STARKVILLE — Peter Sirmon wasn’t shy about what new philosophies he wants to bring to the Mississippi State football defense.
He doesn’t want to get bogged down with running one type of look and staying in a certain type of defense. Instead, the first-year defensive coordinator wants to be multiple, changing looks often and making it hard on opposing offenses to zero in on their plan of attack.
“When you start to have multiple attacks you have to stop multiple philosophies, you have to keep the playbook open and you have to be flexible with how you approach things,” Sirmon said Monday as the Bulldogs reported to fall camp. “As plain as that might sound, our emphasis is what we need to do to put our kids in the best position to give us the best chance to win football games.”
Sirmon, who was hired as the linebackers coach as well, takes over for Manny Diaz who took the same position at Miami. Sirmon, who had stints at Southern California, Washington and Tennessee, is the third defensive coordinator in three years for coach Dan Mullen. Diaz took over for Geoff Collins after he left for Florida after serving four seasons with Mullen. Sirmon’s stye is different from the styles of Diaz and Collins.
A former linebacker at Oregon and with the Tennessee Titans in the NFL, Sirmon’s style of defense will better utilize MSU’s versatility.
“We are recruiting guys that have great size and athleticism to play in multiple fronts,” Sirmon said. “I think it is real positive for us with the style of play. It becomes what do you have to stop to win the game. Having a multiple front defense will give us the flexibility to move guys around that have certain skill sets to play multiple positions.”
MSU primarily played a 4-3 defense last season, but it mixed in a 3-4 look to change things up. Sirmon will use both and a variety of other looks.
With playing a 3-4 last season, Mullen feels like his players already have a comfort level with it and the transition won’t be long and difficult. But to Mullen, the scheme nearly isn’t as important as the players they have.
“As coaches, our responsibility is to put guys in the best position to make plays,” Mullen said. “One of the things you have to be is very multiple, in every phase of your team and within the scheme. The scheme has to fit the players. The players always trump the scheme.”
In Sirmon’s system, the viper position, a hybrid defensive lineman/linebacker, will be prominently featured. Sirmon described the position as a “defensive end to a standup outside linebacker.” Senior defensive lineman Will Coleman, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Anfernee Mullins, freshman defensive lineman Marquiss Spencer and sophomore linebacker Gerri Green are the candidates for the viper position.
Green played exclusively at the inside linebacker position in the spring, so he didn’t get the reps at the viper position like the other players. Sirmon would like to see the 6-foot-4, 248-pound Green playing both inside and outside linebacker.
“He is a guy who has good size, good physical tools and most importantly a smart guy that will be able to play multiple positions,” Sirmon said. “I want to see him playing on the edge a little bit, and then from there we will know what direction we want to go with him.”
Green, who played in 13 games as a freshman and registered 49 tackles (2.5 for loss), two interceptions, one pass breakup, three passes defended and one quarterback hurry, said he is excited about the possibility of rushing the edge. He didn’t have a sack last season, but playing the viper position, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Green likes playing both positions and he feels like he has the skill set to be successful at both. Also, the multiple positions have given him a different perspective of the defense.
“It helps me know what’s going on all across the defense,” Green said. “Going from inside to the outside on the same play, I know where the ball needs to go and what needs to happen on that play.”
Another integral position in his defense is the star position or the other outside linebacker. Junior J.T. Gray, junior Trevor Jung and senior DeAndre Ward are candidates for that position.
With different defensive front looks, it could put some pressure on the secondary, but Sirmon doesn’t expect that.
“When receivers run routes, there are a lot of one-on-ones,” Sirmon said. “I don’t envision our style of play putting any additional stress on them that most corners in the country feel. The challenge for the corners in making the play when the ball is in the air.”
Sirmon is part of an entire new defensive staff. Brian Baker was hired as the defensive line coach, Terrell Buckley as the cornerbacks coach and recruiting coordinator and Maurice Linguist as the safeties coach.
The four went through spring and got to put in some of their schemes. However, with a new coaching staff and new schemes, things might become difficult for the defense.
“It is not going to be as much as I have made it sound to be,” Sirmon said. “From a building standpoint, I look at how are we building certain techniques. When you multiple it, it looks big because the front looks different than the coverage.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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