From this base set, the Hokies can play any number of man and zone coverages while still getting to an 8-man front on any play by rotating the Rover up closer to the line of scrimmage just prior to the snap. After that Boyd was able to find quick check downs due to loose coverage. In the above play, Jayron Hosley backpedals to his deep third at the snap. They have to get depth immediately to play deep-half coverage. In the old 4-4, the rover was always opposite to the whip. The stud end is outside eye of the tackle strong side, and the end is outside eye of the tackle on the weakside. .". James Anderson is the only Hokie alumni who is a starter in the front 7 of an NFL team. The defensive calls will be different on 2nd and three versus 3rd and nine. I'm pretty sure, if VT could land Hand or Brown, Foster would develop them into 1st Rd D-linemen, even in a gap fitting scheme. pdf yrs ago. Quarterbacks, seeing the odd space develop, are often easily baited into throwing seam routes against this coverage. Adobe d C The Gap Defense is grounded in a simple concept. View All Discussions French on the Bench , "Does it get any better than Thursday Night in Blacksburg?" And that is a key aspect of playing great defense, especially when the system relies heavily on speed, quickness and pursuit. Ok. We wore it again that season in our ACC Championship win against FSU. JWG goes to fill the gap, but the tight end takes him off his feet. And then they all have to stay on the same page through a series of on-going adjustments just before the ball is snapped. This morning, I actually stumbled across a presentation that Bud Foster made to the AFCA back in 1999. Based on what you said, don't the DL's all "tie" up the lines in both Bud scheme and the traditional pro-scheme? The attack from the DL is the next step, but they have to achieve their gap fit first. The middle backers have very little pass coverage responsibility, and spend significant time taking on blocks on the interior of a play. So that got me thinking: how does Bud and Co defend GT differently than a more pro style set? In that case, both Rover and WHIP will show blitzes naturally. 46 does not stand for 4 DL and 6 LBs, the name is derived from the player Buddy Ryan used to play one of the attacking LB positions. If you play C2R, and the opposition sends the outside WRs deep, the CB must go with him, which takes away the deep help for everyone on one side of the defense, so that it basically ends up M2M. Based on what you guys are saying those type of players wouldn't fit into BF's scheme unless he's going to go to a more traditional 4-3. In combination, these adjustments resulted in more big plays against the Tech defense, both in the running game as well as the passing game. The DB's align based on secondary alignment rules. A student manager signals the personnel group (12 in this example) via the sign board. That would have been tough duty for a guy like Rouse, who was much better suited for the current responsibilities assigned to the Rover (1) back as a deep safety to the boundary side or (2) up at the line of scrimmage as an outside linebacker playing boundary run containment or picking up a tight end in man coverage. So opposing coaches will tell a kid he'll have a better shot of making it to the NFL if he plays in a "NFL-style" 4-3. First of all, they had a GREAT offensive line that was able to block at angles which cut off the stunts from Virginia Tech linebackers. Damn shame if you ask me. When Foster developed the concept for the Gap Defense, he looked to solve two problems. Against an 8-man front, it was difficult for offenses to establish the run because there was generally one defender unaccounted for in the blocking scheme. The coaches helped by putting him in positions where he could be successful. What VT plays most against pro-style teams is Inverted Cover 2 Robber, but the deep cover guys are the Cornerbacks, not the safeties. As mentioned earlier, that led to man-to-man match-ups of a linebacker or Rover against that third and fourth wide receiver. Some teams run a 2 gap scheme (which is much more difficult to get players for.) Actually Clemson's D is not going to be all that different than what it was last year except that Venable is simplifying it without all the checks and stuff. Rover always goes to the side of the passing strength (not necessarily the TE side) or the Field side, and WHIP always aligns opposite the Rover. The Backer disguises, looking like he is scraping play-side, but in reality, he is filling the interior of the 6 gap. They've only had a few with an NFL frame, and none of them worked out. Justin Hamilton is in his first year as Virginia Tech's defensive coordinator after serving as safeties coach last year. ]~ .O}_JG7mn0 1.Wvn;m,Fv i>TFis endstream endobj 11 0 obj 433 endobj 17 0 obj << /Length 18 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> stream Adobe d C The mike linebacker has no pass coverage responsibility in most of the Hokie defenses. Wiley, Brown, Russell, Drakeford, Gray, Banks, Prioleau, Charleton, Midget, Bird, McCadam, Pile, Hall, Green, Fuller, Williams, Hamilton, Rouse, Flowers, Harris, Chancellor, Carmichael, Hosley, Fuller, Exum, Jarrett. Did Jim Harbaugh out scheme us, did we execute poorly, or were we outmanned? The alignment is a disguise, as he has no pass coverage responsibility. Clemson started to rise after that game, and we started to fall. Since we have such a deep and talented DL do you foresee more base defense this year? Meanwhile, passing downs allow the Hokies to easily switch the whip for a nickel back. The FS himself will play Robber over the very middle of the field and watches the eyes of the QB to take away intermediate routes, yet against the