By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
Twitter: @MikeKKuchar

Introduction:

The construction of Virginia Tech’s Bear package came in the result of a visit that Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster made as a guest to the University of Mississippi last spring. Rebels Defensive Coordinator Dave Wommack, who based out of a three-down front, was experimenting with a five down front in order to better defend the interior run game he was seeing in the Southeastern Conference.

According to Foster, what Wommack was doing was having his edge players, or defensive ends “wire,” which means read the guards in order to fit inside on any run schemes.

Foster loved the idea, but with the speed of the quarterbacks on Virginia Tech’s upcoming schedule (Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Duke, etc.), he was concerned about the quarterback perimeter run game. He had to find a way to accomplish two tall tasks: load the box to stop the interior run, yet be sound enough on the perimeter to defend the read option game. So when Foster got back to work in Blacksburg, he hit the lab to try to find a way to mesh what the Hokies were doing with its three down package, which was mainly used on third downs, to Wommack’s concept. A few days later, the birth of the Hokies’ Bear package came to fruition.

Advantages of the Bear Package

It was called a Bear package because of the presence of two 3-techniques on the line of scrimmage, which will be detailed below. Having two 3-techniques on the line of scrimmage negates any combination blocks at the point of attack, which is foundation of the one-back gap scheme run game infiltrating college football today. It was built off the former Chicago Bear defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan 46 defense philosophy, to create as many one on one blocks at the point of attack as possible, and just coach your players up on the back end better than your opponent.

Like many defensive structures, we found the Bear package to be more of a philosophy rather than a scheme. In Foster’s words, “I can’t win by giving up 35 points. That would piss me off. I don’t want the offense to have [expletive]. I’m not a bend but don’t break guy. I make the quarterback have to make good throws with pressure in his face.”

According to Foster, the entire premise of the Bear package is to get +1 in the box to defend quarterback option teams. Its coverage structure is man heavy, so part of the decision in implementing it is having the guts to play with one or sometimes no high safeties in the middle of the field. Many times, Foster would play his remaining free safety in a “cheat post technique” which allows him to play both run and pass responsibilities based on his post-snap key. “You have to play with a free hitter somewhere,” Foster told us. “If you can’t expect guys to come off blocks and make plays against dynamic players, you are barking up the wrong side of the tree.”

Personnel

Base Package (Diagram 1)

The base Bear package consists of the following personnel:

• Two defensive tackles who are interchangeable. Whichever tackle is on the same side of the backer (usually into the boundary) will align in a zero technique on the center. The defensive tackle who is away from the backer will align in a 3-technique.
• Two defensive ends who play left and right. Whichever defensive end is on the same side of the backer (usually into the boundary) will align in a 3-technique on the guard. As shown on film, the threat of a defensive end type as an interior player can cause a repeated disturbance in pass protection. “You have a dynamic kid who is a 3-technique on a guard who is not used to seeing that kind of quickness,” said Foster. “It’s a mismatch. Even if they try to switch block with the center it’s hard.” The defensive end who is away from the backer will align in a loose 5-technique on the tackle (in a stand-up position) and will be the force player to his side of the formation.
• Backer — Virginia Tech’s weak side inside linebacker who will align into the boundary or away from the passing strength of the formation. He will align in either a loose 5-techique (for a two-man surface) or a loose 9-technique (for a three man surface). We asked Foster about the cross training of this player to be both a box linebacker and a perimeter player. “You are using defensive ends inside that are very twitchy at 270 pounds who can get off the ball and are strong,” Foster told us. “The backer and defensive end will play in a two-point stance, so they can see pullers. If the back is to him, he tightens his alignment down. He will squeeze down if the tackle blocks down. If the tackle blocks out, he’s going to free his outside arm to play force.” The backer will be the force player to his side of the formation.
• Mike — The middle linebacker is the linchpin for this defense as he will be unblocked a good portion of the time. He will align in a zero stack position (directly behind the center) at 5 to 6 yards in depth depending on the position of the single back, which we will explore more in case two.
• Rover — This is the weak safety in Virginia Tech’s defensive scheme. He will align to the boundary or away from the passing strength and will mainly handle the responsibility of playing the number two receiver to his side, which can be a tight end or open receiver. This player can be interchangeable with the free safety depending on game plan.
• Whip/Nickel — This is the strong safety in Virginia Tech’s defensive scheme. He will declare himself to the passing strength of the formation or to the field. Foster would use a Whip (linebacker type) against 21 or 12 personnel teams and a Nickel (corner type) ag

By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
Twitter: @MikeKKuchar

Introduction:

Let’s get one inalienable truth straight: the entire Bear package is designed to stop the run. We know that shouldn’t come as a surprise, but remember the roots of the Bear system is centered around two main objective: get plus one in the run game and eliminate combination blocks at the point of attack. If teams are running the ball on Bear, there is a technical problem, not a structural one. In fact, when Virginia Tech used the Bear package they surrendered 2.9 yards per carry. That is nearly one yard less than what the Hokies gave up per run play using any other defensive structure.

