Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 19, 1993 TAG: 9311190143
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Elmassian was a "52" devotee before he got to Virginia, he remained that way during four years in Charlottesville and his beliefs didn't change when he went to Syracuse.
Even when he went to the University of Washington to observe the Huskies' attack-style defense, Elmassian wasn't sold immediately.
"Anytime you don't understand something, it's natural not to like it," he said, "but the more I watched them practice, the more impressed I was."
Elmassian realizes that Tech fans weren't happy with the wide-tackle six defense employed by the Hokies until this year, "but [criticism of the wide-tackle six] was just an excuse for losing," he said.
Elmassian says Tech's new defense is commonly described as a 4-3, "which it is not," he said. "That's an insult to people's intelligence."
Technically speaking, a 4-3 defense has four down linemen and three linebackers, but the Hokies have many different looks.
"I think it suits my personality," said Elmassian, who likes aggressive football. "It's something I had been missing. We don't care who's in the ball game [for the other team]. We don't care how they're lined up or whether they shift.
"That's why I like it. It brings the game back to the players."
Virginia coach George Welsh, under whom Elmassian coached linebackers from 1987-90, has been surprised at Elmassian's transformation.
"I guess he changed his mind," Welsh said. "We were in a defense a lot similar to what Bill Dooley had used [at Virginia Tech]. Phil was a believer in that defense and how we did things in those years."
Coincidentally, UVa abandoned the 52 in favor of the 4-3 when Rick Lantz succeeded Frank Spaziani as defensive coordinator after the 1990 season.
"Sure, I liked [the 52] because it won 10 games for us [in 1989]," Elmassian said. "We won eight games with it at East Carolina. It was our defense when Lou Holtz and John Gutekunst turned things around at Minnesota.
"The problem [with the 52] was in adjusting to the one-back set. The `52' was great versus the I-formation, but, with the multiplicity of formations, people started getting away from it. We spent more time lining up the defense than working on blocking and tackling."
Elmassian said formations are generally overrated, but he cites the case of former Pulaski County star Billy Myers, who lacked great speed but thrived in Tech's old scheme because he played the cornerback position closest to the sideline.
"It all comes down to big plays," said Elmassian, who coached the secondary at Tech from 1985-86. "The longest run against us in '86 [when Tech played in the Peach Bowl] was 24 yards and that was a draw play."
It was the decision to change defenses that prompted Welsh to change coordinators after the 1990 season. Spaziani was given the option of remaining as secondary coach, meaning the addition of a coordinator would put UVa over the NCAA limit for assistants.
Elmassian has said he would not have been uncomfortable working for Lantz, but UVa had not named a coordinator when the Syracuse position came open. Moreover, Spaziani had not rejected Welsh's offer at that point.
Welsh said earlier this week that Elmassian could have remained at UVa, "but he was a secondary coach at heart."
Welsh had that right.
"I love it back there," Elmassian said, "but, when [Boston College] gets 600 yards, it humbles you. Frank [Beamer] has been kind about it, but if it had been me, I would have fired myself."
The defense made amends last week with a 45-24 victory over Syracuse. It was an emotional day for Elmassian, who won't be quite as sentimental Saturday, although he coached UVa linebackers P.J. Killian and Tom Burns when they were freshmen.
"Syracuse was tough," Elmassian said. "It was a special two years there, not that Virginia wasn't special. I've just been away longer.
"Coach Welsh bailed me out, though. He didn't have to give me a job. I don't know if I'd be here today without the experience I had coaching the linebackers."
by CNB