run hes a 9th man in the area to fill a gap. Spoilers). Nose Tackle: The Nose (Luther Maddy): The nose will line up as a 1 technique, on the inside eye of the play-side guard. If you compare how offensive schemes don't really hurt a recruits ability to make it to the NFL, why should a defensive scheme hurt us too? I think I understand the step 45 because I believe I saw an example of that when Urban Meyer was analyzing our DL a few years back. "#()%$%%! He has held the job since 1996, and he came to . A similar thing happened with the game against Miami, where LM just gashed us in the second half. Attack Defense Bud Foster Defensive Coordinator Virginia Polytechnic Institute Blacksburg, Va. Jim Cavanaugh Outside Linebackers Lou West Secondary Charlie Wiles Defensive Line Diagram 2 I would go so far as to say Miami was the worst defense the Hokies played all year. What I do see Tech doing is forcing opponents to keep the RB/TE in there to block by blitzing the WHIP often. NIL and the future of the 'student athlete', Liz Kitley is back to back ACC Player Of The Year, 2023 ACC Wrestling Tournament Seedings announced, OT: TKP Winter/Spring 2023 Gamer's Lounge, OT: 700 miles from the Rock through Spain and Portugal, HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: VIRGINIA TECH (16-13, 6-12 ACC) AT LOUISVILLE (4-25, 2-16 ACC) 9PM ACCN, FSU AD floats uneven revenue share for acc & leaving acc. Its a bit like a Tampa 2 defense, where the MLB drops back deeper in zone over the middle with 2 safeties behind, except that here youre dropping the FS down instead of backing up the MLB. Finally, the ball is snapped and the play runs to completion, most likely in five seconds or less. I played in the pre-2004 VT defense in HS at Westfield which was also a popular defense with Oakton/Robinson and I guess now South County which has Bendorf. I think they use the same DE rotation as last year, with Wilson and McCray playing every 4th series and Marshall getting some snaps at tackle and end. The diagram below uses numbers to identify each gap. I love it anyway! He had a concussion and it hurt our secondary. Stanford presents the most unique formula. Hop, Bruce, and JGW) and as possibly causing fatigue later in the year if the guys aren't in shape? Also BF has talked about wanting to change the "DNA" of our DL referencing Ala. and LSU's D-lines. The scheme is also simpler to execute because the players are aligned based on ball position, rather than on the strength of the offensive formation. At the time, there was a lot of discussion about the changes, both from the coaches directly and from others close to the program. The players also aligned differently. I have had some great question both here and on twitter about some of the nuances of the defense. And finally, we will take a look at how all of the calls and adjustments for each play are communicated from the coaches to the players. This is particularly true when the Whip or Rover is aligned on a slot WR -- hell come hard on the blitz pretty often. So, every player has to know exactly where to be, exactly what to do, and exactly where to go before running with reckless abandon into a full speed collision. I think I understand why our defense is used against us in recruiting. The free safety is responsible for coverage adjustments and making sure that everyone is lined up properly. It offers some terrific insight into the Hokie mindset at that time. However, what VT does is very different from TCU and here well showcase the fronts and coverages VT likes the most. In an 8-man front, the Rover will rotate up closer to the line of scrimmage and align as the fourth linebacker. It is even more stunning given how horridly Miami's D was against the Hokies. The number of wide receivers is derived from the combination of those two numbers. They have to have the frame and natural instinct. - TheFifthFuller. I want to focus on one, what has made teams successful against the Virginia Tech run defense? Even more bedeviling to teams that use pro-style running games, Foster uses a huge variety of stunts, hard slants, and linebacker blitzes to "funnel" the ball carrier right into an unblocked defensive player. Bud Foster called this scheme his "attack defense" but the base alignments were 8 man front's following the model of the famed Buddy Ryan 46 defense used by the Bears and Eagles in the 80's. WHIP might align himself like a FS, but hell come down over the middle into a hook zone instead of dropping for deep half-field coverage. Virginia Techs defense is a unique one in major college football in that it is very much an older style of defense descended from the Gap 8 and Wide Tackle 6. We play three different packages: G, T u f f and FD/ST-G. Our G package is our base defense. When they play 46 front, its mostly man/man, because its a pressure front like the Under we use. He had to use less of the C2R and more Cover 4. It also put the Whip and Rover in better positions to be successful. In-Depth Analysis of the Hokies' Bear Defense. He had to make the Rover less a run-defender and more of a full-time DB, a SS in laymans terms. Everyone, especially play side, must at least stalemate their blocker in their gap. Foster's approach is more than just an alignment, as the long-time play-caller in Blacksburg has implemented his scheme across his entire unit, not just up front. Ultimately, we will see Maddy and Derek Hopkins starting, with Marshall coming in for Maddy on most passing downs. Behind the defense, the Hokies secondary plays a basic robber coverage on this play. Last year's defense was an incredible patchwork of adjustments, alignments, schemes and calls designed to hide our defense's weaknesses and it worked in 11/13 games. Watkins is usually Fieldside. Looking forward to future articles. In that AFCA presentation could you explain what Wiles means for h.