HUNTINGTON Ƶ The Marshall volleyball and basketball teams will play on new courts this season following the purchase of two new playing surfac…
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Ƶ Ƶ preseason football practices change from a preponderance of individual drills to more work in assembling units and preparing for game play, position groups begin to put more time together in practice.
Whether itƵs tight ends and tackles drilling to hone communication and synergy on offense, or linebackers and defensive linemen repping to perfect gap responsibilities against the run, small groups, and eventually entire units, are getting more time together as the calendar pages flip toward the first weekend in September.
The combinations are many and are apparent during any practice viewing. Two or more coaches will get together, merge their players and go through a coverage sequence, a gap responsibility drill or a pass protection design as the next step in a building process that eventually leads to a full 11-man unit.
Along the way, though there probably arenƵt more permutations experienced by any group other than safeties, who have responsibilities with every other position on the field in West VirginiaƵs defensive system.
ƵThereƵs not a position that at some point we donƵt have to communicate something with, or be in a fit or a coverage with,Ƶ said Mountaineer defensive coach Dontae Wright, who oversees the free, cat and spear positions in West VirginiaƵs hybrid scheme. ƵItƵs not just corners and backers; weƵre working with d-linemen at times. WeƵre working with the bandits at times.Ƶ
West VirginiaƵs base 3-3-5 defensive system is like many in college football these days in that it adds a more mobile defender in place of a down lineman, but itƵs different in that it employs more players with multiple skills Ƶ hybrids Ƶ than most others.
ThereƵs the bandit, which can play on the front line as an edge defender or in the middle of the second level as a linebacker, but there are also two safeties Ƶ the spear and the cat Ƶ who have a combination of run and pass support assignments.
Add in the will linebacker, who has to cover more than most traditional players in that position, and ƵU fields a flexible defense that can cover, blitz and fill with many combinations.
In order to do that effectively, though, calls and communications have to occur quickly, with formation and play diagnosis vital for the defense at every level. In the middle of it all are the safeties, who have to merge in pass coverage with the cornerbacks, within run support with the defensive line, and in both with the linebackers.
Thus, during practices, youƵll see them drilling with each group during different periods to hone their reactions and movements, which are vital to success. Ƶ a defense that rush just about any defender, or drop any into coverage, playing in synchronization is even more important than a defense, which doesnƵt shift and switch so much.
ƵWe are going to drop people from all over the place and add people in,Ƶ said Wright, who continued to coach his players on the field and up close despite a torn hamstring he suffered after getting rolled up in a recent practice, which has left him dependent on crutches (not to mention Dana HolgorsenƵs old golf cart) to get around.
Wright and his fellow coaches have done a bit of mixing, moving and matching during fall camp to identify the best players at each position, and true to the hybrid nature of the defense have a number who can play at more than one spot.
Wright feels comfortable that his veteran trio of free safety Alonzo Addae, cat safety Sean Mahone and spear Scottie Young could play any of those three spots, and has given them some reps at at least one of the other positions.
Backups are also similarly flexible, with K.J. Martin slotted as first off the bench at both cat and free (ƵHeƵs going to play a lot,Ƶ Wright noted), with Charles Woods, who played cornerback at Illinois State, also opening eyes as a spear.
Davis Mallinger and Caleb Coleman are slotted at cat and free, while Saint McLeod is concentrating at spear. Another freshman, Aubrey Burks, has gained notice at free and at rover, which is an extra defensive back position used in one of the MountaineersƵ substitution packages in passing situations.
MORGANTOWN Ƶ Ƶ preseason football practices change from a preponderance of individual drills to more work in assembling units and preparing for game play, position groups begin to put more time together in practice.
Whether itƵs tight ends and tackles drilling to hone communication and synergy on offense, or linebackers and defensive linemen repping to perfect gap responsibilities against the run, small groups, and eventually entire units, are getting more time together as the calendar pages flip toward the first weekend in September.
The combinations are many and are apparent during any practice viewing. Two or more coaches will get together, merge their players and go through a coverage sequence, a gap responsibility drill or a pass protection design as the next step in a building process that eventually leads to a full 11-man unit.
Along the way, though there probably arenƵt more permutations experienced by any group other than safeties, who have responsibilities with every other position on the field in West VirginiaƵs defensive system.
ƵThereƵs not a position that at some point we donƵt have to communicate something with, or be in a fit or a coverage with,Ƶ said Mountaineer defensive coach Dontae Wright, who oversees the free, cat and spear positions in West VirginiaƵs hybrid scheme. ƵItƵs not just corners and backers; weƵre working with d-linemen at times. WeƵre working with the bandits at times.Ƶ
West VirginiaƵs base 3-3-5 defensive system is like many in college football these days in that it adds a more mobile defender in place of a down lineman, but itƵs different in that it employs more players with multiple skills Ƶ hybrids Ƶ than most others.
ThereƵs the bandit, which can play on the front line as an edge defender or in the middle of the second level as a linebacker, but there are also two safeties Ƶ the spear and the cat Ƶ who have a combination of run and pass support assignments.
Add in the will linebacker, who has to cover more than most traditional players in that position, and ƵU fields a flexible defense that can cover, blitz and fill with many combinations.
In order to do that effectively, though, calls and communications have to occur quickly, with formation and play diagnosis vital for the defense at every level. In the middle of it all are the safeties, who have to merge in pass coverage with the cornerbacks, within run support with the defensive line, and in both with the linebackers.
Thus, during practices, youƵll see them drilling with each group during different periods to hone their reactions and movements, which are vital to success. Ƶ a defense that rush just about any defender, or drop any into coverage, playing in synchronization is even more important than a defense, which doesnƵt shift and switch so much.
ƵWe are going to drop people from all over the place and add people in,Ƶ said Wright, who continued to coach his players on the field and up close despite a torn hamstring he suffered after getting rolled up in a recent practice, which has left him dependent on crutches (not to mention Dana HolgorsenƵs old golf cart) to get around.
Wright and his fellow coaches have done a bit of mixing, moving and matching during fall camp to identify the best players at each position, and true to the hybrid nature of the defense have a number who can play at more than one spot.
Wright feels comfortable that his veteran trio of free safety Alonzo Addae, cat safety Sean Mahone and spear Scottie Young could play any of those three spots, and has given them some reps at at least one of the other positions.
Backups are also similarly flexible, with K.J. Martin slotted as first off the bench at both cat and free (ƵHeƵs going to play a lot,Ƶ Wright noted), with Charles Woods, who played cornerback at Illinois State, also opening eyes as a spear.
Davis Mallinger and Caleb Coleman are slotted at cat and free, while Saint McLeod is concentrating at spear. Another freshman, Aubrey Burks, has gained notice at free and at rover, which is an extra defensive back position used in one of the MountaineersƵ substitution packages in passing situations.