News - Sports - College

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008

Clemson's Swinney makes push for more proactive, pressure defense

CLEMSON -- Clemson defensive coordinator Vic Koenning allegedly walked into a defensive backs meeting early last week with a mere two sheets of paper in hand, telling players those pages contained all the pass coverages they would run against Duke.

The greater surprise, senior safety Michael Hamlin said, was that Koenning then informed them the Tigers were going to utilize more press man-to-man coverage at interim coach Dabo Swinney's behest.

Press man -- where defensive backs line up directly in front of receivers and try to stick with them stride for stride -- is considered high-risk, high-reward.

Hamlin said that goes against the principles advocated by Koenning, who prefers his defensive backs keep a soft cushion ahead of receivers in order to reduce the risk of getting beat deep.

"All the DBs were kind of excited," Hamlin said. "All defensive linemen want to do is rush the passer, all linebackers want to blitz. All the defensive backs want to do is play press man. But we also know you can't do them all the time."

How much Clemson did of each, and whether those numbers even varied from the norm, would be irrelevant if they weren't evidence related to a more substantive issue -- the degree Swinney is molding the defense in his image, too.

Swinney said Tuesday that he has had "input" in steering the Tigers from being a defense that relies on reactive coverage to one that applies proactive pressure more frequently.

Part of the reason was the specific matchup problem Duke would have, but Swinney said he believes Clemson has needed to mix up its approach and must pick spots to apply more heat in the future.

"Vic and those guys, they know what they're doing over there," Swinney said.

"But it's probably good for them to know if you want to bring a house blitz, the coach is all for it. It's on me if we give up a big play. I think they haven't been hesitant at all in dialing those things up."

Koenning agreed the Tigers weren't hesitant to dial those things up.

Nor, he pleasantly argued, have they ever been.

Koenning said the defense actually used more man coverages the game before and have used the same types of man coverage all season, making only subtle adjustments in how they align their safeties.

He estimated bringing pressure on 45 percent of the defense's snaps this season, with man coverage applied in 25 percent of the overall snaps.

"I think all that stuff works if it works," Koenning said. "If it doesn't, then somebody's band is going to play, and it isn't always yours."

Koenning tried to shoot down implications that Swinney might be undermining his power, suggesting there is a distinction between making decisions and enforcing one's will.

Koenning declined to share details of how the game plan was put together because, he said, one way or another it would open someone to unjust criticism.

Swinney could be construed as a micromanager or authoritarian. Or, conversely, it could imply that former coach Tommy Bowden was too hands-off in his approach.

"I did what I want to do in the game," Koenning said. "I didn't do anything that I was told to do or not told to do or this or that if that is the direction you are going. The same thing with Florida State within a few parameters.

"If my boss tells me to do something, then I'm going to do what my boss tells me to do. I'm not going to go against him, and I'm not going to be bitter if it doesn't go my way."