Level Reads on Single Back:

Foster and his defensive staff place a premium on the horizontal and vertical level of the offset back in one-back offenses. In fact, the Mike will call out the level of the back on every snap because it affects how the defensive line, Mike linebacker and secondary defend the run game. Foster was hell-bent on this being a big key to decipher which run or pass concepts can be used. He told us that a lot of what he does with his front is based on the anticipation of the play concept he is getting with the offset in that position. He did tell us that the level could be disguised if the team has a dynamic center and the ball gets back quickly, but in most occasions this is not the case and the back cannot lie in order to get to the mesh point. Since the Bear package puts a nose on a zero technique on that center, it’s much harder to both snap the ball and block efficiently. In any case, we detail each of these levels below.

Level One Alignment (Diagram 14)

Definition: The offset is even or parallel with the quarterback.

Play Concepts Anticipated: Perimeter run game such as speed sweep, outside zone or power read. There is also a high tendency of pass because of the offset’s proximity to the A gap.

Affect on Defense: In level one, Foster will have the Mike key the triangle (center and two guards) to detect any pullers for power read. “He anticipates some kind of pull so he doesn’t fly out of there,” said Foster. “It’s either full zone or the power read stuff.”

Level Three Alignment (Diagram 15)

Definition: The offset is behind the quarterback.

Play Concepts Anticipated: Downhill zone run game such as mid-zone, tight zone and split zone. Mainly A-gap accountable runs.

Affect on Defense: Foster will generally will spark the A gap away from the back with the nose and have the Mike run through the A gap to the side of the back in order to draw the combination block of the guard (Diagram 16). “Our Mike is 5 to 6 yards deep as a base,” says Foster. “If it’s level three, he may tighten up because you’re getting zone. He runs through the A gap if he has a level three pre-snap picture.”

Level Two Alignment (Blur) (Diagram 17)

Definition: Foster calls level two “blur” which means that it may be blurry, or unclear, whether or not the back is in level one or level three. Maybe the offset’s toes are at the heels of the quarterback. “It looks like level one but it may be level three but they are just deep enough,” says Foster. “He is just a little behind the quarterback. People will try to fudge it, but they often get too deep on the speed sweep and a bad snap will throw off the timing on that thing.”

Play Concepts Anticipated: Could be a mixture of tight zone and wide zone schemes.

Affect on Defense: Foster admits that a lot of film study goes into deciphering what play concepts teams are using out of blur looks. One of the things he will do is use a “Spill” call to the side of the back, which is described below.

Wide Alignment (Diagram 18)

By Mike Kuchar
Senior Research Manager
X&O Labs
Twitter: @MikeKKuchar

Introduction:

In Blacksburg, defensive backs coach Torrian Gray has cultivated an atmosphere of grit and tenacity among his protégés. Gray, a former All-American at Virginia Tech, has tutored the likes of Kyle Fuller, Macho Harris, Brandon Flowers and Kam Chancellor throughout his nine-year tenure. It’s the cultivation of the atmosphere of competition that Gray credits for the Hokies success in playing many of the pure man concepts they employ, which was used to defeat Ohio State.

“Defensive back play is a mindset the way we coach it,” said Gray. “I try to impinge my mindset among those players. We want to contest every throw. I told them going into Ohio State that for us to go to Columbus and play in front of 100,000 people the way we have to win is to load the box and play man coverage to stop the run.”

It worked. Virginia Tech limited the Buckeyes to 108 yards on the ground, made three interceptions, and one pick six which sealed the game.

Philosophy

Many of the coverages in the Hokies system are man or a matchup man concept, particularly in its Bear package. It’s a mindset deeply rooted in Bud Foster’s system. “When they (defensive backs) come here they need to know that is how we play,” Gray told us. “It becomes a matter of teaching them the fundamentals necessary to execute these techniques. Young players need to know plays that you do or don’t make in the back end wins or loses games.” But in order to do this, Gray has to cross train his entire back end, especially his safeties, in being responsible for playing a man in coverage and defending a run gap. It takes tremendous eye discipline to do so, particularly with a sense of “intelligent recklessness” as Gray calls it. Quite simply, if those safeties see a down or fan block by their cover key, they are triggering in the run game immediately.

Press Technique

We wanted to spend some time reporting on how the Hokies teach their press technique. As seen on film, Gray gives his corners the choice to play press or off technique in Bear. However, since many Bear snaps are first and second down based, those corners are usually pressed on the line of scrimmage. Gray talks more about the first five yards of the route than the routes themselves. He preaches winning in the first five yards. “What that means is that whatever technique I use in the press technique, I want to be high on that receiver and not let him get stacked on me,” said Gray. “The first thing you have to do is defend the takeoff.”

In order to win the first five yards of the route, Gray teaches his safeties and corners the following techniques in press coverage:

• Revis Technique: Modeled after NFL All-Pro Darrelle Revis, this is a technique where players are moving their feet and working their hands on the snap of the ball. It’s a square, square, punch technique that reinforces the defensive back to stay square until he feels threatened. The alignment is a shoe-to-shoe stagger.
• Stagger Square Technique: Here, the defensive backs are doing the same things, but they are staggering their feet pre-snap. “We got our feet staggered and we are trying to give ground and let the receiver close to ground,” said Gray. “Once he gets on top, we want to turn and use our off arm to run with him.”
• Quick Jam Technique: This is a more physical technique, which is mainly used in the red zone where the ceiling is low. Here, players use both hands to jam the receiver without shuffling. The defensive back is almost forcing the receiver to get on top.

To see cutups of Virginia Tech’s press technique fundamentals, click on the video below: