Virginia Tech's Defensive Scheme Stymied By Down Blocks

I expected subtle defensive scheme changes and better tackling versus a much bigger Pitt Panthers team after Tech's dreadful performance defending a simple QB counter against East Carolina. Personnel changes at boundary corner (Terrell Edmunds) and mike linebacker (Andrew Motuapuaka) gave the Hokies a bigger lineup. The question in my mind was, would the defense continue to robotically execute scheme assignments, or would they take it further and make plays?

On Pitt's opening drive of the second half, the Panthers used a basic power play to spring Qadree Ollison on two long runs that lead to the eventual game winning touchdown. On paper, Foster's scheme is solid, but in practice it exposes the shortcomings of the Hokies' personnel. The strength of Tech's defense is its d-line, and by virtue of the offense's blocking scheme on a power play (down blocks), the d-line is moved away from the football. The defensive line keys the first step of the offensive lineman. The defensive lineman will attack the gap that the o-lineman steps, lock out, and shed the block. Virginia Tech's weakness has been its linebackers and secondary, which is expected to scrape across and fit on the play side. The defense as it's drawn up should stop Pitt cold. Although the reality is, it depends on young players on the back end that are making mistakes with their execution, or are physically unable to match up.

Pitt has the football in the middle of the field and aligns in a three tight end formation with two tight ends to the right side. The field corner, free safety and mike linebacker are defending the left side. Pitt motions the tight end to get rover Adonis Alexander moving away from the flow. At the snap, Pitt runs a power play.

This is rudimentary, old school football. Left guard Dorian Johnson (No. 53) and left tackle Adam Bisnowaty (No. 69) follow power's play side gap, down, linebacker blocking rule. Johnson and Bisnowaty double team Woody Baron. Baron occupies Johnson's inside gap, and Bisnowaty doesn't have man inside or down from him, so he assists Johnson before peeling off to seal back side linebacker Deon Clarke. Tech's d-line keys on the blocker's first step, so DE Ken Ekanem and Baron slant into the down blocks. Tight end Scott Orndoff (No. 83) drives Ekanem inside. Center Artie Rowell (No. 57) blocks back on DT Luther Maddy. Back side guard Alex Officer (No. 63) pulls front side (to his left) and blocks the first unblocked player—first a bump into Ekanem, second he smothers Motuapuaka. H-Back Jaymar Parrish (No. 31) pulls and leads through the hole on the alley player (in this case, corner Brandon Facyson). The tailback follows Officer and Parrish. There are no reads. There are no cutbacks. If there isn't a hole, the offense pushes the pile. Pitt's scheme forces the Hokies' best players to slant away from the football, and it puts extra blockers and size at the point of attack against Tech's smallish linebackers and safeties.

The unequal size matchup and a busted assignment by an experienced defensive player both victimized the Hokies. The first key block is the double team on Woody Baron. Johnson and Bisnowaty drive Baron back into Deon Clarke's lap, preventing Clarke from scraping across. Baron has played well this season, however a 275 pounder playing a predominant count of snaps is going to eventually struggle facing a double team from two 300 pounders. Ekanem gets some penetration and stands up the tight end blocking down on him enough to impede the pulling guard. He fares better than the rest. Chuck Clark has a force assignment and can't let the play outside, so he can't give up outside leverage and the fullback takes advantage by turning him outside.

Motuapuaka was much more aggressive most of the game, and made several spectacular plays. On this play, he stops short of the hole and almost makes the block for the pulling guard by not getting square in the gap.

Foster commented on the play Monday, "That's where you're scratching your head because you've got a guy the other day when the first play popped in the first play of the second half, we're supposed to hammer the ball man free outside arm and turn him right back into our free hitter. Our corner, who is an experienced guy, spills it and the ball gets outside. Those are things, he hasn't been taught to do that. 'Why are you doing that?' So those are the things that are frustrating. 'Why are you doing that when you haven't been taught? Tell me why."

