first pressure in that game, from all the way back in the first quarter. When studying prospects what they do is certainly important, but it is also instructive to look at how their opponents game-planned for them. When studying wide receivers, did they draw double teams or safety help over the top? When studying quarterbacks, did the opposing defensive coordinator blitz them? Spin the coverages at the snap?
When studying pass rushers, did they slide protection in his direction, or give tackles help?
Take a look at this play, and when the end zone angle appears, pay attention before the snap.
Did you see it? Perhaps this image will help:
Before the snap the entire offense — from Sayin through the offensive line down to the tight end and slot receiver — take note of Bain on the right edge, along with fellow pass rusher Akheem Mesidor. Ohio State slides the protection in their direction, and as the play begins the tight end tries to chip Bain off the line.
The Hurricanes use a stunt here, with Bain curling around the defensive tackle and into the A-Gap, and Mesidor just beats Bain to the quarterback for the sack on third down.
But while Bain’s pressure is partly due to scheme, what Ohio State did on (and even before) this play speaks volumes.
And moments like that speak volume to NFL scouts and evaluators.
