A topic I wanted to cover this offseason is how Tech’s 4-2-5 roughly compares to other defensive schemes in college football. A recent post on the subscribers’ board speculating about future defensive coordinators dredged up the idea, so here’s a quick’n’dirty guide to the defensive schemes you’re most likely to see in college ball today and how Tech’s personnel might fit into them.
Other 4-2-5 Defenses
Nothing is ironclad in football schemes and terminology, but we can make some generalities. When I’m talking about “4-2-5” defenses, I’m not necessarily talking about defenses that use a 4-2 box and a nickel on the edge—plenty of defenses can do that. Instead, I’m talking about schemes like Virginia Tech’s that evolved out of older 4-4 defenses.