Pack Line vs No Middle — NCAA Championship Game

The story of two complete opposite sides of the spectrum down the defensive end, what an exciting battle it will be.

Chris Beard’s Texas Tech super aggressive “no middle” stance on the ball, help early and build a wall has caused havoc for his opposition. Tony Bennett’s sits on the other side of the fence, his pack line defence has a “square” stance on the ball but they do not allow penetration to the outside or baseline. Here we will have a look at the two styles that are diametrically opposed.

Pack Line Pillars

1. Cannot get stretched — only the ball defender can go outside the pack line. All other defenders must have at least one foot inside the pack line.
2. Ball Pressure — as much as possible without getting beat.
3. Build a Wall — Creates a crowded floor, ball handler cannot see gaps or holes.
4. Your Position is Your Help — constant repositioning and fight for your vision and gap help. Eliminated two movements eg. help and recover
5. Aggressive Closeouts — must guard your yard, 3 feet to your left and to your right.
6. No post feeds from the top.

Jim Boone, Head Coach of Delta State University and pack line promoter talks about “Know Your No’s” — there must be…