Brandon Facyson takes on the fullback with his inside shoulder, spilling the running back outside where there isn't any support. The free hitter is Adonis Alexander, and he is expecting the play to be forced back to him. This makes it appear that Alexander has taken a bad angle. Ollison is off to the races before Alexander can trip him up.

On the next play, Pitt runs the same play, again targeting Baron and Ekanem's side of the defensive line. The left side is now the boundary, so the Hokies have flipped corners and inside linebackers. Clarke and Edmunds are now on the play side.

There are no scheme breakdowns here. The Hokies just get whipped at the point of attack. Maddy gets penetration yet can't turn the corner around the center's down block to follow the pulling guard. Baron gets driven inside by Johnson and Bisnowaty. Bisnowaty slides off the double team and shields Motuapuaka. Ekanem gets ridden way inside by the tight end, which isn't good enough from an All-ACC defensive end.

Edmunds and Clarke both have to fit the gap and force the play back to Alexander as a free hitter coming across. Clarke and Edmunds get steamrolled, but force the play. Simple physics beat scheme here. Parrish is 6-2, 270 pounds. Edmunds is 6-1, 201 pounds. Parrish is also moving downhill, while Edmunds is catching him. Officer is 6-4, 335 pounds. Clarke is 6-1, 227 pounds. Without confidently getting downhill and beating the blockers to the point of attack, the defenders can't win this battle. Bigger and stronger wins.

Even though Clarke and Edmunds get mashed, they executed the scheme. Alexander comes across and has an opportunity to put Ollison on the ground. Ollison runs through the tackle. Bigger and stronger beat an inexperienced freshman. Alexander is going to be one heck of a player, but Saturday was not his best day at the office. Pitt used alignment to get Alexander in man-to-man and bracket coverage against Tyler Boyd, who may be the best receiver in the ACC. Alexander was game; however Boyd did what talented upperclassmen do against freshman defensive backs. He got open and caught the football on several key third downs. Alexander then got lost looking at crossing routes and the tight end slipped behind him for his first touchdown. Alexander has the ability to be an outstanding safety at Virginia Tech. Saturday was a striking example of how tough it is for freshmen to come in and be productive right away.

When the Panthers got the ball back, they again ran the exact same play at Baron and Ekanem. Ekanem was much tougher against the down block. Clarke was much stiffer taking on blocks, and Motuapuaka made some beautiful plays. Pitt was able to extend a handful of drives; however the Hokies defense got enough stops for their offense to win the football game.

On this play, the Hokies' defensive front muscles up against the power lead.

Ekanem steps to his gap, and then leans back to the outside to squeeze down the hole. Clarke is the edge player. He plays good edge force technique. He leads with his inside (left) shoulder and gets underneath to push the fullback backwards. This squeezes the alley's size and keeps his outside shoulder free to chase if the back bounces outside. Facyson effectively takes on the guard. Clark fills the alley.

The most impressive play here comes from Motuapuaka. He moves laterally and gets depth so the down blocking tackle can't seal him inside. He then steps into the hole and makes a strong solo tackle. This is what good linebacker play looks like. Motuapuaka made some important plays on Saturday. He was sounder with his technique and several times he made the correct aggressive play. Twice, Motuapuaka tackles stopped Peterman and Voytik on quarterback runs where more acclaimed players were driven out of position. At the same time, Motuapuaka missed a one-on-one tackle in the hole against Ollison on a crucial third-and short, and got sealed inside on both of the long Ollison runs in the third quarter. He is a work in progress, but his play is improving.

Virginia Tech has one less day to prepare for its game against North Carolina State on Friday. Wolfpack quarterback Jacoby Brissett is a 6-4, 235 pound running and passing threat. He is a guy who can line up and follow pulling linemen on those quarterback lead plays that ECU's James Summers and Pitt's Chad Voytik had some success with. Defensive ends Dadi Nicolas (who was nearly invisible against Pitt) and Ekanem are going to have to fight across those down blocks, and Tech's alley players must be much more effective tackling in space for the Hokies to get back to .500.