The 3-3-5 odd stack always seemed to make sense for West Virginia University's football program.
For whatever reason, the Mountaineers have difficulty landing multiple fine defensive linemen, so the scheme helps with that. In addition, WVU is now in the Sprint Series, aka the Big 12, so the program has to get as much speed as possible on the field.
Yet one has to wonder. While the odd stack fits West Virginia's program in general, is it a fit for the opening game against Georgia Southern? (Yes, we're talking football. Strictly football. The college season begins this coming week. Sometimes life's good, eh?)
Even Georgia Southern coach Willie Fritz is curious. In a one-on-one interview last week with the Gazette-Mail, he said this:
"West Virginia is not afraid to pressure you. I think it will be interesting to see how they play us because teams that usually pressure don't as much against us. They have to play assignment football."
The reason is, Georgia Southern runs the ball. A lot. Last season, the Eagles ran the ball 81 percent of the time from Fritz's spread option attack. He'll go with one, two or three backs. His quarterbacks will line up in a shotgun or pistol formation. Then GSU challenges you.
"Very difficult," said WVU assistant coach Joe DeForest. "It's unique. It's basically the same type of thing like when everybody else faces our defense.
"It's a challenge because it's such an assignment-based game for our defense. It's not as wide open as what you see in the Big 12. It's assignment football and you have to be very disciplined or it can hurt you."
The question was asked straight up. Is this a bad matchup for the Mountaineer defense?
"Well, I think we have speed on the perimeter," DeForest said. "We're built that way because of the Big 12 and our kids can run."
Head coach Dana Holgorsen agreed.
"I think it matches up pretty well," he said. "We are a perimeter-oriented defense. Offensively, we try to throw the ball. They try to throw it with a bunch of different options such as motions and pitching the ball. If we can maintain our assignments defensively, then I think our team speed will be able to handle that.
"It's a lot of reps these [WVU] guys have to see in order to understand what to do. I think having the experience at linebacker and safety is going to be key. We are talking about five seniors that are second level players. If our front-line guys can be tough and hold the gaps and allow those five guys to run - see it and understand it - then I have confidence in our defense to be able to slow them down."
Don't misunderstand. WVU is a 18- to 20-point favorite and should win going away. But for those interested in the game within the game, it's something neat to watch.
"Don't underestimate Georgia Southern," DeForest said. "They are very fast on the perimeter. Their quarterback can run; their receivers can run. Their running backs are as fast as we'll see. They are supposedly clocked at 4.4 [seconds in the 40-yard dash]. You can see it on film. They're running away from N.C. State and Navy and other teams at a high level. It's a challenge."
Well, they ran on N.C. State and Georgia Tech last season, but not Navy, which won 52-19. The Eagles program defeated Florida a couple seasons back.
Just keep an eye on the matchup. Tony Gibson likes his defense to dictate the tempo, not react to the opposition. As Fritz said, the defensive coordinator likes to blitz. The spread option can take away aggressiveness and shorten the game.
But, aside from the obvious edge in talent, the Mountaineers are also catching a couple breaks. First, starting GSU quarterback Kevin Ellison will miss the game. Second, his replacement, Favian Upshaw, weighs but 170 pounds. WVU's defenders have to be licking the proverbial chops at that.
"If we get a chance we're going to sure hit [Upshaw] as much as we can," DeForest said. "The way they're built, if he sees someone coming, though, he's going to pitch it. So it's a challenge.
"You don't know where the ball is. That's why you assign the dive, the quarterback and the pitch. You have to be disciplined throughout the game or they can embarrass you."
The counter to that?
"You have to do some other things to make them guess, so you're not lined up the same way every time," DeForest said.
Fortunately for WVU, the Mountaineer defense has experience on its side. It has some speed. Also, it's had all summer to prepare for the option.
"I guess we'll see how it plays against our scheme," said junior defensive back Daryl Worley. "I can't really tell you how aggressive we'll be. Everyone has his job. I know with them being an option team every player has their keys to read. As long as all are playing their part, though, we should be successful."
And back in familiar territory very soon.