(Under Defensive Line: 10 Commandments) Escape: Rip or wipe, push with power, pull with trail, step 45 and rip your gap. Instead of taking on offensive linemen as a run stuffing linebacker, he was used more to play containment or run blitz off the edge. The biggest difference is how wildly the defensive responsibilities differ between the gap defense. It turns into a 1/4-1/4-1/2 scheme, C3, or you have to split the coverage so that the single receiver backside is getting man coverage. The Whip slides over in a defensive back alignment over the inside receiver. The 6 comes from the switches called between the LBs and the backfield. Often, a zone play to the right (which on a Madden diagram looks like it would go to the 6 gap) will actually cut back almost over the center. Sometimes shifts and motion will force the defense to tip its hand. Bud Foster keeps Virginia Tech opponents guessing with ability to adjust on defense After Virginia Tech upset No. Mike: The Mike backer (Jack Tyler) lines up directly over the center, and blitzes against the flow of the play to fly through the 1-3 gap. in the long run, if the giants dline continues to dominant with "defensive ends", i think it can be used to pitch to good dlineman. Five star get after it 100 percent Juice Key-Playing. While they are both still hybrid type players, their responsibilities are more confined. His number was 46. He was on a roll at the start of last season and his recovery is going really well. What is a Cover-2 and how does it differ from a Cover-3? 8 Ohio State with schemes used by Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster,. Williams and Harris pretty much flamed out. Former Coaching Staff: Where are they now? Often, in interviews with Bud Foster and other defensive coaches, you hear the term "gap fit" thrown around. Hopefully he has a breakthrough year. Most of the time, there is a safety/LB hybrid that is dropped into the box to create a true 8 man front. The Mike is over the center. The transition from James Anderson to Brenden Hill without skipping a beat showed two things (1) the coaches know how to put different type players in a position to succeed and (2) while better defined to defend against todays offensive systems, the Whip still is a hybrid position. Hope that VT keeps getting playing making athletic DTs that can get off blocks and penetrate in interior gaps in order to take D to next level. Because of the gap fit responsibility, a tremendous amount of pressure exists for the whip and the safeties to be sure tacklers anytime the ball carrier penetrates the line. In this installment of the series, we will cover the general concepts of Bud Foster's defensive scheme, including how offensive personnel and formation impact defensive alignments and responsibilities. Each defender essentially has the gap in front of him. BLACKSBURG Bud Foster's defenses have grown accustomed to carrying Virginia Tech's offenses over the years, so an early conversation the longtime Hokies defensive coordinator had with new . Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Combining elements from each scheme is what gives the 4-2-5 its versatility. Either way we'll have 3 starting quality DT. Defensive Alignment in the Four-Four In the 90's, Bud Foster used two alignments with the 4-4 defense. Down and distance is fairly obvious. Many defenses set the alignment of their players based on sides of the ball (ie, left and right) or formation strength (ie, which side the TE is on). H332U(W5RR-T56 )onl ${* *:JZjz ? Virginia Tech Hokies football, basketball, athletics blog and forum featuring: unique columns, breaking news, film studies, in-depth analysis, recruiting, videos and jokes. The consistent 3 stripes on white was a good look. Ball position refers to the position of the ball relative to the hash marks. MAN. couple that with (hopefully) some VERY strong dline recruits panning out, and landing dhand and/or brown next year, and it seems as if our defense is only going to get better and better, French-- in your opinion what position in the front 7 is the most important for a successful tech D. Also fwiw if tyler plays every play like those 2 video plays above its going to be hard to keep him off the field especially against gt. Join the community. Virginia Tech. That gives up some of the flat zone coverage, so watch for more WR screens this week if they show us C4. The Backer and Rover were strong side players, so they would usually align to the strong side of the formation. In certain situations, without changing the personnel, the Hokies will play an 8-man front, with four defensive linemen, four linebackers, and three defensive backs (4-4-3 alignment). Stud End (Tyrell Wilson): Pre-Snap, the S end lines up outside eye of the boundary side tackle. When Fuller took over whip, it seemed like that balance flipped, with the Whip finishing on more blitzes and the Mike not filling up the pass-rush stat column as much. Not every coach could do that. This allows the players to react instinctively and play with more confidence. What's considered non-radical? #Scales4Heisman. The Gap Defense is grounded in a simple concept. Other teams began to use a lot of quick passes and/or maximum protection blocking schemes to counter Techs blitz tendencies. If they can get Brown and Hand, I think Foster will figure out a way to take their skills and make it work, but I can GUARENTEE you, every recruiter that visits Brown and Hand will tell them that there has not been a Hokie defensive lineman since Foster was hired that has been a productive multi-year NFL starter.
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