You don’t have to look too deeply into the Western Kentucky biography page to Clayton White to find out what kind of defense he likes to run. The second line on its page highlights the fact that White’s 4-2-5 base defense was ranked among the top 25 in the country.
This is certainly a scheme that most people in South Carolina are familiar with, since he is the former coordinator Ellis Johnson it worked during his time with the program and served Gamecocks well. Some of the most successful teams in the school’s history were built in a 4-2-5 defense, and this appears to be returning to Columbia, as White accepted a job in South Carolina.
White has not yet spoken to the South Carolina media, so he has not yet been asked what defensive philosophies he will bring to the program. But when he got his first defensive coordinator job with the Hilltoppers, he expressed the need to evaluate the staff before committing to a scheme.
“I always said that I have an opportunity – because I made the transition from schools and you come in with a scheme and come in, see the players and it won’t fit,” said White in January 2017.
“Everywhere I went, I was four below (linemen). But there are three linebackers, 4-2-5s and 3-4s. In terms of philosophy, it’s definitely going to be a four-way down. Be it 4-3 or 4-2-5 or to mix fronts to keep the guys off balance, but the base starts at the front. “
Branco was an unmentioned name for the vacant position of defensive coordinator under the command of first-year head coach Shane Beamer until Pete Thamel broke the news that he was going to be hired.
Opening YouTube to check out some games from last season, it certainly looks like most of the plays are in the 4-2-5 formation.
That said, in the two games I played – defeats to Louisville and Liberty this season – I had some lessons.
The first is that there are rarely four players in a three-point stance. More moves than not, both defensive ends are playing with their hands off the ground, while the inner players have a hand on the ground. There are more plays with three players with the hand down than four players with the hand down.
Both cornerbacks on the outside normally lined up near the scrimmage line and played tight on the receivers, regardless of the descent and distance.
Again, this is far from being a full movie session, but in both games I watched, the midfield was vulnerable in both the defender’s running game and the passing game. The security guards seem to be playing too deep.
White will obviously have access to a different caliber of athletes in South Carolina, but there are also some obvious personal challenges with the list now. The 4-2-5 defense is what he likes, and it looks like he’s going back to Columbia.