KARI GIBB/MDN Minot State University defensive football player Cody Crossinger (93) works on proper edge rushing technique at spring practice. The Beavers have their spring game on April 13, at the MSU Bubble at 9 a.m.

Spring practice for the 2024-25 football season is one third over. In preparation for the spring game and the upcoming fall season, the team is deep in technique drills and system implementation. The implementation of the teams offense and defense is dictated by player personnel and what the opposing team(s) traditionally do. And that starts with what is happening “In the Box” for both teams.

The ‘Box’ is an invisible framework that starts with the line of scrimmage – where the ball is placed on the ground – and extends to each side from the ball wide enough to hold a guard, tackle and tight-end on each side of the center as well as any players roughly five-yards into the offensive backfield and defensive backfield.

The MSU defense runs both odd and even fronts, but their basic plan is a 3-4 or 3-3 nickel package. The ‘3’ indicates three down linemen while the second number indicates how many linebackers are ‘in the box’ when the play is called.

“We run multiple fronts with multiple looks,” said head football coach Ian Shields. “We do defensively what we need to do in order to apply pressure and be aggressive.”

In an odd front, or a 3-4 defense, the task of the three down linemen is two fold; occupy as many offensive linemen to keep them from getting into the linebackers or defensive backs and apply pressure on the offense from the middle of the line and the outside edges of the ‘box’ on any given snap of the ball.

“We have some good defensive linemen,” said Shields. “We will need more and have more arriving for fall, but we work technique and system installation in the spring with those players that are here.”

The Beavers have several defensive linemen on the current spring roster. Sophomore Josh Will and redshirt freshman John Dillon are joined by sophomore Canaan Boyd, redshirt freshman Blake Thompson, redshirt junior Armando Ramos and transfer junior Vaughn Mamea who will all work either at nose tackle or defensive end. Listed at linebacker, but putting significant time in at the defensive end position are redshirt sophomore Cody Grossinger and redshirt freshman Jackson Gridley.

“In this modern era, we have access to the video from practices and games nearly live time,” said Shields. “We will sit as a staff less than an hour after practice ends and be able to review and make plans for the following sessions that will help each player improve as spring progresses.”

In addition to head coach Shields, the Beavers have defensive coordinator Jake Rothschiller, defensive secondary coach Anthony Garnett and defensive line coach Darryl McBride.

In a 3-4 defensive scheme or odd front, there are three linemen typically with four linebackers. The linemen are typically two defensive ends and a nose tackle. The nose tackle lines up in front of the center while the defensive ends line up across from each offensive tackle. The Linebackers would have one on each end of the line in front of a tight end or outside the tackle while the inner two linebackers line up in front of the guards and about 3 yards back from the line of scrimmage.

An example of nose tackles is Vince Wilfork who played for the New England Patriots from 2004-2014 and Houston Texans from 2015-2016 until retiring. The six-foot, one and a quarter-inch graduate of the University of Miami was between 320-340 pounds for his playing career. In high school, Wilfork was a wrestler and participated in track and field (throwing events) in addition to the grid-iron.

An example of a defensive end, especially in a 3-4 front, was Reggie White who played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1985-1992 and for the Green Bay Packers from 1993-1998 and for the Carolina Panthers for the 2000 season. The six-foot, five-inch graduate of the University of Tennessee was roughly 300 pounds when he played.