FAYETTEVILLE — Bret Bielema has ideas on how to fix the Arkansas defense and his coordinator does not seem opposed.
That seemed to be the big news Monday as three top Arkansas football coaches met with the media during practices for a Dec. 29 date with Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl.
Bielema, the fourth-year Arkansas head coach, favors a move away from the 4-3 that he's used for much of his head coaching tenure to a 3-4, a front that he played in college. He also used a 3-4 during at least part of his time as an assistant coach.
Robb Smith, the UA defensive coordinator the last three years, said he has worked in a 3-4 at least part of his time in the NFL with Tampa Bay.
Something has to change after the 2016 Hogs gave up 36 rushing touchdowns, a school record. The Hogs outscored the opposition 370-369 during a 7-5 regular season. The defense gave up 428.7 yards per game, including 209.3 on the ground.
Bielema bemoaned the lack of quarterback pressure all season and said after the 28-24 loss to Missouri in the regular season finale that something would be changed to get more of a rush. The Tigers hit a series of long passes to rally from a 24-7 halftime deficit.
As far as the 3-4 or 4-3 schemes, Bielema said he's “done a little bit of both” during his coaching career. He said things evolve between one or the other, based on what offenses are out there in college football.
“Things have transitioned from the 4-3 to the 3-4 of late,” Bielema said. “I loved the 3-4. That's what I played and coached it for a while. I had to learn the 4-3 when I got into coaching because it was a big deal.
“Football evolved to the 4-3 and now it's coming back to the 3-4. We've done a little of that in our sub packages.”
Smith had success at Arkansas in his first season as coordinator, out of the 4-3. But the Hogs are moving toward a system with more outside linebackers and heavier inside tackles. That's being addressed in recruiting with a big junior college tackle on the radar.
“With the 3-4, you can bring pressures (on the quarterback) from both sides,” Bielema said.
That might open the door for some of the younger players to step in on the outside in the 3-4. There are good reports on JUCO transfer Michael Taylor, ineligible this fall after arriving in August. Taylor has practiced with the team. He's at 260 pounds now, but once ran a sub 4.4 40-yard dash as a high schooler. Redshirt freshman Dee Walker is an outside linebacker with big speed, too.
Smith said there had been talk “within our walls” during the season about the potential for playing the 3-4 in the future as more speed was added in recruiting and with players on the redshirt list.
“Anytime you can create flexibility, that's good, especially in the front seven,” Smith said. “We had that in our Tampa defense.”
Smith said the plan was to add “size inside” and speed outside.
“That's what you need in the SEC West against what we are facing,” Smith said. “The 3-4 gives you flexibility to rush three, or add a fourth rusher and the flexibility to bring five. You get more athletes on the field.”
Whether or not the Hogs could move to a 3-4 for the bowl game wasn't addressed. Either way, they may get some help from the injury list.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, out with a broken foot since the Alabama game, has practiced. He hasn't been cleared to play in the bowl, but it appears that could happen. He was the team's leading tackler when he went out.
“We've had him in a limited capacity so far in our bowl work,” Smith said. “Dre is a really good player, but he's only scratched the surface on what he can become.”
Defensive end Deatrich Wise was bothered by injuries throughout the season, including a broken hand that curtailed his weight lifting. He's regaining his strength as the bowl preparation continues.
“Getting a 100 percent Deatrich would help,” Smith said.
Wise was one of the most explosive defensive pass rushers down the stretch in 2015, but did not produce many lost yardage plays this season. He went to the bench except in third down situations over the final four games.
Bielema said Wise “had really jumped out” in bowl practices so far.
“With that hand healed, he has taken it to a whole other level,” Bielema said. “To get the (Wise) of old would really help. I think with some of the seniors, there is a finality that it's it for them.”
The scouting of Virginia Tech is in high gear. Smith knows there is a big test awaiting with the run-pass options against quarterback Jerod Evans. The 6-3, 238-pound Dallas product has passed for 3,303 yards and gained another 759 on the ground. He's accounted for 37 touchdowns.
“He makes them go,” Smith said. “He's excellent in the (run-pass option) game. They do things with formations to thin you out in the box and he can make plays against you running and passing.
“There is a carry over from Mississippi State.What they do with their pullers (in the offensive line) and what they try to do as far as on the perimeter with their receivers is something we've seen.”
It's also something the Hogs haven't often stopped.
“Our defense certainly hasn't been what we wanted,” Smith said. “We haven't performed up to expectations and it's been a disappointment. We want to execute better in the bowl.”
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos knows Virginia Tech's defense. He has faced schemes run by coordinator Bud Foster three times, twice as an assistant and once as a play-calling head coach at Central Michigan. Virginia Tech won all three games.
“It's an SEC-caliber defense,” Enos said. “I mean that as a highest compliment. We have played some of the finer defenses (in college football) within our league. It's not going to get easier.”
Foster always develops a scheme to allow his best players to gain an edge in playmaking situations.
“That's what you see, he knows how to develop blitzes for his players,” he said. “They have two guys who each have 17 tackles for lost yardage.”
That's nose tackle Woody Baron and left outside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Both were on various all-conference teams.
Foster is creative in his 4-2-5 scheme, sometimes blitzing safeties through the “A” gap, something rarely seen in other schemes.
“They did that a couple of times against Clemson (in the ACC title game),” Enos said. “They do have some total blitz packages and they do overload blitz. Those are both things we have to be prepared to play against. And who knows what wrinkle (Foster) will come up with extra time to prepare?”
It goes both ways. Perhaps the Hogs have enough time to install some defensive wrinkles of their own. Is the 3-4 going to greet the Hokies in Charlotte?