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The Cavaliers’ defensive line must replace the experience of Brennan Schmidt. |
As is the case with the Virginia offensive line, the Cavalier defensive front is going through a transition this season. The D-Line will go into the 2006 season with players that have started just 13 games, and 12 of those starts belong to Chris Long .
Players like Keenan Carter , Allen Billyk , Alex Field , Jeffrey Fitzgerald , Jason Fuller and Long are garnering a lot of attention this spring as they try to fill the voids left by the departures of guys like Chris Canty, Andrew Hoffman, Kwakou Robinson, and Brennan Schmidt over the last few seasons. How effectively the new faces are along the defensive line may determine how successful the 2006 Virginia season ends.
The biggest hindrance for many of these players is the lack of in-game experience. That’s why spring camp is critical, especially for younger players because it affords them the chance to get plenty of turns on the defense. Long, Virginia’s lone returning starter on the defensive front, says the light came on for him in spring camp.
“When I turned the corner from being really clueless to having a clue was last spring,” admitted the Virginia defensive end. “That’s because you really get reps and you’re forced to become the man on the D-line or whatever role, you’re forced to take it on, you have to take it on. [Spring is when] you turn that corner and I see these guys turning that corner.”
As Long noted, getting more snaps in practice is a key piece of player development. Coach Al Groh says that players like defensive ends Alex Field and Jeffery Fitzgerald are benefiting from additional reps this spring.
“[Alex Field ] is really getting a lot of reps now,” said Groh. “Last year he got a lot of exposure reps. He and Jeffrey Fitzgerald are taking all of the turns at that left defensive end rotation. We’re certainly looking towards using both of them on some type of rotation next season so it’s been very beneficial for [Alex]. Levern [Belin] did a good job with him last year but Mike [London] has been a very positive influence on him also.”
Field says the added turns in practice come with added pressure. He added that playing against some of the top offensive linemen in the ACC day in and day out helps you as a player, though.
“There’s a lot more pressure being out there and taking more reps in practice,” acknowledged Field. “You’ve got to know more plays. But it’s just doing the same thing every day and going out there and working hard. I only took a few plays in the games last year but I definitely went up against the best in practice everyday and that prepared me pretty well for the guys I faced on the field.”
“There’s some pressure but it’s more that we have a young defense,” Billyk said. “I’m one of the older guys out there so I’ve been around and I know how things happen. I don’t have as much playing experience but I can help [the younger guys] along.” “The game is a lot faster than practice, plus we see our team every day so we see their tendencies,” Billyk continued. “It’s a little different getting out there in a normal game situation. You don’t have all of the reads and you’re used to playing against the regular practice guys.” Fitzgerald, a redshirt freshman, is another player that has the potential to earn significant playing time next fall. He is making the most of his opportunity. Groh says what really impressed the coaches about Fitzgerald is that he was just a good football player. “He’s one of those kinds of guys, and he was in high school, just a real good player,” said Groh. The focus right now is on getting comfortable with the defense and understanding the respective roles in the 3-4 scheme. “In the 3-4 it’s a lot of 2-gapping, standing blockers up and being responsible for two holes,” says Field. Billyk agreed. “In a 4-3 defense, there is a lot more penetration and in the 3-4 the defensive line is blocking off that interior line and making sure no one gets through any seams,” Billyk added. “Just knowing where the other guys like to end up and you know where to fit off that. In the 3-4, you just want to set up a wall, maybe press back the line of scrimmage a yard or two and know whether you need to play to a certain side or gap.” Billyk, who is battling junior Keenan Carter for playing time, says learning the nose tackle position has been a fairly easy transition from the defensive end spot because in the 3-4, the lineman all have similar responsibilities. “It’s pretty much the same as playing defensive end,” Billyk explained. “You have a couple of different blocks to look at and some different reads, other than that you’re just mirror stepping and 2-gapping.”
Regardless of who fills the open nose tackle and defensive end spot, the emergence of Long last season as a disruptive force on the line will force opponents to take special care in defending the speedy end. Groh says the key for Long this spring is just continuing to build on his late season success. “He finished on such a positive note last season and I think just taking it from where he finished the last couple of games last year and expanding it,” says Groh. “Last year he was one of the cogs in the wheel. He comes back has one of the players that has the dimension to be a disruptive player as he was down in Nashville for us. We’ve really tried to work some things into the scheme with an eye to providing him that opportunity.” Long likes the group he’s working with this spring and says they are just a bunch of lunch pail guys. “We don’t have any superstars on the defensive line,” said Long. “We’re just trying to be real physical and try and take it to people and form that identity and it’s going to take everybody.” Long says the biggest focus this spring has been to learn and get better every day. “Just being a low maintenance group,” Long says is the goal. “When we watch film, everybody’s got to be coachable. Everybody’s got to take coaching and get better. Everybody has to focus on the fundamentals. Like I said, we’re not a superstar type team or defense. We’re blue collar and come to work and try to get better. I think we do have some hard-nosed kids and that’s what we’re focusing on, not setting each other out from the pack, but just being a pack.” The sounds of the season
If the importance of a particular drill is measured by the intensity of the coaches leading it, then the blitz pick-up drill is of significant importance at Virginia. The blitz pick-up drill is a fun drill to watch, but it’s even more fun to listen to. It’s an interesting drill where the defender – either a defensive back or linebacker – attacks the line of scrimmage and the backs take turns picking up the defender. Hands down, the top blitz pick-up guy in the Virginia offensive backfield at Friday’s open practice was Cedric Peerman . The fact that the drill is run by linebacker coach Bob Diaco and running backs coach Anthony Poindexter shows the level of intensity required in this drill. And Poindexter may have been the most entertaining element of the drill. With redshirt freshman running back Cain Ringstaff battling well and fending off a defender, Poindexter shouts: “That’s what I’m talking about 3-2. That’s it boy. Tell him to come get some. Who wants some?” Not to be out done, Diaco admonishes safety Bernie McKeever: “Finish him off Bernie, finish him off.” But clearly the highlight of the afternoon, a moment that had everyone within earshot of the drill chuckling, was watching Peerman manhandle linebackers Jermaine Dias and Antonio Appleby as Poindexter started dancing and high-fiving anyone within arm’s length. At the conclusion of the rep, Poindexter ran over and slapped Peerman on the helmet and literally jumped on his shoulder in excitement. Peerman still seemed to be in one piece following the demonstration. Breaking up is hard to do
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