OTF Video: Projecting the Starting Defense

Hey CJ, you got the Jack and Buck wrong. The Buck is the boundary and the smaller pass rusher, Jack is the field and the bigger guy.

8 minutes ago, GoHorns1 said:

Hey CJ, you got the Jack and Buck wrong. The Buck is the boundary and the smaller pass rusher, Jack is the field and the bigger guy.

Yep.

Buck = Boundary

Jack = Field/Strong-side

I thought the Buck was the weak side and the Jack was the strong side rather than field and boundary.

31 minutes ago, gus fleener said:

I thought the Buck was the weak side and the Jack was the strong side rather than field and boundary.

I have a question regarding the Jack and Buck positions. Is one a stand up end and the other an end with their hand in the dirt? Also if there are only two backers why have a Mike? It seems you only need a Sam and Will.

24 minutes ago, Baron said:

I have a question regarding the Jack and Buck positions. Is one a stand up end and the other an end with their hand in the dirt? Also if there are only two backers why have a Mike? It seems you only need a Sam and Will.

Texas is basically a 2-4-5 base, which looks like a 4-2-5 defense. There are 2 true DL (DTs). 2 ILBs and 2 OLBs (Jack and Buck). Buck tends to drop a bit more, but both will drop from time to time. Having smaller more athletic ends (opposed to a traditional SDE) gives the defense more versatility. On a standard 4 man rush Texas has multiple options. 2 DTs are coming, but 2 of the 4 LBs can come. Standard is 2 DTs and 2 OLBs (Jack and Buck) or something like 2 DTs, Mike, and Jack (Will and Buck dropping). Idea is to add some confusion to the OL, without adding risk (still dropping 7).. Vic Fangio runs a lot of this look in the NFL, which brings us full circle to the new DL hire (Fangio also teaches a gap and a half to his DL). 

14 hours ago, gus fleener said:

I thought the Buck was the weak side and the Jack was the strong side rather than field and boundary.

Sorrell is the strong-side end, Burke the weak-side. They play the weak typically into the boundary.

It’s all nomenclature.

14 hours ago, Baron said:

I have a question regarding the Jack and Buck positions. Is one a stand up end and the other an end with their hand in the dirt? Also if there are only two backers why have a Mike? It seems you only need a Sam and Will.

They both can stand up or put their hand in the dirt to give an offense different looks.

They have a third linebacker spot in case they want to give more of a dime look these days or play lighter in the box. It’s not a starting position IMO because Texas, and just about everyone else in CFB, plays a base nickel. A 4-2-5 or as Texas likes to call it a 2-4-5. 

I still think finding/developing a proper 1 tech is the biggest issue for the defensive staff this year. Washington game unfortunately pointed that out (they decided to go for it on 4th and 1 in their territory, when they noticed Carter and Broughton at DT). Collins’ impact would be lessened if he was forced to play out of position at Nose. 

8 minutes ago, codaxx said:

I still think finding/developing a proper 1 tech is the biggest issue for the defensive staff this year. Washington game unfortunately pointed that out (they decided to go for it on 4th and 1 in their territory, when they noticed Carter and Broughton at DT). Collins’ impact would be lessened if he was forced to play out of position at Nose. 

It is. Agree.

21 hours ago, gus fleener said:

I thought the Buck was the weak side and the Jack was the strong side rather than field and boundary.

not in this system, Texas defense looks more at boundary and field, per this site and multiple others. expectation is the TE will usually line up on the more open side, if so then Jack as strong side is correct. I'm sure Bobby, CJ, or any of the on Texas guys can word it much better.